Maggie Benson's Journey

February 28, 2024

Maggie Benson’s Journey: The Journey Was Worth It

Maggie Benson was in an expansive mood. It had been almost three years since her grandfather asked her to take over Benson Electronics. By using Lean techniques, cost modeling the assembly process, and implementing continuous improvement, the company made significant profitability improvements.

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January 30, 2024

Maggie Benson’s Journey: A Lesson From Elon Musk’s Playbook

Editor’s note: Indium Corporation’s Ron Lasky continues this series of columns about Maggie Benson, a fictional character, to demonstrate continuous improvement and education in SMT assembly. In this installment, Ivy University Professor Patty Coleman was seated next to John Archer on her flight home, It had been a rough start to her day. Patty had been having trouble charging her phone and laptop, but her seatmate had come to her rescue. Now, they were both talking about Walter Isaacson’s biography of Elon Musk, and Patty became so engrossed in the conversation that she was able to forget about some of her earlier troubles.

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December 26, 2023

Maggie Benson’s Journey: It’s Just One of Those Days

Professor Patty was a little early for her flight home from SMTAI, so she sat in the waiting area by her gate. She was glad the Hal Lindsey episode was over. It should not have bothered her that he called her “Professor Fatty,” considering the source. But it did bother her, and she was even more embarrassed that when she had told her husband Rob about the incident, she burst into tears. That was the first time since she had met Rob that she got teary eyed around him. She asked him not to tell anyone about what Hal said or that she had cried about it. Anyway, since then she had lost nine pounds… only eight more to go.

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December 06, 2023

Maggie Benson’s Journey: Truth Revealed, Balance Restored

A meeting is transpiring at Ivy University, analyzing the cost of ownership calculations between Excel’s component placement machines and Pinnacle’s. In his analysis, Hal “Halitosis” Lindsey, the gruff salesperson from Excel, has demonstrated how Excel machines have a lower cost of ownership. Ivy U. student Paul LaCroix agreed with this analysis, and then shared his explanation of how the more expensive Pinnacle machines have a better profitability potential.

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November 01, 2023

Maggie Benson’s Journey: The Big Reveal

Editor’s note: Indium Corporation’s Ron Lasky continues this series of columns about Maggie Benson, a fictional character, to demonstrate continuous improvement and education in SMT assembly. In this episode, Salesman Hal confidently gives his presentation on the cost to install a new assembly line at Benson Electronics. But student Paul has been doing some calculations of his own, much to everyone’s surprise.

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September 22, 2023

Maggie Benson’s Journey: What Is the Profit Potential?

Editor’s note: Indium Corporation’s Ron Lasky continues this series of columns about Maggie Benson, a fictional character, to demonstrate continuous improvement and education in SMT assembly. In this installment, Paul LaCroix tests his math skills in determining how much to spend on a component placement machine and what his earning potential might be.

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August 30, 2023

Maggie Benson’s Journey: A Tale of Two Lawn Mowers

Editor’s note: Indium Corporation’s Ron Lasky continues this series of columns about Maggie Benson, a fictional character, to demonstrate continuous improvement and education in SMT assembly. In this month’s column, Paul LaCroix is explaining to Professor Patty Coleman that “cost of ownership” may not be exactly what you think it is, or make the most sense. What was Patty’s response?

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July 31, 2023

Maggie Benson’s Journey: A ‘Cost of Ownership’ Project

Editor’s note: Indium Corporation’s Ron Lasky continues this series of columns about Maggie Benson, a fictional character, to demonstrate continuous improvement and education in SMT assembly. In this column, we are introduced to Paul LaCroix, a Haitian immigrant who’s excelling at school and is taking on a new project for Benson Electronics.

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July 04, 2023

Maggie Benson’s Journey: A Solution to the Cost-Estimate Problem

Editor’s note: Indium Corporation’s Ron Lasky continues this series of columns about Maggie Benson, a fictional character, to demonstrate continuous improvement and education in SMT assembly. The story continues with Andy and Sue, who both worked at Ivy-Benson Electronics, but have been taking on other projects for Professor Patty Coleman at Ivy University. At Hartman Electronics, Professor Patty asked owner Matt Harman to describe his new project to Andy and Sue. He had just explained how much he pays his operators and engineers but had concerns about whether this was the right amount.

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May 31, 2023

Maggie Benson’s Journey: The Tale of the Cost-Estimate Problem

Indium Corporation’s Ron Lasky continues this series of columns about Maggie Benson, a fictional character, to demonstrate continuous improvement and education in SMT assembly. In this episode, Sue and Andy get to visit an SMT provider and offer help with the owner's cost-estimate problem. But are they up for the challenge?

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May 03, 2023

Maggie Benson's Journey: Calculating Operating Costs

Editor’s note: Indium Corporation’s Ron Lasky continues this series of columns about Maggie Benson, a fictional character, to demonstrate continuous improvement and education in SMT assembly. In this episode, Sue and Andy have just returned to the Upper Valley of Vermont and are out for a walk. Let’s look in on their conversation.

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March 15, 2023

Maggie Benson’s Journey: The Finishing Touch

Let’s check in on Andy Connors and Sue March at Castellanos Electronics after Maggie and John’s decision to buy the company. In our last episode, Sue was working on solutions to minimize solder defects that have been categorized in a Pareto Chart, whereas Andy was working on creating a training program to develop some process engineers and implementing an improvement plan developed by Chuck Tower and José Castellanos.

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February 22, 2023

Maggie Benson’s Journey: Slow and Steady is Still Progress

In this latest installment of Maggie Benson's Journey, Sue, Andy, and Chuck summarize their findings and identify an action plan to continue making progress on their goal to bring Castellanos Electronics up to standard. Chuck entrusts his development plan to Andy, while Sue again joins forces with Carlos and Miguel to keep chewing through the long list of manufacturing process defects that need resolving. Tune in next time to find out what Andy has decided to include in his SMTA Certification training program, as well as whether Sue's suggestions successfully lead to a decrease in HIP.

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February 01, 2023

Maggie Benson’s Journey: Fair and Square

This month in the ongoing saga of Maggie Benson's Journey, Sue March and Andy Connors choose to remain in Mexico after the purchase of Castellanos Electronics to help Chuck Tower coordinate the company's transition. Using their previously drafted improvement plans, the group splits up to address the efficiency and defect-related issues they'd identified during their earlier tours of the factory. Sue teams up with Carlos to propose a solution to the company's biggest quality issue—solder joint graping—while Andy meets with the four promising candidates recommended to the process engineer training program

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November 30, 2022

Maggie Benson’s Journey: An ‘Engaging’ Conversation

Editor’s note: Indium Corporation’s Ron Lasky continues this series of columns about Maggie Benson, a fictional character, to demonstrate continuous improvement and education in SMT assembly. In this month's column, Andy and Sue prepare to take two journeys—one to Mexico to tour a facility that Maggie is interested in buying, and one of a more personal nature that will mean a more permanent union between them both. It's an exciting time in the lives of these two young professionals.

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October 18, 2022

Maggie Benson’s Journey: Melancholy Endings and Exciting Beginnings

Editor’s note: Indium Corporation’s Ron Lasky continues this series of columns about Maggie Benson, a fictional character, to demonstrate continuous improvement and education in SMT assembly. In this installment, Maggie's employees Andy and Sue finish teaching their pre-calculus class, then get "called into" Maggie's office where Professor Patty Coleman and others are waiting. What they learn truly comes as a shock and something they never expected.

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October 05, 2022

Maggie Benson's Journey: Solving for 'X'

Indium Corporation’s Ron Lasky continues this series of columns about Maggie Benson, a fictional character, to demonstrate continuous improvement and education in SMT assembly. In this episode, Maggie's employees Andy and Sue continue to quiz one another as they prep to teach the company's SMT 101 workshop. Their discussions include some of the basic math and assembly concepts that are needed in today's shops.

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August 30, 2022

Maggie Benson's Journey: Teaching About Solder Paste

Indium Corporation's Ron Lasky continues this series columns about Maggie Benson, a fictional character, to demonstrate the continuous improvement in SMT assembly. In this installment, Maggie and her fiance John note the positive changes at Ivy-Benson Electronics and attribute the change to two employees who really stepped up to the challenge of learning.

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July 27, 2022

Maggie Benson’s Journey: Breaking Down the Math

Editor’s note: Indium Corporation’s Ron Lasky continues this series of columns about Maggie Benson, a fictional character, to demonstrate continuous improvement and education in SMT assembly. In this column, Ivy Benson employees Andy and Sue continue to quiz one on another on algebraic equations that they need to know in PCB assembly. While Andy feels outwitted by Sue, his own knowledge is improving. Will they make a good team?

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June 27, 2022

Maggie Benson's Journey: Learning the Basics

Indium Corporation’s Ron Lasky continues this series of columns about Maggie Benson, a fictional character, to demonstrate continuous improvement and education in SMT assembly. In this column, Ivy Benson employees Andy and Sue continue to test each other on the basics of surface mount technology as they prepare for certification. Lasky points out there are no sources of material to help a technician or engineer new to electronic assembly to learn the basics.

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June 01, 2022

Maggie Benson’s Journey: Take Your Assembly Skills to the Next Level

Indium Corporation’s Ron Lasky continues this series of columns about Maggie Benson, a fictional character, to demonstrate continuous improvement and education in SMT assembly. In this month's column, two of Ivy Benson's young employees respond to Maggie's challenge to improve their assembly knowledge and skills. Does it have the desired effect?

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April 27, 2022

Maggie Benson's Journey: Report and Verify

Editor’s note: Indium Corporation’s Dr. Ronald C. Lasky continues this series of columns about Maggie Benson, a fictional character, to demonstrate continuous improvement and education in SMT assembly. In this episode, Maggie and John meet with her grandfather, who sold the company to Maggie, to talk about how it's going.

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March 16, 2022

Maggie Benson's Journey: A Tale of Two Perspectives

Indium Corporation’s Ron Lasky continues this series of columns about Maggie Benson, a fictional character, to demonstrate continuous improvement and education in SMT assembly. In this installment, the new owners have improved the facility and improved morale, but previous owner Ned Price isn't sold on the changes, and has a lot to say about it.

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March 02, 2022

Maggie Benson's Journey: A Buying Strategy Primer

Indium Corporation’s Ron Lasky continues this series of columns about Maggie Benson, a fictional character, to demonstrate continuous improvement and education in SMT assembly. The last column concluded with these questions: Will BE buy Ivy Electronics? What will the price be? What is in the action plan? What is 5S and the 8 Mudas?

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January 12, 2022

Maggie Benson’s Journey: Can a Dirty Factory Be Fixed?

Indium Corporation’s Ron Lasky continues this series of columns about Maggie Benson, a fictional character, to demonstrate continuous improvement and education in SMT assembly. In this installment, Maggie and John, new owners of Benson Electronics, are speaking with Professor Patty Coleman about adding more lines through an acquisition of Ivy Electronics. So, why is Patty down on Ivy Electronics?

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December 15, 2021

Maggie Benson's Journey: The Power of Pareto

In this fictional account of Maggie Benson, Indium Corporation's Ronald C. Lasky explores continuous improvement themes. This month, after reviewing the company's success with improving uptime, he introduces the idea of a Pareto chart which shows the yield fallout by failure mode types.

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November 24, 2021

Maggie Benson's Journey: Taking a Team Approach

Editor’s note: Indium Corporation’s Ron Lasky continues this series of columns about Maggie Benson, a fictional character, to demonstrate continuous improvement and education in SMT assembly. Maggie was working in her office, deep in concentration, when she was startled by the phone ringing. It was her mentor, Professor Patty Coleman from Ivy University. Maggie reached to answer the phone. “Hi Prof…,” Maggie started, “Patty.” “Well, Maggie, we still need a little work on you calling me Patty,” Patty said, chuckling. “I am calling to thank you again for taking my family to Mount Ascutney to view the Milky Way. Rob, our boys, and I really enjoyed it. I didn’t consider that the new moon might be the best time for viewing. It was also neat to see Venus. I was unaware that Venus is in the Western sky after sundown because it is closer to the sun than the earth.”

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October 27, 2021

Maggie Benson's Journey: The Law of Exponential Profits

Ronald Lasky continues his series on continuous improvement through this series with fictional character Maggie Benson. Here, he explains that with increased productivity, each unit produced is cheaper to make and you have more of them, so profits increase exponentially.

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September 15, 2021

Maggie Benson's Journey: Making Progress on Uptime

As the story continues, Maggie meets with Professor Patty Coleman, and finds something new to chat about. Back at Benson Electronics, the team is meeting about uptime on the line. What's new there?

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August 11, 2021

Maggie Benson's Journey: What is Your Uptime?

In this fictional account meant to discuss continuous improvement methods, character Maggie Benson reviews the urgency of improving uptime on the lines with one of her employees.

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July 12, 2021

Maggie Benson's Journey: SMT Process Optimization

In this fictional account, Maggie Benson's time on the golf course with her professor leads to important improvements at the factory.

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June 03, 2021

Maggie Benson's Journey: Part 2—Making the Announcement

In Part 2 of Dr. Ronald Lasky's fictional account of Maggie Benson, Benson Electronics learns of the change in ownership, while Maggie and John evaluate making some changes.

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May 05, 2021

Maggie Benson’s Journey: Setting the Stage for Continuous Improvement

Indium Corporation’s Ronald C. Lasky has launched this series of columns about Maggie Benson, a fictional character, to demonstrate continuous improvement and education in SMT assembly.)

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