Global Citizenship: Chinese PCB Fabricators Will Remain an Important Part of the Supply Chain
Nolan’s Notes: The Interconnectedness of a Global Supply Chain
SMT Perspectives and Prospects: Warren Buffett’s Perpetual Wisdom, Part 1
Book Excerpt: The Electronics Industry’s Guide to… The Evolving PCB NPI Process, Chapter 1
September 28, 2022 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Chapter 1
How the NPI Process Has Changed and Where We're Going
When forging into unknown territory or exploring new ground, it can help to look at where we’ve been so we can orient ourselves.
Just a few decades ago, electronics manufacturing companies were producing high volumes of few products. The efficiency of electronics manufacturing lines is measured by overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and total effective equipment performance (TEEP). Back then, this meant optimizing the time it took to build a single board. If the time it took to build one board could be reduced by a few seconds, the savings would be multiplied by the number of boards being built. This could be in the hundreds of thousands or millions of boards, with no changes in the line configuration. If it took a day to change over from one product to another, it didn’t matter because the TEEP/OEE was driven by the time it took to build a board.
For example, consider that it takes 35 seconds to place components on a single board, and I need to make 250 boards. My handling time (the time it takes to load a board into the machine and get it out after) is 10 seconds, then the total time to build the 250 boards will be (35 + 10) • 250 = 11,250 seconds. This equates to about 188 minutes, or approximately three hours. If it takes four hours to changeover—namely reconfigure the line before starting a different PCB—to a new product, my OEE will be less than 50%, considering no other external factors. As the batch size goes down, the changeover time dominates the OEE figure.
In today’s high-mix, low-volume production environments, performance is further enhanced with line efficiency. Line efficiency is the ratio of the number of hours during which a high-volume, pick-and-place machine places parts on the PCB, divided by the number of hours during which the SMT assembly lines are staffed (placement time/staffed time x 100). It is a solid number, simple to obtain, and has great value as a key performance indicator.
With higher product mixes, the number of NPIs being processed increases. Changeovers on the shop-floor line can happen daily or many times a day. This also means the time it takes to process the source design data has increased. This data-processing time is becoming a more important consideration compared to when NPI processing was not a daily task in the lower mix environment. As product mix has gone up, there has been a move from mixed vendor lines focused on ultimate through-put to single vendor lines focused on flexibility and shorter changeovers. There may be more than one pick-and-place vendor brand in the factory, but each line commonly has only one brand now.
Download your free copy today! You can also view other titles in our full library.
We hope you enjoy The Electronics Industry’s Guide to… The Evolving PCB NPI Process.
Share on:
Testimonial
"Advertising in PCB007 Magazine has been a great way to showcase our bare board testers to the right audience. The I-Connect007 team makes the process smooth and professional. We’re proud to be featured in such a trusted publication."
Klaus Koziol - atgSuggested Items
Automated Production Equipment and Manncorp Announce Strategic Partnership to Expand SMT Solutions for U.S. Electronics Manufacturers
08/06/2025 | Automated Production EquipmentAutomated Production Equipment (APE), a trusted supplier of high-performance soldering and rework systems, proudly announces a strategic partnership with Manncorp, a leading provider of Surface Mount Technology (SMT) production equipment. This collaboration brings together two industry leaders to deliver expanded, end-to-end SMT solutions to electronics manufacturers across North America.
KYZEN to Feature CYBERSOLV 141-K and KYZEN E5631J at SMTA Michigan Expo and Tech Forum
08/05/2025 | KYZEN'KYZEN, the global leader in innovative environmentally responsible cleaning chemistries, will exhibit at the SMTA Michigan Expo and Tech Forum, scheduled to take place Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at Laurel Manor in Livonia, Michigan. During the event, the KYZEN Clean Team will highlight precision aerosol cleaner CYBERSOLV 141-K and understencil cleaner KYZEN E5631J.
Global Citizenship: Chinese PCB Fabricators Will Remain an Important Part of the Supply Chain
08/06/2025 | Tom Yang -- Column: Global CitizenshipIn today’s hyperconnected electronics landscape, collaboration is no longer optional; it’s essential. No single country holds a monopoly on innovation, and no one company or country can go it alone. Electronics manufacturing is very much a global business, and this will not change, no matter how the tariffs and global trade winds are blowing. Whether you're a startup founder building your prototype, an aerospace engineer pushing the boundaries of performance, or a supply chain leader managing a complex global network, Chinese PCB fabricators have likely already touched your world.
Statement from the Global Electronics Association on the July 2025 Tariff on Copper Foil and Electronics-Grade Copper Inputs
07/31/2025 | Global Electronics AssociationWe are disappointed by today’s decision to impose a 50% tariff on imported copper foil and other essential materials critical to electronics manufacturing in the United States.
Mouser Electronics Receives Top Global Distributor, Growth Awards from HARTING
08/01/2025 | Mouser ElectronicsMouser Electronics, Inc., the authorized global distributor with the newest electronic components and industrial automation products, has been honored with HARTING's prestigious Global High Service Distributor of the Year Award. Mouser also received the Distinguished Award for New Product Sales Growth. The awards were presented at HARTING's recent 2025 Distribution Summit in Louisville, Kentucky.