TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Originally Printed in the May 2002 Issue of Circuits
Assembly
Magazine
TURNING BOARDS IN HOURS INSTEAD OF DAYS
Ready for improved communication, productivity and
product quality? Try a Web-based
data management system that links the production floor with other
departments.
As
a contract manufacturer with three production facilities, we compete in
the mid-volume, high-part-count, turnkey printed circuit board (PCB) and
integration assembly market. Accordingly, we must turn products,
processes and engineering change orders quickly to remain competitive
and grow our customer base. Maintaining a high level of customer
satisfaction via controlled and rapid information flow is the key to our
success and has been the driving force behind our computer-integrated
manufacturing (CIM) initiative.
For many years, we used first-generation computer-aided manufacturing
(CAM) software tools to develop documentation and machine programs from
computer-aided design (CAD) and bill of materials (BOM) data. These
tools were the most common when they were purchased, and they functioned
up to the expectations of that day. However, as the industry matured,
customer demand for responsiveness and product complexity increased. Our
previous system—which was built on an inadequate data backbone, a
difficult and unconventional user-interface and a 16-bit Borland
platform—was not up to the task. Consequently, we decided to abandon our
CAM/CIM system and adopt a Web-based, transcollaborative manufacturing (TCM)
software system from Aegis Industrial Software Corp. (Horsham, PA).
The TCM system includes traditional CAD/CAM for manufacturing data
preparation and process development, Web-based product data management
and Web-based manufacturing execution. As a central portal to all
manufacturing information, the system allows multiple people,
departments and even external parties to act upon the same information
simultaneously.
Unlike Web-enabled systems that display server-prepared data, such as
static HTML outputs, the TCM system provides dynamic two-way interaction
via Web browsers. Rather than shuttling data copies that may or may not
be current, TCM offers all parties visibility to a common database.
Because the data copies are never disconnected from the database,
synchronization, data portability and management issues associated with
exchange-based systems are eliminated.
FROM DAYS TO HOURS
We started with data preparation software. A modern user interface, open
architecture and flexible factory definition system allowed us to
develop processes, documentation and automated assembly machine programs
more easily and rapidly than before (Figure 1). Support for clipboard,
object linking and embedding (OLE) and modern drawing capabilities
satisfied the documenters, while the machine programmers benefited from
increased machine program generation efficiency. Being 32-bit Microsoft
applications, these data preparation tools were easily deployed and
readily accepted by our information technology (IT) department.
Our engineers could now rapidly define factory flows of product,
automatically create documentation for each flow point and generate
machine programs off-line, freeing up assembly equipment on the factory
floor. These tasks were achieved quickly and without error from basic
BOM and CAD data.
As we improved our data preparation, we added product data management (PDM)
capability. This enhancement introduced complete management of approved
vendor lists (AVLs) and approved manufacturer lists (AMLs) and
multi-project revision management of the electronic BOM and the process
required to convert that BOM into a product. This tight organizational
and revision control of both process and BOM data was complemented by
advanced BOM importing and error cleaning.
The system became collaborative, allowing two engineers to work
simultaneously on the same project. One prepares the BOM and the other
prepares the process data, rather than the traditional sequential work
required in our previous CIM system. This collaborative and fully
revision-controlled approach allowed our documenting, machine
programming and process engineering departments to increase their
processing throughput and volume without losing control of the
information. Subsequently, we retained our customers' satisfaction as we
expanded.
Before the implementation of these new systems, our average product
introduction time was approximately two to three days. Now, we prepare a
product for production in two to 12 hours, depending on product and
process complexity.
TOUCHING THE FACTORY FLOOR
Having solved the data preparation and revision control problems
associated with an expanding contract assembly enterprise, we reviewed
the inefficiencies and control problems of actually disseminating this
information to the factory floor. We scaled our deployment to a
Web-based manufacturing execution system, which extended our present
system to the factory floor via Web browsers and introduced several new
functions.
Data developed and used with the data preparation and PDM modules was
now maintained in a single SQL server back-end. These already familiar
engineering tools now functioned as portals to a central server. Files
and file management disappeared. The information management of a
three-shift, 12-engineer CIM team in one factory became totally
coordinated by the software itself. Web-based electronic signatures and
approval processes controlled the flow of all process and BOM data and
eliminated the risk of down-rev information reaching the factory. The
TCM system provides three approval levels: data preparation,
preproduction and operator setup (Figure 2).
Shortly after the TCM server was introduced, we began deploying browsers
on the factory floor to eliminate all paper-based documentation (Figure
3). Key points in the process flow are fitted with terminals that:
• Launch the appropriate document view
• Guide operators through assembly, inspection or pre-production setup
operations
• Provide several other useful functions
For example, the laborious task of locating a specific reference
designator on a board and then finding the approved vendor and
manufacturer list (AVL/AML) information was previously paper-based and
time-consuming, with high risk for error. Now, the
touch-screen-compatible browsers allow the operator to type a reference
and simply hit a button. The system provides a view of the part,
highlights the general region on the entire assembly to localize the
component on the board, and instantly displays the part data, AVL and
AML information. These browsers provide easy electronic access to video
instructions, audio instructions, corporate quality manuals, machine
manuals and other associated documents.
The Web-based nature of this TCM system also offers benefits for our IT
department as compared to traditional client-application CIM systems.
Initial deployment and client upgrades are fully automated simply by
pointing to a specific URL through the browser. The system itself takes
care of browser maintenance automatically.
We are now beginning to benefit from the work in process (WIP) tracking
system, which enforces product routing and automates the launching of
only appropriate documents at appropriate stations. Unlimited nested
logical routings accommodate product flows from a PCB up to final
assembly integration. Subsequently, the manufacturing process can be
visible to our customers; we select specific product and production data
for them to view via their Web browsers.
The final phase of our deployment will include the quality control
improvement system, which will collect and analyze our quality
information from the factory floor via the browser terminals. Additional
solutions planned for deployment will extend to preventive maintenance
tracking, employee training management and labor tracking. Also, our
in-house software developers can access the software via the complete
CIM architecture to develop their own interactive solutions, when we
require specialized tools specific to our needs.
CONCLUSION
The deployment of the TCM software system assisted us in growing from
one to three facilities, without the increased engineering support staff
typically required during such an expansion. Our TCM system offers rapid
data preparation, engineering changes and Web-based information
distribution, while also ensuring total revision and document control.
The TCM software system has helped us to shorten turn times, improve
product quality and increase customer satisfaction. We have removed much
paper from our process, improved communications, increased product
quality and enhanced productivity. By implementing this collaborative,
Web-based CIM software, we will be able to grow our business in the
highly competitive contract manufacturing and assembly market.
James Roche is manager of manufacturing engineering, MC Assembly,
Melbourne, FL;
e-mail: jim@mcati.com.