Summary statistics can be misleading, but in different ways.
Cpk and Ppk are numeric capability summaries of process or product characteristics based on common cause variation (due to chance) and assignable cause variation (special cause). Understanding these capability indices and their limitations is critical in pursuing world-class quality, "on target with minimal variation." Cpk and Ppk indices are reviewed, and details on how to use them synergistically are provided.
Methods for assessing component temperatures and fan performance.
Cloud technology has become increasingly prevalent, allowing use of 3-D models and numerical methods to analyze CAD models of electronic devices and components. Numerical computations of conduction, convection and radiation are essential for understanding how these heat transfer mechanisms can be utilized for effective cooling techniques.
The subcontinent explodes with new EMS work, prompting a spate of IPOs.
Putting aside the obvious supply chain disruptions, the two big stories out of the EMS industry in 2022 were the emergence of India, led in particular by Apple's pivoting from China, and the number of IPOs.
While the Indian government is aggressively recruiting foreign electronics investment, there's no question India's appearance as a viable competitor to – dare we say it? – China is being driven by Apple. The world's most valuable company tripled its production to more than $7 billion of iPhones in what is now the world's most populous country during the past fiscal year,1 mostly at the expense of China. Some reports hold Apple will raise India's share of its production to 25% in two years.
India’s largest ODM is looking to add PCB fabrication to complete its end-to-end mix.
VVDN is perhaps best known as a provider of end-to-end engineering and manufacturing of hardware, mechanical and electronics assemblies, and embedded software, among others. Founded in 2007, it now has 11 product engineering centers worldwide, plus seven manufacturing plants across India, where its capabilities include SMT injection molding, tooling, die casting and metal stamping among others.
Improving nozzle wettability will permit more challenging joints to be tackled.
Selective soldering utilizes a nozzle to apply solder to components on the underside of printed circuit boards (PCBs). This nozzle can be moved to either perform dips (depositing solder to a single component) or draws (applying solder to several components in a single movement). The selective soldering methodology thereby permits the process to be tailored to specific joints and permits multiple nozzle types to be used if required on the circuit board.
New advances permit defect detection in a fraction of the time.
Despite the prevalence of automated optical inspection (AOI) systems for PCBA manufacturing processes, many organizations still rely on manual inspection for the post-SMT stage of production.
However, three overlapping trends – 1) the industry’s well-documented labor shortage that’s poised to worsen; 2) the projected 15% year-over-year growth in PCB manufacturing; 3) the migration of sensitive electronics manufacturing work back to North America – are obliging organizations to examine automated solutions for manual aspects of their workflow.