New surface-mount assembly analytics tools minimise stoppage time and raise production-line efficiency by identifying the causes of defects and recommending corrective actions

Although surface-mount assembly involves great precision and reliability, things can go wrong when operating continuously at high speed. In the event of errors and exceptions, the team in charge of production needs to restore full-speed operation as quickly as possible.

Whenever the line is stopped, the business incurs costs that detract from profitability. These costs include not only the direct cost of lost production but also labour costs while the line is stopped, the cost of overtime and rush orders to catch up after the line is restored, and the cost of any rework or items scrapped due to the problem that caused the stoppage. There are costs associate with inventory waiting and the disruption to the normal flow of operations can cause inefficiencies. Moreover, there can be impact on customer commitments that can result in financial penalties.

On the other hand, it can be important to stop the line, if a problem is detected, to prevent production of defective units from continuing. The operator or production supervisor needs to know as quickly as possible in the event of an error. Line stoppages are undesirable and manufacturers need to ensure this happens as infrequently as possible to ensure best productivity and minimise unwanted costs. When stopping cannot be avoided, production needs to be restored as quickly as possible.

Tools for Troubleshooting

Today’s assembly equipment is loaded with sensors to detect issues such as blocked nozzles or pickup misalignment. Automatic inspection can be performed at multiple points in the line, including after screen printing, component placement, and reflow, using the results to assist troubleshooting in real time.