24/7 components’ stock levels management
One of the challenges SMT manufacturers are facing is trying to control components’ stock levels at any given moment to avoid production lines from stopping, and maintain stock reliability opposite their customers. The need to keep track of components inventory is crucial when it comes to expensive ones but also when standard ones are involved since they’re essential to the completion of the assembly process. Once an assembly line is brought to a halt – the implications on OTD are obvious.
Two main stock reliability procedures are potentially at high risk:
1. In most cases, component kits are provided as SMT tape and reel (an average of 90%)/trays/tubes or bulk components. EMS sites seldom receive new tapes, but rather filled ones in most cases, detailing the number of components on their labels. In many cases, the tapes include leftovers supplied by other manufacturers, making inventory management a hard task to execute.
2. When a work order is completed, the kit residues need to be counted before re-storing. Accurate counting at this stage is critical for any future work orders involving these individual part numbers as part of their BOM. Every missing component means production delays and stopping production lines operation.
In the past components count was semi-automated, confusing (especially when tiny "01005" or "0201" components were involved), and time-consuming – 3.5 to 4 minutes average per reel. Our new X-ray machine decreases that time to a mere 10 seconds! There’s no need to open the reel. Instead, you just lay it in the machine for a quick scan, letting the machine’s algorithm do the math for you on an impressive reliability rate of 99.9%. When you need to go through this process in several assembly lines working simultaneously – this becomes an invaluable asset. Another advantage is based on turning the unboxing of the moister-barrier bag redundant – the machine can see through it. Thus ensuring MSD (Moisture-Sensitive Devices) components are kept sealed.
When it comes to new components unidentified by the machine – its cloud-based technology allows matching and updating information stored in a global network directory in no time. At the end of the X-ray scanning, the machine automatically synchronizes stock with the ERP system featuring an "AI" procedure of stock update. It also produces a label bearing the components’ quantity, turning this fully automated procedure into a visual, well-organized, and reliable one.
We are constantly gearing up with the best machinery there is to provide our customers high yield, reliable, and on-time assembly manufacturing.