Las Vegas IPC/Expo roundup

I just got back from the Las Vegas IPC/APEX show in April. Was an interesting time with all participants looking forward to a better year than last year. Things are on a positive in the USA with CEM's leading the way. I am surprised with all the distractions of Vegas that anyone attended the show. Saw a lot of blurry eyes there pretending they had a good nights sleep.

Anyways, with regards to first article inspection peoples opinions seem to be divided into 2 distinct camps. These are the SMT, QA and Engineering departments and the Management.

The SMT and Engineering department personnel know what the problem is except until recently there has never been an automated system available to help with this situation. The problem is that to date these employees along with the QA personnel have been left to their own demise having to use manual QC methods to inspect FAI PCB's. The problem is there is incredible pressure from Management to keep costs down so this leaves them with little option but to stop performing 100% inspections on FAI PCB's. They delude themselves into believing that if they double check the feeders then the problem is reduced. This just bandaids the situation. 

Management believe that the QA is under control and they pat themselves on the back because because they saved money in inspection with what they believe is no detrimental effects. Every couple of weeks something goes wrong which is attributed to FAI but someone is blamed and they institute another inspection supposedly to take care of the problem. as they perceive it, and life goes on.

Now that there is a automated solution is available the dilemma begins. The engineering is sold because they have a way of desk checking SMT programs. The SMT operators are sold because they have a tool that allows them a way to ensure they are producing the right product. QA is sold as they have a traceable solution that meets ISO standards requirements. The management should be sold because this solution would save money but nobody can justify this equipment because to do so would mean that someone would have to admit that there is a problem that was not solved. They would be under risk that the management would ask the obvious question...

"What the hell have I been paying you to do until now if is so bad we have to buy equipment?".

Management pays people to solve these problems and have been told that there is no problem because their valued employees have done their jobs and taken care of it. The reality is that cost reduction campaigns have reduced the time allowed to perform these FAI inspections properly and the result is that mistakes are going to happen resulting in PCB's assembled incorrectly. Firing people will not make it go away. Someone will have to bite the bullet and tell management the truth.

Now which one of you has the guts to do it?

Greg Ross
Cluso Vision Systems
greg@cluso.com.au