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Continuous Improvement Projects
- by Matt Stevenson

In order to keep raising the bar in terms of quality, on time delivery, enhanced capabilities and a myriad of other good reasons, a manufacturer needs to continue to hone its craft.  There are many reasons and ways of getting better and PCB manufacturing is chock full of opportunities for continuous improvement (CI) projects. 

Sunstone has always set lofty goals for internal scrap rate, customer returns and on time delivery and we have been very successful at achieving these goals and maintaining them for nearly 2 decades.  As PCBs get more complex and are requiring faster turn times these metrics become more difficult to maintain.  Without the drive to satisfy our customer’s needs by leading the PCB industry in terms of quality and on time delivery we would not be nearly as successful.
 
Sunstone has developed our culture in such a way that these types of efforts are a daily focus for our teams.  Adding ISO to our culture added yet another method for identification, risk management and prioritization for continuous improvement. 

In our reality these projects can run a wide range of scope.  A simple project that may save a small amount of time on a set up that when multiplied across three shifts and 365 days a year can save hours of overall efforts and free up a resource to add value in other ways. A more complex project may be geared to increase product yield that will save thousands of dollars over the course of a year. We encourage ideas at all levels of the organization and we see lots of perspectives on what can make a difference. 

Our highly intelligent and dedicated Sunstone Team is always cognizant of opportunities to improve the process. Making quality second nature means there is never a dull moment in our plant, that is for sure.
 
What are your favorite examples of CI projects you have been a part of?  I would love to hear about them.