caution: yield ahead

by Matt Stevenson

Manufacturing yield is a measure of quality in manufacturing, a percentage of good parts to the total produced.  In today’s landscape of manufacturing, most PCB manufacturers are sitting at less than 95% yield.  Sunstone typically has yields greater than 98% and has for over 20 years.  How is that possible in the ever-changing PCB manufacturing game? 
 
We have adapted our manufacturing processes to be very accurate and fast in manufacturing our custom made PCBs.  Through use of online SPC (Statistical process control), automated engineering controls, highly skilled manufacturing operators / technicians and real time quality control checks, we are able to process work through the shop with very high yields. 
 
More so, there has to be a commitment to quality from all levels of the organization to really integrate such a high success rate for quality.  In the Sunstone culture, the two most important metrics for our company are safety and quality and these have been since the beginning of time.  These two metrics go hand in hand, it is very difficult to sustain quality in an unsafe, unstructured environment. 
 
Safety:

• No cutting corners that produce errors – you pay the price in injury and reduced labor
• Well maintained equipment keeps employees safer and the process flow running
• Safety measures help staff focus on work at hand improving efficiency
• Safe working conditions promote employee loyalty – improving output

 
Quality:

• Use of high quality materials ensures top quality output
• Defining standard operating procedures/ISO keeps the process and product consistent
• Reviewing and improving processes on a regular basis to remove waste and remain lean
• Continuous and current training for technicians

 
Overall, a commitment to our quality culture, equipment, people, ISO 9001 and engineering controls drives the company wide goal to maintain quality at such a high rate.  Even as the complexity of the work continues to get higher, our processes are still highly capable and continue the high yield rates. 
 
Continuous improvement projects with all of the key process steps allows the yield trends continue.
Lean means =>Yield