At NATEL EMS, we make amazing things happen™, and we do so every day. That consistency is why customers who recognize the value of high-reliability, high-quality manufacturing choose NATEL EMS.
One of the ways NATEL EMS brings high-reliability to EMS is through the use of Kaizen, the practice of continuous improvement. The Kaizen philosophy says, “Big results come from the accumulated value of small changes over time.”
Accordingly, NATEL EMS empowers employees to improve processes that in turn improve reliability. By giving everyone involved the ability to improve a process, the accumulated sum of these small changes makes a huge impact on both the quality and reliability of the end product.
Examples of Kaizen Employee Improvements
Improvements can be incredibly affordable. Ofelia Saldivar used a paint stick to protect flex circuit tape, later adding ESD protection to prevent damage to a flex circuit component. The tape connector Ofelia’s modifications protected cost $35 per unit, while the solution cost only pennies, proving that sometimes the best solutions are the simplest.
Leveraging past experiences can simplify current processes. Karen Akopyan and Nam Truong were able to improve testing throughput from 3 to 7 units/day for VGS and IGSS testing by leveraging a previous test fixture and simplifying the testing setup. Their changes also reduced the potential for setup mistakes, building quality into the process.
Eliminating part of a process can also eliminate the potential for errors. Jose Miranda and Francisco Delatorre combined two light fixtures on a microscope used to inspect conformal coating, eliminating setup time required for changing between black and white light. Their changes also reduced the potential for bulb damage by eliminating the need to remove and re-install the fixtures.
Click on an image below to enlarge and find out more about Kaizen employee improvements.
High Reliability and High Quality
While each of these changes may seem small, when everyone involved in a process makes improvements, the whole effect of those improvements is worth far more than the sum of the parts. In this case, the result is the high-reliability and high-quality product that NATEL EMS customers rely on.