In the PCBs, the line efficiency refers to the ratio a pick-and-place robot takes to place components over the surface of a PCB, which is divided by SMT assembly staffing time. Line efficiency can be measured with various methods. These include capacity utilization. Compare the production process to the average line efficiency and acceptable production; it gives the capacity utilization value.
Line efficiency plays an integral part in the production and assembly process of PCBs. Therefore, one requires complete knowledge of line efficiency when dealing with production lines. Manufacturers can easily earn greater money if they fasten their assembly process of circuit boards. Whereas if the manufacturer is facing problems with the system and losing efficiency, thus resulting in underproduction. Therefore, in such time they need to identify the root cause of the problem and remove it as quickly as possible.
Formula of Line Efficiency
To calculate the line efficiency while using an SMT line, make sure to consider its efficiency level. According to many experts, the efficiency measurement of SMT seems a bit of a complex process.
The efficiency formula of the line refers to a P&P machine taking time to place all the components on the PCB, which is divided by the SMT production line time taken for staffing. In simple words, it refers to the positioning time in hours by the staffing time in hours multiplied by 100. This, however, provides a simple, accurate, and clear value of the performance.
Many manufacturers seem reluctant to utilize the efficiency of production lines instead of SMT lines. Because the efficiency of the production line does not consider time during measurement, this happens because the ratio is based on the actual staffing time instead of optimum time and labor time. Therefore, remember that uncontrollable outside factors affect the productivity level the most. Whereas the demand for the market the PCB assembly volume needs a factory.
Moreover, one can easily measure the efficiency line number fastly and without effort, as it allows the easy process of calculating SMT time and placement time. The P&P operator needs to take readings of the placement of components. With the help of these recorded readings, one can easily identify the time of placement.ย
Furthermore, one can also easily measure the time of staff hours if the manager keeps all the records noted and safe in computerized form. Also, even the break time of staff and employees is considered in the staff hours. Therefore, to enhance the efficiency of the line, make sure to keep all records, including the meeting, meals, and breaks of the staff. This ensures all the workers work on the line all the time.
Thus, this gives an accurate, clear, consistent, and Jones efficiency value of the line. As you know, SMT production line efficiency provides an effective method to measure efficiency and productivity. Hence, use this method from now on to measure your lines.
Improving Line Efficiency in Electronics
There are a few good methods for improving the efficiency of the production line. Collecting data is considered very important as much as the usage of data matters. Additionally, other than calculating the efficiency of the line, you must find out the factor that affects the efficiency of the line. It helps in analyzing the team’s performance also.
The collected data quality analysis helps in identifying the lagging behavior of productivity. This, however, offers changes and alterations that help to improve overall efficiency. A few possible reasons for productivity lagging include the following. There may be too many operators or not enough operators on the production line. Production lines may contain poor configuration and issues in the management of time. Moreover, the functionality and outdated behavior of the machine and equipment used in the production lines.
Benefits Of Assembly Line Balancing
ยท Reduce Waste
Waiting for waste refers to a type of lean manufacturing waste. This simply refers to any free time that happens during the non-synchronization of operations. For instance, waiting for waste mostly happens when operators wait for material and something else to finish the task. Moreover, equipment downtime also comes in waiting for waste type. It refers to a time when equipment doesn’t work. However, line balancing makes sure that all machines and operators work together to create a balanced work environment. It does not overburden the machine or operator. Therefore, this way, line balancing minimizes downtime. This automatically reduces the waiting waste.
ยท Reduce Inventory Waste
The inventory waste serves as another waste type. It refers to raw material excess, finished products, or unfinished WIP products. Inventory waste determines the inefficient use of capital. However, line balancing makes the production standardize. This means that one can easily avoid excess inventory or build-ups. It reduces the free time and is sure that only a minimum amount of WIP is left. At the same time, it brings the time of production closer to desired time which guarantees delivery on time.
ยท Absorb Irregularities
Life balancing minimizes the amount of variation in the production line. However, a balanced line refers to a stable line that has enough flexibility to adapt to any type of change. For instance, if a customer requests changes, the operation must realign fastly with line balancing. Moreover, one can easily produce the impact of the changes on the balanced line. Therefore, it makes it easy to modify an altered line to fix the rate of production.
ยท Lower Production Cost
A perfectly balanced line enables the machine and worker to operate in a synchronized way. Operators are not getting paid for just standing idle. Whereas machines also need to operate at their full potential. However, in simple words, it maximizes the capacity of machines and manpower. Such efficiency in the process leads to more profit and lesser costs.
Why Is Line Efficiency A Essential for The PCB Manufacturing Industry?
The PCB manufacturer’s profit depends on several business metrics. These metrics indicate the complex functionality of a production or assembly unit. Line efficiency serves as one of those factors. Line efficiency contains two types of methods to measure the efficiency of the line assembly unit of PCB. These two factors include the Surface-mount line Efficiency and the Production line.
The majority of manufacturers of PCBs tend to use SMT lines because of consistent and precise results. They do not use the production line because of its incompleteness. The ratio of production line efficiency does not contain the optimum time and the labor time. Therefore, it creates various types of challenges for the operators, which directly affects the efficiency of the line. At the same time, SMT production line efficiency serves as the most used metric. It gives correct and easy measurement with recorded staff time. Moreover, the output data to calculate the efficiency of the line needs to go through analysis to find degrading factors. This data helps in finding the lagging behavior of productivity, as we read before.
Line efficiency refers to an essential business matrix that helps in evaluating the resource output of the assembly. It is incorporated with other factors like ORE and OEE, the overall equipment, and resource effectiveness whilst measuring the efficiency of the production. Identifying the efficiency of the line helps the contract manufacturers to reduce manual labor and enhances the placement of components per line. However, this reduces the risk of any delay in delivery.
Moreover, manufacturers of PCB tend to adopt diverse manufacturing, which produces multiple products altogether. In such cases, optimizing the production also depends on the time of changeover. Shifting from batches of product one-on-one limits the overall line assembly utilization.
Main SMT Line Machine Efficiency
The SMT line of PCB assembly contains the following few essential machines and equipment.
ยท Pick & Place Machine
This P&P machine picks the SMT component and places it accurately over the surface of the PCB using the robotic placement hand. However, the tension in the surface of the solder pulls out the SMD automatically in alignment later in the soldering reflow process to fix little errors in the placement of the components.
ยท Solder Paste Mixer
The soldering paste mixer, as the name suggests, mixes the paste of solder and powder efficiently and evenly. It helps in making the printing process, reflow, and standardized functions and minimizes the requirement of manual labor.
ยท Oven
In the SMT line, both oven and reflow differ from each other. The oven bakes the PCBs to remove any type of moisture and comes in the last of an SMT line.
ยท SMT Loader
The SMT loader places the circuit board in the soldering printing equipment racks automatically.
ยท Solder Paste Printing Machine
The soldering paste printing device prints the soldering paste to draw off the board. It comes after the P&P device in an SMT Production line.
ยท Solder Paste Inspection Machine
SPI refers to a Soldering Paste Inspection device. It analyzes the volume, thickness, and area of soldering paste over the surface of the PCB after the soldering printing process.
ยท Reflow Machine
The reflow machine comes after the P&P machine. It melts the soldering paste between the SMT components and PCB to create a welding connection between them. After that, it cools down the solder paste and solidifies the welding bond.
ยท AOI
The AOI machine sandwiches the reflow soldering machine in between two AOI. The first machine identifies any type of failures and errors in the placement of components before sending it to reflow. The second AOI checks the errors and failures of soldering after the reflow.
ยท Docking Station
The docking station provides an intermediate stop between distinct machines of the SMT Production line.
ยท SMT Unloader
The SMT unloader, as the name suggests, operates in the opposite way of the SMT loader. However, it receives the assembled board and stores it after the soldering reflow process.
Types Of SMT Production Line Efficiency
The design of the SMT line type contains the following details:
- One line contains a layout of a single rail P&P machine.
- The two-to-one line contains a layout of single or dual-rail P&P machine
- Tow-to-one contains the layout of a dual-rail P&P machine
- The three-to-one line contains a layout of a single-rail P&P machine
- Combination of multiple line layouts.
SMT Line Cost
SMT line contains around 60 to 70% pick and places robots. A large P&P machine that has a capacity of 100,000+CPH costs about $700,000. Whereas P&P with a middle range capacity of 12 to 35,000 CPH costs about $100 to $200,000.
However, the majority of brands usually cost one line of SMT of about $8,000,000. This seems so expensive. Therefore, we introduced high-tech, advanced SMT lines at a lower cost. It provides reliable and high-quality PCB production while keeping the production cost low.
SMT Line Efficiency Development Trends
SMT production lines have several ongoing trends. Some of them include:
ยท CIMS Application
CIMS refers to a computerized Incorporated manufacturing system. It basically links the production process and the design to minimize the time that preparation for SMT Production takes.
ยท Efficiency Improvement
Efficiency is considered as the source of high output. At the same time, SMT lines are continuously obsoleting the human factor. However, to improve efficiency, try to implement a centralized CMS for the whole SMT line.
ยท Environmental Protection
SMT production lines use materials like glue, solder paste, flux, and packaging material, which lead to environmental pollution. Although, the majority of PCB assemblers and manufacturers have started using an eco-friendly production process. They first identify the source of pollution and analyze how much quantity they use in the process. Then they look for methods to minimize their effect on the surroundings and create an eco-friendly environment.
ยท Flexible Production Environment
Internet development and grid IT provide process data control along with data management of products. This improves the functions of SMT lines. Moreover, they help in increasing maintenance management. Thus, eventually, make a flexible data integration production setup for SMT production lines.
Conclusion
SMT lines play an important role in the assembly process of Printed Circuit Boards. These SMT lines contain various types of high-tech machines that perform different types of functions. This article has explained all the details that you might need to know regarding SMT production lines. However, if you still have any type of query. Feel free to contact us.
