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Advantech
is making significant gains in manufacturing flexibility, capability
and efficiency by strategically implementing state-of-the-art
equipment, software and process improvements. These advances significantly
increase responsiveness to internal and external customers' needs
and allow Advantech to more effectively compete in this highly
competitive market. From adding the newest equipment to our SMT
lines to integrating the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system
with Business-to-Business internet, Advantech is simultaneously
improving all business processes to better serve our customers.
Manufacturing
Gains Improve Flexibility
 Improvements
to Advantech's manufacturing lines have increased Advantech's
product quality, efficiency and responsiveness levels. For example,
capital investment in state-of-the-art equipment used by our three
SMT lines (shown on the right) give Advantech the latest technology
with the most recent improvements in SMT line automation. However,
technician training and strict adherence and continuous improvement
of standard operating procedures (SOPs), increases yield rates,
quality, flexibility and decreases setup time. Quality and yield
rate improvements are realized during final product testing (T2
testing stage) with levels surpassing even Notebook computer industry
standards (98% yield vs 95-96% yield common for notebook main
boards). Advantech has worked hard to reach this level.
 Flexibility
Important to Industrial Market
Decreased
SMT line setup time and high yield rates are important to industrial
SBC manufacturers. Unlike consumer computing products, industrial
products generally involve much smaller production runs. Flexibility
at setting up and changing production runs, while still maintaining
high quality and yield rates, is where Advantech feels it is leading
the industry. This production flexibility allows Advantech to
provide better service to its OEM/ODM customers. These customers
usually require small volume sample and test runs during the product
startup phase. Being quick and flexible at this stage gives the
customer a high quality sample product and allows for faster time-to-market
capability. This flexibility also allows Advantech to carry a
wider range of industrial PC products. Quick and efficient production
line changes allow Advantech to be more responsive to market demand
and give our customers a more complete product line than our competitors.
Providing this flexibility requires constant improvement, improvements
which are then passed on to our new products.
Dedicated
to Quality
Production
line management and efficiency is more than just having the newest
machinery. Information gathered through experience has to be constantly
analyzed and studied to find areas for improvement. However, the
managers, engineers, technicians and factory workers directly
involved with the product ultimately control the quality of that
product.
Advantech
welcomes any comments you might have about this story, Advantech's
production capabilities or any other ECG product information.
E-mail us at epc@advantech.com.tw
anytime.
The October
15th issue of ECG World Bulletin will continue this series with
Making
Quality Automatic.
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