0201 Technology Implementation Strategy for CEMs

Spurred by the increasing competition among the Electronics Manufacturing Service (EMS) providers and in response to the needs of the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), a new model of manufacturing that epitomizes an integrated and predictive manufacturing environment is being proposed. The dynamic nature of the EMS environment mandates the need for a manufacturing schema that is both integrated and predictive (rather than reactive). This research is part of an ongoing effort to establish an integrated predictive manufacturing model through the concept of ‘continuous improvement’. The first step was to perform a general analysis of the operational structure and losses in a manufacturing environment. Once the losses were identified, they were grouped into equipment, production, process, operational, and material related losses. The key performance indicators for monitoring the variety of losses were identified. Process, equipment, operational and production monitoring tools were developed based on these performance indicators. Based on this understanding, a formal requirement specification was established. Shop floor control systems that provide on-line information on Work In Progress (WIP) status, defect-data, finished goods ‘genealogy’ and unitlevel traceability through data captured throughout the entire manufacturing cycle are being developed and implemented. Process metrics like first pass yield, Defects Per Unit (DPU), and Defects Per Million Opportunities (DPMO) are shared with shop floor personnel in real time by the application of proven Internet technologies. Real time Statistical Process Control (SPC) charts and process triggers, which serve as proactive tools in predicting ‘out-of-control’ situations, were also developed. Process metrology tools were developed through interfaces developed for inspection equipments like Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) and X-ray Laminography. Since a major portion of electronics manufacturing at an EMS provider is performed by capital intensive Surface Mount Technology (SMT) equipment, the performance of these pieces of equipment plays a major role in deciding the performance of the line, which in turn impacts the performance of the plant. Therefore, an integrated system with the capability to collect real-time data from production equipment and provide information on critical performance indicators like machine/line/plant utilization, downtime and component placement reports, which enhance the operational efficiency of the plant, are being implemented. Standardization of manufacturing practices and documentation and their influence on reduction in manufacturing lead-time is investigated in this paper.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is twofold: first, it investigates whether and to what extent “linguistic hedging”, an impression management form of linguistic expression that conveys an ambiguous level of commitment, is used in corporate social responsibility (CSR) employment narratives; and second, it explores whether there is any difference in the use of linguistic hedging between written and spoken corporate forms of language. It mobilises these objectives by examining employee-related narratives made by electronic manufacturing services (EMS) providers domiciled in Taiwan, in the context of labour malpractice incidents.Design/methodology/approachTwo groups of data are examined: corporate responsibility reports (written language) and interviews and speeches of corporate founders and senior executives (spoken language). The research sample is ten Taiwanese EMS firms, all of which attracted public criticism and scrutiny due to a series of employee-related incidents. The sample period is between 2009 and 2013. Linguistic hedging is measured quantitatively by the relative word frequency of hedges, using the concordance software ANTCONC, with findings interpreted through the lens of legitimacy theory and impression management.FindingsThe study found that hedging was evident in CSR narratives. The EMS providers in Taiwan appeared to use hedging in employee-related disclosures to manage legitimacy challenges due to employee-related incidents that had happened in their assembly plants. The adjustments in employee-related disclosures made by the EMS firms as a legitimation strategy can be seen as a rhetoric device of impression management or a form of symbolic legitimation to persuade society to restore their legitimacy status. Further, overall hedging was more frequently used in spoken than written language, which suggests that rhetorical hedging in written narratives is more likely to be a deliberate choice of tactics to influence stakeholder perceptions and thereby manage corporate legitimacy.Originality/valueThe study introduces a new analytical technique, linguistic hedging, into the CSR literature. This enriches research methods used in this field, providing more compelling insights into the relationship between the use of language and CSR narratives in the process of corporate legitimation of employee-related practices. This study thus provides a platform for future computational-linguistics studies in the field of CSR.

Many states, universities and the federal government have funded “commercialization centers” to spur small technology company formation, bring research to market, provide equipment access, and drive economic activity. These centers, however, have seldom resulted in significant and sustained industrial activity. The Richard Desich SMART Commercialization Center for Microsystems at Lorain County Community College (SMART) represents a new approach to such public/private partnerships and may prove to be a model for spurring technology growth in the United States. In 2010, Lorain County Community College (LCCC) proposed SMART to the Ohio Third Frontier, responding to an RFP for commercialization projects. SMART differentiated itself as a shared-resource, multi-user technology center focused on post-wafer microsystems/sensor packaging, testing and inspection. In September 2011, SMART opened in temporary headquarters and broke ground on a new 40,000 square foot facility. The new facility is largely funded philanthropically, with a gift from Richard Desich, a highly successful entrepreneur who benefitted from LCCC’s entrepreneurial support services. Technology commercialization centers located at research universities have had commercialization results hindered by their research focus and lack of industry experienced marketing and management staff. SMART takes a different approach, being located at a community college, staffed with commercially experienced management, and focused solely on commercial engagement and results. The SMART model represents a unique partnership opportunity for the Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) industry. EMS providers can experiment with various tools and processes like parylene and selective coating and acoustic microscopy. Potential EMS customers can work in such a facility to finalize design prior to manufacturing implementation. SMART can recommend specific EMS partners early in the design cycle, allowing for collaboration and greater likelihood of a business relationship. SMART can make companies more productive, more likely to undertake sensor and microsystems projects, and more likely to do so in the United States. In this paper, we will discuss the SMART concept, review shared resource centers in general, describe our equipment, programs, and industry approach, outline future plans and review early results we have seen from the Richard Desich SMART Commercialization Center.

Electronic Manufacturing Service (EMS) Providers, Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Fabricators and Defense Contractors are spending millions creating and maintaining International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) compliant systems and processes while at the same time lobbying for change to theoretically improve US competitiveness in foreign markets. What is it within the ITAR that adds cost to the EMS industry and/or the PCB process? Are those costs real or perceived? How can the industry better serve the needs of the Defense Market? What are the inherent challenges of outsourcing in an ITAR environment?

This paper provides a detailed introduction to the combined application of three specific tools; Technology Audits, Complexity & Yield Analysis, and Statistically Based Test Coupons to dramatically improve both supplier and user profitability. These tools ensure that users make best advantage of the capabilities of their suppliers. And the combined data from these methods provides suppliers with information necessary to make better and more cost effective decisions regarding equipment, research and development (R&D), engineering and operator training investments. For users the methodologies presented produce a quantitative alternative (or addition) to traditional vendor management tools that rely primarily upon qualitative assessment of vendor capabilities in combination with tracking of quality and delivery performance. Users can also use these tools to more cost effectively allocate their designs to those suppliers whose combination of technical and cost capabilities best match the requirements of specific designs. Qualification of printed wiring board (PWB) fabricators by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) traditionally relies on subjective and qualitative assessment of vendor capabilities and historical tracking of performance. Claimed technical capabilities often do not measure up to actual product fabrication. And even more frequently, low actual production yields result in late and/or short quantity delivery as well as unacceptable price increases. By combining quantitative capability measurement with statistical prediction of yields customers can more accurately determine the real capabilities and cost performance of their PWB suppliers as well as allocate actual board designs to those vendors most capable of producing specific designs cost effectively. PWB fabricators can use these same tools to more precisely price their products, prioritize capital and R&D investments, and focus ongoing process improvement activities. This paper presents quantitative methods for determining shop capability and yield performance predictability along with case studies demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach. Several OEMs now evaluate and will soon qualify PWB suppliers using these techniques. Some Electronic Manufacturing Service (EMS) providers are moving in this direction as well. The key to future competitiveness in PWB fabrication markets lies in effective management of capability and performance.

While most Electronic Manufacturing Service (EMS) providers are focused on transitioning their customers' products to lead free, many of these customers still have a need to sustain their leaded products. These Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) compete in industries which are perceived as exempt from lead-free compliance. In addition, these customers are reluctant to re-qualify their products because of the high cost. ACC Electronix, Inc's focus is to develop processes and strategies as part of its program management methodology to individualize support for OEMs not transitioning to lead free in the short term. This paper will look at the challenges associated with products that are not transitioning to lead free and suggests key points for consideration for both the EMS Provider and the OEM. It also looks at examples of how specific customer needs have been addressed to minimize the impact to the EMS Provider and its OEM customers.

Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS.) companies are in a highly competitive environment where investment in technology plays a significant role in the company's performance. The equipment efficiency is directly converted to revenue. The equipment efficiency decays over time; keeping the equipment represents a loss in productivity, and renewing the equipment requires an additional cost. There is a continuous decision process to determine the optimal time to replace the old equipment with a new one. Traditionally, the optimal time to renew is when the machine's revenue matches the cost. This paper studies the renewal decision using a real options approach, adding the uncertainty factor. The variables are modeled as Geometric Brownian Motions. We provide a literature review of renewal real options and describe the models we use. The one-factor model considers the revenue as stochastic; the two-factor model considers the revenue and cost as stochastic; the technological improvement models extend the two-factor model to include a premium in revenue for replacing the equipment. An overview of the electronic manufacturing dynamics is described; we select a product whose manufacturing process depends on machines. We provide a methodology for the model's implementation and how to determine the parameters; the results are compared to the deterministic approach. Finally, we discuss the models' advantages, disadvantages, and limitations.

BackgroundThis case study details the experience of the Proyecto Precancer in applying the Integrative Systems Praxis for Implementation Research (INSPIRE) methodology to guide the co-development, planning, implementation, adoption, and sustainment of new technologies and screening practices in a cervical cancer screening and management (CCSM) program in the Peruvian Amazon. We briefly describe the theoretical grounding of the INSPIRE framework, the phases of the INSPIRE process, the activities within each phase, and the RE-AIM outcomes used to evaluate program outcomes.MethodsProyecto Precancer iteratively engaged over 90 stakeholders in the Micro Red Iquitos Sur (MRIS) health network in the Amazonian region of Loreto, Perú, through the INSPIRE phases. INSPIRE is an integrative research methodology grounded in systems thinking, participatory action research, and implementation science frameworks such as the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. An interrupted time-series design with a mixed-methods RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) evaluation framework was used to examine the adoption of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing (including self-sampling), with direct treatment after visual inspection with portable thermal ablation, at the primary level.ResultsThis approach, blending participatory action research, implementation science, and systems-thinking, led to rapid adoption and successful implementation of the new cervical cancer screening and management program within 6 months, using an HPV-based screen-and-treat strategy across 17 health facilities in one of the largest public health networks of the Peruvian Amazon. Monitoring and evaluation data revealed that, within 6 months, the MRIS had surpassed their monthly screening goals, tripling their original screening rate, with approximately 70% of HPV-positive women reaching a completion of care endpoint, compared with around 30% prior to the new CCSM strategy.ConclusionsProyecto Precancer facilitated the adoption and sustainment of HPV testing with subsequent treatment of HPV-positive women (after visual inspection) using portable thermal ablation at the primary level. This was accompanied by the de-implementation of existing visual inspection-based screening strategies and colposcopy for routine precancer triage at the hospital level. This case study highlights how implementation science approaches were used to guide the sustained adoption of a new screen-and-treat strategy in the Peruvian Amazon, while facilitating de-implementation of older screening practices.

The COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina has challenged health professionals to implement teleconsultation to maintain continuity of care. Describe the implementation of new technologies in teleconsultation by Nutrition professionals from Entre Ríos, from the beginning of the ASPO to the new normal.Methodology: Observational, descriptive, quantitative, and cross-sectional study, in which 72 Nutrition professionals from Entre Ríos, Argentina participated through a self-administered online questionnaire. The descriptive analysis of the data was carried out in the IBM® SPSS Statistics program. 84.7% of professionals began to implement new technologies in teleconsultation since the beginning of the ASPO. Although the majority did not experience significant changes in their income, relationships with patients, or time spent in teleconsultation compared to in-person care, 78% did not receive specific training for the implementation of these technologies in remote care. Despite this challenge, 80% expressed their intention to continue with this type of care in the new normal, allocating hours of their workload for this purpose. The implementation of new technologies in teleconsultation has proven to be an ally in maintaining the continuity of nutritional care since the beginning of ASPO. However, to provide a quality service, it is necessary to select the most appropriate technologies and dedicate sufficient time to planning and implementation.

A process approach to the implementation of new technology

The Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) industry continues to enjoy a healthy growth rate. Some sources suggest that revenue growth for the EMS industry will grow at a rate of 28% through 2004 1 . Helping to fuel this growth is the expansion of the fiber optics industry. Last November, the Dell'Oro Group estimated the current overall market for optical networking hardware to be $5.5 billion. With a 25% annual growth rate, the global optical networks market is expected to exceed $17 billion by 2004, with 60% of this coming from optical switching systems in North America 2 . Likewise, the Market Research firm RHK Inc. predicts the worldwide market for optical components used in DWDM and optical networking applications will grow at an annual rate of 48%, from $5 billion in 2000 to nearly $24 billion by 2004 3 . While the current economic conditions 4 may not allow the achievement of these two predictions, optics will continue to help fuel EMS growth. The integration of optics into current communication systems will continue, although at a slower rate. What is fueling the growth of fiber optic systems? Along with the many advantages of fiber optic cable over copper cable, fiber optic systems are quickly becoming the backbone standard for voice and data transmission. As more Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM's) contract out their assembly business, they are requesting EMS suppliers to provide a wider array of services: optics assembly, functional and system test, and box assembly services. To compete in the market place and enjoy the continued revenue growth EMS suppliers must develop and/or acquire the necessary skills to support the optics industry. While opto-electronic assembly requirements are not extremely difficult in nature, there are unique requirements for assembling, soldering and handling fiber optic components and cable. Much of the ‘assembly’ information available today, training classes and Web-based information, is for fiber cable installers. Very little information has been published on opto-electronic assembly at the electronic circuit card level. Much of this ‘optics knowledge’ is resident within the OEM's who are just now beginning to out-source optical assembly and are looking for EMS suppliers with optical assembly experience. An EMS supplier must either develop or acquired the necessary skills to support their customers and the optics industry. Management commitment to implement opto-electronic assembly capability - prior to committed customer orders - is required to develop expected levels of support for the optics industry. This paper discusses several key considerations towards the development of a world-class opto-electronic assembly facility.

Defense and Aerospace contractors cannot remain competitive by continuing to do business as usual. Despite industry consolidation there is still too much infrastructure. Prime contractors are moving toward becoming integrators of systems-of-systems. Second and third tier contractors are focusing on core competencies and wrestling with alternative strategies for equipment production. Outsourcing or Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) can reduce costs while increasing productivity. Commercial aviation contract electronics manufacturing is rebounding. Defense contract electronics manufacturing is experiencing robust growth. Several outsourcing models are available. Joint Design Manufacturer (JDM) is emerging as a new model.

OEMs increasingly want to see greater levels of value-added support from their electronics manufacturing services (EMS) providers. This is particularly true of highly regulated industries such a medical, automotive, avionics, homeland security and defense where field failure analysis activities may require information related to assembly process parameters. Additionally, the transition to RoHS-compliant manufacturing is driving a need for better process traceability to support OEM studies of the impact of new processes on long-term product reliability. Clover Electronics has teamed with several strategic partners to increase its resources in addressing these issues in its SMT area. This paper will discuss: Typical EMS customer process traceability requirements Strategies for automating process monitoring and real-time corrective action throughout the SMT process Benefits of the Process Window Index (PWI) in a multi-customer manufacturing environment Examples of ways EMS customers can team with their contractor to translate improved process visibility to improved product quality Benefits of strategic alliances at the regional EMS provider level.

Chapter 6 - Electronic Manufacturing Service Industries

This chapter presents the user-centered change (UCC) approach—a human-centered, participative framework for the development and implementation of technology in a work environment. UCC expands the user-centered design approach as it does not only focus on the human-centered development of a technical system, but also provides a guideline on how to organize the change process associated with the implementation of new technology in organizations, in general. By continuously integrating people from all organizational levels involved, UCC aims at increasing the acceptance for both the technical system and the transformation process. The chapter explains the theoretical background and foundations of UCC. It primarily addresses practitioners and those looking for guidance for upcoming transformations in organizations.