PAPERLESS TRAIL TO ZERO DEFECTS.

The author reports on a paperless-rework and data collection system for surface mount technology printed circuit testing based on a manufacturing database system. The assembly area consists of two functionally identical SMT lines and one through-hole technology line connected by conveyors. Total placing capacity is 20,000 discrete/hr and 7200 ICs/hr. Running 152 hr, the factory produces 25,000 boards/week. All of the boards are single-sided mixed technology with only a small percentage of through-hole components. The boards are all for the personal computer industry and consist of disk controllers or communications boards for distribution to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), value-added distributors (VADs) or value-added retailers (VARs). Data is collected at five stages for work-in-process (WIP) tracking and yield information purposes.