-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- pcb007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueThe Growing Industry
In this issue of PCB007 Magazine, we talk with leading economic experts, advocacy specialists in Washington, D.C., and PCB company leadership to get a well-rounded picture of what’s happening in the industry today. Don’t miss it.
The Sustainability Issue
Sustainability is one of the most widely used terms in business today, especially for electronics and manufacturing but what does it mean to you? We explore the environmental, business, and economic impacts.
The Fabricator’s Guide to IPC APEX EXPO
This issue previews many of the important events taking place at this year's show and highlights some changes and opportunities. So, buckle up. We are counting down to IPC APEX EXPO 2024.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - pcb007 Magazine
PCB Sourcing Using PCQR2
March 30, 2021 | Al Block, Naji Norder, and Chris Joran, National InstrumentsEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
In a global market, it is often difficult to determine the best PCB suppliers for your technology needs, while also achieving the lowest costs for your products. Considering each PCB supplier has their own niche in terms of equipment, process, and performance, uniform test data from the IPC-9151D Process Capability, Quality, and Relative Reliability (PCQR2) Benchmark Test Standard can help find the right source for the board based on its specific technology requirements. By using a data-based approach to vendor selection, this can remove the subjective nature of sourcing, reduce the need for PCB process experts to map suppliers into technologies, and eliminate irrational sourcing decisions.
By incorporating the standard results into our corporate quote model, our company has significantly lowered costs, both by helping to get each board to the right supplier and by reducing failure rates during development, in production, and in the field. Using PCQR2, the company screens for suppliers that can deliver consistent quality utilizing statistical process control (SPC) to monitor and control their process variables, filtering out those that rely on specific employees for temporary success.
In addition, the company can track PCQR2 performance trends from submission to submission, allowing for the observation and correlation of capability advancement with improving equipment and processes. Using this data, the company can then push our supply base by challenging them to build higher-technology PCQR2 samples when ready, which, in turn, moves them higher in the quote model and leads to more quoting opportunities and higher revenue.
Our company provides products and systems for a wide variety of applications. This requires a supply chain that can support and thrive in a high-mix, low-volume environment. With over 1,000 unique PCB designs, one of our challenges is sourcing boards to the “right” shop with the best mix of technology, capacity, and cost. Compounding this challenge, PCB sourcing is decentralized, so each R&D team has the ultimate decision on which shop is awarded the business. A data-based approach to supplier qualification using the IPC-9151D Process Capability, Quality, and Relative Reliability (PCQR2) Benchmark Test Standard, built into a company quote model, guides each request for quotes to the correct subset of suppliers based on the board’s technical requirements and allows R&D teams to focus on price and delivery when making the final vendor selection.
To read this entire article, which appeared in the March 2021 issue of SMT007 Magazine, click here.
Suggested Items
Warm Windows and Streamlined Skin Patches – IDTechEx Explores Flexible and Printed Electronics
04/26/2024 | IDTechExFlexible and printed electronics can be integrated into cars and homes to create modern aesthetics that are beneficial and easy to use. From luminous car controls to food labels that communicate the quality of food, the uses of this technology are endless and can upgrade many areas of everyday life.
iNEMI Packaging Tech Topic Series: Role of EDA in Advanced Semiconductor Packaging
04/26/2024 | iNEMIAdvanced semiconductor packaging with heterogenous integration has made on-package integration of multiple chips a crucial part of finding alternatives to transistor scaling. Historically, EDA tools for front-end and back-end design have evolved separately; however, design complexity and the increased number of die-to-die or die-to-substrate interconnections has led to the need for EDA tools that can support integration of overall design planning, implementation, and system analysis in a single cockpit.
Koh Young Showcases Award-winning Inspection Solutions at SMTconnect with SmartRep in Hall 4A.225
04/25/2024 | Koh Young TechnologyKoh Young Technology, the industry leader in True 3D measurement-based inspection solutions, will showcase an array of award-winning inspection and measurement solutions at SMTconnect alongside its sales partner, SmartRep, in booth 4A.225 at NürnbergMesse from June 11-13, 2023. The following offers a glimpse into what Koh Young will present at the tradeshow:
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: Plasmatreat: Innovative Surface Preparation Solutions
04/25/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOIn this interview, Editor Nolan Johnson speaks with Hardev Grewal, CEO and president of Plasmatreat, a developer of atmospheric plasma solutions. Plasmatreat uses clean compressed air and electricity to create plasma, offering environmentally friendly methods for surface preparation. Their technology measures plasma density for process optimization and can remove organic micro-contamination. Nolan and Hardev also discuss REDOX-Tool, a new technology for removing metal oxides.
Nanotechnology Market to Surpass $53.51 Billion by 2031
04/25/2024 | PRNewswireSkyQuest projects that the nanotechnology market will attain a value of USD 53.51 billion by 2031, with a CAGR of 36.4% over the forecast period (2024-2031).