-
- 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
TQM: So Much Larger Than Quality
August 14, 2023 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
A Roundtable Discussion with the I-Connect007 Editorial Team
Sit down to a conversation with industry pioneers like Happy Holden and Dan Feinberg, then add TQM proponent Barry Matties to the table, and continuous improvement eventually becomes the topic. In this roundtable discussion, the group turns to the subjects of legacy and the impact of TQM on quality, management, and business operations.
Nolan Johnson: Happy, does TQM matter today?
Happy Holden: Yes, it does. But with TQM, you can’t understand how to live it through just one course, a lecture, or even reading a book. We failed with TQM a couple of times at HP. Finally, John Young, who was president of HP at the time, reached out to W. Edwards Deming. Deming said he’d work with HP only if Young and all his VPs and operations managers were in the front row. TQM and Six Sigma programs are inspired by top-down management leadership; they're not pushed up from the bottom.
Deming emphasized that to learn TQM, you had to immerse yourself in it four times. We came up with an acronym, LUTI, which meant “learn, use, teach, inspect.” First you learn with your boss as the teacher. Then, your manager gives you a project for the “use” portion. Next, you teach it to your subordinates, and then you coach each of your subordinates on an individual project. The key was going through it four times.
It's been 45 years and I still believe in the process with TQM.
Eventually, we eliminated the final step of “inspect” by focusing on quality tests. Operators would say, “I don't think this process is working right but I don't have any tools to measure it.” So, we invented quality tests that operators could perform on the PCBs as they built them; if the test failed, they shut down the process and got the engineer, because something wasn't working right. It's interesting how few tests are developed for operators to determine the quality of a process.
As we eliminated final inspection and focused on the first pass yield electrical test, we moved everybody to the front of our process. We had to inspect all the artwork coming in because there were so many problems with the DFM portion of the printed circuit board design.
Johnson: This certainly sounds like it could be a contemporary problem as well.
Holden: Forty years after we first embraced TQM, nothing has changed in terms of the need for continuous improvement and measures of performance. We certainly have the Japanese companies continuing to live it.
To read this entire conversation, which appeared in the July 2023 issue of PCB007 Magazine, click here.
Suggested Items
Argonne, Toyota Collaborate on Cutting-Edge Battery Recycling Process
05/01/2024 | BUSINESS WIREThe U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory has recently launched a collaboration with Toyota Motor North America that could reduce the nation’s reliance on foreign sources of battery materials.
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: Outlining Rehm's Innovations and Global Presence
05/01/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOMichael Hanke, the chief sales officer for Rehm Thermal Systems, shares insights on the North American market, new machinery, and software development. He also discusses Rehm's turnkey solutions, process flexibility, global presence, and the dedicated team of 700 employees working on global solutions.
The Knowledge Base: A CM’s Perspective on Box Build Practices
04/30/2024 | Mike Konrad -- Column: The Knowledge BaseIn the ever-evolving landscape of electronics manufacturing, the box-build process stands out as a critical phase that bridges the gap between individual component manufacturing and the delivery of a fully functional electronic system. This intricate procedure, encompassing the assembly of everything from PCBs to wire harnesses and mechanical enclosures, demands a high level of precision, efficiency, and innovation. As the electronics assembly industry expands and diversifies, understanding the best practices within box-build assembly has become paramount for manufacturers aiming to stay ahead in a competitive market.
TSMC Certifies Ansys Multiphysics Platforms, Enabling Next-Gen AI and HPC Chips
04/30/2024 | PRNewswireAnsys announced the certification of its power integrity platforms for TSMC's N2 technology full production release. Both Ansys RedHawk-SC and Ansys Totem are certified for power integrity signoff on the N2 process, delivering significant speed and power advantages for high performance computing, mobile chips, and 3D-IC designs.
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: