From prototypes to proven designs, ACC can help its customers achieve their goals for quality improvement, on-time delivery, inventory control, and cost reduction. Additionally, it develops a custom formula to assist in each customer’s success. Their process engineers work constantly to improve their manufacturing processes. Improvements range from selecting new manufacturing equipment to selecting solder with improved formulations. Other benefits of working with the company include design for manufacturability, design for testability, and manufacturing process selection.
Two-sided mixed technology
The company supports customers that have environmental concerns and need hardened electronic products (potting, conformal coating, adhesives, etc.). According to Mike Parker, Vice President Manufacturing, the enterprise has experienced tremendous growth over the past two years as top line revenue has grown over 2.5 times. They have generated this growth by investing in the best equipment and capabilities, which add value for customers in terms of speed, quality and lower cost. Parker added: “We show no signs of slowing down in 2019 based on current new product launches, as well as, new customer demand.”
To keep up with that type of growth, the company needed to purchase additional equipment. They looked to existing partner Kurtz Ersa. In 2017, the company purchased its first dual pot Versaflow 4/55. Based on its excellent performance, they purchased and installed a second machine 12 months later, in December 2018. Parker stated that they chose this same machine over any competitive systems because of Ersa’s long history in providing selective solder systems and its reputation for robust design and process repeatability.
The company is already noticing measurable benefits from having these two systems in its facility. “Our customers’ need for two-sided mixed technology with extremely tight component spacing has increasingly eliminated wave soldering as an effective process solution. The control and repeatability of our Versaflow machines allow our process engineering team to dial in the solder process for each joint, resulting in consistent quality,” said Parker. “Originally, we were concerned about throughput of the selective soldering process, but with the modular design of the Versaflow and its ability to have units at each stage of the process (flux, preheat, solder), we have been thrilled with the speed and quality output.”
Keeping consistent quality
Meeting customers’ needs while being flexible and providing high quality is an important part of ACC’s mission. From hand-built to prototypes to high-volume production, the company has the resources needed. Its production facility is designed to efficiently handle diverse customer production requirements, product testing and final product assembly. Additionally, the company views its customers as partners. Parker said that they act as an extension of their electronics manufacturing departments. “ACC’s personalized customer service is most effective when we are partnered with our customers,” Parker added. “By involving our manufacturing experts early in the design process, we can provide valuable assistance that will significantly reduce startup problems, increase quality and reduce cost. We will use our ISO-certified procedures to build customers’ product.”
As a result, the company knows how important strong service is to the success of any partnership. Parker said that after the initial trip to Kurtz Ersa, they knew that it was going to be a good fit, and that they were impressed not only with the equipment, but also with the people and support of the team. He added that ACC has received quick, informative responses to application questions whenever needed, and that the service has been excellent.
The company’s facility is customized specifically for electronics manufacturing and runs updated programs to maximize quality and efficiency. Other facility features include high-efficiency lighting for maximum illumination in the hand assembly area, air locks and power humidifiers for temperature/humidity control, conductive floors for maximum ESD protection, and an ESD program in which foot/wrist straps and conductive jackets are worn to dissipate electro-static energy in a controlled manner into its conductive floors and work benches. Additionally, they use online work instructions to eliminate paperwork and control documents as well as cell workgroups to improve efficiency and quality by eliminating batch processing. Finally, all employees continually attend lean training to further improve efficiency.
ACC provides a range of electronics manufacturing services. While full product assembly is its specialty, PCB assembly is core to everything built by them. This includes surface mount assembly as well as fine-pitch placement, BGA/LGA placement, through-hole assembly hand-built prototypes, product verification builds (pilot runs), high-volume production, in-circuit testing, functional testing, monitored burn-in, conformal coating, final assembly services (box builds), full-range manufacturing services and in-warranty/out-of-warranty repair. As additional resources, the company provides design for manufacturability assistance and design for testability recommendations.
Quality is another important aspect for the company, as they are ISO 9001-2015 certified and committed to the ISO concept of continuous improvement. They use IPC-A-610E as its soldering and assembly standard and, depending on customer need, solders to either IPC Class 2 or Class 3 industry standards.
SMTconnect, Booth 4-111, 5-434B
www.kurtzersa.com; www.accelectronix.com
Zusammenfassung
Um dem rasanten Wachstum gerecht zu werden, investierte ein Elektronikfertigungsdienstleister (EMS) aufgrund der langen Geschichte in der Bereitstellung von Selektivlötsystemen und dem Ruf für robustes Design und Prozesswiederholbarkeit für dasselbe Selektivlötsystem, das bereits 12 Monate zuvor gekauft wurde.
Résumé
Grace a un système de soudage sélectif, acheté 12 mois plutôt, un fournisseur de services de fabrication électronique (EMS), pour répondre aux fortes demandes, a investi dans ce même système qui dans ce domaine avait une réputation de conception robuste et de répétabilité des processus de soudage sélectif.
Резюме
Чтобы соответствовать темпам развития компании, разработчик микроэлектронных схем принял решение инвестировать в систему селективной пайки, аналогичную той, что уже была приобретена год назад. При этом определяющими факторами был богатый опыт производителя оборудования в сфере систем селективной пайки, надежная конструкция и высокая повторяемость процессов.
