Product Data Management
To ensure repeatability of the produced electronics and electronic system AME uses its powerful Product Data Management (PDM)-tool also for production purposes. For production purposes the PDM-tool is used for:
- Product version management,
- Product component list,
- Product machine files,
- Product assembly tools,
- Product related documents (e.g. embedded software)
- Product status and its restrictions (obsolete, service, engineering, production, commercial)
This basic set is filled for internal and external electronic designs into the PDM-tool. This ensures repeatability and traceability of a product version over its product lifecycle. The PDM-tool is more extensively used for internal electronic design; see also PDM-tool used for development purposes.
Board & Component Traceability
The PDM-tool is the fundament for AME to track&trace (T&T) the boards which are produced in production. In a coupled T&T-tool boards are made unique and traced during its complete lifecycle. The T&T-tool is used for:
- Batch Management (Product Number and Serial Number assigned)
- Board Traceability (Board locations overview)
- Test Reports (Restrictions on test results)
- Linked Board (Parent-Child relations of PN/SN combinations)
- Repair Data (RefDes detail and root cause)
- Production Statistics (Yield, FPY and PPM per fault cause)
- Service Reports (Reporting for returned goods)
The production machines generate automatically the data need to fill the system, no additional manual intervention is needed. AME uses a Machine2OBA-tool to integrate the data of the various product machines to our T&T-tool. Data (e.g. test results) is stored for minimum of five years.
In addition to the board traceability AME goes one detail deeper and list for each board which Tape&Reels were used during the production of that unique board. Each Tape&Reel which passes the incoming goods inspection has a Part Number and is made unique by assigning a ReelID-number. This ReelID-number is coupled to batch code, lot code and/or date code supplied by the original manufacturer of the Tape&Reel. This system is also known as ReelID-registration.
New Product Introduction
A New Product Introduction (NPI) has to be performed before a product can be released for production. In a NPI minimal the following aspects are included/covered:
- Entry of Bill of Material and product configuration in PDM-tool
- Obsolescence check of components
- RoHS-compliance check of components
- Generation and analysis of paste screen, manufacturing of paste screen
- Generation of Product Assembly Documentation
- PCB panelisation and PCB files generation
- IPC reporting: Determination and registration of the process parameters relevant to IPC-A-610B (standard industrial or other specification on demand) and the relevant JEDEC norm.
- Generation of Paste file
- Generation of Automated Paste Inspection file
- Generation of Pick & Place-file
- Generation of Heat Profile
- Generation of Automated Optical Inspection file
- Generation of Selective Soldering file
- Full tracking and tracing and Statistical Process Control setup.
For additional in-line tests see test strategy in Production & Test Technology
Production & Test Technology
tbd
Supply Chain & Material Solutions
AME distinct five logistic concepts each with their own (logistic) characteristics.
- Engineer-to-Order (ETO); High uncertainty on version change and cancellation, lead time dependent on first engineering release = 12-52 weeks (dependent on product complexity. Typical use during Development Phase / Engineering Release.
- Purchase&Make-to-Order (PMTO); Uncertainty on version change and cancellation, no long term commitment, lead time dependent on longest component lead time = 8-26 weeks. Typical use during Industrialization Phase / Production Release.
- Make-to-Order (MTO); Low uncertainty on version change and moderate on cancellation, long term commitment, rolling forecast, fixed window is lead time = 3-8 weeks. Typical use during Industrialization Phase / Production Release and Mass Production Phase / Commercial Release.
- Make-to-Stock (MTS); No uncertainty on version change and cancellation, long term commitment, rolling forecast, fixed window is lead time lead time = 1-3 weeks. Typical use during Mass Production Phase / Commercial Release.
- End-of-Life (EOL); Spare stock to ensure service, repairs & customer support. Typical use during End of Life Phase / Service Status and End of Life Phase / Obsolete Status
All our logistic concepts are support via our ERP-system SAP. In the following table an overview is presented of 5 blocks, which is the basic fundament of the Supply Chain approach used at AME. All five logistic concepts fit in this approach ensuring optimal logistic support during the product lifecycle.
Service & Repair Fulfillment
Due to our ‘Original Design Manufacturer (ODM)’ principal AME has a total product lifecycle responsibility for design support and for board support. Our Service & Repair Fulfillment includes:
- On-site support
- In- & Out-of-Warranty Product Repair/Refurbishment/Upgrade
- Return Material Authorization (RMA) management
- Warehousing & Re-Packaging
- Spare Part Management