Flexible Thinking: Process Engineering—PCB Manufacturing’s ‘Delta Force’
May 13, 2016 | Joe Fjelstad, Verdant ElectronicsEstimated reading time: 1 minute
The role of the process engineer is arguably one of the most important jobs in the printed circuit industry. The process engineer is on the front line of manufacturing and responsible for making sure product yields and profitability meet expectations. The job typically entails and intertwines many different and even disparate disciplines, including: electrochemistry, mechanical engineering, NC machining, robotics and automation, metallurgy, laser technology, polymer processing and photolithography. It even reaches back into the printed circuit design process. Because of this variety, it is also arguably at once, one of the most challenging and interesting jobs in the PCB industry.
In practice in most major manufacturing facilities, process engineers often specialize in just one of the areas identified here. In smaller facilities, the process engineer often must move between and attend to matters in more than one discipline, most commonly process steps which immediately precede or follow the area where the engineer has special training and expertise. However, in many cases, factors which may influence product quality and yield may be several steps earlier or later in the process. This is extremely important when one is looking into, or in the midst of implementing a new process on the manufacturing floor. Change comes slowly in PCB manufacturing and old habits are hard to break, so keeping a finger on the pulse of the process is critical.
It is a simple fact of life that in PCB manufacturing, process characterization, monitoring and maintenance are critical to success, and so also is collecting and evaluating data on process health. The tools and specific methods and measurements required will vary significantly from process to process, but without control, the quality of the results of the process will be left to a roll of the dice.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the April 2016 issue of The PCB Magazine
Suggested Items
NextFlex Announces 2024 Fellows Awards for Five Outstanding Recipients
03/29/2024 | BUSINESS WIRENextFlex, America's Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Institute, presented the annual NextFlex Fellow Awards to five deserving individuals in recognition of their exceptional commitment to advanced manufacturing and the additive hybrid electronics member community.
NEOTech Promotes Emilio Ramirez to Chief Technology Officer
03/29/2024 | NEOTechNEOTech, a leading provider of electronic manufacturing services (EMS), design engineering, and supply chain solutions in the high-tech industrial, medical device, and aerospace/defense markets, is thrilled to announce the promotion of Emilio Ramirez to the position of Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
MKS’ Atotech, ESI to Participate in IPC APEX EXPO
03/29/2024 | MKS’ AtotechMKS’ Atotech and ESI will participate in this year’s IPC APEX EXPO 2024, the PCB industry’s largest event in North America, to be held in Anaheim, California, to be held from April 6-11 2024 at the Anaheim California Convention Center.
Cogiscan Collaborates with Koh Young to Unveil How Factory Insights Software Transforms Data Into Action at IPC APEX EXPO
03/28/2024 | Koh YoungKoh Young, the industry leader in True3D measurement-based inspection solutions, is excited to announce Factory Insights, the latest offering from Cogiscan, will be demonstrated alongside KSMART in Koh Young booth 2112 during IPC APEX Expo.
ASMC 2024 to Showcase AI, Smart Manufacturing and Sustainability to Advance Chip Industry Manufacturing Expertise
03/27/2024 | SEMIMore than 125 experts will offer insights into the latest semiconductor manufacturing strategies and methodologies as hundreds of industry stakeholders gather at the 35th annual SEMI Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Conference (ASMC 2024), May 13-16 in Albany, New York.