Wave Solder Process Improvement Project Example

DMAIC project improves personnel time, reduces solder defects by 92%, and saved the company $300,000 annually--In today's high-tech world, almost any household gadget has some basic electronics circuitry built into it – refrigerator, coffee maker, oven, toothbrush, vacuum cleaner, toaster or alarm system. In this case study, a Six Sigma team improves a manufacturing process whose purpose is to "glue" – via a process called soldering – electrical components to a circuit board. Problem: 100 percent of all final printed circuit boards (PCBs) are functionally tested. Through this testing, 99.9 percent of solder defects are detected and subsequently reworked, fixed or scrapped, which is quite costly to the company. In addition, the company spends $500,000 annually on the poor performance of the wave soldering process, including excessive operating costs, poor quality rework, reduced yield and extra labor. The manufacturing leaders tasked a Six Sigma project team to improve the performa