Electronic Manufacturing Services Research Articles

Heuristic algorithms to minimize total weighted tardiness with stochastic rework and reprocessing times

This paper introduces a mathematical model for the scheduling problem with stochastic rework and reprocessing time, which is typical for electronics manufacturing services (EMS) providers. Since rework and reprocessing of jobs take more time resulting in missing the due dates, this research aims to determine the optimal job sequence on the machines. A heuristic methodology is developed that takes into consideration the Total Estimated Processing Time (TEPT), a linear combination of processing, rework, and reprocessing times. Jobs with different configurations of processing, rework, and reprocessing times representing a High-Mix–Low-Volume (HMLV) setup are tested on a single-machine job shop system to understand the effectiveness of the shortest TEPT algorithm (STEPT). Improvements to the STEPT algorithm are made and the modified STEPT algorithm (MSTEPT) is tested using a single-machine job shop setup with a larger number of jobs. Experimental results indicate that the proposed algorithm outperforms different commonly used dispatch rules in terms of solution quality and computation time. Then, experiments conducted on a multi-machine job shop setup with larger number of jobs also indicate the superior performance of the MSTEPT algorithm.

Does gender diversity moderate the relationship between supply chain management practice and performance in the electronic manufacturing services industry?

This study attempts to examine the moderating effects of gender diversity on the relationship between supply chain management (SCM) practices and supply chain performance in the Malaysian electronic manufacturing services (EMS) industry. The respondents were selected from the four departments: purchasing, planning, logistics and operation of one of the most well-known Malaysian manufacturing company located in Johor state, Malaysia; with the questionnaires being distributed via email. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the above objective. Findings indicate that SCM practices–performance relationship was not moderated by employees’ gender diversity. Theoretical and managerial implications as well as conclusion are also explored.

Purchase Cost Control in Electronics Manufacturing Service (EMS) Corporations

The rapid development of electronic technology has produced numerous demands, which have generated a new-born industry--EMS. In EMS corporations, purchase cost is a large proportion of total costs, so purchase cost control is one of the key competitiveness for EMS. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) help EMS solve the problem of purchase cost control.

Plant Layout Analysis by Computer Simulation for Electronic Manufacturing Service Plant

Plant Layout Analysis by Computer Simulation for Electronic Manufacturing Service Plant

Application of Markov Chains for Modeling and Managing Industrial Electronic Repair Processes

This paper presents a research of Markov chain based modeling possibilities of electronic repair processes provided by electronics manufacturing service (EMS) companies. These stochastic processes are considered as business-like, industrialized activities that are typically complex with a high number of process states and many possible paths from the start state to the absorbing end states. Two models based on absorbing and acyclic absorbing Markov chains are introduced in order to model these processes. The presented method provides a quick tool for determining the most important operational and statistical parameters of the process and mapping the paths that contribute the most to the total load of the process. These results support several managerial applications concerning e.g. process improvement, quality control and resource allocation. The proposed model is illustrated with an industrial application.

Selection of the optimal configuration for a flexible surface mount assembly system based on the interrelationships among the flexibility elements

Flexibility has been widely recognized as a key competitive factor for manufacturing firms coping with the increasingly turbulent manufacturing environment today. Establishing a flexible surface mount assembly (SMA) system is critical for organizations to achieve a cost-effective assembly and gain competitive advantages in the printed circuit board (PCB) assembly industry. To find a practicable operating strategy, a multi-criteria decision-making framework that combines the analytic network process (ANP) with the consistent fuzzy preference relations (CFPR) is proposed to explore the interrelationships among the six dimensions and twenty-one criteria of manufacturing flexibility and resolve the uncertainty and divergence between decision-makers with the least amount of pairwise comparisons. Based on the results of prior analysis, an optimum configuration of a flexible SMA system is suggested for the capacity investment intended by a Taiwan electronics manufacturing service (EMS) provider to quickly respond to dynamic production requirements.

An adaptive diagnosis system for copper wire bonding process control and quality assessment in integrated circuit assembly

Copper (Cu) wire has become an alternative material for wire bonding in many microelectronic applications due to the high appreciation in the price of gold. However, the Cu wire bonding process is relatively new to integrated circuit (IC) assembly and must be appropriately controlled to save on manufacturing costs without encountering reliability problems or losing quality. This study proposes an adaptive diagnosis system for the control and quality assessment of the Cu wire bonding process using grey relational analysis (GRA) and a neurofuzzy technique. A fractional factorial experimental design is first utilised to collect structured data, and the results are analysed through an integrated GRA and entropy measurement method to convert the multiple quality characteristics of Cu wire bonding into a synthetic performance index. Next, the neurofuzzy data-learning technique is used to establish the essential knowledge bases. The in-process-quality-control (IPQC) data are then clustered and utilised to fine-tune the membership functions and adjust the weights of fuzzy rules through neurofuzzy data-learning. Finally, customised programming codes are generated for fuzzy rule retrieval and for a graphical user interface design to link users and the process diagnostic and quality assessment knowledge bases. The proposed diagnosis system is evaluated using real-world production data collected from an electronics manufacturing service (EMS) provider of IC packaging to verify its prediction accuracy and applicability.

Adaptive Electronics Manufacturing Services Using Intelligent Agents

The need for adaptive operational management in manufacturing enterprises, whereby changes in the environment are sensed and acted upon rapidly, has been recognised as a key competency for a modern manufacturing organisation. However, enabling such capability demands new types of ICT. In this paper a multi-agent system is presented. The system has been designed and tested around the needs of an Electronics Manufacturing Services organisation designing and making complex electronics products for home appliance OEMs. A key feature of the system is that agent behaviors are driven by models encompassing sustainability related measures of performance. The system has been tested on actual manufacturing data and a series of scenarios involving unplanned events commonly experienced by the company. Numerical results demonstrate that such an approach is a viable ICT option for enabling adaptive manufacturing, rapidly responding to a series of commonly encountered unplanned events.

Challenges of Quality Management: A Case Study at Malaysian Electronics Manufacturing Services Company

The majority of Malaysian electronics manufacturing companies are electronics contract manufacturers (CM) and the industry is known as electronics manufacturing services (EMS). The industry is lucrative yet challenging. Companies in this industry need to have strong and flexible production system as well as supply chain to cater for diverse customer requirements such as high mix low volume demand. The objective of this paper is to identify the challenges in managing quality effectively and efficiently in a contract–manufacturing environment. Observation and semi–structured interviews were conducted to understand and identify the operational problems in a local EMS company. The problems are then analyzed and generalized against existing quality theories. Interestingly, the findings showed that all the problems have been addressed in the quality theories some 30 years ago.

Selection and Operation of Electronics Manufacturing Services for Set-top Box

Selection and Operation of Electronics Manufacturing Services for Set-top Box

The perceptions and perspectives of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) practitioners

PurposeThe electronic manufacturing service (EMS) industry recognizes Lean Six Sigma (LSS) as an effective business strategy to strive for cost reduction and improve the profitability and growth of a company. There are many factors affecting the success of an LSS program to meet desired profitability and growth. The purpose of this paper is to identify the critical success factors (CSFs) in successful LSS programs and to evaluate the CSFs’ impact on company performance.Design/methodology/approachThis study is carried out using the quantitative survey method containing structured questionnaires. The study population comprises the six multinational EMS industries in Malaysia that have successfully implemented LSS programs. The LSS practitioners, namely the holders of the Master Black Belt (MBB), the Black Belt (BB) and the LSS champions of the various international manufacturing sites of the six multinational EMS in Malaysia form the respondents.FindingsThe significance of this research is the identification of CFSs for the successful implementation of LSS within the EMS industry. It has identified management engagement and commitment as the most critical to the success of implementing the companies’ LSS programs. Moreover, an effective LSS training, an established LSS dashboard, a frequent communication among all value streams of organizations and a supportive organizational culture are also found to be essential ingredients for the implementation of LSS.Practical implicationsThe paper advises of the nurturing of appropriate CSFs for successful implementation of LSS in the EMS industry and to evaluate its impact on the company performance.Originality/valueThis research adds a new body of knowledge containing factors in the implementation of LSS that are significant in their relationships with operational and organizational performances in the EMS industry, using primary data. The results would provide the EMS industry and other Malaysian SME companies with guidelines for the successful implementation of Lean Six Sigma with the intention to remain competitive.

Deployment of vendor capabilities and competences throughout the outsourcing process

PurposeA vendor's capabilities are recognized as one of the most important factors for success in outsourcing. However, there is a lack of understanding of how vendors manage their capabilities throughout the outsourcing process. With an aim to contribute to filling this existing gap, the purpose of this paper is to explore how vendors deploy their capabilities in order to win, run and renew the outsourcing contracts.Design/methodology/approachThe research question has been derived by integrating a resource‐based view theory with a model of a vendor's process in outsourcing. A multiple‐case study of three contract electronic manufacturers has been employed to explore the research question.FindingsThe results show that for achieving their outsourcing objectives, vendors use different capability mixes: the winning, the running, and the renewing. These mixes are created through utilization of different portfolios of competences (balanced, unit‐dominant, and versatile) and capabilities (permanent and temporary) which need to be deployed in the right combination (deployment strategy) adequate for the stage of the industry dynamics in which vendors operate. The research also indicated the importance of the relationship management capability for the success of outsourcing arrangements in the electronic manufacturing service (EMS) provision industry.Research limitations/implicationsNew research involving more case companies would improve the validity of the conclusions made in this paper. Results also suggest that more research into relationship management capability in the context of the EMS industry will be a fruitful area for future studies.Practical implicationsVendors who seek to advance in the industry's value chain need to expand their portfolio of competences and adapt their deployment strategies to new, more dynamic and volatile environments. The paper proposes three different deployment strategies for three different operational contexts.Originality/valueIn contrast with the existing static approach towards studying vendor's capabilities in outsourcing, the paper's findings show that vendors use different mixes of capabilities throughout the outsourcing process. The authors have been able to show how those capability mixes are formed. In addition, it was found that relationship management is an important capability for consideration when studying and practicing manufacturing outsourcing.

Investigation and Implementation of Environmental Protection and Energy Saving

Abstract. Xinjin technology group company is to provide professional electronics manufacturing services ( EMS ) Company. The main business is the assembly of PCB and small electronic products and packaging They are the main problem facing the enterprise that global oversupplies in the market, which includes cost saving, protection of the environment and improve efficiency.There are three primary aspects in this paper. They are electric circuit capacitance compensation, tin slag recycling and type U reconfigurable production line. They were to take the new technology, new production process to replace outdated., Profits were improved through these reform measures.

Knowledge complementarity and knowledge exchange in supply channel relationships

Existing literature on knowledge exchange in inter-organizational relationships (e.g., a supply channel) reveals two opposing forces at work: (1) collaborative behavior and (2) opportunistic behavior. A concurrent assessment of the opposing perspectives and the contingencies under which each is relevant for supply channel performance can add valuable insights about the dynamics of knowledge exchange. We juxtapose the two behavior patterns using social capital theory and transaction cost economics (TCE) respectively as the explicators and employ knowledge complementarity as the contingency to reconcile the opposing behavior patterns. The choice of knowledge complementarity in this role stems from ample theoretical and empirical support in prior literature about the criticality of this factor in inter-firm knowledge exchange. We propose a research model, and use data from a field study of 82 firms in the Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) industry to test our model. Our findings indicate that overall inter-organizational trust (a surrogate for social capital) and knowledge complementarity promote knowledge exchange behavior in a supply channel. The retarding effect of risk of opportunism (a TCE dimension) manifests only when knowledge complementarity is low. However, when knowledge complementarity is high, contrary to expectations, inter-organizational trust appears to impede knowledge exchange. Our post hoc analysis of this intriguing, counterintuitive result leads us to knowledge interdependence and dependence asymmetry as potentially critical antecedents to knowledge complementarity. Implication of our findings to academic research and supply chain scenario is also articulated.

Overview and outlook of through‐silicon via (TSV) and 3D integrations

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to focus on through‐silicon via (TSV), with a new concept that every chip or interposer could have two surfaces with circuits. Emphasis is placed on the 3D IC integration, especially the interposer (both active and passive) technologies and their roadmaps. The origin of 3D integration is also briefly presented.Design/methodology/approachThis design addresses the electronic packaging of 3D IC integration with a passive TSV interposer for high‐power, high‐performance, high pin‐count, ultra fine‐pitch, small real‐estate, and low‐cost applications. To achieve this, the design uses chip‐to‐chip interconnections through a passive TSV interposer in a 3D IC integration system‐in‐package (SiP) format with excellent thermal management.FindingsA generic, low‐cost and thermal‐enhanced 3D IC integration SiP with a passive interposer has been proposed for high‐performance applications. Also, the origin of 3D integration and the overview and outlook of 3D Si integration and 3D IC integration have been presented and discussed. Some important results and recommendations are summarized: the TSV/redistribution layer (RDL)/integrated passive devices passive interposer, which supports the high‐power chips on top and low‐power chips at its bottom, is the gut and workhorse of the current 3D IC integration design; with the passive interposer, it is not necessary to “dig” holes on the active chips. In fact, try to avoid making TSVs in the active chips; the passive interposer provides flexible coupling for whatever chips are available and/or necessary, and enhances the functionality and possibly the routings (shorter); with the passive interposer, the TSV manufacturing cost is lower because the requirement of TSV manufacturing yield is too high (>99.99 percent) for the active chips to bear additional costs due to TSV manufacturing yield loss; with the passive interposer, wafer thinning and thin‐wafer handling costs (for the interposer) are lower because these are not needed for the active chips and thus adds no cost due to yield loss; with the current designs, all the chips are bare; the packaging cost for individual chips is eliminated; more than 90 percent of heat from the 3D IC integration SiP is dissipated from the backside of high‐power chips using a thermal interface material and heat spreader/sink; the appearance and footprint of current 3D IC integration SiP designs are very attractive to integrated device manufactures, original equipment manufactures, and electronics manufacturing services (EMS) because they are standard packages; and underfills between the copper‐filled TSV interposer and the high‐ and low‐power chips are recommended to reduce creep damage of the lead‐free microbump solder joints and prolong their lives.Originality/valueThe paper's findings will be very useful to the electronic industry.

Scaling-Up Microelectronic Production: Multinational Corporations Under Moore's Law

Microelectronics is a special type of General Purpose Technology (GPT), bringing disruptive innovations, not in one shot, but by successive waves for 40 years. Rational innovators maximize present value, over product cycles, before the anticipated obsolescence under Moore’s Law. Among the multiple local maxima, the proven best dynamic option may be a two-phase, scaling-up plan at two-sites: high-skill workers improvise in pilot production, and debug the production process; low-wage labor mass-produce by prepared routines, on costly equipment. This study yields new insights: outsourcing to multiple sites can be complementary, inter-temporally; multinational corporations excel in coordinating the unilateral, product-specific, cross-border information transfers, hierarchically. This analysis is deduced from the documented practice of two dominant firms: Seagate Technology in the vertically integrated hard-disk-drive (HDD) industry; the Hon Hai-Foxconn Group, with more than half of the world market share of the electronics manufacturing service (EMS) industry. This framework may help to interpret the economic co-evolution of America, China, Japan and Taiwan – the intermediary in between.

Design‐for‐reliability implementation in microelectronics packaging development

PurposeIn today's electronic package development cycle, activities are managed by multiple participants in the supply chain, which might have different quality and reliability impacts to the end product. As a result, the reliability risk is much higher for companies who do not have insight into and/or control over the products received. The purpose of this paper is to show how design‐for‐reliability (DFR) approaches will come into play to manage the risk.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, DFR approaches for package development will be discussed from the perspective of the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). DFR practices through the package development cycle will be described based on key development modules. A case study for flip chip ball gris array package development using an advanced Cu/Low‐k silicon technology will be presented. Key measures to help control the quality and improve the reliability will be presented.FindingsThe proposed methodology significantly improves component and package reliability through the engagement in design, manufacturing, assessment and system evaluation.Originality/valueThe paper discusses the research results and the proposed DFR methodology will be helpful for fabless design houses, electronics manufacturing service (EMS) partners in the supply chain, and OEMs to manage the reliability of the products.

Managing Variety and New Product Introduction in Consumer Electronics Manufacturing Industry

This Dissertation Thesis provides a comprehensive understanding of the efforts undertaken by different players in the consumer electronics manufacturing industry in managing variety. Different kinds of product design efforts (such as QFD, DFV, modularity etc) in the new product introduction process paves the way to company-led/internal variety creation. Moreover, mass customization in association with build-to-order and postponement principles has been discussed as a way of creating customer-led/external variety. A framework has been developed which shows the functions of different players in the consumer electronics industry such as EMS (Electronics Manufacturing Service), OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) and OBN (Original Brand Name) companies, and their relationship and collaborative effort in creating new product through different design initiatives in the NPI process as well as, mass customization efforts to create varieties of products for customers. Links have been established between NPI and internal variety as well as, between mass customization and external variety. Three OBN companies (Samsung, Acer, and Dell) have been analyzed to understand the overall scenario.

A conceptual framework for critical success factors of lean Six Sigma

PurposeThe objective of this paper is to analyze the critical success factors (CSFs) for lean Six Sigma (LSS) implementation and its impacts towards company performance in multinational electronic manufacturing service (EMS) industries.Design/methodology/approachA pilot study has been conducted to identify the top ten CSFs for LSS implementation. Based on these factors, a structured questionnaire has been constructed. The questionnaire will be distributed to multi‐sites of six EMS industries to obtain the data across Malaysia and other sites globally. The target population is the LSS program implementer such as master black belts, black belts and LSS champions in the EMS industries.FindingsThese EMS industries provide outsourcing platform for the original equipment manufacturing (OEM) industries to outsource their products in order to reduce operational cost. With the proposed LSS implementation success model, a practical guide of the LSS program has been implemented. The practical guide helps the LSS practitioners to focus on certain CSFs and it prevents the LSS execution from loosing momentum when faces roadblock.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is relevant to most EMS industries and provides guidelines to small and medium enterprises in Malaysia through improving their competitiveness and capability in the globalization market.Originality/valueThe EMS industries compete among themselves to gain more business from OEM industries through implementation of many improvements via cost reduction activities. LSS program is recognized among the EMS industries as one of the effective business strategy of cost reduction and to improve company's profitability and growth. The success of the LSS program in achieving the expected gain and return relies on CSFs; henceforth it renders the undertaking of this paper.

Reliability based Customer Satisfaction Evaluation

The purpose of this article is to introduce the so-called Reliability based Customer Satisfaction Evaluation Method that is founded upon the evaluator functions using the approach of logistic-type evaluation. The scorecard based customer satisfaction measurement methods, which are widely used at Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) provider companies, were studied to draw conclusions on the goodness, reliability and usefulness of these traditional practices. The approach followed here was to understand the sources of uncertainties of these methods, and construct mathematical models to improve their reliability. The nature of customers´ perceptions about the services they receive as functions of the scores they give through pre-agreed scorecards was mathematically modeled in evaluator functions. A method for parameter setting of evaluator functions was developed to make the functions adequately reflecting the customers´ satisfaction perceptions.