A Guide to Reducing Failures in the Field: Ensuring Product Quality with Factory Insights

The most feared pain in all of manufacturing: the cost of product recalls due to quality issues can be detrimental to a company's financial health and reputation. Utilizing Cogiscan's Factory Insights can significantly enhance the ability to monitor and maintain product quality, thus reducing the incidence of failures in the field. This guide provides a step-by-step approach to leveraging Cogiscan's system to proactively address potential defects detected during production.

Within the Quality section of the platform, first review the First Pass Yield statistics for all machines involved in the production process. This metric is crucial in understanding the initial quality output of each machine, although in this case, similar results across the board did not immediately highlight the root cause of the issue.

In the same module, look for the Defective & Falsely Called Products by Machine report. Upon closer inspection, a significant observation was made: the SPI1 & SPI3 machines were registering a higher ratio of defective units, an irregularity that clearly necessitates a more thorough investigation.

This particular finding suggests that the issue may not be an isolated incident but rather a chronic problem, potentially affecting product quality at a larger scale. To address this, a comprehensive analysis of the SPI1 and SPI3 machines must be undertaken. We’ll start with SPI3.

Transition to the Analysis tab and set a filter to isolate data for the SPI3 machine (in the left panel). Investigate the Top10 defects chart to pinpoint the most common defects, which, in our example, include Bridging, Webbing, and Excess Solder—symptoms that suggest issues with solder paste application.

Armed with specific defect data, scrutinize possible causes. The observed symptoms are indicative of potential solder paste bleeding, prompting a detailed investigation into its root causes. Several factors could contribute to this issue, including the condition of the stencil, which may require cleaning to ensure clear, unobstructed apertures for the paste to pass through. The squeegee's performance is also a critical variable; thus, a verification of the squeegee pressure and angle is necessary to confirm optimal application of the solder paste. Additionally, the printing speed must be scrutinized to determine if it is set too high, potentially leading to uneven or excessive deposition of solder paste. Lastly, the condition of the solder paste itself must be examined, as its viscosity and composition directly impact the quality of the solder print. Each of these factors must be carefully assessed to identify and rectify the cause of solder paste bleeding.

Given the defects we've seen, it's important to look back at any recent changes in where the materials are from, especially the solder paste. In this situation, the solder paste was from a new supplier around the same time these quality problems began to show up. This timing suggests that the new solder paste could be related to the issues, so someone should definitely check into that possibility. Without available data, determining the effects of switching solder paste suppliers can be quite challenging. Having complete and reliable data is crucial in this context.

By systematically utilizing Cogiscan's Factory Insights, companies can proactively manage and improve product quality, thereby minimizing the risk of field failures and costly recalls. This guide illustrates how to use specific tools within the platform to identify and address quality issues early on. Continuous monitoring, coupled with a data-centric mindset, is essential in upholding excellence in manufacturing and maintaining a competitive edge in today's market.