Phil Zarrow: This video is for electronics assemblers that are seeking the correct wave profile, as well as optimal line balancing. This includes real-world examples and useful data.
Dr. Lasky, one of the most common things we see when we do audits is lines that are out of balance, one pick-and-place machine is waiting for the other, and it seems to elude people. I understand you've developed a tool to help managers and technicians and engineers alleviate this problem.
Dr. Ronald C. Lasky: Yeah, you know it's true, Phil. I think I've been in 50 factories, I know you've probably been in 250, and I've never seen a line that was balanced – where the placement machines were all taking the same amount of time. So I developed a software tool in which you put all of the components that are on a printer wiring board into the tool, and then you put the speed of all the different placement machines, and it automatically time balances. And for anyone that's ever done the math equation, it's not really difficult, but it's an algebraic equation that takes five or ten minutes, and you can make mistakes. So, this tool does it automatically.
Phil Zarrow: Outstanding, for those of us out there who are algebraically impaired, and for engineers in general. What are some of the other features?
Dr. Ronald C. Lasky: Well, if you can add the down times of the different machines in the line, not just the placement machines, but all of the machines, it will calculate the throughput – how many boards per hour, per day, per week, per month – so you can know how much you will produce in any given time.
Phil Zarrow: Very good. Where can we find this?
Dr. Ronald C. Lasky: We can find it at www.indium.com.
Phil Zarrow: Excellent. Dr. Lasky, thank you.
Keywords: indium, Indium Corporation, Dr. Ron Lasky, ronlasky@aol.com, Phil Zarrow, itm@itmconsulting.org, pick and place machine, line balance, board throughput