An integrated approach to Design for Quality (DfQ) in the high value added printed circuit assembly (PCA) manufacturing: A pilot tool

High value added electronics manufacturing is a challenging sector that requires compliance with demanding quality standards. Tools and methods to support Design for Quality (DfQ) are limited within the domain. In this paper a software toolkit to support (DfQ) is proposed based on the underlying concept of integrated modelling. Based on this principle a simulation module to predict quality in terms of manufacturing defects and a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) module to support their elimination have been developed. The focus of this paper is on the latter RCA module. After a description of the integrated modelling concept and the software toolkit, a case study is presented to demonstrate the value of the software. The results illustrate possible roles of the quality support toolkit in solving real quality problems in printed circuit assemblies (PCA´s) manufacturing. The results include measures of product quality improvements and savings in terms of time and cost.