The 2020 pandemic caused the demand for electronics to increase. Simultaneously, the increased need resulted in a shortage of PCBs (printed circuit boards). The reason is the lack of foil and copper clad laminates. However, it doesn’t mean you need to close up shop. Here are a few ways to speed up your electronics production when customers demand it.
Review Your Current Workflow
If the issue isn’t with supply but with general output, then you need to review your current workflow. This should be done on a regular basis, especially if you have just started as a PCB manufacturer. It’s the best way to determine where the faults are.
For this, you need to audit the production line and the amount of time it takes for the electronics to move through. If you see a manufacturing machine that takes longer than expected, then further examination is required.
Cross-Train Your Employees
Regular training is imperative to maintain solid electronics production. Workers without the proper education are prone to cause injury to themselves and others. On top of this, production slows to a crawl.
Prevent this through cross-training. This is the practice of educating all employees on the plant’s machines. While they won’t be subject matter experts, they’ll be able to step in when another worker is out. Through this, the loss of productivity is minimized.
Established Scheduled Downtime
The perfect PCB manufacturing line would run 24 hours and seven days a week without any issues. However, this isn’t realistic. When manufacturing machines are operated beyond their limits there’s bound to be issues down the line. These issues halt productivity until repair or replacement occurs.
The risk of this is reduced when you schedule downtime for the line. This allows your employees to run checks on the equipment and make the necessary repairs. Furthermore, it gives you the chance to update workers on operations or other items to help speed up electronics production.
Outsource Part Production
Not every component of your printed circuit board design must be made in your plant. It’s an inefficient way to maximize speed when customer demand increases. So, consider outsourcing the manufacturing of some parts. Working with PCB manufacturers, like Advanced Circuits, can help you streamline your production process and keep up with customer demand.
In conclusion, it’s better to start now to implement these production changes instead of later. The quicker it’s done, the faster you are able to get your electronics to your clients.