Gearing up for Volume
Manufacturing
Tales from China
Omer Kilic
OSHCamp 2019
omer.kilic.name
@OmerK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joeqB7QBRC8
Agenda
• Data Management: BOM and Revision Control, Change Management
• Manufacturing Timeline: Terminology, Stages and Checkpoints
• Part Sourcing: Terminology, Lead Time Nightmares, Alternative Sourcing
• The Line: SOP, Automation, Testing, QA, Security
• Q & A
Starting Point
https://blog.bolt.io/ideation/
Data Management
PLM / PDM
Product Lifecycle Management / Product Data Management
System(s) used to keep track of and manage:
• Requirements and Documentation
• Regulatory and Compliance
• Bill of Materials (BOM)
• Product Data
• Change and Configurations
• Quality
• Suppliers
https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Amazon+Echo+Dot+Teardown/61304
• 90-00123 Finished Good
• 81-00234 Packaging, outer box
• 82-00345 Printed paper manual
• 80-00456 USB power adapter Product Assembly
• 20-00567 Plastic case
• 31-00678 PCBA
• 30-00789 PCB
• <ICs, resistors, caps, …>
• 83-00891 USB cable
• 80-00912 Product Assembly
• 20-000123 Outer plastic case
• 70-000234 Bottom sub-assembly
• 17-00345 Cast metal weight
• 50-001631 Speaker
• 31-00456 Bottom PCBA
• 30-001678 Bottom PCB
• <ICs, resistors, caps, …>
• 70-000567 Top sub-assembly
• 20-000678 Encoder wheel
• 20-000789 Encoder ring
• 70-000891 Top moulding sub-assembly
• 20-00987 Button 1
• 20-00876 Button2
• 15-00765 Rubber bottom pad
• 26-00654 Torx Screws
• 29-00543 Glue pad ** made up part
numbers used here 
• 90-00123-R4 Finished Good
• 81-00234-R3 Packaging, outer box
• 82-00345-R9 Printed paper manual
• 80-00456-R2 USB power adapter Product Assembly
• 20-00567-R3 Plastic case
• 31-00678-R8 PCBA
• 30-00789-R2 PCB
• <ICs, resistors, caps, …>
• 83-00891-R3 USB cable
• 80-00912-R9 Product Assembly
• 20-000123-R4 Outer plastic case
• 70-000234-R2 Bottom sub-assembly
• 17-00345-R3 Cast metal weight
• 50-001631-R2 Speaker
• 31-00456-R12 Bottom PCBA
• 30-001678-R12 Bottom PCB
• <ICs, resistors, caps, …>
• 70-000567-R5 Top sub-assembly
• 20-000678-R7 Encoder wheel
• 20-000789-R3 Encoder ring
• 70-000891-R4 Top moulding sub-assembly
• 20-00987-R4 Button 1
• 20-00876-R4 Button2
• 15-00765-R3 Rubber bottom pad
• 26-00654-R2 Torx Screws
• 29-00543-R5 Glue pad ** made up part
numbers used here 
ECO / ECN
Engineering Change Order / Engineering Change Notice
• Standardised mechanism to issue changes to designs and processes
• Provides a record of all changes during the lifecycle of a product
• ECO records can be mandatory as per regulatory approval rules
• Gets more costly as design moves through product lifecycle
Component Lifecycle
Manufacturing Timeline
Manufacturing Timeline
Proto EVT DVT PVT (Ramp) MP
EVT, DVT/EP, PVT/PP, MP/VP
Engineering Validation Test / Engineering Pilot
Design Validation Test
Production Validation Test / Production Pilot
Mass Production / Volume Production
https://www.instrumental.com/blog/2016/11/14/hardware-engineers-speak-in-code-evt-dvt-pvt-decoded
Manufacturing Timeline
• Skipping phases risky given costs associated with mistakes
• Non-recurring Engineering (NRE) fees: Tooling for plastics and PCB, stencils for PCBA, …
• Overrun and scrap material costs
• Dependencies can easily become a nightmare if not planned for accordingly
• Auxiliary activities may depend on completion of a particular phase
• Inter-phase dependencies and “line availability” needs firm commitments
• Procurement/Sourcing and quantities mismatch will hold up manufacturing
• Lead times differ for plastics, PCBs, components, printed materials…
• …No “Prime” delivery option available, in most cases 
深圳速度
Shēnzhèn sùdù
Procurement/Sourcing
MOQ, SPQ, L/T, U/P
Minimum Order Quantity
Standard Packaging Quantity
Lead Time
Unit Price
• At volume quantities, you shouldn’t rely purely on Western distributors
• Shipping parts to China will almost always create Customs and Tax problems
• Lead times can be surprising and become major headaches
• Local knowledge/expertise critical
The Manufacturing Line
Station 1
Station 2
Station N
Parts
Equipment
SOP
Parts
Equipment
SOP Parts
Equipment
SOP
SOP
Standard Operating Procedure
• Well defined set of instructions per station, for operator to follow
• No error margin for ambiguity!
• Probably best reviewed/prepared by the manufacturer
ATE & DUT / UUT / EUT
Automated Test Equipment
(Device / Unit / Equipment) Under Test
• Specialised set of tools, hardware, software to automate the process of testing
devices being manufactured
• Performs electrical checks, RF testing/tuning/calibration, firmware burning,
security certificate provision…
• Speed and parallel execution important factors for cost
Line Tracking/Monitoring
RFID/NFC Tag
QR Code / 2D Barcode
MES
Manufacturing Execution System
• Used by the manufacturing partner to keep track of a manufacturing order
• Parts, line/worker allocations, build scheduling, …
• Tracks serial numbers, fault/rework reports, line rate, …
• Can be used to keep record of critical part lot codes, silicon revision, …
• Advanced systems allow integration with customer internal processes
Thanks, any questions?
Ping me @OmerK

Gearing up for Volume Manufacturing

  • 1.
    Gearing up forVolume Manufacturing Tales from China Omer Kilic OSHCamp 2019
  • 2.
  • 3.
  • 6.
    Agenda • Data Management:BOM and Revision Control, Change Management • Manufacturing Timeline: Terminology, Stages and Checkpoints • Part Sourcing: Terminology, Lead Time Nightmares, Alternative Sourcing • The Line: SOP, Automation, Testing, QA, Security • Q & A
  • 7.
  • 8.
  • 9.
    PLM / PDM ProductLifecycle Management / Product Data Management System(s) used to keep track of and manage: • Requirements and Documentation • Regulatory and Compliance • Bill of Materials (BOM) • Product Data • Change and Configurations • Quality • Suppliers
  • 11.
  • 13.
    • 90-00123 FinishedGood • 81-00234 Packaging, outer box • 82-00345 Printed paper manual • 80-00456 USB power adapter Product Assembly • 20-00567 Plastic case • 31-00678 PCBA • 30-00789 PCB • <ICs, resistors, caps, …> • 83-00891 USB cable • 80-00912 Product Assembly • 20-000123 Outer plastic case • 70-000234 Bottom sub-assembly • 17-00345 Cast metal weight • 50-001631 Speaker • 31-00456 Bottom PCBA • 30-001678 Bottom PCB • <ICs, resistors, caps, …> • 70-000567 Top sub-assembly • 20-000678 Encoder wheel • 20-000789 Encoder ring • 70-000891 Top moulding sub-assembly • 20-00987 Button 1 • 20-00876 Button2 • 15-00765 Rubber bottom pad • 26-00654 Torx Screws • 29-00543 Glue pad ** made up part numbers used here 
  • 14.
    • 90-00123-R4 FinishedGood • 81-00234-R3 Packaging, outer box • 82-00345-R9 Printed paper manual • 80-00456-R2 USB power adapter Product Assembly • 20-00567-R3 Plastic case • 31-00678-R8 PCBA • 30-00789-R2 PCB • <ICs, resistors, caps, …> • 83-00891-R3 USB cable • 80-00912-R9 Product Assembly • 20-000123-R4 Outer plastic case • 70-000234-R2 Bottom sub-assembly • 17-00345-R3 Cast metal weight • 50-001631-R2 Speaker • 31-00456-R12 Bottom PCBA • 30-001678-R12 Bottom PCB • <ICs, resistors, caps, …> • 70-000567-R5 Top sub-assembly • 20-000678-R7 Encoder wheel • 20-000789-R3 Encoder ring • 70-000891-R4 Top moulding sub-assembly • 20-00987-R4 Button 1 • 20-00876-R4 Button2 • 15-00765-R3 Rubber bottom pad • 26-00654-R2 Torx Screws • 29-00543-R5 Glue pad ** made up part numbers used here 
  • 15.
    ECO / ECN EngineeringChange Order / Engineering Change Notice • Standardised mechanism to issue changes to designs and processes • Provides a record of all changes during the lifecycle of a product • ECO records can be mandatory as per regulatory approval rules • Gets more costly as design moves through product lifecycle
  • 16.
  • 17.
  • 18.
  • 19.
    EVT, DVT/EP, PVT/PP,MP/VP Engineering Validation Test / Engineering Pilot Design Validation Test Production Validation Test / Production Pilot Mass Production / Volume Production https://www.instrumental.com/blog/2016/11/14/hardware-engineers-speak-in-code-evt-dvt-pvt-decoded
  • 20.
    Manufacturing Timeline • Skippingphases risky given costs associated with mistakes • Non-recurring Engineering (NRE) fees: Tooling for plastics and PCB, stencils for PCBA, … • Overrun and scrap material costs • Dependencies can easily become a nightmare if not planned for accordingly • Auxiliary activities may depend on completion of a particular phase • Inter-phase dependencies and “line availability” needs firm commitments • Procurement/Sourcing and quantities mismatch will hold up manufacturing • Lead times differ for plastics, PCBs, components, printed materials… • …No “Prime” delivery option available, in most cases 
  • 21.
  • 22.
  • 23.
    MOQ, SPQ, L/T,U/P Minimum Order Quantity Standard Packaging Quantity Lead Time Unit Price • At volume quantities, you shouldn’t rely purely on Western distributors • Shipping parts to China will almost always create Customs and Tax problems • Lead times can be surprising and become major headaches • Local knowledge/expertise critical
  • 26.
  • 27.
    Station 1 Station 2 StationN Parts Equipment SOP Parts Equipment SOP Parts Equipment SOP
  • 29.
    SOP Standard Operating Procedure •Well defined set of instructions per station, for operator to follow • No error margin for ambiguity! • Probably best reviewed/prepared by the manufacturer
  • 30.
    ATE & DUT/ UUT / EUT Automated Test Equipment (Device / Unit / Equipment) Under Test • Specialised set of tools, hardware, software to automate the process of testing devices being manufactured • Performs electrical checks, RF testing/tuning/calibration, firmware burning, security certificate provision… • Speed and parallel execution important factors for cost
  • 38.
  • 39.
    MES Manufacturing Execution System •Used by the manufacturing partner to keep track of a manufacturing order • Parts, line/worker allocations, build scheduling, … • Tracks serial numbers, fault/rework reports, line rate, … • Can be used to keep record of critical part lot codes, silicon revision, … • Advanced systems allow integration with customer internal processes
  • 41.