More efficient operations by following suggestions for new ways of using the equipment

Differences among individuals and long working hours when solder paste is manually stirred

We are an EMS manufacturer. At our factory, which operates around-the-clock, “Thinky mixer SP-300” (successor model: SR-500) has been used in the mounting process 10 to 20 times a day almost every day for over ten years. Before the introduction of SP-300, solder paste was used after manual stirring. This gave rise to the problem of variation in the finish among different workers. Because SP-300 can memorize the number of revolutions and the operation time, anyone can operate it with just a push of one button and obtain solder paste under the same conditions every time. SP-300 is convenient also because kneading is completed in a short time. It has been used for over ten years without any trouble such as breakdown. Recently, we took advantage of the User Visit service at Thinky’s Customer Service Office. While discussing how SP-300 is actually being used, we were given suggestions towards further improvement of our production processes.

The solution? Thinky!

Detailed product information and proposal of recipes contribute to process improvement.

Because our factory operates 24 hours a day, some of the daytime workers should bring solder paste back to room temperature for use in nighttime work and some of the nighttime workers should do the same for the daytime shift. Because the factory is closed on Sundays, some workers must come early on Monday morning to remove solder paste from the refrigerator. This has long been a factory rule. We were told by the Customer Service Department that with SR-500, solder paste can be optimized in a few minutes even directly from the refrigerated state. Recipes appropriate for solder paste immediately after removal from the refrigerator were also suggested.

Furthermore, the status of the actual machine was checked at the site, and it was pointed out that the machine is not equipped with a container adapter. If the solder paste is rotated without an adapter, the container may run idle, resulting in insufficient stirring power, unnecessarily strong vibrations, and, at worst, the container becoming dislodged.

We initially thought that checking the actual use was unnecessary because the machine rarely breaks down. However, we are now greatly satisfied with the new perspectives gained through the User Visit.

Differences among individuals and long working hours when solder paste is manually stirred

Detailed product information and proposal of recipes contribute to process improvement.

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