Traceability system - why do we use the traceability control system?

Traceability becomes a synonym of a trusted brand that guarantees its recipients thoroughly tested products free from typical manufacturing defects. We will encounter this system especially in the aspect of electronic product control. Traceability is a system that is beneficial to both producers and customers. What exactly is the Traceability system and why do we use it on modern production lines?

 


What exactly is the Traceability system?

Traceability is the ability to trace the entire production process. Starting from the design phase, through the manufacturing process of a given product, to thorough testing. Traceability is a very broad concept because it does not specify the quality of this process. The entire production batch can be inspected, which is cheaper and faster, but also individual items from a given batch, which is associated with higher costs, but is much more accurate. The Traceability system allows you to identify problems and remove current errors more efficiently.

 

 

What information does the Traceability system provide?

It largely depends on how the system is implemented on the production line. As we said before, identification can be limited to the most important processes in the production of a series or break down production into prime factors, verifying each product separately. The system allows you to identify the used materials and components used at the production stage. Depending on the assumptions made, the material is identified exactly to the roll of a given component or a given component, which is significantly more expensive and not always necessary. In the long term, traceability aims to reduce loss costs and improve quality.

How does it work in practice? Suppose the customer returns the electronic equipment for warranty. We can reproduce the manufacturing process for this product and try to identify the fault or component that led to the failure. This is especially important if a given defect has occurred in a series in many products. Fixing this error allows you to improve the next production batch, which in turn will reduce production costs due to fewer complaints filed.

Advanced software for the Traceability system

Companies can take advantage of modern and very advanced software. Considering the increasing popularity of this system, we will find a wide selection of TTC (Track, Trace and Control) programs available on the market. The main differences between software products are the degree of complexity and the number of available functions. From the perspective of a manufacturer planning to purchase, TTC software should include some of the most important options.

First of all, the ability to quickly locate manufactured products as well as materials and components used on the production line. The TTC software should also store all production steps in memory, including the results of any control tests, so that the entire process can be reproduced. Professional TTC software also focuses on the effective elimination of typically human errors made by line employees.

 

Currently, the market is dominated by two types of stencil coatings: single-layer (phosphate) and polymer (FPN).
PCB surface finish, component leads, and machine design are the most common contamination sources for lead-free solder baths.
Embedding THT in the pin-in-paste process can save a lot of time, but getting enough solder to fill the hole can be very difficult.
Using rectangular apertures for round BGA pads or designing four corner pads can lead to a disaster.