The Problem
We were approached by a large OEM manufacturer as a new ECM to support their diverse product base. One of their primary ECMs had been unable to consistently ship product to meet their demand. The client had initially looked to source 20+ different circuit boards with EAU’s of 300-6000 each. They wanted to have a very controlled onboarding rate to ensure all delivery/quality requirements met. Very early in the transition period, the primary ECM for these products encountered a natural disaster event that temporarily shut down their production lines. Surmotech was asked to immediately ramp up our FAI and production schedules to mitigate any delays in their supply chain.
The Process
Due to stringent cleanliness requirements, we worked very closely with our customer’s technical team to ensure the requirements were understood and processes developed to ensure a robust and repeatable process. We used cross-functional teams to lean out the process while building in consistency of product. Our shipments have quickly grown to 2800 + boards per month. Surmotech has reduced defects by over 7X to a world-class quality level.
The Results
Surmotech fostered a successful transition and ramp in a very tight timeframe. We seamlessly implemented an electronic pull system to better predict volume fluctuations. Our support throughout the process left the client extremely satisfied and looking at more expansion with us.
