automation

Wearable tech was born at the point where wireless connected technology grew up and became, paradoxically, smaller.

Today, integrated tech that can be discretely worn by users is everywhere – from music to fashion to fitness. Whether it’s smartwatches, heartrate trackers or even clothing, there’s no shortage of integrated, miniaturised tech that allows us to keep tabs on ourselves as we go about our everyday life.

And yet, as disposable as the fashion for wearables may seem, it is actually all part and parcel of the way that the Internet of Things (IoT) is using connected devices and sensors to create medical products that can truly change lives.

But these devices go well beyond being wearable – they are now becoming invisible.

From wearable to invisible

This move from micro-tech to invisible tech can be seen in our wider culture beyond the arcane innovations emerging in medical devices.

Here’s what Forbes has to say about this wider trend:

“The main future change I see for wearables is the ‘disappearance’ of them: the integration of their smart features into everyday items.

The rise of invisibles will see wearable devices built into the things we use every day, such as clothes, accessories, shoes and jewellery. And it will feed us data that is probably more biometric in nature than it is now for deeper insights into our health.”

Examples of this aren’t too hard to find. There are already smart trainers on the market that can record your jogging data and smart shorts are available that collect combined muscle load with heart rate data.

That’s right, a pair of running shorts that can measure the electrical activity of your muscles and share this in real-time via Bluetooth to an app. They may be well beyond most joggers’ budgets but that’s another matter.

From invisible to indispensable

Medical electronics continue to drive innovation throughout the healthcare industry.

The global medical electronics market has seen tremendous growth in the past twenty years, in terms of money invested, technical advancements made, increased healthcare reach and the integration of our healthcare with both IT and the IoT.

Research and Markets suggests that the total value of the medical electronics market will exceed $56 billion by 2020, growing at an impressive Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.5% in the next five years.

Healthcare wearables are increasingly evident with bracelets, pendants or smart watches, performing functions such as tracking, recording and reporting every step and heartbeat of those who wear them. The new Apple iWatch Series 4 launched just week (Sept 18) goes one step further and has the ability to take an electrocardiogram (ECG), which offers a much more detailed picture of your heart rate. You’ll be able to take a reading any time and get an alert if the Watch detects any abnormal rhythms – a possible sign of atrial fibrillation. Yet, this is just the tip of the iceberg: it’s what we can’t see that is truly revolutionary.

As a solution for many patients, wearables are actually fairly high-risk. What if they are removed or simply not worn? Or they are worn incorrectly so that the collected can’t be trusted?

The trend – as in the consumer market – is towards devices and sensors so small that you can’t see them. Or remove them.

“Invisibles will create a world in which we don’t see technology or sensors; they are seamlessly integrated into the human body.” Stuart Karten

Valeritas Holdings, Inc. manufactures the V-Go^® Wearable Insulin Delivery device. This is a highly-affordable all-in-one insulin delivery option that is worn like a patch by patients with diabetes.

Epidermal electronic systems (EES) have taken this idea one step further. Its medical tattoos are patches that allow researchers and clinicians to track vital signs. Variations have been developed that can be voice-activated.

“Our goal was to develop an electronic technology that could integrate with the skin in a way that is mechanically and physiologically invisible to the user.” John Rogers

The pursuit of an invisible device is far from new for hearing aid manufacturers. For many years, hearing aids have shrunk dramatically in size as their functionality, comfort and capabilities have correspondingly increased. Instead of buttons, Starkey Hearing Technologies has developed hearing aids that are controlled by natural gestures. Other devices use GPS and cloud-based technology to personalise settings for geotagged locations.

And from audio to visual: Plastic electronics are now being used in smart contact lenses. Impregnated with OLEDS, these have been invested in by Google, Samsung, and Sony for applications that include blood glucose level monitoring as well as vision correction and enhancement.

Meanwhile, inside our bodies, Organic Thin-Film Transistors (OTFTs) are being used as bio-sensors which, when placed in a patient’s body, can be used to predict a stroke, an asthma attack or to prompt a diabetic patient to take their insulin.

Electronic medical devices of the future

We are still only just discovering the possible range of uses of invisible electronic medical devices – but we’ve certainly came a long way from wearable step counters. The technology will inevitably continue to develop as it does in any sector – to suite the rising demands of the consumer.

Advanced technology means lots of components, many of which are not easily available. Bare board requirements are complex and the assembly process can be lengthy with many barriers.

With a combination of expert engineering capability, hawkish attention to detail and tightly monitored processes; we enabled a Private Equity (PE) funded cybersecurity OEM facing these challenges to get its product to ramp on time and on budget.

The customer develops disruptive technology to guarantee entirely safe remote internet browsing. Its product is a high-density, high-speed multi-channel data processing device using Surface Mount Technology (SMT).

 The challenges

The device requires a high number of parts and complex board assembly, plus the need for strict security compliance to be adhered to. Like any intricate project, it presented a number of challenges.

Printed Circuit Board Assemblies (PCBAs) were needed and then applied to system rack configurations – which had to stand up to stringent testing and rigorous cosmetic criteria. The Bill of Materials (BoM) contained several high value parts which had long lead times or were only available in limited supply. And it had to be a rapid, highly effective solution which complied with government criteria.

Early engagement in the design process

We joined product development discussions with the customer team whilst the design was still fluid, so this early engagement in the design process meant we could add valuable input around component sourcing and manufacturing processes, leading to a cost-effective, scalable solution.

Firstly, we developed the customer’s main controlling PCBA using the latest SMT device packages. Once the initial assembly was complete, we then supported other functional subassemblies and peripheral system parts, helping to produce entire product systems.

We then facilitated the selection, review and validation of several global bare PCB vendors and managed the complex supply chain of components and specialist made-to-drawing parts, which were critical to the project’s success. We then established scalable sources across the entire BoM and created processes, with evidential support, to satisfy all security requirements from each stakeholder, including the Government.

The result: a happy customer

The result was a resounding success despite the product’s complexity. It now has an exceptional yield performance and importantly it reached the market on time and on budget.

We now provide full system assembly of all of the customer’s rack-mount variants for this product and our support will expand into global manufacturing fulfilment in the near future.

Design for manufacturing (DfM) is (perhaps self-evidently) the practice of designing products with the manufacturing process in mind, choosing the best processes, materials and components. This approach ensures manufacturing costs are lower but no corners are cut, so the best results are achieved without compromising on quality or performance.

• DfM allows cost-effective solutions to be found prior to production.
• And it allows potential production problems to be fixed while the design is still fluid and changes will be less expensive and less disruptive to the manufacturing process.

Could design vs should design

Perhaps the simplest expression of the principles of DfM came, obscurely enough, in the blockbuster dinosaurs-brought-to-life-by-unthinking-scientists movie, Jurassic Park.

At the end of the film, having witnessed what happens when scientists simply concentrate what can be done (rather than on what is actually needed), Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) comments to Park boss Mr. Hammond (Richard Attenborough):

‘Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.’

And, in a nutshell, it is this tendency to work in a silo devoid from the real world of manufacturing that DfM aims to address.

• It asks them to consider how they should
• And not think about what they could

DfM: never too early

The designer’s objective under DfM is to optimise product design with whatever production eco-system is available: including suppliers, material handling systems, manufacturing processes, labour force capabilities and distribution systems.

In this sense, it’s never too early to start implementing a DfM-led approach. At the concept stage of product development, it can add value, avoid cul-de-sacs and point toward ways to keep unit costs as low as possible.

DfM can prevent design considerations being overlooked – or design decisions being made – that will lead to costly components, materials or production methods.

• Research reveals that decisions made during the design period determine 70% of the product’s final costs.
• And that decisions made during production account for just 20%.
• It also reveals that decisions made in the first 5% of product design can determine the vast majority of the product’s cost and its quality and readiness for production.

This is why DfM is such an essential best practice for OEMs when considering an EMS manufacturer to partner with. It can optimise everything from the design stage to the project development stage and on into the manufacturing process itself.

Three Chemigraphic DfM principles for cost-effective manufacturing for OEMs

1. Fewer active parts should be used through standardisation, simplification and the practice of maintaining records of existing and preferred products and processes.The design of a new part is – in the vast majority of cases – only the best option from a purely design point of view. Minimising active parts through standardisation simplifies product design and leads to operational efficiencies through lower inventories. Group technology (GT) and Component Supplier Management (CSM) systems can facilitate standardisation by basing new designs on similar, existing ones.
   
   
2. Design alternatives should always be evaluated and design tools used to develop a more producible design before release into production.
   
   Traditionally, designers develop initial concepts that are translated into a product design, making small changes as they do so to meet the specification. We advocate early engagement with our customers’ design teams to make key decisions early that will positively influence and impact the overall manufacturing process.The DfM tools and principles that we use provide a structured way to achieve simplification of product design through practices such as a modular building block approach to assembly.
   
   
3. Product and process design should take place within a framework that considers and balances product quality against design effort and product robustness.
   
   All guidelines that we use are based on our changing manufacturing environment and increased use of automation. Our designers constantly update their understanding of our production system and all activity and process data is recorded, monitored and acted upon as a matter of continuous improvement.

DfM: The Chemigraphic difference

Let’s put all this into a workflow so you can see how it works in reality at Chemigraphic.

Through early engagement with your design team, we identify design alternatives for your product and develop these using the latest design technology

We evaluate these alternatives against DfM principles

We establish standardised designs based on our DfM principles. These designs can be easily retrieved for your future products

We regularly hold design reviews with the participation of our manufacturing team to continually refresh and improve our approach

And that’s how we can lower your costs without compromising your product’s quality or performance. That’s the Chemigraphic difference.

Advances in technology are ushering in a new era of manufacturing.

The ground rules are changing, possibilities are expanding and relationships between suppliers, manufacturers, retailers and consumers are being rewritten at pace.

• OEMs are researching and developing increasingly complex products.
• These products are also reaching markets with vastly reduced lead times.
• They can be monitored as they are used in the market in real-time.
• To capitalise on this, OEMs need to achieve agility and efficiencies across their supply chain.
• And, as a result, they are looking for EMS manufacturers who can become not just a supplier but a critical partner to whom the entire manufacturing process can be outsourced.

Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) are now as much about the services provided as the products supplied.

This service-led approach is crucial in the modern manufacturing landscape, supporting increasing demands in the context of ever-decreasing timescales.

The changing face of products within Industry 4.0

The fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0, is upon us, and it’s affecting how we work, how we live and how we interact with people and products around us. New technology is changing the products that we make, the way we make them and the way we test and develop them.

Let’s take a look at just one way that – in the next few years – technology may radically alter the things we make.

Here’s where we are:

It is predicted that electronic devices embedded into plastic materials will have grown into a $25.9 billion market by the end of 2018 in The United States alone.

Here’s where we’re going:

These devices are currently limited by battery life and size. But, advanced battery technology is currently being heavily invested in due to the growing consumer demand for eco-friendly transport and it’s only a matter of time before solutions will be available.

The Advanced Materials market is predicted to grow from $195B in 2016 to $283B in 2021

Exponential Technologies in Manufacturing
Deloitte in collaboration with the Council on Competitiveness and Singularity University

Innovative and ground-breaking medical devices, such as robotic capsules, could be developed as soon as engineers can design suitable nanomaterials for reliable, implanted devices.

Which will mean:

OEMs developing such products will want to work with trusted EMS partners who are able to build and test Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) made from nanomaterials, such as printed graphene ink, as well as being skilled in the assembly of traditional PCBs.

New materials will enable new devices – and these will provide new service opportunities throughout the supply chain for those in a position to capitalise on them.

The changing role of the end user in Industry 4.0

‘It’s easy to get obsessed with technology – it is the key enabler of today’s revolution – but the harder part of the transformation is cultural. It’s about putting the customer experience and their business outcomes at the centre of everything. That means realigning engineering, manufacturing and the supply chain around delivering a world-class sales and service experience.’
Professor Tim Baines, Aston Business School

At the heart of many new technologies, including the much-talked about Internet of Things (IoT), is the ability to share and analyse data from many sources in real-time. This is causing a sea-change in manufacturing.

 Investment in the Internet of Things (IoT) is predicted to grow from $737B in 2016 to $1.521B in 2021

Exponential Technologies in Manufacturing

For OEMs, their customers – product end-users – can now truly be placed at the heart of everything they do thanks to the interactive technology at their fingertips.

By using connected technologies and the crunch-capacity of the cloud, data from the manufacturing plant can be integrated with data created by customer activities to form a virtual data loop that enables manufacturers to achieve unprecedented levels of customer service.

And OEMs are expecting the same from their EMS partners.

Lean manufacturing processes and practices such as Kanban, Just in Time, VIM: this is all just the tip of the iceberg. OEMs need suppliers who fulfil products in exactly the way they require and who can manage the quality testing and stock for them. They want an EMS manufacturer who can be involved in the early stages of R&D and help overcome problems with solutions.

OEMs want fantastic service as well as excellent products. That’s why supply chains are changing – gone are the days of multiple suppliers and in come the days where partners who offer service alongside products are winning the contracts. Fewer suppliers will compete on service, quality and responsiveness (and, of course, price).

The collaborative nature of Industry 4.0

 86% of the top 100 companies in R&D spending worldwide are from the manufacturing industry

Exponential Technologies in Manufacturing

Technological advances are also revolutionising the way products can be developed.

New tools are allowing companies to collaborate on the creation and testing of products in the virtual world, simulating the design process and the assembly line before an actual product is created.

EMS partners who can help early in the design process while plans are still fluid and malleable can reduce risk and cost at the later stages of manufacturing. Augmented reality can allow remote assistance from people in different locations around the world to connect in a live view and trouble-shoot product development problems very early in its life cycle.

Similarly, 3-D printing and automation can help reduce waste and create efficiencies throughout the manufacturing process.

By 2020, 75% of manufacturing operations worldwide could use 3D-printed tools, jigs, and fixtures for the production of finished goods

Exponential Technologies in Manufacturing

Data from augmented and virtual reality, as well as increased customer feedback, will allow collaborative research and development (R&D) to give consumers more of what they want, getting products to them faster and cutting down on costs.

EMS: Electronic manufacturing for the future

The technological impact of Industry 4.0 for the EMS industry will see OEMs working much more closely with suppliers that can offer services as well as products. As they look to shrink their supply chains into more consolidated networks of multi-skilled partners, it’s a huge opportunity for EMS businesses to step up.

There will be fewer EMS suppliers – and those who will benefit will be those who have invested wisely in new technology and who place their customers – the OEMs – at the heart of all they do.

And Chemigraphic has always been happy to serve.

Why choosing the right plastic casing is crucial in Electronic Manufacturing Services

John Johnston, NPI and Sales Director, Chemigraphic

Plastics have become an essential component of many electronic products, in both consumer and industry markets. Most products rely on using plastics for lightweight structures, electrical isolation, and designed-for-use enclosures and human interfaces.

There are many different kinds of plastics and polymers being used in all aspects of technology, with each having individual user properties that are suitable for very different applications and environments.

It is crucial that the correct type of plastic or polymer is sourced for the product, as different plastics may not have the structural integrity, consistent function in changing environments, or acceptable long term wear characteristics required. Selecting and vetting a supplier is another vital step in ensuring that the assembled product is not compromised.

Selecting suitable plastic properties

Selecting the correct plastic or polymer for electronic products is a crucial task within the early stages of product design and development. Subsequent changes can be costly to correct once a product’s manufacturing processes have been established.

On the whole, plastic enclosures are used to provide protection for the electrical components within. It is easy to focus on the validation of the electronic function and overlook the need for a sustainable and effective enclosure design solution until later stages. Selecting the correct plastic compound and enclosure is crucial to get right early on in the design stage in order for the product to be fit for purpose.

We support customers in selecting the most effective and suitable plastic components, based on the application and operational environment specified.

For example, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is a two-phase polymer that provides good all-round performance for electronic enclosures. However, it is only suited for indoor use as it becomes compromised when exposed to sunlight for prolonged periods. Conversely, a blend of Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylester and Polycarbonate (ASA+PC) enhances plastic performance at high temperatures, is flame resistant, increases product impact strength, and is therefore more suitable for harsher environments

Plastic sourcing and supplier quality issues

It is of vital importance to select a capable, vetted supplier, especially when importing plastics or polymers from offshore locations. Less tangible quality aspects, such as cosmetic appearance, and long term resilience to tool wear can be difficult to fully communicate and standardise due to the complication of geographical and language barriers. Simply validating samples is often not enough.

Electronics designers can often be unaware of some of the very latest additive plastics manufacturing process options such as new multi-shot multi-materials injection moulding (MS-MMM) techniques which can incorporate soft-touch textures and colour, rather than relying on subsequent distinct operations which may demand the use of  different suppliers.

Even apparently trivial things like incorporating soft rubber feet into the enclosure moulding can accumulate significant benefits.  Such improvements might harvest relatively modest gains on an outright single unit cost basis, but multiplied by annual volumes over the entire lifecycle and, merged with multiple other similar cost-down initiatives, the accumulated savings can be very worthwhile. Of course the objective is not to cut corners, but achieve savings though efficiency and empirically improving the underlying performance and reliability of the product in its entirety.

Chemigraphic’s solution: A customer case study

We are specialists in design-led electronics manufacturing, and work directly with OEM customers to migrate projects from concept, through validation and into volume manufacturing fulfilment, as efficiently as possible. Engaging with customers early in their product design phase, allows for our input into part selection, materials and processes to both meet customer requirements and to optimise long-term manufacture, while the design is still fluid.

Chemigraphic has direct links with diverse specialist global suppliers, and we adopt a highly proactive supplier management approach. For example, our sourcing office in Shenzhen, China, has built up a network of reliable made-to-drawing plastic component supply partners, receptive to UK volumes, which we have personally audited. Having a local Chemigraphic resource allows for effective selection, tooling and monitoring of such supply chains, and we can even co-host customer visits.

This reduces the risks to our customers of partnering with new international suppliers and creates a tier of very capable and cost-competitive supply options, which we can then make conveniently available to our UK customer base.

There can be also opportunities for retrospective process improvement. For example, we have just completed a successful project with a customer with a premium product that used well established plastics supply chains, who then entered the Japanese sales market.

Japan has exceptionally demanding cosmetic standards and expects near-perfection, which the customer’s existing mandated enclosure moulding and coatings process (with tooling which was becoming worn) was simply not able to achieve. It was time for a new, more sophisticated solution.

Chemigraphic’s Shenzhen site was able to identify a highly capable, in-region, specialist supplier who was receptive to the low-volume and high-mix project.

Chemigraphic helped establish and document firm design and appearance criteria (which did not exist previously), achieve exact colour-match values by using the latest high-accuracy sample measurement equipment, define a robust documented process, arrange supply of samples, then facilitated introductions and a joint supplier site visit to give our customer full confidence that this was a superior supply option.

The outcome was a vastly improved cosmetic appearance, reduced turn-around times and a more cost-effective solution, even taking shipping and tooling costs into consideration.

Although much of our historic expertise has been in electronics manufacturing, particularly PCBAs, our customers need to consolidate supply chains and benefit from economies of scale, often with limited design resources. Therefore we are constantly extending our capabilities to include various associated services, dealing with plastics, mouldings, metalwork, component selection, coatings and supply chain management.

Chemigraphic expertise supports market introduction of Elekta Unity, a ground-breaking cancer treatment technology

The manufacturing and product development division of Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) provider Chemigraphic was part of a year-long process in supporting Elekta, a leading innovator in radiotherapy treatment and software, with bringing their newest cancer treatment system to market. Elekta Unity received CE mark in June and is the first of its kind, a high-field MRI-guided linear accelerator (linac) system that enables magnetic resonance radiation therapy (MR/RT), a new approach to cancer treatment.

Chemigraphic has been involved in the development of the product since 2014, conducting complex mechanical and bespoke PCB assemblies, and developing test and installation kits.

Chemigraphic’s focus on precision and early engagement, plus its ability to handle multiple assemblies from concept to production, has been a vital contributing factor in progressing the product’s route to market. Additional support throughout the testing and ongoing development stages, incorporating a number of engineering changes whilst maintaining consistency has further enabled the product to succeed in validation tests, resulting in the clinical introduction of Unity.

Barney Sheppard, Sales Operations Manager at Chemigraphic, comments: “Having been involved in this project since 2014, it is very gratifying to see the product launched onto the commercial and clinical market. It is humbling to be able to play a part in the development of a machine which will genuinely change and save lives, and we are very proud that our focus on seamless delivery and the highest quality assemblies has been a contributing factor in this project.”

The Elekta Unity MR-linac, which has been installed in MR/RT Consortium sites globally for research purposes, can now be used by and sold to hospitals throughout the UK and the EU.

Raising the barcode: With large component volumes, control processes such as barcoding are vital

With OEMs under increasing pressure to produce and distribute products to ever decreasing timeframes but higher standards than ever, getting the manufacturing practices as smooth as possible is a major priority. Handing the management of this process and of the parts and materials needed to manufacturing partners is cost effective and logical, but also requires manufacturers to put a great deal of trust in their EMS partners. Implementing flawless control processes is one way that EMS partners can reassure manufacturers that their products are in safe hands.

Many components, especially those used in surface mount technologies, are identical with no markings or visible differentiators. EMS firms service multiple customers and support a vast array of products and technologies, meaning there are thousands of parts in circulation. At Chemigraphic, we have over 40,000 parts in play at any one time.

However, it’s vital to treat every different part as an individual, as they each have a very distinct function and purpose. Putting the wrong part in the wrong location, even though it fits physically, can be catastrophic for the product, causing immediate failure or remaining hidden as a latent fault only to be revealed years later.

In order to avoid such issues and keep on top of the exact identity and location of every component, it’s crucial for EMS providers to implement strict control processes and procedures throughout the manufacturing process.

At Chemigraphic, we are meticulous about component control. Here are just some of the control processes we use to maintain the highest standards of quality for our customers:

1. Sourcing

We have robust systems around process governance, meaning we only source components from reputable and approved suppliers. Any issues or non-conformities arising are managed with trackable documentation which is recorded and reviewed. We are committed to carrying out regular and thorough checks and balances to manage supplier quality and drive continuous improvement.

2. Automated barcoding

We operate an automated barcode generation system which barcodes everything in our factory: materials, equipment, personnel and products. Our Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system will only allow the movement of components and materials between each stage of the manufacturing process once the necessary criteria are fulfilled, allowing for full traceability. We actively manage this data which is displayed on dashboards all around the factory and our offices, enabling immediate identification and rectification of issues before they escalate.

3. Bespoke labelling

At PCB level, our ERP generates a unique serial number per product which is automatically printed and placed by machine. This avoids any possibility of duplication, lack of serialisation, or inconsistency in placement or orientation. This is especially important when customer assembly or service personnel require access to the products through access hatches or similar.

Our surface mount stock is managed by a fully automated kitting and storage system which eradicates the risk and cost of operators picking parts from shelves.