ANDROID INDUSTRIES: Diving Deep Into Process Defect Investigations
The Independent Test Lab and MMTC-NE’s knowledgeable approach helped us be more effective and efficient. We were able to save time and money so we can focus on more value-added activities.
-- Troy Kames, Manufacturing Engineer
Established in 1988, Android Industries (www.android-ind.com) is a leader in complex assembly, tooling and equipment solutions. Based in Flint, Mich., Android Industries has assembled more than 400 million modules in the past quarter century, providing Just-In-Time Assembly, a R&D Program, Turn-Around Expertise, A-coat / Aquence™ and Welding and Fabricating services. Android Industries is ISO 14001:2004 and TS 16949:2009 certified and has plants in Michigan, Ohio, South Carolina, Kentucky, Texas, Illinois, China and Mexico, totaling 1,100 employees. They employ 340 at their Flint, Mich., headquarters.
Challenge
Android Industries has experienced repeated instances of high scrap in its isolator installation process. They performed a series of experiments with varying process conditions to determine the root cause of the scrap. To ensure the validity of their results, these experiments needed to be replicated by an unbiased third party.
Solution
Android Industries enlisted the help of the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center – Northeast (MMTC-NE) and the Independent Testing Laboratory (ITL) housed within Saginaw Valley State University to review the experiments’ designs and replicate them in their ISO 17025:2017 certified laboratory. The ITL’s thorough and methodological approach to the process not only successfully replicated the results, but also identified another scrap-causing defect. The root cause of this other defect had previously been unknown. Once completed, the experiments were carefully documented and the reports were used to address the root causes at the plant. This resulted in reduced scrap rates, improved processes and cost savings.
Results
- Cost Savings: $90,000
- Jobs Retained: 20
- Reduced scrap waste from $110,000 to $20,000