The Process-Equipment MARRIAGE

A process will not happen without suitable equipment. However, the equipment is useless if the process it contains is defective or not up to par. The equipment and process depend on each other and are inextricably intertwined.

It is not too much of a stretch to say the process and equipment are married. This interesting situation is made more complicated because the process is largely invisible while the equipment is clearly visible.

So what, you say? The problem is that shiny equipment that contains a defective process will end up being a very expensive boat anchor. This happened with Apple and their synthetic sapphire effort: the factory never opened and hundreds of millions of dollars were lost. Please refer to the 5/17/18 Process Perspective newsletter for more details.

So, how can we make the process-equipment “marriage” as productive as possible? One key is how the process builders and equipment builders collaborate as they work together to advance their projects. Some ideas for successful teamwork and questions these groups can ask each other are given below.

How process builders can help equipment builders

• Make the process as explicit and visible as possible (more details on this can be found in the 2/20/19 Process Perspective newsletter).

• Let the equipment group know what “perfect” equipment (that would create ideal process conditions) would be like.

• Use theory and simulation to predict scale-up behavior as much as possible.

• Develop the right metrics for the process and product. This is much easier said than done; oftentimes new measurement methods and concepts are needed.

• Conduct formal process reviews, just like equipment reviews. Use checklists in these reviews.

• Systematize your process building efforts to reduce errors and codify best practices.

How equipment builders can help process builders

• Challenge the process builders to iterate on the process to move rapidly towards a robust process.

• Work with the process builders to create a plan to ruthlessly evaluate manufacturability before committing to fabricate full-scale manufacturing equipment.

• Ask the process builders for data that shows how big their process window is.

• Ask the process builders if they can create a process robust enough to not need any inspection equipment.

• Use design analysis tools (such as Axiomatic Analysis) to formally show the relationship between the equipment design and the process needs.

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My main learning from this line of thinking is how much the process builders and equipment builders depend on each other in order to be successful. These two streams of activity are in fact completely dependent on each other. Seasoned process builders understand this, and they work to ensure they help the equipment builders build machines that satisfy core process needs without excessive frills or expenses.

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YOUR CHALLENGE THIS WEEK

Consider active projects that are important, where custom equipment is currently being built with the eventual goal of manufacturing at scale…

• How effectively are the process and equipment groups collaborating? What leader is responsible for this collaboration?

• Do some of the above questions seem pertinent and helpful to you? Do you have questions or approaches to add? Test these ideas out to see how they work for you.

I’m curious and interested how your process and equipment builders work together, and what you have found to be helpful in creating great manufacturing processes. The raison d'être of MPES Consulting is to help our clients build robust and trustworthy processes that delight their customers. Please call us at 508-410-8081 so we can discuss your opportunities and challenges.

If you email me I’ll get back to you promptly, thanks.

All the Best,

Marty

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