Modeling PCB assembly lines in EMS provider's environment: Integrating product design into simulation models

The manufacturing pattern of most Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) suppliers in US has transformed to accommodate a high mix and low volume environment. Printed Circuit Board (PCB) assembly at EMS is characterized as ‘product oriented production’: based on product designs, assemblies are processed with different routings, while operation times and process yields also vary depending on the complexity of products. Therefore, in order to simulate PCB assembly line, it is necessary to combine design information into simulation models. This research endeavor is focused on integrating design factors into a planning system, which is developed based on Discrete Event Simulation (DES) modeling. By applying this proposed system, EMS suppliers can effectively plan the required manufacturing resources, predict production cycle time and ‘optimize’ resource deployment for a specific product. This architecture can significantly reduce the uncertainties of predictions that are caused by product mixes and provide customized production profile for individual product.