The Human Bottleneck
Precision Electronics struggled to meet growing demand for complex electronic assemblies while maintaining strict quality standards. Manual assembly processes created throughput limitations, quality inconsistencies, and worker fatigue issues. With 47 assembly steps requiring sub-millimeter precision and growing orders outpacing capacity by 40%, traditional manufacturing approaches reached their limits.
The Challenge: Precision at Scale
Electronics manufacturing demands extraordinary precision combined with high throughput—requirements that often conflict in manual assembly environments. Precision Electronics needed to scale production while maintaining the exacting quality standards their aerospace and medical device customers required.
Manufacturing Limitations
Manual assembly limiting production to 340 units/day vs 580 demand
Human variation causing 3.2% defect rate in precision assemblies
Repetitive strain injuries affecting 18% of assembly workers
6-week certification period for complex assembly procedures
Product changeovers requiring 4+ hours of line reconfiguration
Difficulty recruiting skilled assembly technicians
Collaborative Robotics Solution
The solution implemented a flexible collaborative robotics system that combined high-precision automation with human oversight, creating a hybrid manufacturing environment that maximized both quality and throughput while maintaining the adaptability needed for complex electronics assembly.
Collaborative Robots
12 cobots handling precision placement, soldering, and inspection tasks
Vision Systems
AI-powered quality inspection achieving 99.97% defect detection accuracy
Flexible Programming
No-code robot programming enabling 20-minute product changeovers
Automation Implementation Framework
| Process Step | Automation Level | Human Role | Quality Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Component Placement | Fully Automated | Setup and monitoring | ±0.02mm precision |
| Soldering | Semi-Automated | Complex joint oversight | 100% joint consistency |
| Inspection | AI-Enhanced | Exception handling | 99.97% defect detection |
| Final Assembly | Collaborative | Complex procedures | Reduced human error |