One of our clients, a consumer electronics brand operating in a highly cost-sensitive market, approached us to explore ways to bring down their product’s production cost. Their product design featured an almost 50:50 ratio of Through-Hole Technology (THT) and Surface Mount Devices (SMD). While functionally sound, this hybrid design was impacting manufacturing efficiency, especially at higher volumes.
Challenges
Reducing production costs in SMD is straightforward, but when it comes to THT assembly, it becomes a bottleneck due to inefficiencies in placement design.Manual Dependency: THT components required significant manual assembly, increasing labor involvement and errors.
Process Complexity: The mixed technology required two separate production flows, lengthening overall production time.
Cost Pressures: The client’s end product had strict cost targets, with every fraction of a rupee being scrutinized.
Limited Optimization: There was minimal prior focus on DFM (Design for Manufacturing), resulting in non-standardized part selection.
Our Approach
We carried out a detailed DFM analysis to identify optimization opportunities:
Component Reassessment: We reviewed all THT components and evaluated possibilities to replace them with equivalent SMD parts without compromising quality or performance.
Redesign Support: Suggested board-level layout changes to accommodate SMD alternatives and improve assembly flow.
Supply Chain Alignment: Helped the client select cost-effective, readily available SMD components to reduce sourcing delays.
Process Realignment: Shifted major portions of the assembly into a fully automated SMT line, reducing reliance on manual processes.
What We Achieved
Reduction in THT components, simplifying production.
Overall cost savings through reduced labor and improved efficiency.
Increased production speed by transitioning to a single SMT-based workflow.
Improved product consistency by reducing human error and variability in assembly.