By Brent A. Fischthal, Head of Marketing Communications, Koh Young Technology
Imperial Electronic Assembly, a Connecticut-based contract manufacturer, has been serving the electronics industry since 1989. What began as a 10-person operation has grown into a 120-employee company operating in a 45,000-square-foot facility. As a smaller CM competing in an increasingly complex market, Imperial needed to deliver the same capabilities as larger manufacturers while maintaining flexibility and responsiveness for their customers.
The Challenge: Breaking Free from Batch Processing
Imperial’s original quality control process relied on a batch AOI (Automated Optical Inspection) system that created bottlenecks and delayed feedback on production issues.
“Imperial originally had a batch system for AOI,” explains Mark Bohacs, Engineering Manager. “Every time we ran a product through our system, we basically had to batch it and run it through one at a time. This meant we weren’t getting immediate feedback on quality issues.”
Mike Conte, Operations Manager, describes the impact: “We used to do a batch system, so they would run through SMT, then do AOI. We’d have to wait and be like, oh, now we have a bad batch, we got to rework the entire job. Having the ability to do it inline and detect problems right away as they’re occurring has been tremendous.”
The company also recognized the need for Solder Paste Inspection (SPI) as technology advanced. “We went with SPI because of the ever-changing technology, the finer pitches, the BGAs,” Mike explains. “We needed the ability to make sure the prints were good beforehand to eliminate any type of rework. It’s very key to make sure that’s done properly at the initial step.”
The Selection Process: Choosing the Right Partner
Imperial conducted an extensive evaluation of approximately three different vendors for both AOI and SPI systems. The decision to partner with Koh Young was driven by multiple factors.
“Koh Young stood out,” Mark recalls. “Their ability to integrate with our printers, integrating upstream and downstream, and their true 3D imaging and quality allowed us much more detail to try to get to the root cause. The information was readily available in their Casemark product. It wasn’t difficult to learn statistics and the information—it was presented in a very easy-to-use format. Our operators love it.”
The offline programming and repair station capabilities also played a crucial role. “The repair station and the offline programming are huge advantages that Koh Young provided that helped us make the decision much easier,” Mark notes.
Mike emphasizes the importance of their existing partnerships: “We did extensive research and decided that Koh Young was the best partner for us. There were multiple vendors out there, but the presentation and the team at Koh Young was really helpful, and they worked well with our Panasonic team. All of our lines are Panasonic, so it was very beneficial to have that collaborative team between Panasonic and Koh Young.”
Tony Conte, Founder and CEO, confirms that Panasonic’s recommendation carried significant weight: “We have a long-standing arrangement with Panasonic, who recommended Koh Young when we went to put AOI and SPI inline. We’re looking for that visionary stuff from the supply chain, especially from equipment manufacturers, because technology is changing so fast.”
Understanding the Needs of a Contract Manufacturer
As a contract manufacturer building diverse products for multiple customers, Imperial needed exceptional flexibility. Mark explains the unique challenge: “As a smaller CM, we’re able to handle the same thing that larger CMs do with the same equipment. We chose the Zenith UHS AOIs, because we wanted that capability to offer true vision and control of the board. We don’t build a product, we make it—and our product could be anything. Taller parts would get in the way, and Koh Young was very clear that we needed to understand what our product is. We wanted to have that flexibility, and Koh Young allowed us to offer that to any customer in any configuration.”
Implementation: A Smooth Transition
The installation and training process exceeded Imperial’s expectations, setting the stage for long-term success.
“Their team has been fantastic—very, very thorough, complete, professional,” Mark reports. “When they came in and did the installation and training, they took their time to explain that there’s more than one way to get there. They didn’t want to force you down a specific path because every customer and supplier is different. They were very responsive. Even with tech support, it’s quick and easy to talk to them.”
The remote support capabilities have proven particularly valuable. “They can connect with the machine remotely,” Mark notes. “We can be with them right away and interact, and they can explain it. They’ve been great at telling us, ‘This is another way of solving that challenge.’ They’ve always come up with solutions each step of the way.”
Imperial installed AOI systems on two existing lines first, which helped prepare the team for the fully integrated third line. “We were able to work with Koh Young before the third line was installed and get a better understanding of the programming and what we would look into,” Mike explains. “It helped that we were able to get the Koh Young installed and learn the AOI before we did the full integration of our third line.”
Ease of Use: Empowering the Entire Team
One of Koh Young’s most significant advantages has been the user-friendly interface that enables non-engineering staff to effectively operate the systems.
“When you’re dealing with non-engineering staff, having data that’s very visual and very easy to navigate is critical,” Mark explains. “They can see what they’re looking at and understand why Koh Young says this isn’t a good picture or the right image. They can see it right away, it’s quick to get the information, and they’re able to see the trends and what’s happening. Every technician enjoys working on this.”
Data-Driven Process Improvement
The comprehensive data provided by Koh Young’s systems, integrated through KSMART software, has transformed Imperial into a more data-driven organization.
“The data has been tremendous,” Mike states. “The feedback and being able to dial in the processes—the efficiency we’ve gained by our engineers constantly understanding what the system’s looking for and how to maximize the runtimes. We’re always getting a good look at the board, capturing all the data from anything we run.”
Building a comprehensive component library has accelerated new product introductions. “We run a lot of products where customers use similar parts,” Mike notes. “Being able to dial in our database of components and teach the machines every specific component—down to the markings and any solder issues—and building that library has been really critical. It’s helped when we get a new product using similar parts. The programming time and getting everything set up initially has improved, so we’re moving more efficiently and getting new products to the floor quicker.”
The ability to monitor all three lines through KSMART provides unprecedented visibility. “All three lines are tied together,” Mark explains. “All the feedback goes right back in there and is constantly updated. We can communicate with KSMART and deploy changes through all three lines.”
Tony emphasizes the company’s commitment to leveraging data: “In the last five to ten years, analyzing data has been a big part of our progress. All our engineering staff is into data collection and analysis and tweaking the process. We’ve added quite a bit of engineering staff to our company, and it’s given great results. They’ve come up with processes and little 3D fixtures for manual assembly to make everything more quality-driven and accurate.”
Root Cause Analysis and Process Control
The detailed information provided by Koh Young’s 3D imaging enables Imperial to quickly identify and resolve issues.
“We’ve been very successful with root cause analysis,” Mark reports. “All equipment needs process control—you need to make focused adjustments and process improvements very slightly to keep everything within parameters. Koh Young helps us immediately see drifts and changes in what we’re seeing at the output of the equipment, so we can make adjustments and stay well within the control limits we expect.”
Measurable Results: Transforming Operations
The impact of implementing Koh Young’s inline inspection systems has been substantial and measurable.
• Cycle Time Reduction – Tony provides the most striking statistic: “Right now when the boards come off the whole surface mount line, they’re going right to the next process. We found our cycle time was probably around 15 days to do a fairly complex board product through our whole process. Now it’s around eight, nine days—almost half. That’s just a tremendous factor in overall business operations. You’re turning inventory, you’re turning dollars, you’re meeting customer demand, you can offer shorter lead times.”
• Quality Excellence – The company has achieved exceptional quality levels. “Our quality rating is outstanding at 99.9, 99.8%,” Tony states. “It’s all due to the equipment, the staff, the engineering staff. Our whole company is dedicated to quality. We have weekly meetings, monthly meetings, quarterly meetings with the staff to review the constant importance of quality.”
• Operational Efficiency – Mark summarizes the operational improvements: “It’s basically being able to control the product immediately. We’re not batching it and then seeing that there’s a thousand boards at the end of the line that need to be adjusted or controlled. What that does is it allows us quicker time to turn around for our customers. Customers are happy because they see the product right the first time, they’re getting it quicker, and we’re making the product right the first time.”
Tony adds: “Not only do we get more out of the assets, but the quality of the products and the less rework we’re doing throughout the process has improved. We’ve eliminated errors and accelerated the process—it’s multifold.”
Throughput and First Pass Yield
“By adding Koh Young’s SPI and AOI system, everything is inline, and we have immediate feedback,” Mark explains. “We’re reducing errors in the process, improving first pass yield, and we can analyze and get to the root cause earlier than later. It’s helped with efficiency, throughput, and first pass yield.”
Technology Leadership
Imperial views Koh Young as a technology leader in the inspection market. “Koh Young definitely is the market leader,” Mark declares. “Technology-wise, it is truly 3D. The images, the quality, the data are all very simple to use. It provides us quick answers and the right answers so we can focus on what needs to happen rather than looking for a solution.”
Tony reinforces this view: “The ability to have equipment that can identify problems, placement accuracy and so forth, is critical to our success. Parts are getting smaller and smaller, and we need suppliers investing in R&D and telling us what’s coming along.”
The Partnership Experience
Beyond the technology, Imperial values the ongoing partnership and support from Koh Young.
“Experience has been great,” Mike summarizes. “I think we’ve gotten everything we’ve asked for from Koh Young. The teams we’ve worked with have been great. It’s really improved our whole process in the factory and reduced our lead times. Whenever we have any issues, if we’re struggling with a component, we’re on the phone with Koh Young. They have techs that are always helping us—’hey, this is what you should be looking for, this is the best we can do on this part.’ It really has been very helpful dealing with everybody at Koh Young.”
Mark emphasizes the responsiveness: “Even with tech support nowadays, if there’s a question or challenge we have, it’s quick and easy to talk to them. They’re very responsive, and it’s been fantastic all along.”
Looking Forward: Building for Growth
The investment in Koh Young technology is part of Imperial’s broader growth strategy.
“We want to expand our customer base throughout the Northeast region,” Tony explains. “We’re on a marketing push to accomplish that, potentially having a larger facility and adding more equipment to support more demand. We feel like we have an excellent track record and a lot to offer. We’re a very flexible organization working closely with customers on demand issues.”
The advanced inspection capabilities serve as a competitive differentiator. “When we bring customers in today, they’re astonished at some of that equipment,” Tony notes. “They haven’t seen it in that regard. We probably have some of the best lines in Connecticut. They see that automation, how it works, how good product flows through, bad product gets put to the side and reviewed. The ability for the machines to adapt—that’s a good catch but it’s acceptable, and not have that catch be recognized again—further enhances our ability to enhance throughput and on-time delivery.”
Conclusion
For Imperial Electronic Assembly, partnering with Koh Young has been transformational—delivering measurable improvements in cycle time, quality, throughput, and operational efficiency while positioning the company for continued growth. As Tony concludes: “It was an absolutely outstanding decision to do this. I’ve
