Fiber Optic Polishing: Focus on preventive action NOT, corrective action
These steps require process control during daily production to improve first-pass yield, efficiency, and costs. Knowing and trusting your process with each step provides ROI. Process Control and JIT-type delivery make it happen.
Focus on preventive action, not corrective action. As you develop your fiber optic polishing process, I encourage you to implement a statistical process control system. For example, rubber pads, film, and fixtures will wear out over time, and yields will begin to degrade. Mark your film for usage. Record the data, track it, and actively analyze it. This will help you prevent problems rather than fix them after they occur. Watch the trends, take preventive action, and consistently see high yields. i.e. ROC; Apex Offset; Fiber Height
NANOMETER TECHNOLOGIES
Quality Polishing Solutions
The basic polishing process involves these steps:
- Epoxy Removal
- Geometry
- Final Step: finishing the optical surface
For those who feel they cannot afford to implement
Dr. W. Edwards Deming
SPC, the reality is they cannot afford not to.
Statistical Process Control (SPC) is an industry-standard methodology for measuring and controlling quality during the manufacturing process. Attribute data (measurements) is collected from products as they are being produced. By establishing upper and lower control limits, the process can detect variations before they result in defective products, eliminating the need for the final inspection. SPC performed during the manufacturing/assembly process eliminates the need for final review and, equally importantly, significantly reduces material scrap along with direct & indirect labor waste. The result is a direct increase in bottom-line profitability.
Statistical quality control (SQC) is defined as the application of the 14 statistical and analytical tools (7-QC and 7-SUPP) to monitor process outputs (dependent variables). Statistical process control (SPC) is the application of the same 14 tools to control process inputs (independent variables). Although both terms are often used interchangeably, SQC includes acceptance sampling where SPC does not.
SQC VERSUS SPC
SPC itself will not make improvements. Rather, SPC will give operating personnel a tool to identify when a special cause of variation has entered the process so that the special cause can be eliminated (if the special cause has a negative impact on the process) or built into the process (if the special cause has a positive impact on the process). Deming’s points apply to any type and size of business. Service companies need to control quality just as much as manufacturing companies. And the philosophy applies equally to large multinational corporations, different divisions or departments within a company, or even single-person operations.
Nanometer Technologies
Quality Curing Ovens
We offer a polishing film that is cost-effective and works in an SPC environment. Email to initiate discussion of your application. All of our support TEAM have been working with polishing, film, and/or interferometry since the ’90s. *We provide FREE evaluation sample Film when available for Polishing Process evaluation and confirmation.
Email or call if you have questions.
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