Enhancing Productivity in PCB Assembly through Low-Cost Automation: A Kaizen-Driven Case Study

Abstract

In the highly competitive global electronics sector, manufacturing productivity is paramount. Manual processes within otherwise automated assembly lines frequently become critical bottlenecks, constraining throughput and hindering growth. This research presents a case study of a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) assembly facility in Thailand that faced a significant capacity shortfall. The primary objective is to analyze the implementation and impact of a Kaizen-driven, low-cost automation (LCA) solution designed to resolve a specific manual bottleneck in an adhesive application process. The methodology combines a detailed analysis of the industrial case study with established theoretical frameworks of lean manufacturing, including the Toyota Production System (TPS), time study, and the ECRS (Eliminate, Combine, Rearrange, Simplify) principles. The intervention, executed through three iterative Kaizen cycles, involved developing a custom automated dispensing machine using repurposed, on-site assets. The results demonstrate a profound improvement in operational performance: the bottleneck process cycle time was reduced by 73.6%, from 11 minutes 53 seconds to 3 minutes 8 seconds per unit. This directly enabled an increase in total production capacity to 245 units per week, exceeding the demand target and yielding an estimated annual cost saving of 98,700 THB. This study's principal contribution is its empirical demonstration of how a culture of continuous improvement, coupled with creative problem-solving, can leverage existing resources to achieve significant productivity gains without substantial capital investment, offering a viable and practical model for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and other resource-constrained manufacturers.