Feature: Enclosures


and AS9100/ISO9001-certified maker of complex parts. “Te electronic device industry needs a cutting-edge machine shop that has both the expertise and the desire to guide their customers on how to achieve better machined products at a better price.” Tis analysis and feedback are part of


an ongoing manufacturing collaboration between a client and its contract machining partner well before production starts, from the inception of a project to prototyping. Halcyon applies the DFM protocol across


a wide spectrum of metal machining from bar grade 6061 aluminum, brass, copper, titanium, stainless steel and plastics. Te company also works with quartz, ceramic, graſt, titanium and a variety of steels, and serves customers in the electronics, semiconductor, aerospace, defence, automotive and medical sectors. “When you can use the latest simulation


and process verification technologies prior to cutting the first chip of metal or plastic, then when you start manufacturing you know that the parts are going to be 100% right the first time, every time,” said Doan.


Rapid prototyping Rapid prototyping removes financial and time risk by providing a cost-effective way to test a full range of designs and materials. With rapid prototyping, repeated iterations of a part may never make it to production, which saves companies time and money. “If we understand how the part needs to


function, we can 3D-print the item in plastic, run it through a few tests and then proceed – rather than rush to machine parts out of expensive material in the prototype phase,” said Doan, who adds that in addition to initial prototyping, 3D printing can be used to create workholding and other fixtures.


Adaptability and scaleability Electronic device manufacturers operate in highly dynamic markets, where the need for changes to part specifications and the quantity of parts are high. Cutting-edge machine shops must therefore be adaptable and flexible for any design changes. Tey must also be capable of scaling up production to “lights out” manufacturing if needed, without compromising the accuracy of the machining.


www.electronicsworld.co.uk May 2022 33 “While capacity is certainly important,


the overall size of a machine shop is not the most important criterion,” said Doan. “Customers certainly need manufacturing scale, but they also require adaptability as complex manufacturing designs evolve and change. For a machine shop to be an effective partner, it needs to be nimble.” And, to complement its machining


capabilities and nimbleness, a shop must have state-of-the art metrology equipment for advanced inspections, guided by a proactive zero-defect mindset. “It’s not about making parts and sorting


out the bad ones and shipping the good ones – you need a machine shop committed to not making bad parts at all,” said Doan. “To produce the most precise parts, you must be able to inspect more than the finished goods. A machine shop should be inspecting in real time things like setups and speed throughout the process. Tis enables data to be captured for statistical predictive process control.” At Halcyon, automated coordinates-


measuring machines perform process inspections and produce first-article reports. Halcyon also uses a digital multimeter with scanning capability that can take thousands of data points during a scan of a complex curved surface, resulting in very precise and accurate repeatable product evaluations.


Forging a partnership Companies that rely on machine shops to produce precision parts to extremely tight tolerances with consistency should look beyond their basic certifications and CNC capabilities for those with the expertise to optimise the manufacturing process before any items are manufactured and adjust as needed thereaſter. With this level of flexibility, and with a zero-defect approach at every stage of the process, those in the electronic device industry can proceed with certainty that the parts they are receiving are of the highest reliability and with no unnecessary additional costs for their most-critical applications.


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