Assembly - November 2008 - (Page 34) 2008 Assembly Plant of the Year Fixturing Adhesives for Faster Production. Keeps wire harness sleeves in place Secure electrical components Hold down rubber gaskets Because each computer weighs more than 3,000 pounds, assemblers use lift assist devices and other material handling equipment. Keep your production line moving with Glue Dots® fixturing adhesives. Instant-bonding Glue Dots® allow you to quickly preposition items until final fixturing or assembly is completed. Glue Dots® is a registered trademark of Glue Dots International. ©2008 Glue Dots International Automated and desktop applicators available. Find your fixturing solution at www.gluedots.com or call 888.688.7131. Applied Productivity Because of the complexity of the products, the manufacturing environment at the Poughkeepsie plant is considered relatively low-volume, as compared to desktop or laptop hardware. Power System and System z products are produced on the same assemble line, which consists of mobile workstations. Once a customer order is received, the prefabricated parts are used to assemble the order. Sheet metal chassis, frames, racks and doors are built by outside vendors. Most inventory is owned by suppliers until it’s pulled for use on the plant floor. The central processing unit, which is referred to as a “book,” is assembled and tested in environmentally controlled rooms at the plant to prevent damage. Assemblers install multichip modules onto boards and incorporate the boards into higher level assemblies known as processing unit books or nodes. Kitting is used to reduce cycle times and reduce wasted motion. Assemblers wear ESD straps and refer to electronic work instructions on laptop computers attached to mobile workstations. Every set of instructions is unique to the customer order and specific requirements. Each computer is assembled by one operator who is responsible for installing all subassemblies and components, such as input-output drawer and nodes, which are slid into racks and networked together. In addition, they install the power unit and attach all cables, wiring harnesses and controls. Fasteners are attached with DC electric tools that are equipped with barcode scanners. That allows IBM to trace serial numbers on parts. “Given the quality implications, as well as high dollar value of parts, we have extensive serialization practices,” says Edge. “A fundamental requirement is that we have visibility to the genealogy of a component (child) upward to the subassemblies (parents) and eventually into the entity that gets shipped to the field. This also includes the placement of this serial number to the slot level.” Operators use a wide variety of lifting devices and material handling equipment because the subassemblies are heavy. For instance, each node that is inserted into a machine weighs 120 pounds; each machine can hold up to eight nodes. When fully assembled, a high-end server typically weighs more than 3,000 pounds. After each machine is assembled, it’s run through an extensive test cycle to ensure IBM’s legendary reliability. A team of technicians exposes the computer to a 24-hour test that simulates both hot and cold operating conditions. Typically, a large number of orders flow into the factory toward the end of each quarter and toward the end of each year. That demand bubble occurs because high-end servers tend to be a major capital expenditure for most of IBM’s customers. Often, funds don’t become allocated or approved until quarterly financial performance results are tallied up. The hybrid fabrication and fulfillment model allows the plant to optimize resources to perform build-toplan processes earlier in the quarter, then subsequently shift the available capacity over to support build-to-order operations based on shifts in demand. The assembly workcells and test cells 34 ASSEMBLY / November 2008 www.assemblymag.com http://www.gluedots.com http://www.gluedots.com http://www.assemblymag.com
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