"It was a wonderful experience interacting with you and appreciate the way you have planned and executed the whole publication process within the agreed timelines.”
Subrat SaurabhAuthor of Kuch Woh Pal
I feel privileged to be asked to contribute this little foreword for this wonderful book written by my good friend, Young Bong Kang.
I first met Kang when he came to India in 2007 and joined M/s Ever Electronics (one of the main OEM for the Korean giant, L.G. Electronics) as my junior colleague. From the beginning, he impressed me with his professionalism and in-depth knowledge of working on the shop-floor, particularly with SMT technology. To be honest, I would be only too happy to admit that though he was reporting to me, I learnt a lot from him about the SMT process! He has a rich experience of 24 years in SMT manufacturing, right from the selection of machines, layout of machines, process parameters and material management.
Kang has put all his practical knowledge and wisdom associated with SMT manufacturing and presented all its nuances in a very easy-to-understand format through this fine book. After having worked with Sharp and LG Electronics for close to 20 years, I can vouch for the fact that I have never seen a book that is so practical in nature. It makes me realize that if only I had had an opportunity to work with such a genius during my apprenticeship period, I would have been miles ahead!
I strongly recommend this book to all who wish to pursue a career in Electronics? manufacturing as SMT will be the technology for the future. This book will be a valuable guide to young engineers as well as Production managers. Moreover for all those who derive pleasure merely from the joy of reading and learning, this book will definitely give immense satisfaction.
This is a practical technical book written by the author based on 24 years of experience. Almost all SMT books, due partially to a few SMT-related books, put weight on equipment, single process or part technology rather than deal with practical process. The book dealing with practical process know-how is rarely found and this is perhaps the first book in which overall SMT practical processes and standards are presented.
After I wrote about SMT management techniques for beginner manager in 2007, I have kept on thinking to write about overall practical processes of SMT, Nonetheless, I was deeply involved in other company and writing a book in English was felt as a burden due to my poor English, and thus my second book came out a bit late. Fortunately I met a good translator and then SMT book in English can be presented now to you.
Although now I live in India in 2013, I have experienced SMT across Korea, China, Philippines and India. Through this experience I draw my conclusion that what is happening in SMT is same regardless of countries and the smaller companies are found to have the more trial-and-error and work with wrong process due to lack of correct information of SMT.
Although audit of standardization certification organization like ISO may point out some cautions, it is difficult to expect SMT technical support in accordance with cautions. It is good to use 6 sigma tool, and yet it takes a lot of time to make statistical data for the period. Moreover, in case TFT team has no knowledge, they do not find the solution, for detecting the correct root cause from define step is never easy. Eventually know-how of internal human resources is necessary.
Standardization of SMT, in reality, has quite a difficult part. Despite the same equipment and same condition, it becomes different depending on human resources. Since company wise equipment investment is different, product group is different, environment is different, same work process cannot be applied to these.
In the area of SMT management major companies reduced error-and-trial greatly by computerizing quite a portion of manual work and standardizing work process, and yet they do not know whole process structure, since they work within a parameter of computerized process. In case of small companies they are still going through the process of trial-and-error.
If the process of major companies intends to be applied to their vendor companies, the same amount of investment and manpower should be committed. In case even one thing is lacked, it is unnatural as worn unfit clothes and work does not proceed smoothly. At the end standard and process may work separately.
