8. LASER OPTICS ASSEMBLY

A. Problem/Issue

A Major Manufacturer of Laser Optical Measurement Systems for printed circuit board manufacturing was embarking on a new product design. They needed a product with a much reduced price tag using minimal mechanical components. They had an internal team with the new electronics technology, but lacked the seasoned mechanical engineering support necessary to lower the piece count and price. Also the physical environment was brutal-up to 30 G's decelleration forces and up to 10 million cycles of life.

B. Analysis

We agreed to become a team member and evolve the mechanical components along with the optical design. Research was conducted on similar products and similar applications. The new technologies were communicated with the team members during weekly meetings. The parameters of the mechanical parts could then be critiqued by various personnel and compared to the effect on the total design. Injection molding and magnesium casting were evaluated for a major number of piece parts.

C. Solution/Results

Several piece parts were prototyped using our rapid prototyping program and prototype shop affiliates. The effort resulted in a total manufacturing cost that was one-half of the previous product release using one-third of the part count! The processes and new materials were then retrofitted on several past products. The new technology knowledge now exists at the company for further use on new products.