Influence on PCOI

PCOI

In the Lucassen Group’s Heaterhead project, a key challenge has emerged in meeting the increasingly stringent quality requirements of clients like ASML. The current manual post-processing, where products are deburred under a microscope, is labor-intensive and time-consuming. To address these challenges, plasma polishing is being introduced as an external step in the production process. This study utilizes the PCOI model (Process, Control, Organization, Information) to analyze the impact of this technological innovation and outline the transition from the current state to the future state.

1. Process

  • Current State:

    • Manual deburring under a microscope is labor-intensive and time-consuming (2 to 3 hours per product).
    • No external polishing technology, leading to inconsistent quality and variable lead times.

  • Future State:

    • Plasma polishing is introduced as an external step, improving initial finish quality and speeding up post-processing.
    • Manual deburring remains necessary but becomes more efficient and quicker, with better overall results.
    • Outsourcing adds logistical steps (sending and receiving polished parts), affecting scheduling and coordination.
    • The shorter lead times and improved quality meet the increasing customer demands.


2. Control

  • Current State:

    • Full internal control over the entire process, including post-processing and quality checks.
    • Manual inspection under a microscope results in inconsistent outcomes.

  • Future State:

    • Plasma polishing requires external process management, relying on the quality delivered by the supplier.
    • Manual quality checks will still be necessary, but will be more reliable due to the improved initial finish.
    • Lucassen must implement new logistical controls and quality assurance measures to ensure polished parts meet specifications.
    • Greater focus on risk management due to dependency on external suppliers, including delays or quality issues.


3. Organization

  • Current State:

    • Staff performs manual deburring and quality inspections, relying on their skills and experience.

  • Future State:

    • Reduced emphasis on manual polishing tasks, but manual deburring and quality checks remain important.
    • Job roles shift, with some workers moving from polishing tasks to quality control or logistics coordination.
    • New roles emerge, such as supplier managers overseeing relationships with external plasma polishing providers to ensure process flow and lead times are met.
    • The organization must adapt to new logistics and quality management needs, including collaboration with external partners.


4. Information

  • Current State:

    • Process data is primarily managed internally, with limited external data exchange.
    • Quality inspections are manually documented, leading to inconsistent reporting.

  • Future State:

    • External data exchange becomes essential with the plasma polishing supplier, including information on lead times, quality standards, and discrepancies.
    • A robust information flow is needed between Lucassen and the external supplier, possibly integrating ERP systems for seamless planning and quality reporting.
    • Manual inspection data will be supplemented with supplier reports to monitor and ensure consistency in quality.
    • Transparency and monitoring become critical to ensure the supplier meets agreed-upon KPIs, such as quality standards and delivery times.


Summary:

The integration of plasma polishing as an outsourced process improves efficiency and product quality, but also requires adjustments in process management, quality control, logistics, and information exchange. Lucassen Group must focus on managing the relationship with the external supplier and ensure that internal processes align smoothly with this new external step.

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