Quality Systems
In order to deliver the highest quality products to our customers, we have implemented several Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement systems. Our primary goal is to maintain a robust quality system that emphasizes defect prevention and reduction of waste in the supply chain. Some of the salient features of our Continuous Improvement systems are as follows:
Quality & Reliability Testing
To ensure our customers receive product that is of world-class quality, we utilize inside and outside testing capabilities. On a daily basis we manufacture a test panel that includes all of our capabilities. Once it is complete, we steam age the panel for 8 hours, test for solder ability, cross section all the hole sizes to verify plating quality, and then test for Ionic Contamination. This is done on a daily basis, but every year we fabricate a daisy chain test panel and send it out for High Temperature Storage (125∞C), Temperature Cycling (-45 C - 125 C, 1000hrs.), and High Humidity (100%, 1000 hrs.). These samples must maintain less than 10% resistance and then they are micro sectioned to verify the visual characteristics. In addition to these tests, we perform extensive Ionic Contamination tests, solder ability tests, resistance to chemical tests, and Autoclave.
Continuous Employee Certification Program
Saturn employees are not authorized to work on their own until they pass a certification program for each process in which they are involved. All employees undergo retraining and recertification every six months.
Zero defect areas
Drilling, Routing, Scoring, Image, Electro-plating, Etching, and First Article Inspection are declared as zero defect areas. A zero-defect area is a process in which a single non-conformance must be investigated to find the source of the problem and a permanent action will be taken to prevent it from reoccurring.
Quality Assurance
High Reliability Certification
In our quest to attain industry-high quality, we came across a leading automotive electronic supplier’s certification program. The certification process requires the PCB to pass a battery of tests and t meet strict product specifications that address forward-looking industry concerns.
One example of the tests is a thermo cycling test, which is meant to simulate a PCB in the field over time under the most extreme of conditions. The test includes 1,000 cycles, each of which takes one hour. During each hour, the PCB is taken from room temperature to -40°C in 5 minutes. The PCB remains at that temperature for 25 minutes, and is then taken to 125°C within 5 minutes. The PCB is then kept at this temperature for 25 minutes, after which it is brought back to -45°C within 5 minutes. After 1,000 cycles, the PCBs must maintain less than 10% resistance in order to pass.
Reliable Plating Lines
Only PCB fabricators with the most reliable of plating lines are able to pass this test. In addition to this test, this customer performs extensive high temperature storage, steady state humidity, surface ionic contamination, flammability, solder ability, resistance to chemical, and autoclave tests. We at Saturn are proud to say that our process has been High Reliability certified since 1999. The benefit to our customers is that 100% of our products are run through this High Reliability certified process!
ISO 9000:2000 / TS16949
The goal for ISO 9002 is the development of fundamental quality systems that provide for continuous improvement, emphasizing defect prevention, and the reduction of variation and waste in the supply chain.
Key Elements of TS19649
The key elements of ISO 9002 include documentation of all processes, Failure Mode Effective Analysis (FMEA), Quality Control plans, Reaction plans and Statistical Process Controls. TS16949 extends significantly on ISO 9002 requirements by incorporating customer-specific requirements and determining the supplier’s ability to meet them. TS16949 is a global replacement for QS9000 in that it aligns existing US, German, French, Japanese, and Italian automotive quality standards. We are proud to say that Saturn is North America’s first Printed Circuit Board Manufacturer to achieve this worldwide recognized quality standard.
First Bare Board PCB Manufacurer to Attain TS19649
Saturn was the first Printed Circuit Board manufacturer to have been awarded this certification. Saturn has been ISO 9002 certified since 1995 and TS16949 certified since 2003 and will continue to pursue further quality certifications.
ISO14000
Our commitment to the environment is just as strong as our commitment to quality. As such, we pursued and were awarded ISO14000 certification in 2005. ISO14000 is a system dedicated to the reduction of waste in the process and issued to the environment. This system requires strict adherence to local and federal environmental regulations, recycling programs, and documented procedures. All of these activities result in a “greener” organization that is committed to social and environmental responsibility.
AS9100
AS9100 defines additional areas within an aerospace quality management system that must be addressed when implementing an ISO9001:2000 based quality system. Typically, these requirements are included within robust aerospace quality systems.
