Investing in speed and agility

A rapid response is critical in today’s market. Here contract electronics manufacturer, Wilson Process Systems, explains how investment in kit and capabilities underpin its responsive operation Key to Wilson Process Systems’ service is a policy of continual investment in new equipment, which helps the company keep pace with customer demand and maintain competitiveness.

In 2017, this saw further additions to the plant list, with investment in additional automated optical inspection and selective soldering equipment, as well as increased surface mount capacity.

Prioritising quality At the heart of the company’s offering, the surface mount factory contains four lines, giving a capacity of over 200,000 component placements per hour. This area also features automated optical inspection, with post-reflow 3D and 2D AOI to inspect every board, post surface mount. Expertise in through-hole LED assembly is supported by automated insertion equipment that delivers consistent assembly performance. Hand assembly is also available, with over 60 trained operators on the shop floor offering all the skills necessary to meet certified quality standards.

Overall, the company currently employs approximately 100 personnel. It boasts 37 years’ experience in total and specialises in sub-contract printed circuit board assembly. Drawing on these resources, WPS can deliver anything from bare PCBs to fully tested, electromechanical assemblies from its 30,000ft² production facilities. It supplies a range of industries including consumer, industrial, entertainment, medical, rail, defence, highway and urban signage, lighting and power generation.

Embracing automation To meet the demands of these diverse industries, many of which require equipment to operate in extreme environments, WPS has invested in the latest coating equipment. This enables the company to offer intelligent selective conformal coating alongside existing resin encapsulation services. Automatic conformal coating delivers precision and throughput rates that cannot be matched by hand application. With over 25 years of encapsulating experience, WPS can offer encapsulants for a variety of applications. Its capabilities include working with UL approved polyurethane or silicon resins, epoxy or polyurethane resins, in-house mould making and oven curing.

In addition to these services, WPS also offers electromechanical assembly, box-assemblies, wiring harnesses and enclosures. Once the assembly request has been fulfilled, WPS can carry out testing to client specifications. Finally, WPS offers a packaging service, as well as worldwide shipping.

Effective outsourcing can deliver exceptional value and reduced risk, which is why Wilson Process Systems also extends its strategy into the procurement process. The company’s materials and procurement specialists boast years of experience and a network of trusted, franchised vendors and distributors to source the right components, at the right time, and at the right price.

With the latest surface mount, automated throughhole and hand assembly capabilities in place, alongside its sourcing and procurement skills, WPS caters for a variety of customer needs, from prototype through to highvolume batch quantities.