Hardware Podcasts

Ep. 11 - Quality Control

Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast · 21 Dec 2023 · 1h 08m

What this episode covers

Stephen Hawes and Lucian Chepa of Opulo discuss their quality control philosophy, emphasizing that testing is a critical second product. They detail the implementation of the 'QC Buddy' system to combat human error and the use of 'Gundam' software for functional testing of PCBs and assemblies. The episode covers decisions on traceability depth, AQL sampling for high-volume components, and designing foolproof jigs to prevent assembly mistakes.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Opulo, Ben and Jerry's, Formlabs, Winterbloom
Tools
Gundam
Also
Sandy Monroe

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Builder Circle · 1h 01m

    S2 E8: Quality Engineering and Strategy for Hardware with Matt Lipsitz

    Matt Lipsitz, Head of Quality at Formlabs, explains that quality is a culture of managing risk to meet customer expectations, starting with Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) in the design phase. He details how startups can build a low-touch quality infrastructure by defining clear specifications, validating them through testing, and implementing proactive control points in the supply chain to catch defects before they reach the field. Lipsitz emphasizes that successful quality requires deep knowledge transfer, often involving on-site supplier partnerships, and treating every downstream partner as a customer to ensure alignment on critical-to-quality metrics.

    Quality & yieldManufacturing partners & offshoring
    9 chapters

  • EMS@C-LEVEL · 12m

    BONUS - Cybord CTO & Founder Eyal Weiss talks traceability and AI at APEX 2023 - EMSNOW & SCOOP On Location

    Eyal Weiss, founder and CTO of Cybord, explains how the company uses AI to inspect electronic components at the component level, partnering with VTEC for hardware to capture images of reels before storage. He details how this 100% inspection capability, enabled by new IPC 1782-A standards, allows OEMs and EMS companies to trace individual components and identify defects like corrosion or counterfeits. Weiss highlights that analyzing 3.5 billion components reveals a statistical failure rate of 100 defects per million, alongside significant rates of mixed reels and counterfeits in the secondary market, providing actionable data to reduce scrap and rework rates.

    Quality & yieldSourcing & supply chain
    5 chapters

  • Let's Combinate · 59m

    071 - Steel Industry to MedTech & Important Quality Systems with Etienne Nichols

    Etienne Nichols, host of the Global Medical Device Podcast and Medical Device Guru at Green Light Guru, discusses his transition from the steel industry to MedTech and his work on combination products. He emphasizes that document control (21 CFR 820.40) is critical for preventing costly errors, illustrating this with an anecdote about saving a $100,000 steel coupling from being scrapped due to a decimal error. Nichols argues that management responsibility is the most important quality system element, as it sets the cultural tone for prioritizing quality over speed, and highlights the importance of strong purchasing controls to ensure quality flows to contract manufacturers.

    Quality & yieldManufacturing partners & offshoring
    8 chapters

  • Global Medical Device Podcast · 31m

    Implementing an eQMS after Switching from Paper

    Kendyl Williams, a Medical Device Guru at Greenlight Guru, details her experience transitioning a medical device company from a paper-based Quality Management System (QMS) to the Greenlight Guru eQMS platform. She describes the logistical failures of the paper system, such as 'document signing parties' and lost binders, and explains how the team validated the new software by locking themselves in a coffee shop to test workflows. Williams highlights the importance of using the sandbox environment to learn the system without risking live data and emphasizes the need for intentional setup regarding document nomenclature and attributes to ensure traceability between risk and design controls.

    Quality & yieldValidation & product-market fit
    8 chapters

  • The Manufacturing Executive · 30m

    From Bottleneck to Advantage: Rethinking Manufacturing Testing Strategies w/ Garrett Partridge and Dan Wyatt

    Garrett Partridge, CEO of ARC Technology Solutions, and Dan Wyatt, an innovation consultant, discuss why manufacturers often treat testing as an afterthought rather than a strategic lever for quality and efficiency. They argue for shifting from monolithic end-of-line testing to modular, in-process testing to catch defects early and improve first-pass yield. The conversation also covers the impact of reshoring, the need for flexible test systems that integrate with MES, and the generational shift in manufacturing workforce skills.

    Quality & yieldManufacturing partners & offshoring
    6 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.