One Powerful Connection

Consider how much today’s interconnected world relies upon connectors. Now imagine how highly reliable computers can enhance quality control in high-tech manufacturing, and you’ll understand the positive impact the iOne-GX31 all-in-one  computer from Cybernet Manufacturing has had for global connector manufacturer Amphenol-TCS.

Connectors are essential parts of the computers we use at work, in our homes and at the coffee shop, as well as in all those computers around the planet involved in the design, manufacture and delivery of all the things that fill up our lives. These precision-molded metal and plastic devices provide places for the various chips, boards and other components to plug into, and they allow them to work together so the system performs as designed. Those systems, including everything from Internet servers to gaming consoles, from notebooks to medical imaging machines, have provided great benefits to society. Yet they could not exist without the availability of consistently reliable connectors, such as those produced by Amphenol.

In their extremely competitive industry, Amphenol’s customers not only demand high performance, but near-absolute reliability. So for Darryl McBride, a lead engineer working on the issue at Amphenol at their New Hampshire headquarters, the questions were: How do we ensure that our quality control equipment best supports our rigorous quality standards? Can we reduce costs to make the company more efficient and more competitive?

These concerns for Amphenol arose at their manufacturing facilities in Latin America, China and Malaysia, where technicians use an automated visual inspection system for quality control of the finished parts. Comprising up to four cameras and processing up to 200 parts per minute, the system came with an optional manufacturer-provided mini-PC. But problems with the motherboards on those PCs repeatedly shut down the inspection stations. If the connectors did not pass QC (quality control), they could not ship, threatening Amphenol’s own reputation as a dependable supplier. Seeking superior reliability, Darryl searched online, and learned of the iOne-GX31 all-in-one computer by Cybernet.

He liked the specs on processing power, hard drive, and memory and really liked the warranty. So he bought one for a test, simply connected it to the server and the visual inspection machinery, and then kept it turned on continuously for almost a year. When this first iOne-GX31 performed with zero problems, Darryl bought two more. When they worked perfectly, he started buying from four to six units at a time, phasing them in to replace the OEM computers.

The payoff has had multiple dimensions. The manufacturer’s original systems used a mini-PC, keyboard and monitor setup, while the all-in-one design of the iOne-GX31 saves space and reduce cable clutter by incorporating everything into a touch-screen monitor. The iOne is priced at about half the cost of original manufacturer’s equipment, improving the bottom line. But most important, the iOne units on the shop floor have now been in operation 24/7 for anywhere from three to four years without a single processor, hard drive or monitor failure. Since ensuring superior reliability was his principle goal, by choosing the iOne-GX31 Darryl succeeded brilliantly.

The great news about the iOne-GX31’s exceptional reliability spread throughout the company. At Amphenol’s Delaware-based research and development offices, when a lead engineer heard of the iOne’s problem-free performance over more than three years, he decided his department would also make the switch to the iOne-GX31 small-footprint design from Cybernet.

By significantly upgrading the company’s quality control processes for considerably less money than the manufacturer’s recommended solution, Amphenol has been able to maintain its position as a leading maker of high-performance, high-quality connectors. “I am pleased with the space savings,” notes Darryl, “and the reliability is fantastic.”

He certainly sounds glad that he connected with Cybernet and their all-in-one PC, the iOne-GX31.