First Pass Yield: Key Concepts and Strategies

Learn how to increase production quality and reduce waste with First Pass Yield.

Introduction

Manufacturing is a very complex industry that requires the right mix of technologies, workflows and a special equipment to succeed. All manufacturers, regardless of industry, have defects, changes, defects and related losses.

To measure the quality of the process in production you need to ask yourself “How many units of production were produced right the first time?”. For that you need to look at the First Pass Yield.

What is First Pass Yield (FPY)?

First pass yield (FPY), also known as throughput yield (TPY) is one of the key indicators of production performance. It measures the percentage of products that meet quality standards that were produced the first time (without any defective units). First pass yield is used to measure the efficiency of the production process and over time helps to identify areas to improve. FPY can be determined manually or with automated data collection systems.

A higher percentage of first pass yield will be your competitive advantage over those that have lower performance at first time. You will use your resources more efficiently, set more competitive prices and your customers will be satisfied with the final product. By striving for a higher first pass yield you will bring the continuous improvement strategy into your production processes.

First Pass Yield Formula

First pass yield calculation is a key manufacturing metric that quantifies the efficiency and quality of production processes. You can calculate First Pass Yield (FPY) as the ratio of the number of products that passed quality control the first time to the total number of units produced. It can look like this:

FPY = (Good Units + Acceptable Units) ÷ Total Units Produced

Good quality units meet all the necessary quality criteria. Acceptable quality units have minor defects.

Producing quality units is crucial for maintaining equipment performance and optimizing processes, which in turn improves FPY and overall product quality on the shop floor. If First Pass Yield on the production line is consistently low, it is worth reviewing the technological process and equipment, finding flaws and correcting them. It is also worth paying attention to the quality of raw materials and problems with personnel.

Key First Pass Yield Indicators

Key indicators include:

• Cycle time. This is the amount of time it takes for a product to travel from the beginning to the end of the production line. This indicator helps both to track the efficiency of the process, as well as to determine whether there are significant delays in the manufacturing process.
• Defect rate. This is an indicator of the ratio of defective products to good quality products. If a large number of defects appear in the production process (that is, the percentage of defects is high), it is necessary to review the raw materials used in production, monitor equipment performance or change the production process itself.
• Rework rate (frequency of alterations). It shows how often the product needs to be improved. If the percentage of rework rate is high, you should review the technological process and check the equipment. After finding the weak points, make changes, thereby gradually reducing the number of defective products and costs.
• Test rate. This is the speed at which products passing through the production line are tested for quality. The higher the speed of testing, the faster defects will be identified, which can be pre-eliminated in the next batches.

How to Improve First Pass Yield

Many factors are needed to increase First Pass Yield, some of which we will consider below:

Process Optimization

Process optimization can be achieved by identifying problem areas in real production processes. The analysis of shortcomings by process engineers and shop managers will make the production processes more efficient, which will certainly improve the quality of the final products.

Real-time Quality Data collection

Automatic collection of real-time quality data is extremely important. Manual data collection entails unnecessary time and inaccuracies.

The digital data collection system allows you to set goals and assess compliance with them at any stage. ProcessNavigation can collect key data from employees, information about errors and suggestions for their solution, including the collection of quality data. The necessary information is entered into the application in real time, automatically saved and made available to other employees.

Professional Development and Training Programs

It is important to provide operators with clear and clear instructions for work, since it is the operators who will play a big role in the smoothness and speed of the machines and, accordingly, the productivity of the technological process. The instructions should be comprehensive and detailed. This is necessary so that operators can focus on making basic decisions during their work and not waste time making a large number of unimportant ones, as they will already be described in detail in the instructions. Also, the digital version of the instructions will allow managers to control the workflow directly using the application. This approach will allow you to notice errors, slowdowns at an early stage and make appropriate adjustments.

Raw Materials Quality

In order for the smallest possible number of defective units to appear at the first pass, it is necessary to take care of the purchase of high-quality raw materials. Quality units that meet quality standards should be purchased. Suppliers must have the appropriate quality certificates.

Efficient manufacturing operations play a crucial role in maintaining production processes and achieving high First Pass Yield (FPY).

First Pass Yield Implementation Challenges

• Lack of Time and Resources. Production processes are quite complex, so trying to implement something new and unusual requires a lot of resources.
• Difficulties in Staff Training. Employees should understand the importance of First Pass Yield. Staff will not be able to use the system or tools effectively without proper training. This will lead to a deterioration in the First Pass Yield indicator.
• Constant monitoring and adjustments. First Pass Yield requires constant monitoring and adjustment to ensure that product quality is maintained and that the system or tools are used efficiently.

Conclusion

First Pass Yield can increase the productivity of the technological process, reduce unnecessary expenses and make the final product more qualitative. By correctly evaluating the key parameters of the FPY and adequately responding to challenges that arise along the way, manufacturers can optimize processes in their production.