Koh Young Releases New Case Study with Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories

Atlanta, GA – Koh Young is proud to release their latest case study filmed on location at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL), in Pullman, Washington. SEL, started in 1984 in the garage of inventor of microprocessor based digital protective relay, now employs more than 5,000 people in 164 countries. After having a single Zenith AOI System on trial for a little over a month, SEL quickly realized they’d made the right choice and ordered systems for every line at their Pullman and Lewiston facilities.

The video version of the case study, which can be viewed at https://youtu.be/SlDaEAg_KeU, shows excerpt of interviews conducted by four members of the SEL production team. Nick Swan, Lead Process Engineer, said, “SEL is always conservative when looking at equipment. We put the time and resources into evaluating the equipment. I think that the experience with Koh Young has been so easy and so good that there’s really no question, what kind of SPI or other inspection equipment we’re going to buy. If you’re looking at inspection, probably save your time evaluating other equipment. This equipment is going to do everything you need it to do.” Tony O’Neill, Board and Component Factory Manager (Pullman), added “It’s made my life very, very easy, because we’re all about quality. And I don’t want to send any defects to my internal customers downstream, and this is pretty much obliterated those escapes.”

The SEL team sited numerous benefits since installing the Zenith AOI Systems, including a 15% yield improvement, an increase in line uptime, simplified reporting and significantly, a real improvement in operator trust and satisfaction in the AOI process. As Andrew Packwood, Manufacturing Supervisor (Lewiston), explained, “When we first got the 2D AOI system, it was not highly thought of. It was a burden at that point. Now we see the 3D AOIs as a tool, as something that’s helping SEL live their values of quality.”

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories see parallels with Koh Young. Daicheng Fu, Engineering Manager, said, “There is a similarity between our company and Koh Young. It started from an entrepreneur, an inventor! We had the cool technology first and Koh Young has a cool technology.”

Koh Young are proud of the success SEL has enjoyed with their tools and look forward to a fruitful ongoing partnership. Sincere thanks go to the team at SEL who hosted the Koh Young film crew and shared their views so enthusiastically and candidly.