How do you lend credibility to a revolutionary new packaging process for microwave, multilayer integrated circuits and micro-multifunction modules? If you're Merrimac Industries, Inc., you seek ISO 9001 certification from Factory Mutual Research.
Founded in 1954, Merrimac designs and manufactures signal processing components and sub-systems for high-performance, mission-critical applications. These electronic components are used in such commercial and military applications as satellites, combat and commercial aircraft, cellular radio systems, magnetic resonance medical diagnostic instruments, and the latest personal communications systems and wireless Internet connectivity.
Among the company's newest developments is Multi-Mix® Microtechnology, a revolutionary patent-pending, three-dimensional design and manufacturing method that utilizes a process of fusion bonding fluoropolymer composite substrates into a multilayer structure. The bonded multilayers, with embedded semiconductor devices, etched resistors and plated through via holes, form a surface mount module that requires no further processing. This process not only reduces the cost, weight and size of the components, but also provides a homogeneous dielectric medium for superior performance and reliability at microwave frequencies while reducing cost and cycle time.
According to Larry Ross, Merrimac’s Director of Quality, it was the development of this patent-pending process that spurred the company’s president and CEO into pursuing ISO 9001 certification. As he explained, less than a handful of companies in the world can even begin to address this type of technology, let alone deliver it consistently, so Merrimac’s Multi-Mix® Microtechnology Group needed to quickly prove it was not only capable of designing, but also consistently producing and guaranteeing quality products, if it wanted to become a world-class supplier in such a unique market.
"This process is relatively new. We needed to provide some legitimacy to our customers, identifying that we’ve got the knowledge and the process that will certainly meet, if not exceed, your expectations when you place an order," said Ross, adding, "You’re really one step behind these days if you
Factory Mutual Research accredited by RvA, the Dutch Council for Accreditation, but it also provided its customers with personal attention. "It’s nice to make a phone call and get a quick response from John Hill, manager of ISO registration," he said.
More importantly, however, it was Factory Mutual Research’s flexibility to carry out a unique request from Merrimac that closed the deal. Since it was critical that the company gain ISO 9000 credibility as soon as possible, senior management decided to speed up the certification process by registering just its Multi-Mix® Microtechnology Group. Said Ross, "A lot of registrars wouldn’t have registered a separate design and manufacturing group within a company, especially one that shares resources in such a unique way."
Less than six months after the registration process began, Merrimac’s Multi-Mix® ISO 9001 registration became effective. While the aggressive plan was the result of necessity, said Ross, there were also three other factors that helped to keep the accelerated pace: the support he received from Merrimac’s committed president and CEO; the hard work and intuitive solutions provided by the Multi-Mix® team; and the fact that the company already had a successful method of controlling its documentation in place. According to Ross, the company stores its operating policies and procedures in an electronic format to ensure that all coworkers not only have access to the most up-to-date information, but can easily share data with other groups – including ISO 9000 registrars. "It gave us an advantage," he said.
Although Merrimac’s ISO 9001 registration became effective just a few months ago, the company has already benefited from the effort. "We have fully defined what we do," said Ross. "In doing so, we have reduced the slack and variation in what we do and it’s making us more efficient."
With locations in the United States, Canada and Costa Rica, Merrimac, which is listed on the American Stock Exchange, is now working with Factory Mutual Research to register the balance of its operations and transfer one existing ISO 9002 registration. |
