Beyond Capacity:

How a Global Electronics Manufacturer Avoided $7M in Capital Costs with Arch Systems

A leading multinational electronics manufacturer faced growing capacity constraints in its high-volume automotive part lines. Rather than expanding machine investments, the company implemented ArchFX analytics to uncover hidden bottlenecks. Within three months, the team identified and resolved a critical issue in test station buffering capacity, avoiding ~$7M in unnecessary capital expenditure and laying the groundwork for future global rollouts of the Arch platform.

HIGHLIGHTS:

$7M+

In capital expenditure avoided

Machines across nearly 100 lines targeted for rollout

Machines deployed during pilot phase

Bottleneck detection pinpointed test stations, not P&P
ROI realized in < 3 months

“We’re deploying Arch’s technology to drive SMT production efficiencies, and to use AI more in our factories.”

— Sr. Director, Digital Transformation

The Challenge

To meet rising demand, the manufacturer needed to increase throughput, but operations teams believed their Pick & Place (P&P) machines had reached full capacity. Without deeper insight, the likely next step was a major capital purchase.

Key capacity challenges included:

Apparent full utilization of P&P machines on automotive lines
Assumption that additional equipment was needed to scale output
Limited visibility into downstream test processes
Risk of misallocated investment based on incomplete data

The Arch Approach

To validate assumptions and surface actionable insights, the manufacturer deployed the ArchFX platform with Arch AI-powered analytics. The pilot program connected 150 machines across 15 lines and immediately delivered high-value diagnostics using intelligent automation.

The implementation featured:

Deployment of the ArchFX platform on 150 machines across 15 lines
Use of automated bottleneck detection to locate process constraints
Analysis with Arch to map real-time flow dynamics
Expert validation and escalation support to guide local engineering teams
Global scaling plan extending to 1,000+ machines across 100 lines

Key Outcomes

Arch Pinpointed Bottlenecks Beyond Initial Assumptions

Using Arch, the team discovered that test stations, and not the expected P&P, were the real source of throughput limitation.

● Arch AI surfaced high test cycle times, causing flow disruption
● Manual diagnostics had overlooked these patterns
● Findings redirected the root-cause focus downstream

$7M+ Capital Expenditure Avoided via Intelligent Intervention

Instead of purchasing additional P&P machines, engineering teams addressed the true issue: test station buffering misalignment.

● Buffering capacity was rebalanced to align with actual cycle time demands
● No new equipment was needed, saving ~$7M in planned spend
● Adjustments restored flow and unlocked hidden capacity within three months

Platform-Driven Scalability Across Global Operations

With validated results, leadership initiated a global rollout, confident in Arch’s scalable architecture and AI-first approach.

● ArchFX now being deployed across 1,000+ machines globally
● Enterprise-standardized architecture supports unified analytics across sites
● Arch AI continues to generate insights that power continuous improvement

Strategic Lessons

AI-powered manufacturing intelligence unlocks rapid ROI and long-term strategic advantage not just by revealing problems, but by guiding smarter decisions at speed and scale.

Key takeaways include:

Assumptions ≠ reality: let AI analyze the full process to locate true constraints
AI transforms data into diagnostics: Arch AI didn’t just show metrics, it revealed the why
Speed matters: fast deployment and fast insight prevented costly missteps
Scalability is critical: a platform built for the enterprise enables continuous, connected improvement
Strategic AI partnerships accelerate success: Arch Systems delivered tools, expertise, and results