Gigabyte Motherboard Factory Tour

DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">neat!</div>A coworker linked me to this today:

<a href='http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=1722&page=1' target='_blank'>How Motherboards Are Made: A Gigabyte Factory Tour</a>


Very interesting stuff.

I'm suprised at just how much human involvement is required. I thought the entire process would be automated from start to finish sans testing. Never dreamed there would actually be an assembly line of low paid workers putting crap on your board by hand. The thing that impressed me the most was the machine they use for testing though. That looks pwn.


And those have got to be some of the worst jobs on the planet for a person to have too... heh.
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Comments

  • Soylent_greenSoylent_green Join Date: 2002-12-20 Member: 11220Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Those 'SMT machines' are awesome, kinda like some surface mounted component machine gun( they are even belt fed).
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  • DepotDepot The ModFather Join Date: 2002-11-09 Member: 7956Members
    I dont understand how a mobo can fry in seconds if the heatsink or fan malfunctions, yet it can withstand THIS?
    <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Inside the solder wave reflow machine. Note the 'waves' of liquid solder at 242 degrees Celsius <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
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  • Soylent_greenSoylent_green Join Date: 2002-12-20 Member: 11220Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited February 2005
    It's only 242 degrees celcius and the solder comes in waves, it does not stay in extended contact with the board. If you drop some molten solder on a motherboard, (or even just a wood plank, no harm done, it makes poor contact and has low heat capacity so it usually won't even discolour the wood. If you've ever dropped solder on your skin or clothes you'll know it tends to just roll off, it doesn't 'wet' your skin or clothes.

    On the other hand, most things that need a heat sink are allready very hot, the northbridge and similar tends to hover around 50-70 celcius, remove the heat sink and you quickly reach several hundred celcius.

    Fan malfunctions usually don't hurt anything, your computer is likely to crash before anything serious happens, certainly newer processors will, most have a built in shutdown mechanism, a heat spreader mounted on top of the core and/or clock throthling which means that even if you REMOVE the fan it won't really harm anything, just get really hot and shut down within seconds.
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  • SoulSkorpionSoulSkorpion Join Date: 2002-04-12 Member: 423Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-The article+--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (The article)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Without a doubt, motherboards are the most complex and essential part of the modern PC.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I thought the CPU was the most complex and essential part. The mobo's just a bunch of buses.

    I'm also surprised at the non-automated areas. It's probably cheaper to leave it as is than automate it, though I'd think that, as with programming, any task that's as repetitive and exact as assembly line work can be automated.
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  • ComproxComprox *chortle* Canada Join Date: 2002-01-23 Member: 7Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, NS2 Developer, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver, Subnautica Developer, Subnautica Playtester, Pistachionauts
    I am not suprised it's not automated yet for 2 reasons:

    Every motherboard is different, and having to change the machine to deal with each batch would be difficult. It would need to be re-programmed and re-tested to work with the new design (and they are probably manufacturing multiple designs at once) would be more effort than it's worth right now. By the time they got the machine programmed and tested for a line, a new one would already be made, the technology just changes too fast.
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  • VenmochVenmoch Join Date: 2002-08-07 Member: 1093Members
    Anyone notice the Engrish?

    <a href='http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=1722&page=19' target='_blank'>Please Carefully Closed? O.o</a>
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  • DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
    <!--QuoteBegin-Comprox+Feb 23 2005, 07:48 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Comprox @ Feb 23 2005, 07:48 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I am not suprised it's not automated yet for 2 reasons:

    Every motherboard is different, and having to change the machine to deal with each batch would be difficult. It would need to be re-programmed and re-tested to work with the new design (and they are probably manufacturing multiple designs at once) would be more effort than it's worth right now. By the time they got the machine programmed and tested for a line, a new one would already be made, the technology just changes too fast. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    That would be a reason, except for the fact that the entire rest of the production line is customized for each board already...
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  • MedHeadMedHead Join Date: 2002-12-19 Member: 11115Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin-Venmoch+Feb 23 2005, 09:11 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Venmoch @ Feb 23 2005, 09:11 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Anyone notice the Engrish?

    <a href='http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=1722&page=19' target='_blank'>Please Carefully Closed? O.o</a> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    There's also the "Make lesser mistakes" morale-boosting poster.
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  • SpoogeSpooge Thunderbolt missile in your cheerios Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 67Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-DOOManiac+Feb 23 2005, 09:26 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (DOOManiac @ Feb 23 2005, 09:26 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Comprox+Feb 23 2005, 07:48 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Comprox @ Feb 23 2005, 07:48 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I am not suprised it's not automated yet for 2 reasons:

    Every motherboard is different, and having to change the machine to deal with each batch would be difficult. It would need to be re-programmed and re-tested to work with the new design (and they are probably manufacturing multiple designs at once) would be more effort than it's worth right now. By the time they got the machine programmed and tested for a line, a new one would already be made, the technology just changes too fast. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    That would be a reason, except for the fact that the entire rest of the production line is customized for each board already... <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I'd guess only this: a) not enough space for the machinery b) currently not willing to spend the capitol or c) they just haven't taken the time to do it.

    They already know the sequence based on their in-line assembly system.


    And why didn't I see any AGVs? pbffft. Get into the 21st century Gigabyte!

    Great find Doom. Those wave solder machines are the whip. If you ever get the chance with see one in person, I highly recommend you bring a bib to wipe the drool caused by all the awesomeness.
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  • intensityrisingintensityrising Join Date: 2003-11-18 Member: 23148Members
    That means theres a possible high chance of getting a defect.
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  • RaVeRaVe Join Date: 2003-06-20 Member: 17538Members
    Won't be long before they move into China due to the really cheap labour. Taiwan right now is pretty expensive for labour.

    I can see that happening in about 4 years or so.

    And rowr for SMT machines!
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  • CabooseCaboose title = name(self, handle) Join Date: 2003-02-15 Member: 13597Members, Constellation
    That was cool. I allways wanted to see somthing like that in person though.
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  • KungFuDiscoMonkeyKungFuDiscoMonkey Creator of ns_altair 日本福岡県 Join Date: 2003-03-15 Member: 14555Members, NS1 Playtester, Reinforced - Onos
    An intresting read.
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  • PRTePRTe Join Date: 2003-10-25 Member: 21919Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-Venmoch+Feb 23 2005, 09:11 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Venmoch @ Feb 23 2005, 09:11 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Anyone notice the Engrish?

    <a href='http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=1722&page=19' target='_blank'>Please Carefully Closed? O.o</a> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    There's also the "Make lesser mistakes" morale-boosting poster.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    dude the factory is in taiwan <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->

    the article was very interesting... never actually knew how they made the stuff
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  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-MedHead+Feb 23 2005, 07:13 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (MedHead @ Feb 23 2005, 07:13 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Venmoch+Feb 23 2005, 09:11 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Venmoch @ Feb 23 2005, 09:11 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Anyone notice the Engrish?

    <a href='http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=1722&page=19' target='_blank'>Please Carefully Closed? O.o</a> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    There's also the "Make lesser mistakes" morale-boosting poster. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Hey, do you want them making greater mistakes? I thought so.
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