Rapid Turnaround: Production Yield and Company Reputation Rescued by Acoustic Vent
Case Studies, United States
A Case Study on GORE® Acoustic Vents in a Smartphone
Learn how our engineers and our product model GAW333 prevented potentially catastrophic consequences of acoustic inconsistency.
Challenge
Three weeks prior to the launch of their flagship waterproof smartphone, a renowned OEM made a shocking discovery: They found that the vents that were currently in use did not meet the high standards necessary for mass production, resulting in an unusually high number of acoustic failures. This inconsistent performance of the device was not only significantly impairing the production yield but would ultimately damage the client’s reputation and revenue.
To prevent these potentially catastrophic consequences, the client’s acoustic engineer called Gore. We found the root cause of the problem and offered a solution that met our high standards as well as the customer’s needs.
Solution
Knowing the expertise, reliability, and velocity of our technical and lab test support, the client’s acoustic engineer called Gore to provide acoustic consistency data.
This data was then used to conduct an extensive analysis of product and performance variability in the earlier stages of the manufacturing process as well as further testing in the Gore laboratory. The tests were concluded within 24 hours and the resultant data was used to help the client decide on the best possible solution to the problem.
The GORE® Acoustic Vent GAW333 was the best offering to alleviate the problems that the client faced. The Gore product provided much less acoustic variation in the customer’s device and improved the yield loss significantly to a negligible percentage.
The Vent: GORE® Acoustic Vent GAW333
The vent used here was the GORE® Acoustic Vent GAW333. It is available with inner and outer dimensions of 1.6 and 3.2 mm or 2.0 and 3.6, as well as a reference thickness of 0.36 mm or 0.31 mm. Suited for shallow immersion, this standard part provides an IP68 rating and an insertion loss of less than 1.3 dB at 1kHz. For more information on our standard acoustic vents please visit http://www.gore.com/products/gore-acoustic-vents.
Results
Gore’s technical insight and holistic lab test support provided the client with a quick and effective solution to their problem. The knowledge, skill, and expertise of the Gore engineering team was instrumental in providing fast and trustworthy service.
With our help, the smartphone OEM was able to
- successfully launch their flagship smartphone with minimal delay – thanks to the velocity of our technical support.
- prevent reputation loss by providing consistent acoustic performance to consumers.
- avoid significant rework costs by offering a drop-in replacement.
- produce over one million parts within half a month – thanks to our extremely robust and flexible supply chain able to meet the high requirements of mass production.
- improve yield from 85% to nearly 100%.
LET US HELP YOU WRITE YOUR SUCCESS STORY
Is there something we can assist you with? Whether it’s technical support, testing advice, or supplying samples – don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re always happy to help you write your success story.
Why Choose GORE® Portable Electronic Vents for Your Electronic Devices?
Leading OEMs have specified over 5 billion GORE® Portable Electronic Vents because they know our products and services can help accelerate their development of innovative and differentiated devices in fast-paced, highly competitive markets.
Product & Application Leadership
Grounded in a deep understanding of material science and acoustics, Gore can provide the optimum venting solution. We balance trade-offs between diverse problems such as adverse operating environments, immersion events and acoustic performance.
RELIABLE PERFORMANCE
To ensure products are “fit for use”, every Gore product must adhere to the highest standards of quality, performance and reliability. Through a comprehensive understanding of end-use applications and requirements, our products do what they say they will do.
Fast Development
The mobile electronics industry develops and releases new products quickly. Our fast response to customer requests during the development process sets us apart. Gore supports this need for quickness with designs and prototypes to ensure engineering teams can meet their project timelines and their application requirements.
Supply Security
Leading OEMS specify Gore because we have consistently proven our ability to quickly supply vents for projects of over 10 million devices per year and continually supply high quality products on-time without disruption.
Material Science
Gore is a global materials science company dedicated to transforming industries and improving lives. Gore develops materials with microporous structures that provide desirable attributes and performance characteristics to engineer vents and other products used in a variety of markets and industries.
Global Support
Our global teams of sales associates, application engineers, manufacturing engineers, and research personnel enable us to provide agile and robust support to customers around the world.
Interested in Testing our Products or Talking to our Experts?
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FOR INDUSTRIAL USE ONLY
Not for use in food, drug, cosmetic or medical device manufacturing, processing, or packaging operations.