Return to Singapore 1995

In the 1990s, before Compaq was acquired by Hewlett-Packard, its notebook and desktop computer business was booming. It was the leader in the global PC market and a very important VIP customer of Westwood Electronics.

1paq Compaq launched the first new-generation 386 PC designed by Intel Corporation, and achieved the status of the leader. In that year, their company's global PC shipments reached a record of 1 million units, and in 1995, they became the world's largest PC machine. The largest PC market share in the world.

At that time, the Compaq 486 motherboard PCB was thick and heavy. The thin girls in the electrical testing workshop were most afraid of this kind of board. A basket of dozens of circuit boards could not be moved at all.

In the afternoon, after taking a short break after eating, Li Xiaofan brought several models of circuit board circuit diagrams, digital meters and other tools that Song Anni had informed him in the morning, and went to the parking lot with A Qing (Chen Qingxian), the fat guy from the QA department, to prepare for the ride. Song Anne’s red BMW car from the sales department.

Song Anni ran out of the car: "Oh, it's too hot inside the car, it's like a sauna. Don't come in yet, let's turn on the air conditioner in the car for a while!"

The parking lots of the Westwood Electronics Factory are open-air without any shade.

After half a day of sunshine, the car was like a small oven.

Standing in the open parking lot, the three of them all put on sunglasses. The ultraviolet rays of the sun were too strong.

Ah Qing put two sunglasses on his myopia glasses, and Song Anni wore a new pair of Armani brand sunglasses.

Li Xiaofan took out the large-frame sunglasses from his pocket and looked cool and handsome after wearing them.

"Afan, these sunglasses of yours are very cool. Where did you buy them?" Aqing looked at Li Xiaofan's sunglasses and joked with a smile.

"Bought from mainland China..."

"Wow, the style is very new, very similar to those big-name sunglasses on Orchard Road! How much does it cost to buy them from the mainland? Is it expensive?"

"It's not expensive. Guess how much it is?"

"You need about twenty new dollars, right?"

"No need! A few new coins are enough, it won't exceed ten new coins..."

Li Xiaofan slightly exaggerated when he said it.

"So cheap?" Song Anni and A Qing both asked curiously.

"Well, it's not expensive! Brother Qing, if you like it, I'll give you a pair next time. I still have several pairs in my dormitory!"

"It's not okay to give it away for free, you still have to give it money!"

Song Anni sighed: "Oh man, sunglasses in mainland China are so cheap! The one I'm wearing was bought on Orchard Road last month. It cost me hundreds of Singapore dollars. It makes me feel bad to hear you say that. Dead!"

…

The air-conditioning effect of the BMW was very good. After a few minutes, the three of them got in the car and set off.

Sitting in the passenger seat next to Song Anni, the chubby Ah Qing blinked with envy and said, "Oh, Anni, your family is so rich! If it were me, I would enjoy my life at home and not come to work!"

Ah Qing's family is of average means and he usually drives a motorcycle to work.

Song Anni is a second-generation young rich person. After failing to do well in the 40-level examination, her father sent her to study in Australia. She came back after receiving a bachelor's degree in business from the University of Melbourne the year before last.

"It's so boring to be at home. It's more interesting to work out and have a social circle. You'd be bored to death by yourself at home!" Song Anni said with a smile.

After the two got on the bus, they communicated in Singaporean English, which they were used to. The two chatted and laughed for a while, then suddenly thought that Li Xiaofan next to them was from mainland China, and felt a little left out. Song Anni switched to Chinese and said:

"Afan, do you understand the English we speak?"

"It's okay..."

Song Anni probably wanted to save face because Li Xiaofan had the impression that the English of the mainland employees was very poor. Several new college students were basically mute in English. They could understand but couldn't speak or listen. What's more, Li Xiaofan was promoted as an operator. technician.

She then said to Ah Qing: "Then the three of us will communicate in Chinese when we are together!"

"OK!"

The three arrived at the Compaq conference room in Singapore.

The other party’s purchasing manager, Lao Han, pointed to several boxes full of circuit boards with components and said in English:

"Annie, this is a computer board that was recently tested on the ICT machine on our assembly line and has a problem. We initially judge that there is a problem with several PTH plating holes on your multi-layer circuit board. It is estimated that there may be a short circuit inside!"

After speaking, he took out a sample, pointed at two similar solder joints and said, "Look, we removed all the components on it, and after testing, it turned out that there was still a short circuit between the two isolated solder joints. We suspect that there may be a short circuit between the PTH plating holes of your multi-layer circuit board! Several boxes of circuit boards have had similar problems. Please confirm again now! Our assembly line is still in production. It is estimated that the problem is behind the board. There may be more..."

No way? Song Anni's heart skipped a beat when she heard this: These circuit boards have already been marked with thousands of components. If the problem is caused by Westwood Electronics circuit boards, they will have to pay a lot of money, and it will affect Westwood Electronics' reputation and next orders. .

Song Anni said to Li Xiaofan in Chinese: "Afan, do you understand the English Mr. Han said? Do you want me to translate it for you?"

"No need for translation, I understand!"

"Then check quickly to see if it's a problem with our circuit board!"

"OK!"

Li Xiaofan took out the circuit board circuit diagram of this model from the folder. The two solder joints mentioned by the customer were test points No. 1208 and 1209. According to the drawing, they were indeed two unrelated isolated points.

"Beep..." He tested it with a digital meter and found that there was indeed a short circuit.

He lifted up the computer board and observed it. Because the surface of the circuit board was covered with dense electronic components, it was difficult to see the direction of the two test points.

"I'm sorry, can you provide me with the complete circuit diagram?" Tang Yifan requested the other party's purchasing manager in English. The circuit diagram he wanted was a complete circuit diagram with components added. Li Xiaofan only had a bare circuit board circuit diagram in his hand.

"Sorry, our purchasing department does not have this drawing..." Old Han shook his head.

"Oh well……"

Li Xiaofan held the circuit board under the light and looked at it carefully with a magnifying glass.

Time passed quietly minute by minute, and there was silence in the conference room, waiting for Li Xiaofan's judgment.

Song Anni and Ah Qing beside them were a little worried: Can young people from the mainland do it?

Five minutes later, Li Xiaofan whispered: "The problem was found!

He took out a razor blade, lightly cut a connector on the edge of the circuit board, and then used a digital meter to test solder joints 1208 and 1209. This time, the circuit board made no "beep" sound, and it seemed that there was no short circuit. Problem solved!

"What's the problem?" Old Han asked curiously.

Li Xiaofan pointed to the connector and said in English: "Looking at this point, it should be the problem that in the SMT mounting process, the wave soldering process was not well controlled..."

What he means is that your factory did not control the wave soldering process well during SMT mounting. A small amount of solder ran into the connector, causing two contacts to short-circuit, and these two contacts were connected to No. 1208 and No. 1208 respectively. Solder joint No. 1209 is connected, so it causes a short circuit! I just used a blade to cut this strand of solder, and the problem was solved! "

"Oh?" The purchasing manager took a look at the magnifying glass doubtfully, and it turned out to be true!

Then Li Xiaofan and the others took out the entire box of circuit boards and checked them out. The results were similar: a small amount of solder ran into the connector, shorting the contacts!

The problem was successfully solved and it has nothing to do with the quality of the circuit board products from their Ximu Electronics Factory!

After coming out of Compaq Company in Singapore, Song Anni was very happy: "Come on, I'll treat you to afternoon tea!"