Bev, I think it depends greatly on the nature of the work. A lab setup to do incoming inspection of items, quality checks, etc., can be more accurately forecasted based on production schedules and sampling plans. If the lab is doing failure analysis work or process troubleshooting, it is much more variable. We are more based on the latter and our work goes in gusts. Mr. Hillman and I vary in workload throughout the year. Some months we are buried in work and other months we are REALLY buried in work. The better your process control, the less work coming in from that. Another factor is whether your lab rats are doing customer service. When at CSL, I had to split time between talking with clients, writing the reports, and doing the work. I could have gotten more done if not on the phone, but hey. I think it also depends on the level of automation in the equipment, labor intensive vs automated (e.g. autosamplers). Doug Pauls Bev Christian <[log in to unmask] To: [log in to unmask] ET> cc: Sent by: TechNet Subject: [TN] Technical Question about Materials Labs <TechNet@listserv .ipc.org> 06/06/2003 12:51 PM Please respond to "TechNet E-Mail Forum."; Please respond to Bev Christian Technetters, This question is directed mainly at the "lab rats" out there. Are there any rules of thumb that are used to determine the appropriate level of staffing a lab to support an electronics manufacturing process/plant/company? Based on what - square footage of lab, plant, number of people in company? Obviously it is also related to the complexity of the product(s) and $$ in the pocket of the company. Just curious. Any of you independent labs willing to wade in on this one? Susan? Terry? regards, Bev Christian Research in Motion --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8e To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/html/forum.htm for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.5315 ----------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8e To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/html/forum.htm for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.5315 -----------------------------------------------------