[Company Visit] Not a Single Particle Allowed... Jaeyeong Solutec Vietnam Factory

Entire Factory with 'Cleanroom' Concept... Quality Control as Top Priority
Over 90% Automation Achieved Except Inspection Process
Developing Next-Generation Actuator Beyond Existing OIS

Inside Jaeyoung Vina, the Jaeyoung Solutec factory located in Bac Ninh City, Vietnam. Photo by Jaeyoung Solutec

"Please take off your shoes before entering."

At Jaeyoung Solutek's Vietnam factory, you remove your shoes right from the lobby. There are no indoor slippers or shoe covers. You can walk barefoot everywhere just like in a regular home. Whether in the cleanroom where products are manufactured, the office, or the cafeteria, no shoes are worn. Although it felt unusual to tour the factory without shoes, after a while, looking at the soles of my feet, I understood why it was allowed. The socks were as clean as if they were just put on. At this level, it would be no exaggeration to call it a 'super clean factory.'

Cleanliness is Quality... Aiming to be the 'Cleanest Factory in the World'

The attention to cleanliness was evident even on the production line. Thousands of small holes are drilled into the cleanroom ceiling and floor. This is to circulate air from the ceiling to the floor to expel dust and various foreign substances. Additionally, the inspection tables for products were specially designed by Jaeyoung Solutek itself to remove any possible foreign particles. Such technology for removing contaminants is integrated throughout the manufacturing process.

The reason Jaeyoung Solutek focuses on cleanliness is that foreign substances determine product quality. At Jaeyoung Solutek's Vietnam factory, 'Jaeyoung Vina,' they produce the 'actuator,' a core component of smartphone cameras. The actuator is a device that automatically moves the lens inside the camera to the optimal focus position.

Seungjae Kim, CEO of Jaeyoung Solutek, said, "Camera modules and optical devices can have defects caused by micro-level foreign particles, so reducing contaminants during manufacturing is the most important. From the factory's establishment, we applied the concept of creating the 'cleanest manufacturing factory in the world,' managing not only the cleanroom but also the restrooms and cafeteria so that not a speck of dust accumulates."

According to factory officials, the thorough foreign substance management at Jaeyoung Solutek is confirmed by the defect rates of client products. It is explained that when camera module companies, which are clients, used other companies' products, the defect rate was significantly higher compared to when using Jaeyoung Vina's products.

Automation + Efficiency... Green Light for Next-Generation Actuator Development

Jaeyoung Vina, located in Bac Ninh City, Vietnam, covers an area of 37,600㎡, more than five times the size of a soccer field. It has a total of 36 production lines, including 24 VCM (Voice Coil Motor) lines, 6 ENCODER lines, and 6 OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) lines. The VCM lines can produce 15 million units per month, while the ENCODER and OIS lines can each produce 3.6 million units monthly. The products manufactured here are supplied to numerous leading domestic and international camera module companies and ultimately delivered to major global smartphone manufacturers, who are key clients.

About 1,300 employees work at Jaeyoung Vina. This is a relatively small workforce considering the factory's size. This is thanks to the automation and efficiency improvements of processes that were mostly manual in the past. A factory official explained, "Because the products are three-dimensional rather than flat, human labor is still needed for material movement and machine inspection. Except for inspection processes, over 90% of the operations are automated."

Jaeyoung Solutek completed its first cleanroom in April 2017 and began mass production of VCM in November of the same year. VCM is an actuator that controls position with a single axis and spring. Jaeyoung Solutek is an absolute leader in this field, holding the largest market share for VCMs in both premium and budget models of client companies. Later, in 2020, they developed the encoder type, which controls position via sensors, and began supplying it to flagship models of clients. Currently, among sales in the nano-optics sector, the encoder accounts for the largest share.

Jaeyoung Solutek's growth engine is OIS. OIS is a device that corrects hand tremors through three-axis movement. It is more expensive than VCM and encoder and is mainly used in high-end smartphones. In May, it was decided to be installed in the Galaxy S23 FE, and mass production began in September, marking its first entry into the S series.

Jaeyoung Solutek is also developing next-generation actuators beyond OIS. Ironically, the next-generation actuators are expected to have a driving method similar to the low-cost VCM model. This is because it is difficult to maintain performance while making the thickness thinner with the existing ball or spring types. Especially since Jaeyoung Solutek has strengths in the VCM sector, major clients are reportedly very interested in this technology development.

CEO Seungjae Kim said, "We have made great efforts to meet the demanding standards of major global smartphone manufacturers, our key clients, and are gradually seeing results. Our goal is to supply OIS to foldable and flagship models as well."