-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- smt007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueComing to Terms With AI
In this issue, we examine the profound effect artificial intelligence and machine learning are having on manufacturing and business processes. We follow technology, innovation, and money as automation becomes the new key indicator of growth in our industry.
Box Build
One trend is to add box build and final assembly to your product offering. In this issue, we explore the opportunities and risks of adding system assembly to your service portfolio.
IPC APEX EXPO 2024 Pre-show
This month’s issue devotes its pages to a comprehensive preview of the IPC APEX EXPO 2024 event. Whether your role is technical or business, if you're new-to-the-industry or seasoned veteran, you'll find value throughout this program.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - smt007 Magazine
Saki Discusses Industry 4.0 and True 3D Technology
June 12, 2017 | Stephen Las Marias, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
Armstrong: Absolutely. One thing that's made that easier is we already had the quality data available to us and inherent in our systems to begin with. That has allowed us to now focus on this connectivity aspect and being able to exchange that data with other types of equipment. We also have a software group at our headquarters in Japan and in Europe. So there's a lot of activity going on with this, as well as, of course, in other projects like the focus on the miniaturization of components and then the need to be able to fully read and measure aspects for 0201 metric components. A lot of work going out in that area and it's all really tied together.
Las Marias: Manufacturers considered inspection as an added cost before, but nowadays they're finding it more and more relevant to have an inspection line in their manufacturing process.
Armstrong: There was a time in the early days of AOI where basically a lot companies just wanted to say that they had AOI, that they had an inspection process. But it wasn't necessarily utilized in a way that would be all that meaningful to actually improving the process and the end-product quality. This is again, another aspect for Saki that's really been an advantage, because since day one all the machines have been inspection and measurement machines. So, Saki has always had that capability for that kind of meaningful measurement and data that could be used and designed exactly with the idea of improving the process to improve the end-product quality.
As we move into the onset of 3D technology, maybe some of those that first had AOI just as a way of saying that they had inspection in the process, it now becomes something more meaningful and there's more that can be done with it. It can now be utilized in a more powerful manner. We've seen a big realization of that over the last couple years. I think there was a lot of reluctance with 3D in the beginning, but now everybody's realizing the benefits that that can bring versus the way AOI was viewed some years ago. So it really is being seen now how this can be used to improve the process and the end-product quality in a more meaningful manner.
Las Marias: How do you help those companies who have invested first in 2D AOI, and now need to transition to 3D as boards get more complex?
Armstrong: As new technology becomes available, and people see the benefits of it, they want to incorporate that technology into their process and into their factory. That really is a driving factor. The 3D technology, especially true 3D like Saki has, can be utilized in a manner that just wasn't there with the 2D technology. People are doing it because they're realizing the benefits that the 3D technology can provide. Saki, having the long legacy equipment in 2D, was able to carry all of that over into the 3D systems. So it makes Saki's 3D solutions even more powerful by bringing a lot of those features from 2D forward. Because the fact of the matter is some things are best inspected using 2D algorithms and other things are best inspected by 3D systems. Having a system that can handle both of those technologies equally as well is important to having a total inspection solution and inspection measurement. That certainly is a strength for Saki.
Las Marias: Does that mean that they have to take out their 2D AOI and replace it with 3D AOI, or can that equipment work together?
Armstrong: In some cases, it may be where they would be utilized together or for different products or different parts of the process, because the need for 3D can also be determined by the complexity of the board and the criticality of the product that you're making. All those factors come into play. But basically it's all going toward 3D. The benefits are becoming clearer and clearer, and especially when you got a system like Saki's that incorporates the 2D and 3D so well, really it doesn't make sense to invest in old technology and limit yourself that way.
Las Marias: What do you think will be the next stage in the development for the AOI equipment space?
Armstrong: That's a good question. As we know, of course, the interconnectivity and Industry 4.0 aspects are going to continue to be of great interest, and then the miniaturization and being able to accomplish the miniaturization with speed improvements and the flow of the factory. Those are certainly important factors in being able to inspect a greater range of components and greater situations on a board, densities and so on. These are ongoing endeavors, but certainly continue in that direction, and we'll see where else.
Las Marias: Quintin, is there anything that we haven't talked about that you think we should be talking about?
Armstrong: You're asking a tough question. I think that pretty well covers it for this realm. It's certainly a fast-moving industry. Technology is fast moving. We see that with the Industry 4.0 endeavors, but there are a lot of good things going on.
Las Marias: How do you see this year developing?
Armstrong: This looks like a very promising year. We just went through an election year last year, that seems to have had some impact on things at times, but 2016 was good and there’s optimism in the market for 2017. With a lot of things going on, like autonomous vehicles and things like that, there's a lot of activity and things evolve so quickly. We see some important things happening that I think will continue to drive the market. Of course, inspection and measurement is a critical part of that as these things get to be more and more complex.
Las Marias: Thank you very much, Quintin.
Armstrong: Thank you.
This article was originally published in the June 2017 issue of SMT Magazine.
Page 2 of 2Suggested Items
KIC’s Miles Moreau to Present Profiling Basics and Best Practices at SMTA Wisconsin Chapter PCBA Profile Workshop
01/25/2024 | KICKIC, a renowned pioneer in thermal process and temperature measurement solutions for electronics manufacturing, announces that Miles Moreau, General Manager, will be a featured speaker at the SMTA Wisconsin Chapter In-Person PCBA Profile Workshop.
The Drive Toward UHDI and Substrates
09/20/2023 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamPanasonic’s Darren Hitchcock spoke with the I-Connect007 Editorial Team on the complexities of moving toward ultra HDI manufacturing. As we learn in this conversation, the number of shifting constraints relative to traditional PCB fabrication is quite large and can sometimes conflict with each other.
Standard Of Excellence: The Products of the Future
09/19/2023 | Anaya Vardya -- Column: Standard of ExcellenceIn my last column, I discussed cutting-edge innovations in printed circuit board technology, focusing on innovative trends in ultra HDI, embedded passives and components, green PCBs, and advanced substrate materials. This month, I’m following up with the products these new PCB technologies are destined for. Why do we need all these new technologies?
Experience ViTrox's State-of-the-Art Offerings at SMTA Guadalajara 2023 Presented by Sales Channel Partner—SMTo Engineering
09/18/2023 | ViTroxViTrox, which aims to be the world’s most trusted technology company, is excited to announce that our trusted Sales Channel Partner (SCP) in Mexico, SMTo Engineering, S.A. de C.V., will be participating in SMTA Guadalajara Expo & Tech Forum. They will be exhibiting in Booth #911 from the 25th to the 26th of October 2023, at the Expo Guadalajara in Jalisco, Mexico.
Intel Unveils Industry-Leading Glass Substrates to Meet Demand for More Powerful Compute
09/18/2023 | IntelIntel announced one of the industry’s first glass substrates for next-generation advanced packaging, planned for the latter part of this decade.