Mycronic to Showcase Assembly Line at IPC APEX EXPO 2019

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Mycronic is expanding its customers' abilities to achieve more flexible and profitable electronics production with a complete SMT assembly line solution designed for smart factory connectivity. At IPC APEX 2019 (January 29-31, San Diego Convention Center, booth 2141) the company will demonstrate the capabilities of its new MYPro Line, which comprises state-of-the-art jet printing, 3D SPI, pick-and-place, 3D AOI and intelligent storage solutions.

One Intelligent Line from a Single Vendor

On display at APEX 2019 will be a future-proof production line optimized to ensure maximum uptime in even the most demanding production environments. The fully software-driven MYPro Line comprises the versatile MY700 Jet Printer and Jet Dispensers, high-accuracy PI-series 3D solder paste inspection systems, MY300 pick-and-place machines, K series 3D AOI systems for automated optical inspection of printed circuit boards, advanced process improvement software and SMD Tower intelligent storage systems. With one integrated line from a single vendor, manufacturers will benefit from continuous process improvement with real-time production insights and proactive component replenishments, together with both horizontal and vertical factory connectivity.

High-Speed Solder Paste Jet Dispensing to Replace Stencil Printers

Mycronic's unique MY700 Jet Printer and Jet Dispenser is capable of jetting any dot size in almost any fluid for any component. The versatile, software-driven and modular solution, supports full traceability, together with SPI and MES connectivity. The new MY700 twin solution will be showcased at APEX, featuring two MY700s that seamlessly work as one system with twice the output. This high-speed solder paste and assembly fluid jetting platform is capable of replacing stencil printers in any production environment and includes a wide range of additional capabilities. The system can be equipped with a range of solder paste ejectors for any application, from demanding high-volume production down to flexible batch-size-one assembly, and can handle the most challenging flex boards or fine-pitch components. For high-speed glue dispensing the MY700 can be equipped with versatile adhesive fluid ejectors for a broad range of applications and package technologies.

Eliminating Solder Paste Defects with SPI

The integration of the PI series 3D Solder Paste Inspection system into the MYPro Line makes it possible to measure paste volume with extreme precision. Automatic pad grouping helps to improve process and tolerance settings over time, and operators can monitor the solder paste print process in real time, both online and offline. The combination of highly accurate SPI data and a range of smart auto-programming functions ensures high-quality inspection that can significantly improve first-pass yield, regardless of operator experience.

The Perfect Solder Joint at Any Speed

Mycronic will present its new add-on and repair solution for the solder paste application process in SMT assembly lines. Added in-line after a stencil printer, the solution makes it possible to simplify stencil designs, eliminate stepped stencils and increase overall yield at high speeds by leaving the most difficult deposits to the fully software-controlled jet printing and inspection system.

This will come as welcome news for manufacturers running high-volume SMT assembly lines that today rely on the use of stencil printers. The Mycronic solution includes a PI series 3D SPI system combined in-line with a MY700 Jet Printer. This is a fully software integrated, closed-loop jet printing and inspection solution that can be used to repair missing solder paste from the stencil printing process, add solder paste in difficult areas on the board or automatically add solder paste with high precision to existing print patterns to achieve the perfect volume for specific pads.

New Additions to the MY300 Pick-and-Place Series

To further raise production speeds for Mycronic customers, the company will also present two new pick-and-place machine models: the high-speed placer MY300HX and the fine-pitch and odd-shape placer MY300EX. Assembly lines based on the new models promise the same flexibility as Mycronic's high-capacity Synergy lines with up to twice the throughput, depending on component mix. The showcased solution offers a compact, flexible and future-proof pick-and-place line rated at 100,000 components per hour, offering customers a strong return on investment.

Continuous Yield and Quality Improvement

Similarly, the K series 3D Automated Optical Inspection system provides enhanced process monitoring to continuously improve yield and quality on even the most complex product geometries. This makes it possible to ensure comprehensive test coverage, minimize false calls and drill down into powerful image libraries with advanced algorithmic assistance. According to Dr Thomas Stetter, Sr VP Assembly Solutions at Mycronic, "the addition of solder paste inspection and automated optical inspection not only completes our full production line offering, it also brings powerful data into the operator's process controls to enable real-time production insights and product quality improvements."

The Shortest Path to a Smarter Future

As electronics manufacturers evolve to handle more complex build schedules and challenging components, Mycronic's new factory automation solutions aim to guarantee the highest possible line utilization and build quality for any type of future application. "Thanks to more comprehensive data integration and broader software control capabilities, we can now promise customers an integrated set of modular technology platforms that will only grow more powerful over time," concludes Dr Thomas Stetter. "It's a complete set of mature, state-of-the-art technologies that can connect with any intelligent factory environment. No matter how unpredictable tomorrow's production challenges may be, the shortest path to a smarter future is now clear."

The full range of new production line solutions will be on display at the Mycronic exhibition booth at IPC APEX EXPO 2019, January 29-31 at the San Diego Convention Center, booth 2141.

About Mycronic

Mycronic AB is a Swedish high-tech company engaged in the development, manufacture and marketing of production equipment with high precision and flexibility requirements for the electronics industry. Mycronic's headquarters are located in Täby, north of Stockholm and the Group has subsidiaries in France, Japan, China, the Netherlands, Singapore, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Germany and the USA. Mycronic (MYCR) is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.