New Camstar Electronics Suite Provides Game-changing Smart Manufacturing Capabilities for Electronics and Mechanical Processes

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On January 30, 2019 Siemens announced the introduction of Camstar Electronics Suite software, an innovative manufacturing execution system (MES) for electronics. Building on the successful enterprise-level platform for integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing, this powerful, configurable and scalable MES solution enables printed circuit board (PCB) and box assemblers to meet traceability requirements, improve efficiency levels and control manufacturing operations through direct Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity with machines and production lines. Expanding on Siemens’ digital innovation platform, Camstar Electronics Suite creates a true digital thread to empower electronics companies to further their digitalization strategy in line with Industry 4.0. By closing the loop between engineering and the shop floor, and enabling quick reactions to design modifications, manufacturers can shorten product lifecycles, increase production complexities and improve quality across the entire manufacturing lifecycle.

“Siemens made an important step towards helping electronics manufacturers improve operations performance when they acquired Camstar, but by adding capabilities from Mentor’s Valor™ Electronics Manufacturing Solutions software they can now drive a new level of productivity, throughput, and quality for both PCB, mechanical and box-build manufacturing,” said Greg Gorbach, vice president, digitization and IoT, ARC Advisory Group. “With Mentor’s Valor edge data acquisition technology and tight integration with Teamcenter to support a robust digital twin and digital thread, the Camstar Electronics Suite now enables customers in the electronics industry to rapidly adapt to design changes and to speed production by directly connecting with specialized machines and production lines.”

Siemens PLM Software continues to grow its digital innovation platform and look for new ways to expand on the most robust digital twin. This recent collaboration between Siemens’ manufacturing operations management (MOM) software and Mentor technology has created a unique solution, which covers the complete end-to-end mechatronics manufacturing process. Camstar Electronics Suite activates the seamless flow of product and business data between product lifecycle management (PLM), enterprise resource planning (ERP) and shop floor execution through an integrated digital thread, enabling faster and streamlined change cycles. Using this single data source, closed-loop feedbacks from production to design and engineering departments can result in improved quality levels and shorter new product introduction (NPI) processes and go-to-market times.

Siemens’ technology development benefits from the fact that the company also has advanced operational factories which can be early adopters of Siemens innovations. 

“The Camstar Electronics Suite introduces a layer of value that we could never reach with our existing set of disconnected tools, even with custom integration. Furthermore, the inclusion of Valor IoT data acquisition in the suite has drastically simplified the deployment across our assembly lines,” stated Hermann Kraus, MES project lead at Siemens Fürth. “We have already taken the first step of implementation, optimizing material flow with Valor Material Management. We are currently introducing the second step that will deliver a true one-stop-shop solution for Electronics Manufacturing management, covering all process areas and integrated with PLM and ERP," he added.

“This collaboration with Mentor’s Valor technology along with the introduction of Camstar Electronics Suite further expands our positioning in the electronics market and fortifies our leadership as industry trendsetters,” said René Wolf, senior vice president of Manufacturing Operations Management for Siemens PLM Software. “In an era where mass customization and rapid time-to-market determine the ability of electronics companies to succeed, manufacturing processes must be flexible and smart enough to accommodate rapid change in product requirements, while optimizing production efficiency and improving the overall product quality. This is exactly the kind of innovation that the new Camstar Electronics Suite delivers to the market.”