How Do I Get Smart With IPC CFX? (Part 1)

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

Figure 3: Examples of CFX message transfer.

Four of the main “Level 1” topics are color-coded in Figure 3. Beneath each Level 1 topic is a series of Level 2 topics, which provide finer detail about events. Level 3 topics also exist beneath Level 2, which focus on specific technical areas of technology. The main topics are as follows:

• Root: Messages used to establish communication and discovery of endpoints together with their capabilities, described in terms of supported topics
• Production: Messages used to convey an action or value directly related to or has affected a unit of production; this includes product flow control, recipe management, machine setup, poka-yoke control (a Japanese term describing the operational hand-shake used to avoid the possibility of incorrect operation occurring), closed-loop data analysis, assembly actions (materials and tools used) as well as support for test data and result acquisition
• Resource Performance: Details and timings of performance events, operational state changes, and related data; note that CFX provides data with which performance metrics can be calculated and does not transfer pre-defined metrics or reports
• Materials: Information about materials as they are received at the factory, including transportation, verification, carriers, etc., as well as material transport orders
• Information: Work order definition and scheduling, quality management, data, and validation of production units
• Sensor: Identification of production units and acquisition of measurements, including energy consumption, temperature, and humidity

This article was originally presented at the Technical Proceedings of SMTA International 2018. In Part 2, Ford will address CFX adoption, the values and challenges of digitalization with CFX, and the scope of CFX utilization.

Michael Ford is the senior director of emerging industry strategy at Aegis Software.

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