Universal Instruments Simplifies Smart Automation at IPC APEX EXPO

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Universal Instruments will showcase a lineup of electronics assembly automation solutions on Booth 2405 at the 2024 IPC APEX EXPO, held at the Anaheim Convention Center on April 9–11. On the booth, Universal will demonstrate its industry benchmark Fuzion® Platform and versatile Uflex® automation platform, as well as its new value-driven Omni™ Inserter. The company’s IQ360™ factory software suite will also be featured.

Fuzion delivers a low cost per placement for any product mix, from traditional to complex PCBA and odd-form to various semiconductor applications. The Fuzion portfolio supports a range of production environments, including extra-capacity (XC) models with up to 272 feeder inputs to support multiple products in NPI and high-speed models with 30-spindle placement heads and up to 66,500 cph.

Uflex accommodates an array of process modules, as well as a wide variety of feeding options to perform virtually any automation task. It supports up to four independent process modules on a single gantry, including vacuum or pneumatic placement, screw driving, UV curing, dispensing, and more.

For more basic automation tasks, the Omni Inserter offers simplified operation and single-process efficiency. It leverages a linear motor positioning system and a host of intelligent features to deliver accurate, high-speed insertion of axial, radial and other odd-form components.

The IQ360 Software Suite is a full complement of smart factory modules designed to control, monitor and improve production efficiency. Comprised of Design & NPI, Material Management, Production Control, and Monitoring & Analytics modules, IQ360 offers individual capability bundles that meet specific factory requirements, providing a true “connected factory” production environment.

“SMT processes are already highly automated, but end-of-line and back-end processes can be predominantly manual and highly inefficient,” said Glenn Farris, Universal Instruments Vice President, Global Customer Operations and Corporate Marketing. “Typical high-volume customers note that these processes account for <5% of total placements but the majority of all rework,” continued Farris. “The key is to alleviate these inefficiencies with intelligent solutions that align with the operators’ level of automation experience. From the basic user to the power user, we offer plug-and-play through highly configurable solutions for complex automation tasks.”