ASMPT Simplifies High-Mix SMT Production with Automated Program Changeovers

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

ASMPT, the global market and technology leader in hardware and software solutions for semiconductor and electronics manufacturing, has implemented another step in automating product changeovers on the SMT line. The Automated Program Change function in the WORKS Operations application, which is part of the WORKS Software Suite, has been enhanced with a crucial new feature: In addition to triggering automatic program changeovers with family setups, its latest version now also supports them across setups.

“Automatic Program Change has proven to be a real game changer. Customers report setup time reductions of up to 35 percent and significantly lower nonconformity costs,” says Thomas Marktscheffel, Director Product Management Software Solutions at ASMPT SMT Solutions. In the past, every product change required new assembly programs to be manually downloaded to each machine in a time-consuming and error-prone process. With Automatic Program Change, this now happens automatically as soon as the first PCB of a new batch enters the line. And in the latest version, even setup changeovers are seamlessly integrated because the machines let operators know when stencils or feeder tables need to be replaced. This intelligent function optimizes product changeovers even in complex high-mix/low-volume and provides the foundation for further automation steps like automatic feeder table changeovers.

Industry-standard data transfers

Automated Program Change and its latest enhancement are based on a network with IPC-HERMES-9852 interfaces, which enables seamless data transfers in accordance with the latest industry standard. To make the concept work, the system transmits the necessary information for each new circuit board to the first machine on the line – usually the solder paste printer – either via a barcode reader or digitally via IPC-HERMES-9852 data. If the machine recognizes a batch change, it automatically loads the new assembly program. When the board moves to the next machine, it is accompanied by its IPC-HERMES-9852 data. In this way, each station along the line, irrespective of its manufacturer, adapts its program automatically when needed. The open and standardized interface also ensures that the conveyors automatically adapt to the respective circuit board width – again irrespective of their manufacturer. With family setups, this means that product changeovers are possible with no operator assists whatsoever.

Quick and error-free product changeovers

For electronics manufacturers, the optional Automated Program Change function in WORKS Operations offers several advantages: It enables rapid product changeovers without the line being idle – all that’s required is a barcode reader at the beginning of the line. The automatic changeovers also relieve the operators and avoid scrap resulting from faulty manual downloads.

“With the Automated Program Change across setups, we continue to advance our Intelligent Factory concept at ASMPT,” says Thomas Marktscheffel. “Our goal is to make electronics manufacturing more productive, resilient and efficient through the integrative use of data on the basis of standardized interfaces.”