Global Sourcing Spotlight: The Hidden Power of the Rep Network
Smart Automation: When Traditional Depaneling Methods Reach Their Limits
Powering the Future: When Material Choice Defines RF Performance
Transition Automation, Inc. (TA) has qualified to supply a top tier Space and Satellite Technology provider’s SMT Printing Process through multiple large-format orders for Permalex Edge Universal Holder and Blade systems with Soft-Touch Paste Retainers. Through this collaboration spanning the last 12 months, TA has supplied Permalex assemblies for multiple SMT printing platforms including Fuji, MPM-Momentum I, II, and Ersa-VersaPrint. This collaboration highlights a key benefit afforded by Transition’s Universal Holder Design: The ability to standardize Blade and Holder systems across multiple platforms.
“Our industry has bifurcated into many variations of squeegee holder designs, and each requires specific calibration criteria,” states Mark Curtin, President of Transition Automation. “Large multi-site companies often deploy these varying platforms, and it becomes challenging to bring each into conformance with a set of parameters that gravitates to the highest standard of quality. With Transition’s Universal Holder System, each platform has the same squeegee holder design and, therefore, multi-site operations can achieve a more consistent and understandable quality process.”
Another factor that makes this collaboration significant is that the value behind Space and Satellite Technology is usually orders of magnitude higher than traditional SMT and more so for large formfactor production.
“To be qualified for this type of SMT production that launches into orbit is a great achievement and acknowledgement of the good engineering behind Permalex Squeegee technology,” adds Curtin. “Large-format printing has significant cost scale factor where material costs are a squared function. If problems occur they will certainly occur on large-format production more than they will on small formfactors. So having a top-quality squeegee can be a big step toward stability and performance on the SMT line.”
