Technica Tech Day Event on AI and the Large BGA Solution Hits the Mark

May 27, 2026 | Technica USA

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

On May 13–14, 2026, Technica USA hosted its Tech Day Event in San Jose, California, bringing together more than 25 companies and over 60 attendees from across the electronics manufacturing industry. The event focused on how the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence is driving new manufacturing requirements and changing the technologies used for SMT placement, inspection, and process control.

Participating technology partners included ASMPT, Essemtec, PARMI, and Creative Electron, each contributing specialized expertise to address the growing challenges associated with large BGA placement, inspection, handling, and reliability.

Each day’s agenda featured technical presentations in the morning followed by live equipment demonstrations in the afternoon. The technical sessions were held at the NextFlex facility, while hands on demonstrations took place at Technica’s Demo Center in San Jose.

Jason Perry, President of Technica USA, opened the event by welcoming attendees and emphasizing the importance of reconnecting with customers through in-person collaboration.

Perry stated, “These events were a cornerstone of how we connected with our customers in the past, only to be disrupted for a period of time due to COVID and the pause everyone took before returning to larger gatherings,” said Perry. “We are fully focused on delivering meaningful technical value through in-person collaboration.”

Perry also encouraged customers to take advantage of Technica’s Demo and Applications Center as a resource for process development, evaluation, and hands-on learning.

The morning session included an introduction to NextFlex and a tour of the facility hosted by Fabian Schnegg, Director of Engineering and Manufacturing. NextFlex is dedicated to strengthening the U.S. industrial base for hybrid electronics manufacturing through collaboration between industry leaders, academic institutions, non-profit organizations, and government partners including Boeing, Raytheon, and Lockheed Martin. The organization operates through three key areas: a manufacturing consortium, a technology hub, and education and workforce development programs. Together, these initiatives help advance manufacturing technology, expand fabrication capabilities, and develop the workforce needed for the future of electronics manufacturing.

The technical sessions began with Gary Burroughs, Director of Account Management, and Mark Ogden, Marketing Manager Americas for ASMPT, who discussed the manufacturing challenges created by AI-focused data center hardware. They explained how the latest generation of server platforms utilize large, thick, and heavy PCBs populated with extremely dense component layouts that include ICs, electrolytic capacitors, and massive quantities of passive devices placed at non-standard angles.

In addition, these assemblies require precise spacer placement and inspection prior to BGA placement. The BGAs themselves can contain more than 20,000 solder balls and weigh hundreds of grams, creating entirely new process challenges for SMT manufacturers.

ASMPT demonstrated how the SIPLACE SX platform addresses these demanding applications. During the live demonstration, attendees observed the system inspecting spacers on the PCB, verifying BGA pad cleanliness, inspecting solder balls on a large BGA package measuring approximately 150 mm x 150 mm and weighing nearly 500 grams, checking coplanarity and warpage using integrated sensor technology, and finally placing the device onto the PCB with high precision.

PARMI followed with a presentation by Juan Arango, Head of Sales and Business Development. PARMI’s presentation focused on inspection technologies. While integrated inspection capabilities are available within placement systems such as the ASMPT SIPLACE SX, it was explained that high BIG BGA production requirements often demand standalone inspection systems to maintain overall line efficiency.

The presentation explained how the PARMI Xceed and SigmaX inspection platforms combine exclusive laser scanning technology, compact sensor engineering, and AI-powered automation to deliver highly accurate inspection across large BGA, SMT, THT, and microelectronics applications. Its high-focused laser system provides precise height measurements on both matte and reflective surfaces, while the compact dual-laser sensor design enables deep visibility into tightly packed components and connector pins.

Customers had the opportunity see the power of PARMI’s true AI powered automation. A customer decided to challenge what was presented in the technical presentation by picking up a pcb at his facility to have PARMI demonstrate their AI-driven recipe creation and debugging platform reducing setup time, labor, and cost while enabling fast, reliable inspections, even without CAD or Gerber files. The unknown board took 5 minutes to program as compared to taking hours.

The next presentation was delivered by Bill Dodd, Customer Applications Engineer for Essemtec. Bill focused on Essemtec’s application portfolio and emphasized the importance of BGA reballing in today’s manufacturing environment. With many of these components carrying extremely high values and containing between 20,000 and 30,000 solder balls, a missing ball or incorrect alloy can result in unacceptable yield loss and costly scrap. Utilizing Essemtec’s unique multi-process platform, it’s possible to save damaged BGAs with the repeatability and precision of SMT equipment.

In the afternoon session, Essemtec demonstrated advanced capabilities for precision jet dispensing and ball placement while also highlighting the flexibility and accuracy of its automation platforms for other complex SMT placement and dispensing applications. The live demonstrations showcased how manufacturers can improve yield, reduce component waste, and maintain process reliability when working with next-generation large format devices.

The technical session concluded with an in-depth presentation on X-ray inspection from Bill Cardoso, CEO of Creative Electron. Widely recognized as an industry expert in X-ray technology, Cardoso delivered a technical presentation focused on the growing X-ray inspection challenges associated with next-generation AI and high-performance computing hardware. Modern GPU and accelerator BGAs now contain more than 20,000 solder interconnects with pitches approaching sub-0.4 mm geometries, creating major inspection difficulties for conventional X-ray systems. The presentation highlighted challenges including geometric distortion, superposition from multilayer PCB structures, beam hardening from heavy copper planes, and reduced image contrast caused by ultra-fine pitch solder joints and advanced thermal materials.

Creative Electron demonstrated advanced imaging technologies including high-resolution 2D X-ray, 2.5D analysis, 3D planar computed tomography (SDX), and 3D CT X-ray imaging designed specifically for large-format BGA inspection. The live demonstration showcased how AI-assisted defect recognition and advanced computational imaging improve detection of hidden defects such as head-in-pillow failures, micro-voiding, non-wet opens, shorts, and package warpage while maintaining SMT production throughput. The presentation reinforced the critical role advanced X-ray inspection plays in ensuring reliability for AI, aerospace, defense, and high-performance computing applications.

During the demonstration session at Technica’s Demo & Applications Center, Perry took the opportunity to introduce some of their other supply partners to the attendees so they too could provide updates on their products offerings. Perry also announced to the attendees that Technica had formed a new partnership with Rehm Thermal Systems, a company that offers top of the line thermal solutions for the PCB assembly and the Semiconductor markets, as well as conformal coating solutions. Perry let those in attendance know Rehm would be placing equipment in the demo center soon and Technica would notify customers when it arrives.

Logan Foster, Sales Engieneer for Inovaxe, presented the company’s award-winning hardware and software solutions designed to optimize material flow throughout SMT manufacturing operations. Foster demonstrated how Inovaxe systems help reduce unnecessary labor, increase machine uptime, streamline inventory management, and improve supply chain efficiency to positively impact overall manufacturing performance.

David Bures, Technica Operations Manager for DCT U.S.A., introduced the company’s complete cleaning solutions for the electronics industry. DCT offers high-quality water and alcohol based cleaning agents as well as stainless steel cleaning systems designed and manufactured in-house. The presentation highlighted both online and offline cleaning traceability solutions and emphasized the collaboration between Technica and DCT to establish a dedicated applications and demonstration area at Technica’s San Jose facility.

Attendees learned that the DCT/Technica demonstration and applications lab was created to help customers evaluate cleaning processes and develop solutions for challenges involving coatings on pallets, ovens, parts, and PCB assemblies.

Perry utilized the moment himself to bring notice to a couple of other supply partners, REECO and Technica by Electro Design product lines.

REECO provides a complete line of high-quality ESD workbenches and customized ESD garments. Attendees had the opportunity to see the REECO ergonomic workstation in Technica’s demo centers as well the variety of ESD clothing available through REECO. Perry also pointed out that a workstation configurator is available on the Technica website, allowing customers to design solutions tailored to their manufacturing environments.

The Technica by Electro Design, the company’s line of material handling equipment, was also on display in the demo center. The setup included a bare board Destacker, ED600 belt conveyor with reject lift and a light Loader/Unloader. Technica’s line of material handling equipment provides automation solutions designed to improve SMT line efficiency and flexibility.

Technica’s Tech Day event was designed to provide customers with practical insights, hands-on demonstrations, and direct access to industry experts, reinforcing the company’s commitment to delivering innovative solutions and trusted partnerships throughout the electronics manufacturing industry.