PCB + ASSEMBLY At the heart of production Surface-mount line to fulfil emerging market demands MI Elektronika is the first high-tech EMS in Slovenia to install the atom3 high-speed pick-and-place platform at the heart of a full line solution. The electronics assembly services specialist installed the highspeed surface-mount assembly line, supplied and supported by Europlacer, at its factory to accelerate growth in domestic and export markets. The Europlacer atom3 inline at the factory of MI Elektronika. The new line contains the first atom3 pick-and-place platform to be installed in Slovenia, which is tightly integrated with the latest printing, inspection, and reflow equipment from Speedprint, Cyberoptics, and Heller. Trusted by medical, automation, and consumer brands to build complex electronic assemblies for applications, such as laser surgery, industrial controls, and advanced home appliances, the company chose Europlacer’s flagship model to combine cutting-edge surface-mount capabilities with high speed and superior flexibility. More flexibility with an extra line Tomaž Zorko, Chief Technical Officer, explains the timing of the decision: “We aim to achieve our growth targets by meeting our current customers’ needs and winning new business. This requires boosting capacity, while at the same time increasing flexibility, to cost effectively fulfil small orders, as well as extend our capabilities to assemble the latest component types, including 01005 SMD chips and wafer-level IC packages. The atom3 at the heart of our new SMT line enables us to meet those demands and is fast, accurate, and extremely reliable.” The new line is the fourth to be installed at the Slovenian 1400-square-metre factory. The three existing lines comprise of Europlacer iineo pick-and-place machines, Speedprint screen printers, Cyberoptics Solder Paste Inspection (SPI) and Automatic Optical Inspection (AOI) stations, and Heller reflow ovens. They have delivered outstanding service for over 10 years. Source: MI Elektronika Simple integration with more support In addition to considering previous successful experiences with the brand and evaluating the new equipment’s performance, Tomaž Zorko and his team also considered how the new line would integrate with the established systems and practices. “Our current machines interoperate extremely smoothly together and with the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system on which we run the business,” comments Zorko. “The new line communicates perfectly with our existing OT/IT infrastructure, giving us full control and access to the data we need without having to adapt our procedures.” The company has considered its investment carefully and planned every detail. From first extending the factory to house the new line, to identifying the most suitable equipment for handling the latest technologies, and scheduling the purchase optimally, ready to meet market demand, it’s the right equipment, for the right reasons, at the right time. 72 EPP EUROPE April 2019
PCB + ASSEMBLY Source: MI Elektronika The EP710 screen printer is also part of the lines at the Slovenian factory. The EP710 screen printer is also part of the lines at the Slovenian factory. Source: MI Elektronika The 1400-square-metre factory in Slovenia had to be extended to accommodate its 4 th line. Source: MI Elektronika Zusammenfassung Ein Hightech-EMS Dienstleister in Slowenien installierte in seinem Werk eine Hochgeschwindigkeits-SMD-Linie, um das Wachstum im In- und Ausland zu beschleunigen. Herzstück dieser Komplettlösung ist ein Highspeed-Bestückungssystem. Résumé En Slovénie, un prestataire de services EMS de haute technologie a installé une ligne de SMT à grande vitesse dans son usine pour accélérer la croissance nationale et internationale. Le cœur de cette solution complète est un système de placement à grande vitesse. Резюме Высокотехнологичный разработчик микроэлектронных схем установил на своем заводе высокоскоростную линию поверхностного монтажа с целью интенсификации роста как внутри страны, так и за ее пределами. Сердцем этого комплексного решения является высокоскоростная система для установки компонентов. Europlacer supports the company and its four SMT lines directly from its local office in Trieste, Italy, little more than 100km from the Brezovica factory. With that said, visits are few and mostly only for routine maintenance. “The equipment has always been extremely reliable and remote support provides effective answers to small questions over the Internet,” says Zorko. “Our four SMT lines are perfect for us right now,” he continues. “The speed and accuracy of our latest line, with the atom3, now positions us to tackle large and technically demanding projects. At the same time, we have retained our flexibility to help customers through new product introduction or building small batches, and always to win with the fastest turnaround time.” SMTconnect, Booth 4-251 www.europlacer.com EPP EUROPE April 2019 73
