COVER » Future Technologies Smart maintenance for the Integrated Smart Factory – with the Remote Smart Factory, the SMT supplier offers all necessary building blocks Guenter Lauber: Giving general advice is difficult in this context. What is clear, however, is that networking and process integration can generate huge efficiencies. To do this, we at ASMPT rely on a step-bystep, agile approach in close coordination with the customer. If you want to be able to integrate new technologies and components in the future, you need » The roads to the integrated Smart Factory are as individual as the companies themselves « Guenter Lauber solutions that are open and modular. For example, some manufacturers rely on proprietary solutions for setup changeovers and refills on their machines. For customers, this means that they might get locked into a vendor or technology for the long term, which is risky and undesirable. We at ASMPT believe that the integration of autonomously traveling robots is a much more futureproof approach. Only an integrated Smart Factory that follows a modular approach allows customers to make improvements by exchanging individual components at any time relatively easily and independently of each other. In our example, this would be the placement solution, the robots, the planning software, or the material management system. EPPEurope: Where do you and the company see the future of production? Any significant future trends? Guenter Lauber: Smart automation will be a major challenge in the coming years. Unlike many Industry 4.0 visionaries, I do not believe in dark factories or lights-out scenarios for most electronics factories. Total automation is technically complex, which makes it very expensive and – most importantly – overly rigid. But companies will have to operate with more flexibility and in a more order-oriented manner in the future. Accordingly, the goal is finding the right balance. I believe that factories will increasingly operate with small teams of smart operators that work factory wide. They will be supported by software systems, real-time sensor readings, remote technologies, and AI systems. Simple activities in areas such as logistics will be automated, but for complex activities, people are simply the most flexible solution, particularly when they receive smart support. Source: ASMPT 22 EPPEurope » 04|2021
Source: ASMPT EPPEurope: Is the company ready for these trends? Will customers be able to use their current systems for these future challenges, or will an upgrade or even a new system be needed? Guenter Lauber: Yes, I believe that ASMPT is in a very good position. We want to support customers with the impending migration to the integrated Smart Factory, and we are able to do so. For example, we have long offered uniform software for all machines, and the ASM Works software suite proves that our software solutions operate in an integrated manner. With the ASM ProcessExpert, we have the first self-learning inline SPI that not only optimizes printing processes fully automatically but adjusts placement processes by communicating with AOI solutions from other manufacturers and uses virtual prints based on Gerber data to provide targeted and concrete tips for optimizing stencil designs. Our ability to develop such trailblazing innovations is encouraging for the future. But we are only at the beginning of this journey. New technologies alone are not enough – our customers and we as an integrated solution provider must also change operating processes, organizational structures, work cultures and communication if we want them to work efficiently. And we, as a technology partner, must prove that the digital transformation and innovative sol utions truly pay for themselves and generate big advances in competitiveness and efficiency for our customers. So, there is a lot left to do. I am looking forward to these next few years. Various smart software solutions such as the Command Center, help customers to build up agile teams of smart operators Zusammenfassung Trotz Pandemie hat die Automatisierung zu einer anhaltenden digitalen Transformation in der Elektronikindustrie beigetragen. Im Interview werden komplette Inline-Lösungen für alle wichtigen, im Fertigungsprozess benötigten, Schritte vorgestellt. Résumé En dépit de la pandémie, l’automatisation a contribué à une transformation numérique en continu dans l’industrie de l‘électronique. Dans l’interview, une présentation de solutions complètes en ligne est faite pour l’ensemble des phases majeures qui sont nécessaires dans le processus de fabrication. Резюме Несмотря на пандемию, автоматизация внесла свой вклад в продолжающееся цифровое преобразование в электронной промышленности. В интервью рассматриваются комплексные встраиваемые решения для всех ключевых этапов производственного процесса. Thank you very much for your time, Mr. Lauber. (ch) www.asm-smt.com EPPEurope » 04|2021 23
