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» PCB & ASSEMBLY Automated solutions on show at Apex 2023 Leveraging automation to improve efficiency Drawing the largest and most well qualified electronics manufacturing crowd in North America, Apex Expo 2023 saw PCB fabricators, designers, OEMs, and EMS companies from around the world unveil their newest products. Regular exhibitor Panasonic Connect used the opportunity to present automated solutions designed to boost productivity on the factory floor. Process Automation Business Head at the company, Gustavo Sepulveda, tells us more. Source: Panasonic Connect The company says its NPM-GP/L screenprinting machine helps manufacturers run production lines more efficiently, while using fewer resources This year’s Apex event occurred amidst a revival of North American manufacturing, as companies begin moving their operations out of China. Many are taking advantage of this renewed interest and investment by innovating more than ever before. In the United States, the USD 39 billion (EUR ) investment in manufacturing incentives from the CHIPS Act is providing companies with the support needed to boost progress in the space. As demand for goods increases around the world – in the US, the Producer Price Index for final demand increased 0.7 percent in January – companies in the electronics manufacturing sector are turning to digital transformation to keep up. By integrating software and new applications into the SMT line, they are finding ways to run processes more smoothly and efficiently. Software solutions At Apex 2023, we saw companies focusing on advanced technologies to help them navigate the future of manufacturing. We at Panasonic Connect demonstrated how software can help companies expand. Our manufacturing execution system PanaCIM, which can be integrated in both our existing and partner technology equipment, delivers a featurerich manufacturing software suite that grows with the manufacturer. We also showcased our new software capability, APC-5M, which monitors machine performance to ensure it remains optimized. When machines break down, the added downtime increases stress and costs for manufacturers. With our software solutions, manufacturers can make changes directly on the production line. This ensures that these lines can continue to run efficiently and produce goods on time. Integrating tech into SMT lines The company also emphasized the importance of integrating technology and software into SMT lines to speed up production. Our NPM-GP/L screen printing machine and Auto-Setting Feeder solutions were highlights of the event. The NPM-GP/L is a screen-printing machine that can automatically implement production line changes with precise accuracy of ±3.8 µm. In addition to precision, the machine improves efficiency on production lines. The system shaves off nearly six minutes of time that it takes to change over the machine – approximately four minutes compared to the industry standard of ten minutes. With this automation, production line changes can happen within a cycle time of approximately 12 seconds. The Auto-Setting Feeder is an automated compo- 36 EPP Europe » 04 | 2023
Source: Panasonic Connect Gustavo Sepulveda, Process Automation Business Head, Panasonic Connect nent supply system which offers the flexibility of easily fitting tape reels from 8mm up to 104mm in width. It can automatically peel the cover on surface mount component tape between 4 mm and 104 mm wide – an industry first. The system auto-loads all feeder sizes in 15s, which maximizes line uptime and throughput. Future-proofing production lines Both technology and software solutions allow manufacturers to keep up with demand and futureproof their production lines by fixing issues in realtime. Our screen printer can immediately respond to customer supply and demand changes through autonomous updates, making autonomous factories a reality. The automation used in both this and the Auto-Setting Feeder machines also mean streamlined training for employees. In today’s environment, companies can spend months training their workers. However, with worker retention proving to be a large industry challenge, the time spent training them may become wasted. By leveraging automation found in these new offerings, companies can focus on giving workers highvalue tasks, and starting them immediately once they’re hired. Automation not only makes manufacturing more efficient with improved business outcomes, but also has huge potential in enhancing the employee experience. This will be critical as manufacturers work to shape the next generation of its workforce. From hardware and software to smart component and autonomous systems, solutions like these allow manufacturers to future-proof their production lines. connect.panasonic.com Zusammenfassung Die diesjährige APEX EXPO fand inmitten einer Wiederbelebung der nordamerikanischen Fertigung statt, da Unternehmen angefangen haben, ihre Betriebe aus China zu verlagern. Durch die Integration von Software und neuen Anwendungen in die SMT-Linie finden sie Wege, um Prozesse reibungsloser zu gestalten. Die Nutzung der Automatisierung sorgt zudem für Effizienzsteigerung. Résumé L’APEX EXPO de cette année s’est déroulée au milieu d’un renouveau de la fabrication nord-américaine, les entreprises ayant commencé à délocaliser leurs opérations hors de Chine. Grâce à l’intégration de logiciels et de nouvelles applications dans la ligne de CMS, elles trouvent des moyens de rendre les processus plus fluides. Le recours à l’automatisation permet en outre d’accroître l’efficacité. Резюме Выставка APEX EXPO в этом году проходила на фоне возрождения североамериканского производства, потому что предприятия начали переносить свою деятельность из Китая. За счет интеграции программного обеспечения и новых приложений в линии поверхностного монтажа они находят способы более плавной организации технологических процессов. Применение автоматизации к тому же способствует повышению эффективности. EPP Europe » 04 | 2023 37
