Precision Traceability Is a Growing Need in SMT Manufacturing

May 10, 2010 - PRLog -- RENTON, WA — Industry leaders Microscan and Juki Automation Systems met at the recent IPC/APEX Expo held in early April in Las Vegas to demonstrate their latest technologies for electronics manufacturers and to discuss the growing demand for complete traceability and importance of reliable machine vision systems throughout the SMT environment. Juki recently integrated Microscan’s Visionscape® machine vision software into the JX-100 placement system.  

During the expo, Bob Black, President and CEO of Juki, and Jeff Timms, President of Microscan, participated in a video with Global SMT & Packaging Magazine to discuss the advantages of electronics manufacturing solutions, traceability and cost savings.

“Customers that are assembling products want traceability down to the reference designator level. They want to know what components from what lot number are placed on what board at what date and time. Juki has a significant number of customers in the military, automotive and medical industries that are requiring this type of detail from us,” said Bob Black.

Jeff Timms added that machine vision cameras can be placed anywhere in a factory environment to perform a variety of functions. “One of the aspects that often is overlooked is the ability to gauge key attributes of the products themselves,” he said. “As a product is manufactured, if there is a structural or cosmetic defect, the manufacturer needs to understand that there was a defect and reroute it through a repair station or pull it from the line entirely.” Microscan’s machine vision technology is capable of gauging these key tolerances, thereby saving significant time and cost.

In today’s environment, particularly with the high degree of regulation involved in numerous products, Track, Trace and Control (TTC) technology allows “recall management” to understand exactly which components and parts go into every assembly that is produced by a factory. Fundamentally, if a factory does not know where a certain component is, then it does not know what needs to be recalled and what will need to be replaced in the field, which can be very expensive. “Microscan’s machine vision software not only tracks a product when it comes in, but it also identifies it and decides where it should go. Microscan is unique because it provides the end-to-end solution, including all the hardware ― barcode scanners, 1- or 2-D imagers, complete vision systems and RFID tags,” said Timms.

To view the interview in its entirety, visit http://www.microscan.com/en-us/TrainingAndResources/Video....

About Juki
Juki entered the SMT Electronic assembly market in 1987, and by 1992 was the pioneer of the modular assembly line.  Since then, Juki has delivered over 22,000 machines worldwide making it the industry leader for SMT placement machines.  Earning a reputation for quality and reliability unsurpassed in the market, Juki delivers a range of products capable of providing high-speed and quick change-over, offering the flexibility and uptime guaranteed for success.  Combining a high resolution optical centering system for chip placement with a multi-colored vision system for use with ICs, connectors and odd-shaped components, Juki offers the flexibility, repeatability and lowest cost of ownership in the industry.  Backed by world class service and support, and offering a 3 year parts warranty on machines sold in the Americas and Europe, Juki is a partner that is committed to the success of it customers.

About Microscan
Microscan is a global leader in technology for precision data acquisition and control solutions serving a wide range of automation and OEM applications. Founded in 1982, Microscan has a strong history of technology innovation that includes the invention of the first laser diode barcode scanner and the 2D symbology, Data Matrix. Today, Microscan remains a technology leader in automatic identification and machine vision with extensive solutions for ID tracking, traceability and inspection ranging from basic barcode reading up to complex machine vision inspection, identification, and measurement.

As an ISO 9001:2008 certified company recognized for quality leadership in the U.S., Microscan is known and trusted by customers worldwide as a provider of quality, high precision products. Microscan is a Spectris company. For more information, visit www.microscan.com.