POOLE, UK – Two service excellence awards presented to Europlacer at last week’s SMTAI show in Minneapolis take the company’s run of these prestigious accolades into double figures. Europlacer has topped the list of this highly respected and independent annual industry survey for exemplary service delivery in the Pick & Place category every year for the past ten years.

This year’s Service Excellence awards were once again presented in person by PCEA President and former CA Editor-in-Chief, Mike Buetow and Europlacer received the top honor for 2023 in the pick & place and screen printing categories, accepting trophies for each that add to an impressive collection.

The awards program is widely recognized as a premier industry endorsement. Independent auditors review feedback from a wide selection of customers. The assessment uses a methodology that evaluates and compares attainment across seven specific categories: dependability, quality, responsiveness, technology, value for price, flexibility, and overall satisfaction.

“These awards are totally independent and impartial, the only influence we have is by providing the best service and doing the right things for our customers,” points out Chris Merow, Director of Sales at Europlacer Americas, who accepted the prestigious awards on behalf of Europlacer at the SMTAi ceremony. “Landing a tenth consecutive annual award for pick & place and another in an equally long line of awards for our screen printer service delivery is unprecedented and hugely rewarding for the customer-facing sales and support teams at Europlacer,” he adds.

Chris points out that securing ten awards in a row is not down to luck but a conscious focus on continuously delivering the exemplary service and support that Europlacer uses to differentiate itself in the market. “We always use the awards feedback to refine our service delivery and to inform our R&D initiatives.”

ALZENAU, GERMANY – Koh Young, the industry leader in True 3D measurement-based inspection solutions, will highlight live demonstrations of its award-winning inspection and measurement solutions for printed circuit board, advanced packaging, and semiconductor assembly at Productronica, the highly-anticipated trade fair in Messe München on November 14-17, 2023 in Munich, Germany. Koh Young will have two booths. The first is at A2.377 and is focused on traditional surface mount technology. Our sister booth at A2.359 is focused on advanced packaging and semiconductor inspection innovations. Join our booth at Productronica 2023 to find out more. The following is just a glimpse into what Koh Young will have in store for our visitors.

Solder Paste Inspection (SPI)

In 2002, we introduced the concept of 3D measurement-based solder paste inspection – and it revolutionized the inspection industry. Today, manufacturers recognize the value of the 3D measurement data and use the data to improve the print process, in turn, improving production yield and quality. Today, 3D SPI has become a standard requirement for SMT lines – it is no longer optional. The KY8030-3 is our SPI workhorse, and the most popular SPI solution in the electronics manufacturing market. With a patented dual-projection technology, we deliver trustworthy and repeatable measurement data, which manufacturers can use to reliably optimize the print process.

1. KY8030-3 Industry’s Fastest True3D SPI Solution with Integrated Auto-Repair Dispenser

2. aSPIre3: Industry’s Highest Performing True3D SPI Solution

Automated Optical Inspection (AOI)

The Koh Young 3D AOI Zenith delivers perfect inspection performance with True3D measurement technology. In the 2D inspection world, false calls and escapes are unavoidable. To solve this problem, we took a different approach. We based our solution on full 3D measurement technology, not 2D technology and its inherent shortcomings or 2D with some 3D capabilities bolted-on to help. At Koh Young, the Zenith measures all components in True3D. We find the component body based on true 3D profilometric information. Using this approach, we provide trustworthy inspection results, regardless of component or board color variations. When our 3D measurement data meets artificial intelligence, we can deliver even more advantages to manufacturers.

3. Zenith Alpha Best Value True3D Automated Optical Inspection Solution

4. Zenith UHS Industry’s Fastest True3D AOI Solution

5. Zenith 2 Revolutionary True3D AOI Delivering Incomparable Capabilities

Automated Pin Inspection (API)

Built on its world-class True3D™ AOI technology, new enhancements help it break through barriers associated with inspecting products with a mix of both Pins and SMDs. The complete KY-P3 lineup provides an automated back-end solution combining advanced high-resolution optics and innovative AI-powered vision algorithms for single pin, press-fit, and Final Optical Inspection, as well as for pins inside a connector shroud, while also inspecting traditional SMDs on the same product. Because of its quantitative measurement-based approach, accuracy and repeatability is unsurpassed.

6. KY-P3 Industry-awarded breakthrough in 3D Automated Pin Inspection

Dispense Process Inspection (DPI)

The award-winning Neptune is the industry’s first 3D optical measurement solution for transparent material inspection. Using Koh Young LIFT technology (Laser Interferometry for Fluid Tomography), the Neptune delivers non-destructive 3D inspection to precisely measure and inspect fluids – wet or dry. With its Machine-Learning algorithm, the Neptune accurately measures materials for coverage, thickness, and consistency with a user-defined threshold setting. It also identifies bubbles, cracks, and other defects in coating. It also measures underfill, epoxy, bonding, glue, potting, flux, and more to deliver an exact measurement of transparent and translucent materials.

7. Neptune T Industry’s First 3D Optical Measurement Instrument for Transparent Materials

8. Neptune C+ Award-winning True3D In-Line Dispensing Process Inspection (DPI) Solution

Process Control & Optimization Software

AI-powered KSMART solutions help automate process control, while focusing on data management, analysis, and optimization. It collects data from across the factory for defect detection, real-time optimization, enhanced decisions, and traceability to improve production, increase quality, and lower costs by eliminating variances, false calls, and escapes. Koh Young can help manufacturers solve significant business challenges by applying connectivity to modernize industry processes. By leveraging IPC-CFX with its AI-powered technologies, Koh Young successfully applies real-time data to improve the production process by converting data into process knowledge. Combined with IPC communication standards, Koh Young can open the gates to a smart factory for anyone.

9. KSMART Seamless Smart Factory Software Suite Turning Data into Insights

10. KPO Award-winning AI-powered Printer and mounter Process Optimization Software

Semiconductor and Advanced Packaging Inspection

Building on our award-winning, industry-leading inspection technologies, the Koh Young Meister Series delivers True 3D measurement-based inspection for ultra-thin solder, wafer bumps, balls, and components. Manufacturers can maximize yield without increasing costs by detecting defects at the wafer level with accurate inspection.

11. Meister S Premium In-line 3D Inspection System for Micro Solder Paste Deposits

12. Meister D+ Breakthrough in 3D Measurement for Highly Reflective and Mirror-surfaced Components

13. Meister W+ True 3D Measurement for Wafer Bumps & Shiny Components

To learn more about how our solutions boost your quality, visit us at Productronica in Booths A2.377 and A2.359 at Messe München in Munich, Germany. If you cannot attend the show, you can still learn more about our best-in-class inspection solutions at our website www.kohyoung.com 

BANGKOK, THAILAND – Test Research, Inc. (TRI), the leading Test and Inspection systems provider for the electronics manufacturing industry, recently opened a new office in Bangkok, Thailand, to accommodate the industry's rapid growth.

This strategic move emphasizes TRI's commitment to serve its growing customer base in Southeast Asia and neighboring regions, reinforcing support and sales efforts in this vital part of their global expansion.

TRI's cutting-edge Optical Inspection and Test solutions optimize electronics manufacturing and the Semiconductor and Advanced Packaging Industry through AI-powered Inspection algorithms, multiple 3D technologies, metrology measurements, real-time SPC trends, and seamless M2M communications.

TRI's solution portfolio has a wide range of high-end features and advanced functionality to meet current and future production line requirements. TRI's Test and Inspection platforms enable big data and data traceability, essential for a Smart Factory environment. TRI's solutions comply with Industry 4.0 standards like the IPC-Hermes-9852, the IPC-DPMX, and the Connected Factory Exchange (IPC-CFX).

NASHVILLE – KYZEN, the global leader in innovative environmentally friendly cleaning chemistries, will exhibit at the SMTA Tampa Bay Expo & Tech Forum, scheduled to take place Monday, October 30, 2023 at the St. Petersburg Marriot Clearwater and SMTA Space Coast Expo & Tech Forum, scheduled for Wednesday, November 1, 2023 at the Melbourne Auditorium in Melbourne, FL. The KYZEN clean team will highlight both AQUANOX A4618 and the KYZEN Process Control System (PSC) during the event.

Concentrations of AQUANOX A4618, KYZEN’s latest game-changing cleaning solution, can be effectively monitored and controlled by the KYZEN Process Control System (PCS) to provide proven and cost- effective options in electronics cleaning processes. AQUANOX A4618 is a groundbreaking aqueous cleaning chemistry designed to address the challenges of cleaning contemporary lead-free flux residues, including no-clean residues, while achieving immaculate, mirrored solder finishes. A4618 boasts a long tank life and outstanding materials compatibility in addition to high efficacy at lower concentrations and temperatures.

The KYZEN Process Control System controls, monitors and automatically reacts to the dynamic changes in wash concentrations. KYZEN has continuously improved and advanced the capabilities of KYZEN PCS from its introduction more than 20 years ago and it remains the only complete concentration monitoring and control system available in the world. For more than 30 years, KYZEN has developed innovative chemistries that go hand-in-hand with your cleaning process. The KYZEN PCS and solutions such as AQUANOX A4618 combine to create an efficient and worry-free process.

For more information, visit www.kyzen.com