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Press Releases

JASPER, IN – Kimball Electronics, Inc. (Nasdaq: KE) was honored for achieving the Highest Overall Customer Ratings in four categories of CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY’S 2023 Service Excellence Awards: Dependability/Timely Delivery, Technology, Value for the Price, and Manufacturing Quality.

CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY, a leading industry publication covering the mixed-technology electronics assembly marketplace, recognized companies that received the highest customer service ratings, as judged by their own customers. The awards were recently presented during a ceremony at the Surface Mount Technology Association (SMTA) International Conference on October 10th, 2023. The awards are presented to outstanding Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) providers, as well as to suppliers of electronics assembly equipment, materials, and software.

The results, based solely on direct customer input, are an indication of outstanding achievement in service excellence. Customers of the participants rated EMS providers in seven service categories: Manufacturing Quality, Dependability/Timely Delivery, Responsiveness, Value for Price, Flexibility, Technology, and Overall Satisfaction. Kimball Electronics was honored for achieving the highest customer ratings in four service categories for EMS companies with annual sales over $500 million.

Ric Phillips, Chief Executive Officer of Kimball Electronics, stated, “I am very proud of our team’s consistent focus on building long-term relationships with all our customers, whether they be new customers or customers we’ve worked with for a decade or more. Being recognized with Service Excellence Awards in four categories is very gratifying. Our customers recognize they are working with a great team, with a great culture, and a partner with a common set of priorities. The hard work and dedication of our people have allowed us to continuously improve and keep our promises to our customers.”

“Thank you to our customers for choosing Kimball Electronics as your partner of choice. Our commitment to outstanding customer service has helped us build lasting relationships. Congratulations to all our global team members for living our guiding principles while consistently meeting or exceeding our customers’ expectations,” stated Kathy Thomson, Chief Commercial Officer of Kimball Electronics.

Kimball Electronics has participated in the Service Excellence Awards for the past ten consecutive years, winning awards for excellence in multiple categories in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2019. Kimball Electronics won the award for Highest Overall Customer Rating in 2014, 2018, 2020, and 2021. In 2022, Kimball Electronics received awards in all seven award categories, including two newly added categories. For 2023, Kimball Electronics received Highest Overall Customer Ratings in four of the seven categories including: Dependability/Timely Delivery, Technology, Value for the Price, and Manufacturing Quality.

This is the 31st year CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY has sponsored the awards program.

HANOVER, GERMANY – At productronica in Munich, Germany, taking place from November 14 to 17, 2023, Viscom AG will present for the first time its latest high-end iS6059 Double-Sided Inspection system. At Viscom's Booth A2.177, visitors to the world’s leading trade fair for electronics manufacturing can learn more about the advantages of simultaneous optical assembly inspection from above and below using the new machine’s special features.

The iS6059 Double-Sided Inspection is equipped with two state-of-the-art sensor heads that capture images and 3D height information on separate positioning units to reliably find top and bottom side defects. Through-hole technology (THT) is still needed and used in the areas of electric vehicles, charging infrastructures and renewable energies due to high current flows. In addition to inspecting components topside, the bottom side must also be critically examined to determine whether a pin is missing or if there is insufficient solder. Components pressed in without soldering (press-fit) can also be accurately inspected. Pin lengths, for example, are precisely measured and displayed in profiles.

Another area of application for the iS6059 Double-Sided Inspection involves various applications from the field of automotive electronics with double-sided SMD assembly. For example, one assembled side passes through the soldering process, is then turned over and must remain fully intact during a re-melting of the solder joints in the oven – all while the second side is soldered after its assembly. The iS6059 Double-Sided Inspection then reliably inspects both sides.

Like other Viscom systems, the iS6059 Double-Sided Inspection can be comprehensively networked. In this context, visitors to the company's trade fair stand can expect to see various vConnect features. This future-oriented modular platform from Viscom has a lot to offer – from location-independent predictive maintenance to cloud solutions and centrally controlled IT services as well as statistical process control. Other Viscom inspection systems that will be on display at productronica include: iS6059 PCB Inspection Plus (3D AOI), iX7059 PCB Inspection XL (3D AXI), X8011-III (3D MXI), X7056-II (3D AOI and 3D AXI combined) and S6053BO-V (3D Bond). The topics of inspection program generation and verification using artificial intelligence are on the agenda at Viscom too – as are solder paste (SPI) and conformal coating inspection (CCI).

BILLINGSTAD, NORWAY – BRC Solar GmbH has chosen Kitron to produce the Power Optimizer, an innovative new product that improves the performance of solar panels.

The value of the agreement is expected to reach an annual level of approximately EUR 10 million within three years. Production will take place at Kitron’s facility in Lithuania.

“We are proud that BRC Solar, a dynamic company in the growing solar industry, has trusted Kitron with the production of this exciting product, which targets a booming market and fits perfectly with Kitron’s focus on electrification as a megatrend and growth driver,” says Mindaugas Sestokas, Managing Director of Kitron Lithuania and VP Central Eastern Europe.

The performance of solar panels degrades when some modules connected in series are shaded or if modules have different alignments or inclinations. The Power Optimizer solves these problems and can be combined with a variety of panels and inverters already on the market.

Kitron will produce the full Power Optimizer product, from printed circuit board assembly to top-level assembly and testing. Because of the high quantities expected, production will be highly automated.

“We were looking for a top-notch EMS partner in Eastern Europe and chose Kitron because of its technical competencies and experience, automatization solutions, high quality of services and capacity possibilities. We look forward to ramping up this partnership as the Power Optimizer hits the market,” says Pascal Ruisinger, Managing Director of BRC Solar.

COLLEGE PARK, MD – CoolCAD, a leading provider of advanced design and engineering solutions, today announced a strategic partnership with NWN Inc., a renowned rep agency, to enhance its market reach and customer engagement across key sectors.

CoolCAD Electronics specializes in the design and manufacturing of wide bandgap silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor transistors and integrated circuits (ICs) catering to a diverse range of applications, including Power Electronics, Green Energy, High-Temperature Electronics, and Deep Ultraviolet (UV) Optical Electronics.

Distinguished by their ability to function in extreme environments, CoolCAD's SiC CMOS devices are engineered to operate reliably at temperatures exceeding 400°C, a substantial leap beyond the limited 200°C capacity of conventional silicon-based chips.

Recognizing the evolving demands of the tech-driven marketplace, CoolCAD aims to amplify its presence, tailoring its unique offerings to a broader audience. By leveraging NWN Inc.'s extensive industry connections and technical expertise, this collaboration will ensure that CoolCAD’ s innovative products are more accessible and better represented throughout the industry.

Tom Bianchi, chief revenue officer of CoolCAD, commented on the partnership, "We are excited to have the NWN Inc. team on board. Their track record and deep-rooted connections in the tech world make them the perfect partner to help us achieve our expansion goals. They will represent the territory for us in the Northern California and Northern Nevada regions. Together, we're looking forward to reaching new horizons and strengthening our commitment to providing unparalleled design solutions."

Bob Gibbens, president at NWN Inc., added, "We're always eager to represent brands at the forefront of innovation. CoolCAD’s Silicon Carbide (SiC) products are revolutionary, and we believe there's significant untapped potential in the market. We're committed to leveraging our resources and expertise to ensure CoolCAD reaches its desired clientele and industry stakeholders."

This partnership aligns with CoolCad's growth strategy and underscores its dedication to being a forerunner in the design and engineering industry. Both companies are optimistic about the future, with plans to unveil collaborative campaigns in the coming months.

NEWMAN LAKE, WA – Hentec Industries/RPS Automation, a leading manufacturer of selective soldering, lead tinning and solderability test equipment, announces that it has published a technical paper describing hot solder dip processing. This technical paper encompasses critically important information about component solder dip processing and is entitled “The Critical Role of Robotic Hot Solder Dip Processing of Components for High- Reliability and Mission-Critical Applications.”

This 8-page tech paper outlines essential information to guarantee dependable circuit board assembly and can be downloaded by visiting www.rpsautomation.com/news/technical-papers

Topics covered within this publication include gold embrittlement, gold removal, tin whisker mitigation, BGA component de-balling and component lead tinning. The robotic hot solder processing method as well as solderability testing are described in detail as well as the reasons behind the need to perform these protocols to ensure robust and reliable solder joints.

ZANDT, GERMANY – The ANYmal robot will be deployed to environments that are hazardous to humans. Manufacturer ANYbotics is cooperating with EMS provider Zollner Elektronik AG for serial production. An optimal solution was found to also be able to produce larger piece quantities.

Due to advancing digitalization, robotic solutions are gaining every more significance, and the fields of applications continue to be further developed. Thus, robots frequently support production in companies and make work easier in the form of driverless transport systems. ANYbotics, a leading provider of autonomous robotic solutions, has further developed this idea and has a clear vision for it:

The ANYmal legged robot is deployed to environments that may be accessible to humans but could, in some circumstances, be dangerous and should contribute to improvements in safety as well as the efficiency of industrial work. The demand for the legged robot is increasing enormously because ANYmal enjoys great popularity on the market.

Partner for serial production
To be able to concentrate on their own core competencies, like the development and marketing of the robot, ANYbotics searched for a competent production partner with the applicable production know-how with whom they could transfer their product into serial production.

They found this in very proximity: just 30 kilometers away, in Hombrechtikon, sits the Swiss location of Zollner Elektronik AG. The EMS provider, with its headquarters in Bavarian Zandt, has a broad spectrum of services all along the product life cycle and has proven itself to be a capable partner for ANYbotics with its expertise in the production of high-value mechatronic systems. As needed, Zollner offers access to effective and state-of-the-art resources in the areas of development, diverse testing options, a well-developed supply chain and a multiplicity of technologies, which round off the profitable cooperation between the two companies.

“Zollner Elektronik AG offers us a powerful combination of significant expertise, like the production of PCBs, the assembly of a complex product with many single parts and global supply chain management. The local proximity is very significant to us in the current phase of ramping up production with short optimization cycles. But we are also working with Zollner because they are a global player, who can support us in scaling up through the next levels of production volume”, as justification for the collaboration from the ANYbotics Chief Operating Officer, Martin Bühlmann.

ANYmal – the final product from joined powers
The autonomous legged robot moves similar to a canine and masters unexpected obstacles that arise all by itself. ANYmal possesses several cameras and a laser presence scanner for its autonomous mobility and location-finding. Further, the standard equipment for the monitoring of industrial facilities includes a zooming camera with a headlight, an infrared camera, the previously mentioned LiDAR scanner and a microphone. Additional inspection sensors can be installed as needed. A solution-oriented exchange of ideas took place between the companies to achieve this diverse functional scope. Thus, the set goal could be quickly achieved.

The ANYmal system, which is complexly constructed from over 400 individual components and many more software elements, involves a very high level of material demand. Just as production was about to start, there was a tense situation on the procurement market. For that reason, attention was paid in supplier selection to reliable, qualified suppliers to ensure the supply chain. Material procurement is the complete obligation of Zollner Elektronik AG, which has a globally operating purchasing organization and can guarantee material availability.

The introduction of special cells in production makes smooth processing possible. With short throughput times, optimized operating sequences, secure processes, automated population – realized by PCB redesign – and Lean production, an optimal solution was found to also be able to produce larger piece quantities and expand our collaboration.

Next-level partnership as a recipe for success
Thanks to close cooperation between the two companies, with an active exchange of ideas and short feedback loops, challenges were overcome quickly and the proximity to one another represented an enormous advantage in accomplishing it all. Mutual know-how was also unified without differentiating who owns what to transfer the implicit knowledge from ANYbotics research & development into Zollner production.

Through the efficient exchange of ideas, constant adaptation of the technology was able to take place quickly and without problems as a result of insights from global deployment and changes in the supply chain. The same was true for the set goal – serial production. This collaboration on equal terms simplified communication immensely and has an enormous impact on mutual success, which was also emphasized once again by René Bürkler, Managing Director of Zollner Electronics GmbH in Hombrechtikon, while offering an optimistic outlook to the future:

“We are convinced that pioneering innovation arises from close cooperation on an equal footing with our customers. The proximity that makes the personal exchange of ideas as well as the short communication channels with ANYbotics and our own experts in the field possible in all specialist departments is a significant component part of the greatest possible flexibility in serial production. The path has been paved to give evidence, together with ANYbotics of the highest level of innovative power in the area of automation and digitalization, also in the future.”