Recently, product change in the surface mount (SMT) line manual downloading at each machine. Thus, exposing the SMT line to more tedious processes and the possibility of errors.

For that reason, ASMPT has made further advancements in implementing automation in product changeovers on the surface mount technology (SMT) line. Specifically, the company has introduced the Automated Program Change function in the WORKS Operations application of the company’s WORKS Software Suite.

ASMPT has implemented another step in automating product changeovers on the SMT line. At the same time, enhancing functions with new features that enable to support automatic program changeovers across setups and not just with family setups.

More Efficient Operations

According to Thomas Marktscheffel, Director, Product Management Software Solutions at ASMPT SMT Solutions, conventional product change in the SMT line requires new assembly programs. Specifically, the change requires the new assembly programs to be manually downloaded to each machine. Hence, the process itself is time consuming and the process are more prone to error.

With ASMPT’s new Automatic Program Change, the change in the process happens automatically as soon as the first PCB of a new batch enters the line. Moreover, the latest version incorporates seamless integration because the machines enable the operators to know when the stencils or feeders need replacement.

Thus, this intelligent function optimizes product changeovers even in complex high-mix/low-volume and provides the foundation for further automation steps like automatic feeder table changeovers.

“Automatic Program Change has proven to be a real game changer. Customers report setup time reductions of up to 35 percent and significantly lower nonconformity costs,” says Marktscheffel.

Advancing Intelligent Factory

For electronics manufacturers, the optional Automated Program Change function in WORKS Operations offers several advantages. First, it enables rapid product changeovers without the line being idle. It merely requires a barcode reader at the beginning of the line. Also, the automatic changeovers also relieve the operators and avoid scrap resulting from faulty manual downloads.

“With the Automated Program Change across setups, we continue to advance our Intelligent Factory concept at ASMPT,” says Marktscheffel. “Our goal is to make electronics manufacturing more productive, resilient and efficient through the integrative use of data on the basis of standardized interfaces.”

Automated Program Change and its latest enhancement are based on a network with IPC-HERMES-9852 interfaces. This enables seamless data transfers in accordance with the latest industry standard.

To make the concept work, the system transmits the necessary information for each new circuit board to the first machine on the line – usually the solder paste printer – either via a barcode reader or digitally via IPC-HERMES-9852 data. If the machine recognizes a batch change, it automatically loads the new assembly program.

When the board moves to the next machine, it is accompanied by its IPC-HERMES-9852 data. In this way, each station along the line, irrespective of its manufacturer, adapts its program automatically when needed. The open and standardized interface also ensures that the conveyors automatically adapt to the respective circuit board width – again irrespective of their manufacturer. With family setups, this means that product changeovers are possible with no operator assists whatsoever.

01 February 2025