ASM Material Tower Grows With Tasks in SMT Production

The new generation of the ASM Material Tower by ASM Assembly Systems adapts perfectly to the requirements of modern surface-mount technology (SMT) production. It can be located next to the line as a speedy component replenishment system or installed as part of a connected main storage system.

The scalable storage solution supports classic manual withdrawals and fully automated autonomous intelligent vehicle (AIV)-supported material flow processes in the integrated smart factory. Tts intelligent software control makes the modular storage system hugely versatile as highly scalable, interconnected solution.

Thanks to Open Automation, the ASM Material Tower can be fully integrated into any smart factory.

Form as Cluster

Multiple towers can be combined into clusters where material is exchanged between units via an integrated transport module. The distribution of materials within the storage system is handled by intelligent algorithms that reduce the frequency of withdrawals and the time required for them. The number and type of transfer points can be flexibly selected. Subsequently, they can be modified for manual operation as well as for use with autonomous transport systems.

With clustering, smart software integrates chained systems into a single, self-contained system.

Large Capacity

The ASM Material Tower is designed to hold up to 960 7-inch reels or 480 15-inch reels. Packages can be supplied or withdrawn in magazines holding up to 30 reels for specific setups. This feature can simplify and accelerate logistics processes. Moisture-sensitive components (MSDs) can optionally be stored and their exposure times monitored as well.

Open Interfaces for Connecting AIVs with Open Automation

ASM’s Factory Automation module can fully integrate communication-capable third-party hardware, such as transport robots into the material flow process. This is important as AIV-supported material logistics are an essential factor for electronics manufacturers on their road to process automation.

With chaining, clustered modules exchange materials via an integrated transport module.

The software also handles the ASM Material Tower’s vertical integration into a wide range of manufacturing execution system (MES) solutions.

ASM Factory Automation is a part of Open Automation – ASM’s automation concept, which provides an alternative to fully automated shop floors because they tend to be inflexible and expensive. ASM’s modular approach combines seamless M2M and M2H communication, the integration of third-party solutions, and the integration of existing systems. The integrated open interfaces such as the Hermes standard or IPC-CFX makes this possible.

Integrated to ASM Works Software

The ASM Material Tower is also fully integrated into the ASM Works software infrastructure solution, which is why it can be linked to the ASM Material Manager software module. Standalone operation or a connection to third-party solutions are also possible via the Tower Cluster Controller (TCC).