3D Assembly and Jet Printing Solutions at APEX

Miniaturization in electronics has been an ongoing trend for several years. High integration density demands electro-mechanical assembly in 3D. Essemtec will showcase a machine with the ability to stack components and subassemblies and join them with jetted solder paste or glue. This platform combines multiple process sequences to create complex micro devices, MEMS sensors, microwave assemblies and over- moulded lead frame components.

Two key success drivers in this industry are time-to-market and the ability to produce variants of similar products rapidly. For this reason Essemtec has designed a work cell comprised of a pick-and-place machine with integrated jet printing capability, a reflow oven and the Cubus SMT storage tower. Accurate inventory numbers and cost savings are achieved with seamless networked data integration. With this modest investment companies have the ability to rapidly test out new designs and produce small batches efficiently.

Cycle time for each production step in electronics manufacturing has been greatly reduced over the past years and further speed increases deliver only diminishing returns. However, experts believe that the optimization of material flow currently holds the greatest promise for overall productivity gain. This is where Cubus steps in! With its straightforward eStorage inventory management software, smooth integration to all major pick & place machines and fast processing, substantial productivity gains in SMT material management are achieved.