NEWARK, N.J. — Panasonic Connect North America will showcase its manufacturing solutions, including its newest NPM-GP/L screen printing machine and Auto-Setting Feeder at IPC APEX EXPO 2023. These new solutions allow the company to further aid manufacturing customers in their digital transformation processes and increase efficiency across their operations.

With the passing of the CHIPS Act, which includes $39 billion in manufacturing incentives, companies are reinvigorating their investments in their North American manufacturing plants so they can keep up with global demand. To do so, companies must implement emerging technologies, such as automation, into their production lines. Panasonic’s NPM-GP/L screen printing machine and Auto-Setting Feeder allow manufacturers to keep up with demand and future-proof their production lines by fixing issues in real- time.

At the Panasonic Connect booth #933, attendees have an opportunity to interact with several Panasonic manufacturing solutions, including:

• NPM-GP/L, a screen-printing machine that can be completely changed over in approximately four minutes, compared to the 10-minute industry standard. The NPM-GP/L can automatically implement production line changes with precise accuracy. An optional function can create a fully automatic printing process, supplying and collecting solder, reconfiguring pin support of the substrate, and undertaking a range of other processes required for production line changes. With this automation, production line changes can happen within a cycle time of approximately 12 seconds and with a printing accuracy of ±3.8 µm.
• Auto-Setting Feeder, an automated component supply system which offers the flexibility of easily fitting tape reels from 8mm up to 104mm in width. The Auto-Setting Feeder is the industry’s first feed mechanism that can automatically peel the cover on surface mount component tape between 4 mm and 104 mm wide. This enables the automatic supply of mounting components without requiring skilled workers. Further, when a reel of tape is finished, a loading unit automatically — and instantly — supplies the next reel. This facilitates full autonomy for the component supply process. Moreover, the use of a dedicated cart means that the current NPM and NPM-X series can support the Auto-Setting Feeder without restructuring the entire line.

The NPM-GP/L printer and the Auto-Setting Feeder provide a new level of speed, accuracy, and automatic process control for manufacturers. By implementing cutting-edge technologies which increase productivity, manufacturers can invest more time building a skilled workforce to handle higher level tasks. And with an estimated 2.1 million jobs expected to go unfilled by 2030, filling this talent pipeline is crucial.

Panasonic Connect is helping customers and industry professionals understand – and see – how automation enhances the future of manufacturing. Visit Panasonic Connect at IPC APEX EXPO 2023 booth #933. For more information visit: https://na.panasonic.com/us/event/apex-2023 

ARLINGTON, VA -- Today, the Open Compute Project Foundation (OCP), the nonprofit organization bringing hyperscale innovations to all, and JEDEC Solid State Technology Association, the global leader in the development of standards for the microelectronics industry, announce a new collaboration to establish a framework for the transfer of technology captured in an OCP-approved specification to JEDEC for inclusion in one of its standards. This alliance brings together members from both the OCP and JEDEC communities to share efforts in developing and maintaining global standards needed to advance the electronics industry.

Under this new alliance, the current effort will be to provide a mechanism to standardize Chiplet part descriptions leveraging OCP Chiplet Data Extensible Markup Language (CDXML) specification to become part of JEDEC JEP30: Part Model Guidelines for use with today’s EDA tools. With this updated JEDEC standard, expected to be published in 2023, Chiplet builders will be able to provide electronically a standardized Chiplet part description to their customers paving the way for automating System in Package (SiP) design and build using Chiplets. The description will include information needed by SiP builders such as Chiplet thermal properties, physical and mechanical requirements, behavior specifications, power and signal integrity properties, testing the Chiplet in package, and security parameters.

“One of the key efforts at the OCP is centered around the need for specialized computation for AI and ML workloads driving the need for specialized silicon. To deliver on the need for specialized silicon while enabling a rapid pace of innovation, we believe a new open Chiplet economy with a low barrier to entry is needed and will require collaboration and standardizations on multiple dimensions, ensuring that companies are able to interact in an open efficient and scalable manner. The OCP has been investing in being a catalyst for an open Chiplet economy for several years through its Open Domain Specific Architecture (ODSA) Project and are pleased to establish this alliance with JEDEC to allow work done in ODSA to become part of a global international standard that advances the industry," said Cliff Grossner, Ph.D., VP Market Intelligence & innovation at the Open Compute Project Foundation.

There are many opportunities to create additional standardization efforts bringing together JEDEC’s strength in setting global standards for the microelectronics industry with OCP’s expertise in specifying system level devices seeding emerging technologies and markets, to set new global standards for novel device components in emerging markets eliminating market fragmentation and wasteful duplication of efforts by market participants.

“JEDEC is delighted to collaborate with the OCP to support our common goal to provide standards that serve the industry and move the market forward,” said John Kelly, President, JEDEC. “JEDEC and the OCP are united in our belief that standards developed in an open community and industry collaboration are essential to help foster efficient markets”.

“The silicon supply chain is diverse. It has to serve many vertical electronic equipment segments including Automotive, Personal Data Processing, Data Center and Enterprise Data Processing, Communications and Infrastructure, Medical, Defense, Aerospace and Industrial. Each market includes different value and application-specific requirements that need to be served. Processor suppliers have turned to highly heterogeneous chip platforms to remain competitive. This approach is becoming increasingly complex and costly to manufacture. In response to these challenges, chip builders have begun to adopt the use of chiplets. However, the same diversity that created the demand for chiplets, also makes it unlikely that any one supplier has the broad expertise to serve all these markets. Thus, many different Chiplet supply chains will emerge and no one solution will serve all markets. The emerging market around Chiplets will need many players and a low barrier to entry allowing for rapid innovation. Open communities sharing the effort for building common tools, prototypes, business workflows and standardizations are critical to accelerate a Chiplet Economy,” said Tom Hackenberg, Principal Analyst, Computing & Software Semiconductor, Memory and Computing Division, Yole Group

NEWMAN LAKE, WA — Hentec Industries/RPS Automation, a leading manufacturer of selective soldering, lead tinning and solderability test equipment, is pleased to announce that Elan Industries has finalized the purchase of a Hentec/RPS Vector 300 selective soldering system.

The Vector 300 is a compact selective soldering system with a small factory floor footprint and is ideally suited for 24/7 production, the same as the Vector 460 and Vector 600 models. The Vector 300 is fully lead-free compatible and features an integrated computer with unlimited program storage, integrated system software, witness camera and auto fiducial correction. Available in either standalone or SMEMA in-line configurations, the Vector 300 is offered with topside preheat, spray or drop-jet fluxer, dual flux nozzles, and custom or wave solder nozzles. The Vector 300 is UL and CE compliant and carries both a two-year system warranty and a four-year solder pot warranty.

NASHVILLE — KYZEN, the global leader in innovative environmentally friendly cleaning chemistries, will celebrate the Sweet 16 of its world-famous Leaping Water Display at the 2023 IPC APEX EXPO, scheduled to take place Jan. 24-26, 2023 at the San Diego Convention Center in California.

The display symbolizes the beauty of the convergence of science and care in a continuous, flowing movement of water that literally leaps back and forth in a captivating rhythm that never ceases to capture the amazement of onlookers. It also represents continuous improvement, like the KYZEN name (formed on the Japanese word KAIZEN).

KYZEN debuted Leaping Water for the first time at the 2007 IPC APEX EXPO in Los Angeles. The stunning presentation quickly grew in popularity to become a memorable part of every major industry tradeshow. Attendees’ appreciation of KYZEN’s Leaping Water sent it traveling across the oceans and around the world to be featured in Germany, Sweden, China, Australia, Asia and Mexico. Its luster has not faded over these past 16 years. It is captivating and draws the interest of all who see it, especially engineers who marvel with smiles at the visual display and the physics that make it work so beautifully.

Leaping Water also symbolizes KYZEN’s commitment to solving complex cleaning problems through the convergence of science and uncompromising care. This intentional approach nurtures innovation, which is a hallmark of the KYZEN brand.

For more than 32 years, KYZEN's focus has been to look at the complete process and work with customers to improve that process. Their aim is to ultimately increase yields, advance reliability and help to realize cost savings along the way. KYZEN’s innovative cleaning technologies, scientific expertise and customer support have been repeatedly recognized with the industry’s most prestigious awards, unrivaled in the industry.

Visit KYZEN in Booth #1545 during the IPC APEX EXPO to learn why. If you have trouble finding them – just look for the incredible Leaping Water!

To keep up with all the latest news regarding KYZEN at the IPC APEX EXPO and more, visit https://www.kyzen.com/about-kyzen/events/