CHATSWORTH, CA – Northrop Grumman Corporation has recognized NEOTech as one of its top supplier partners during the company’s Supplier Excellence Awards.

“NEOTech has supported Northrop Grumman in delivering technologies that enhance national security for the U.S. and our allies,” said Ken Brown, vice president, enterprise global supply chain, Northrop Grumman. “The high-quality performance, dedication and partnership of our supplier teams drive operational excellence to ensure warfighters have next generation advantages in advanced weapons, aircraft, missile defense and space.”

Recognized for Performance Excellence, NEOTech is instrumental in supporting Northrop Grumman with delivering innovative and cost-effective military and security solutions to give its customers the advantage in a complex world.

“Receiving Northrop Grumman’s Supplier Excellence Award for Performance Excellence is a tremendous achievement for the entire NEOTech organization, and we are honored to be recognized,” said Jon Good, NEOTech Longmont General Manager. “This prestigious award from one of the nation’s leading Aerospace & Defense OEMs reflects years of continuous improvement and dedication across all NEOTech teams to deliver the high-quality, high-reliability products our customers expect. Our teams are committed to achieving customer excellence to ensure U.S. and allied warfighters achieve operational success around the globe. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Northrop Grumman and providing best-in-class Electronic Manufacturing Services to all our customers.”

NEOTech is dedicated to transforming customers’ product innovations into engineered solutions by leveraging a highly capable supply base, meticulous manufacturing processes, and reliable on-time delivery. With the resources of a Tier 1 provider and the agility of a customer-focused partner, NEOTech offers tailored, project-specific services that address each customer’s unique needs. This collaborative approach ensures that customers receive high-quality, efficient, and cost-effective solutions that consistently meet or exceed expectations. As a trusted partner to OEMs, NEOTech provides comprehensive product design, engineering, and manufacturing services, seamlessly integrating with customers’ engineering teams to enhance scalability, flexibility, and speed. NEOTech’s design and manufacturing engineering expertise supports customers at any stage of the design cycle, helping to refine concepts and accelerate the transition from prototype to full-scale production.

For more information about NEOTech’s services, please visit the company’s website at

www.NEOTech.com.

PALO ALTO, CA and VERNON HILLS, IL – Fuji Corporation, a global leader in advanced SMT and automation solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with Arch Systems, a pioneer in AI-powered manufacturing intelligence, to bring AI guidance to factories and users of Fuji SMT lines worldwide.

Arch Systems will provide AI-driven actions to users of Fuji SMT lines, enabling the to resolve production challenges proactively. The system leverages AI agents, enriched with expert knowledge of Fuji machines, to automatically recognize and diagnose issues—ranging from suppressing scrap level and anomalous error states to growing line imbalances and low throughput. By analyzing factory data and dashboards in real-time, the AI generates actionable guidance, empowering manufacturers to optimize uptime, throughput, and yield while reducing reliance on external expertise.

"Fuji has long been recognized for building the most advanced and well-engineered systems in the industry. Through this collaboration, which utilizes our data and reporting at a high level across the entire SMT process, we are signaling a leap into the next step—bringing AI-driven automated guidance to our machines, not just for pick-and-place, but across the entire SMT line to ensure maximum efficiency. This partnership extends our vision for FUJI Smart Factory, empowering customers with end-to-end intelligence to achieve excellence in production," said Takeshi Sato, Fuji Corporation Head of SMT Division, and Board Member.

By bringing AI-driven intelligence to Fuji’s industry-leading solutions, Arch Systems is enhancing the FUJI Smart Factory (FSF) experience, enabling manufacturers to scale expert-level decision-making across production lines. This AI-powered system allows users to transition from reactive troubleshooting to proactive optimization, driving new levels of efficiency and automation in SMT production.

Of the partnership, Arch CTO, Tim Burke, said, “Fuji has long been a leader in not only robotics and automation but in expert data and monitoring systems
that optimized the use of their machines. Now we have partnered to amplify the best of their data, dashboards, and expertise to bring AI guided actions to
shop floor users. In this way we’re enabling manufacturers to scale expertise in all new ways and build intelligence automation on top of physical automation."

For more information about the partnership, visit https://archsys.io/ai-driven-optimization-for-the-fuji-smart-factory/

About Fuji Corporation

Founded in 1959, Fuji Corporation is a global leader in SMT robotics and automation technology, specializing in electronics assembly equipment and machine tools. Fuji develops high-speed, high-precision SMT equipment and automation systems that maximize productivity, supporting industries such as semiconductors, telecommunications, generative AI, and automotive. Their commitment to R&D ensures that Fuji technology stays ahead of the curve, innovating adaptable solutions for various production needs. Beyond manufacturing, Fuji applies robotics and automation to logistics and healthcare, addressing societal challenges and working toward a sustainable future. By delivering innovative products and services, Fuji enriches lives and creates new value for society, shaping a future where automation supports everyday life.

For more information, visit https://smt.fuji.co.jp/en/.

About Arch Systems

Arch Systems transforms factory intelligence with AI-driven solutions that help manufacturers optimize operations, reduce downtime, and maximize efficiency. Purpose-built for discrete manufacturing by manufacturing and data experts, Arch AI acts as an expert copilot—reading dashboards, synthesizing data, and delivering real-time, prescriptive guidance to operators, engineers, and executives. Unlike traditional dashboards that require experts to interpret, Arch AI provides actionable intelligence without costly infrastructure overhauls. By leveraging AI to unlock insights from existing factory systems, Arch enables manufacturers to scale expertise, improve critical KPIs, and drive measurable impact on the shop floor.

For more information, visit www.archsys.io.

CRANSTON, RI — Federal Electronics, a leader in providing advanced electronic manufacturing services, is proud to announce the expansion of its cable assembly and wire harness capabilities at its Cranston, Rhode Island facility. The expanded dedicated production floor space, coupled with the addition of state-of-the-art automated wire processing equipment, enhances Federal Electronics’ ability to serve its customers requiring higher-mix, low- to mid-volume, highly complex cable and harness assemblies.

The Cranston facility now features advanced automated wire processing systems from Artos and Schleuniger, offering significant cost savings, improved throughput, and enhanced quality assurance for customers across military/defense, industrial, and medical sectors. These cutting-edge systems handle a wide range of interconnect assemblies, from high-density harnesses with more than 2,000 connection
points to lengthy cable assemblies exceeding 130 ft.

Unlike traditional high-volume production lines, Federal Electronics’ configurable work cells have been custom-engineered to support lower volume, higher complexity builds, providing a flexible, responsive manufacturing solution for highly regulated industries. Whether building custom wire harnesses for military applications, industrial capital equipment, or advanced medical devices, Federal Electronics delivers superior craftsmanship with consistent quality.

While the Cranston facility serves as the hub for military and defense programs and customers bound by Build America, Buy America Act requirements, Federal Electronics’ Hermosillo, Mexico facility offers a cost-effective alternative for customers seeking value-driven solutions without regulatory constraints. This dual-site approach allows labor-intensive cable assemblies to be built in Mexico and seamlessly integrated into higher-level assemblies in Mexico or at the Cranston site, providing cost savings while maintaining end-to-end quality control.

Federal Electronics’ engineering team plays a critical role in process development, using automation and lean manufacturing principles to optimize labor content, improve first-pass yields, and reduce costs — all while maintaining the flexibility to accommodate higher-mix, lower-volume programs. Operators at both facilities are trained to IPC-A-620 Class 3 standards, ensuring every assembly meets the highest levels of quality and reliability.

To better align with customer production schedules, Federal Electronics offers custom Kanban programs for cable and wire harness assemblies, ensuring components are delivered exactly when needed. This demand-driven approach — supported by synchronized ERP and MRP systems across both locations — allows Federal Electronics to flex capacity within 24 hours, providing unmatched responsiveness for customers with fluctuating demand.

For OEMs seeking a UL-listed partner with the engineering expertise, automated equipment, and flexible US-Mexico manufacturing footprint needed to produce complex, highly engineered cable and wire harness assemblies, Federal Electronics offers a proven, cost-effective solution.

For more information about Federal Electronics and its manufacturing capabilities, visit www.federalelec.com or contact sales@federalelec.com.

About Federal Electronics

Established in 1961, Federal Electronics is a leading provider of advanced Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS), specializing in complex, mission-critical products for industries such as military/defense, industrial, and medical. With over six decades of experience, the company offers comprehensive solutions that encompass engineering, supply chain management, and manufacturing services tailored to meet the unique challenges of high reliability markets.

ROLLING MEADOWS, IL – BEST Inc., a leader in electronic component services, training, and products is pleased to announce it will host a two-day SMT Bootcamp course taught by industry veteran Phil Zarrow. The course is scheduled to take place in Rolling Meadows, IL on May 19-20 with seats available both in-person and online.

Developed by an experienced team of engineers and technicians with diverse backgrounds in electronics PCB manufacturing, this course provides students with insights into the processes, tools, and materials used in modern electronic assembly.

The SMT Bootcamp class emphasizes a practical approach, enabling students to observe the various stages of the SMT assembly process and gain real-world experience from different perspectives and company examples. The course includes lectures and hands-on observations, providing students with a foundational understanding of PCB assembly.

Topics Covered

• PCB Board Fabrication
• Solder Paste Basics
• Stencil Design
• Printing Parameters
• Component Placement
• Overview of the Placement Process - SMT Tour Analysis of the Reflow Process and Profiling
• Wave Soldering
• Testing
• Component ID
• PCB Fabrication Process and Tour
• Stencil Fabrication Tour
• Printing Demonstration
• Solder Paste Printing and Placement Demo
• X-ray Equipment Demo
• Tour of Testing Facility Including ICT and Flying Probe
• Testing and Certification

When: May 19-20 (7:30am – 4:30pm)

Where: 3603 Edison Pl, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008

To register visit: https://soldertraining.net/event-template/?eventtemplate=7-smt-bootcamp

About Phil Zarrow, ITM Consulting

Phil Zarrow bousts over 45 years of involvement in PCB fabrication and assembly, show-casing expertise in equipment manufacturing for through-hole and surface mount technologies. His career spans key roles in companies like Vitronics Corporation, Excellon-Micronetics, and
Universal Instruments Corporation, offering global hands-on experience in setup and troubleshooting of assembly processes.

Since founding ITM Consulting in 1992, Zarrow has assisted clients across diverse areas, including SMT implementation, process failure analysis, quality audits, yield improvement, and equipment evaluation. A sought-after speaker and instructor, he has chaired and instructed at various seminars worldwide, published technical papers, co-authored industry books, and holds patents in PCB fabrication and audit methodologies.

Actively involved in professional associations like IPC and SMTA, Mr. Zarrow has received accolades for his contributions to the industry, including awards from SMTA and recognition for his writings in industry publications. Presently, he produces and co-hosts Circuit Insight’s “BoardTalk” audio program.

About BEST Inc.

BEST Inc. has been a certified IPC Training Center for nearly 30 years offering IPC Certifications for Trainer (CIT) and Operator (CIS) level courses. We offer regularly scheduled class options along with private training classes, customized to your specific needs, across the country. We are committed to providing the highest quality training to meet our customers’ needs and exceed their expectations.