Zapopan, Mexico – SMarTsol, a company founded in 2012 and dedicated to providing high-tech equipment and services for industries such as electronics, automotive, and renewable energy, announces a strategic alliance with HIKMICRO, a commercial leader in thermal imaging cameras. Formalized in May, this collaboration strengthens SMarTsol’s portfolio by integrating comprehensive solutions in advanced inspection technologies.

Through this alliance, SMarTsol will distribute HIKMICRO products in Mexico, including portable thermal cameras, acoustic cameras (ultrasound-based), and fixed cameras, ideal for predictive maintenance and diagnostics in industrial environments.

“Incorporating HIKMICRO’s technology allows us to enhance our offering with reliable, precise, and cutting-edge equipment for inspection and maintenance,” said Iván Romo, General Manager of SMarTsol.

This partnership not only drives HIKMICRO’s presence in the Mexican market, but also enables SMarTsol to expand into new industrial sectors—strengthening its commitment to deliver high-value technology through strategic alliances. Together, both companies are building a relationship that fosters mutual growth and the development of more complete technological solutions for their clients.

For more information about SMarTsol’s products and services, visit www.SMarTsol.mx

Chino, CA – Scienscope International is pleased to announce the appointment of FHP Reps as its new manufacturers’ representative. FHP Reps will cover Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, providing regional sales and support for Scienscope’s full line of innovative inspection solutions.

FHP Reps brings decades of experience in the electronics assembly industry, with a strong reputation for technical expertise, customer focus, and hands-on support. Their deep understanding of manufacturing challenges and their longstanding relationships with OEMs and EMS providers across the South-Central U.S. make them an ideal partner for Scienscope’s continued growth in the region.

“We’re excited to welcome FHP Reps to the Scienscope family,” said Danny Lumbreras, National Sales/ Service Manager at Scienscope. “Their knowledge of the market and commitment to customer service align perfectly with our mission to deliver advanced, user-friendly solutions that improve quality, traceability, and process efficiency.”

With this partnership, customers across the five-state territory will gain easier access to Scienscope’s portfolio of award-winning solutions, including:

• X-ray component counters
• Micro-focus X-ray inspection systems
• Optical inspection systems
• Smart storage and inventory management solutions

“Partnering with Scienscope allows us to bring cutting-edge inspection and traceability technology to our customers,” said Keith Favre, President at FHP Reps. “We’re proud to represent a company that is as forward-thinking and responsive to industry needs as Scienscope.”

To learn more about FHP Reps, visit: www.fhpreps.com.

For further information, please email Scienscope at info@scienscope.com, call 1-909-590-7273, or visit www.scienscope.com.

NAMPA, ID ― Silicon Mountain Contract Services, a leading provider of custom electronics manufacturing solutions, today announced the recent implementation of the Vorne XL real-time production monitoring system. This strategic move is designed to improve job time tracking, identify bottlenecks in real time, and increase overall production efficiency on the factory floor. By enhancing process control and operational visibility, the new system also helps support consistent pricing for customers through more stable and predictable manufacturing operations.

The Vorne XL Productivity Appliance is an advanced Industrial IoT device that integrates data capture, real-time production monitoring, a plant-floor scoreboard, and a robust reporting platform into one solution for driving continuous improvement across all levels of manufacturing. With the XL system in place, SMCS operators and managers gain instant insight into production status and performance metrics, enabling them to track each job’s progress and respond immediately to any issues. The real-time dashboard and alerts provided by Vorne XL give a comprehensive view of all processes, so teams can spot emerging delays or inefficiencies as they happen and take corrective action without delay.

Key Benefits of the Vorne XL Implementation

• Precise Job Time Tracking: Vorne XL allows Silicon Mountain to measure actual production and labor time against target standards for each part or job, providing immediate feedback on whether teams are meeting expected cycle times. This accuracy in tracking ensures better scheduling and resource allocation.
• Real-Time Bottleneck Identification: The system’s real-time monitoring and visual Andon displays make it easy to see the status of every workstation at a glance, enabling staff to quickly identify areas of concern or any process that needs attention. By catching bottlenecks or downtime events in real time, SMCS can address problems before they impact downstream processes.
• Higher Production Efficiency: By minimizing unplanned downtime and allowing rapid response to issues, Vorne XL helps improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and boost productivity. The data-driven insights from the system enable continuous improvement initiatives that streamline workflows and increase throughput without sacrificing quality.
• Enhanced Process Control & Visibility: The XL platform provides management with comprehensive, data-backed visibility into operations, ensuring processes run under tighter control. Stable, well-monitored production processes lower manufacturing costs and increase predictability, which in turn enables Silicon Mountain to maintain consistent, competitive pricing for its customers. The improved transparency and control reinforce the company’s commitment to delivering reliable service and value.

“Being able to see what’s happening on our production floor in real time is transformational for our operations,” said Eddie Garcia, Operations Manager at Silicon Mountain. “Vorne XL allows us to spot inefficiencies or delays as they occur, so we can respond immediately. This means we keep our workflows running optimally and maintain the cost efficiencies needed to offer consistent pricing to our customers.”

This implementation of the Vorne XL system underscores Silicon Mountain’s ongoing commitment to operational excellence and innovation. The company continues to invest in advanced Industry 4.0 solutions to enhance its manufacturing capabilities and deliver exceptional quality and consistency to clients. By leveraging real-time production data and analytics, Silicon Mountain is further strengthening its ability to provide high-quality electronic manufacturing services at stable, competitive prices for its diverse customer base.

For more information on Silicon Mountain’s advanced capabilities and services, visit www.siliconmtn.net.

MILPITAS, CA – FlexTech, a SEMI Technology Community, today issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to advance flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) technologies, including the development of advanced materials and additive processing. Selected projects will receive cash awards ranging from $250,000 to $750,000. The program is funded by the Army Research Laboratory (ARL). ARL funding will be matched with contributions by selected recipients to cover total project cost.

The RFP seeks proposals targeting FHE advances in the following areas:

• Advanced Materials
• Integrated Digital Twin Platforms for Multiscale, Multimaterial, Additive Electronics Manufacturing
• System Integration, Reliability, and Standards for Scalable FHE and Additive Electronics Manufacturing
• Restricted Open Topics
  • Market & Application Landscape Assessment
  • Process Development Kit for FHE
  • 3D Geometry & Co-Design Tools

Organizations submitting proposals will be evaluated based on their capabilities, experiences, and strengths. See the FlexTech 2025 RFP for more details on the evaluation process.

White Paper Submissions

White paper submissions, the first step in responding to the RFP, are due July 14, 2025. Following the review of white papers by the RFP review committee, FlexTech will invite selected organizations to submit full proposals. The committee consists of FlexTech Council members and other subject matter experts (SMEs). Evaluation criteria include:

• Rationale
• Budget
• Collaboration value
• Dual-use (industry and military) applicability
• Relevance to the FHE ecosystem
• Schedules and milestones
• Reasonable and stretch deliverables
• Overall proposal quality
• Request for Proposals Webinar

To help organizations craft their proposals, FlexTech staff will review the RFP topics and the submission and review process during a live webinar on June 24, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. PDT. A recording will be available for registrants unable to attend the event. Register for the webinar.