BURGKIRCHEN, GERMANY – cts GmbH made a major appearance at SMT-Connect to present its contribution to the Smart Factory in PCB assembly. The focus was on the Mini Smart Warehouse as a production-related automatic storage option for PCBs in magazines, assemblies and components in boxes or trays. An autonomous mobile robot (AMR), a drop point unit and an unloader from Flexlink as the end point of an SMT line brought the innovative concept to life. This makes cts the first intralogistics and automation specialist to offer a standardized solution for automating material flows and short-term intermediate storage in production. The goals: Avoiding employees having to walk around in production and saving space.

The intelligent software from cts, which can also be used to manage larger smart warehouses, is supplied with information via ERP or MES. Based on this data, the system consisting of the Smart Warehouse and a self-organizing AMR fleet ensures that all materials are available at the right place along the lines at the right time. Materials that are not needed are removed from the way. At SMT-Connect, the process was demonstrated using PCB magazines, trays and KLT boxes, just as it had been at SEMICON Malaysia. Thanks to its compact form with storage areas around a central robot, it is even possible to set up the Mini Smart Warehouse in clean rooms. The cts Smart Warehouse portfolio is completed by the SMT warehouse for component reels.

"Printed circuit boards and components, but also consumables such as solder paste or cleaning fluid - there are many things on SMT lines that need to be tidied up and are also needed again quickly. We are convinced that mixed automatic storage and delivery using a production-related intelligent system is the right way forward," explains Alfred Pammer, VP of Sales, Marketing and Product Management at cts. "Our system is open for integration with existing software and hardware. The discussions we have had at the past two trade fairs show that our intralogistics concept is a very practical smart factory approach that is well received."

PHELPS, NY – Z-AXIS, a fast-growing provider of electronic design and manufacturing services, will double its surface mount technology (SMT) capacity during Phase 1 of a $1.5M USD expansion. The electronics contract manufacturer ordered a total of 15 new pieces of equipment after visiting the IPC APEX 2024 tradeshow this spring.

“This is the first phase of three-phase expansion,” said Michael Allen, Z-AXIS’ President. “Expanding our surface mount capabilities will allow us to take on even more SMT jobs while accelerating production,” he added.

During the first phase of its latest expansion, Z-AXIS will replace its new product introduction (NPI) line with an SMT line that is effectively as fast as its other two high-speed lines combined. The company will retain the current NPI line’s oven but add a board dropper, stencil printer, conveyor, two pick-and-place machines, a board turner, another conveyor, and automated optical inspection (AOI) technology.

Z-AXIS selected the AOI equipment based on information gained at IPC APEX 2024, the electronics manufacturing industry’s largest event in North America. Z-AXIS expanded its wire and cable assembly production in 2020 and has a rich history investing in state-of-the-art equipment. The company’s current expansion is self-funded and reflects a record number of sales bookings this year.

MOUNT PLEASANT, PA – Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) today announced that CEO and President Teresa Huber of Intervala LLC was named an Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2024 East Central Award winner. Entrepreneur Of The Year is the preeminent competitive awards program for entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies. A premier full-service electronics manufacturing services provider, Intervala manufactures high-reliability products for global leaders and innovators in the medical, industrial and defense industries.

Huber was selected by an independent judging panel made up of previous award winners, leading CEOs and other business leaders. Candidates were evaluated based on their ability to create long-term value through entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to their purpose and the demonstration of growth and substantial impact, among other key indicators.

“I am honored to have my entrepreneurial journey recognized and acknowledged with so many other accomplished business leaders across the country,” said Huber. “While entrepreneurship can sometimes be considered a solitary endeavor, that has not been my experience. I really do believe that my successes have always been team efforts rather than individual victories. I believe in assembling and cultivating the best team and then encouraging everyone to do what they do best while working together.

“When we established Intervala in early 2016, we focused on developing a distinct culture that encourages trust and openness, provides opportunities and resources, and makes customer service paramount,” Huber added. “Intervala’s sustained success is rooted in our clear and succinct purpose: To solve our customers’ problems so they can achieve their organizational goals.”

Huber concluded, “Thank you to EY US for this wonderful honor. And to my tremendously talented team at Intervala, thank you for your commitment to our customers’ success. I share this recognition with you.”

As an East Central award winner, Huber is now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2024 National Awards. The National Award winners, including the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner, will be announced in November at the Strategic Growth Forum®, one of the nation’s most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies. The Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner will then move on to compete for the World Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award in June 2025.

Entrepreneur Of The Year recognizes many different types of business leaders for their ingenuity, courage and entrepreneurial spirit. The program celebrates original founders who bootstrapped their business from inception or who raised outside capital to grow their company; transformational CEOs who infused innovation into an existing organization to catapult its trajectory; and multigenerational family business leaders who reimagined a legacy business model to fortify it for the future.

The Entrepreneur Of The Year program has recognized the leadership of entrepreneurs such as:

• Daymond John of FUBU
• Hamdi Ulukaya of Chobani, Inc.
• Holly Thaggard and Amanda Baldwin of Supergoop!
• Howard Schultz of Starbucks Coffee Company
• James Park of Fitbit
• Jodi Berg of Vitamix
• Kendra Scott of Kendra Scott LLC
• Michael Happe of Winnebago Industries
• Reid Hoffman and Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn Corporation
• Sheila Mikhail of AskBio

Entrepreneur Of The Year Award winners become lifetime members of a global, multi-industry community of entrepreneurs. They receive exclusive, ongoing access to the experience, insight and wisdom of program alumni and other ecosystem members in more than 60 countries — all supported by vast EY resources.

In addition to Entrepreneur Of The Year, EY US supports other entrepreneurs through the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ (Winning Women) program and the EY Entrepreneurs Access Network (EAN) to help connect women founders and Black and Hispanic/Latino entrepreneurs, respectively, with the resources, network and access needed to unlock their full potential.

CHATSWORTH, CA – NEOTech, a leading provider of electronic manufacturing services (EMS), design engineering, and supply chain solutions in the high-tech industrial, medical device, and aerospace/defense markets, is excited to announce a significant investment in and acquisition of state-of-the-art three-dimensional (3D) Computed Tomography (CT) scan equipment for its engineering laboratory. This strategic addition allows NEOTech to offer customers an enhanced process validation and failure analysis tool for critical electronic components and printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs).

3D CT scanning is one of the most advanced measurement technologies available today for precision manufacturing. This cutting-edge technology enables manufacturers to significantly reduce time-to-market, project costs, and risks.

By employing 3D CT scan equipment, NEOTech ensures that its manufacturing process is further refined to conduct non- destructive analysis on first article inspections and troubleshoot high-cost product assemblies without causing damage to the unit.

Emilio Ramirez, NEOTech’s Chief Technology Officer, emphasized the importance of this investment: “With the increasing density of PCBAs and the growing number of layers and component I/O counts, the need for advanced process development and failure analysis tools has never been greater. By incorporating 3D CT scanning technology, NEOTech is enhancing our expertise in electronics manufacturing and developing advanced methodologies to meet the demands of our customers’ higher complexity and higher density assemblies. These improvements to our engineering lab and processes ensure our customers that NEOTech can inspect, analyze, and troubleshoot their product assemblies with ease and confidence.”

NEOTech has built a strong reputation as an industry leader in EMS, and this acquisition further solidifies its commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions for its customers. The integration of 3D CT scanning technology into NEOTech’s engineering laboratory is a testament to its dedication to continuous improvement and excellence in manufacturing processes.

NEOTech continues to prioritize innovation and customer-centric solutions, ensuring that its services consistently meet the evolving needs of products used in mission-critical applications. The company’s goal is to successfully convert customers’ product technology into engineered products, providing the most capable supply base, manufacturing products with care and delivering them on time. The company is large enough to offer refined Tier 1 tools, processes, and capabilities, yet small enough to provide individualized care and service. NEOTech provides tailored project-by-project services that focus on each customer’s individual, unique needs. The result is a true collaboration in which the customer’s needs are met – or exceeded – in a timely, efficient, and cost-effective manner.

With more than 40 years of heritage in electronics manufacturing, NEOTech specializes in high- reliability programs in the Aerospace & Defense industry, Medical products, and High-Tech Industrial markets. NEOTech is well recognized as a premier EMS provider with in-depth experience manufacturing high-tech products and managing stringent US government requirements. For more information about NEOTech and its comprehensive range of manufacturing services, please visit www.NEOTech.com