Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1305670
26 SMT007 MAGAZINE I NOVEMBER 2020 Feature Interview by Nolan Johnson I-CONNECT007 I spoke with MIRTEC President Brian D'Amico about how the role of test and mea- surement equipment is changing in the smart factory and how shops can adjust to make use of the new technology. D'Amico shares this insight: "While approximately 90% of U.S. electronics manufacturers recognize the poten- tial of Industry 4.0 to improve productivity, many are slow to adopt smart factory solutions within the manufacturing process." Nolan Johnson: What are the changes to test and inspection's role in the factory? Does it dif- fer depending on whether you're in the U.S., Europe, or Asia? Brian D'Amico: Industry 4.0 is a topic of much discussion within the electronics manufactur- ing industry. Manufacturers and vendors are trying to come to terms with what that means. In the most simplistic of terms, Industry 4.0 is a trend toward automation and data exchange within the manufacturing process. This basi- cally requires connectivity and communi- cation from machine to machine within the manufacturing line. The challenge is to collect data from each of the systems within the line and make that data available to the rest of the machines. Without test and inspection, there is no Industry 4.0. The whole purpose of test and inspection is to collect actionable data that may be used to reduce defects and maximize efficiency within the manufacturing line. The goal is to minimize scrap and get a really good handle on those process parameters that need to be put in place to manufacture products the right way the first time. For maximum efficiency, three inspec- tion systems are required within the produc- tion line. These are solder paste inspection (SPI) post-solder deposition, automated opti- cal inspection (AOI) post-placement, and AOI post-reflow. This requires a substantial invest- ment; however, the combination of all three inspection machines is really the only true way to provide feedback for each stage of the man- ufacturing process. Johnson: You mentioned three places to put test and inspection. In a more traditional "red Test and Measurement in a Smart Factory