Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1305670
32 SMT007 MAGAZINE I NOVEMBER 2020 our Total Remote Management System (TRMS). This application displays data collected from MIRTEC's AOI and SPI systems, as well as all other equipment in the SMT manufacturing line, giving our customers a clear view of the manufacturing process, and thereby helping them achieve higher operating efficiencies and improved quality. Johnson: Not everybody can install new equip- ment to make a digital factory. To retrofit the equipment you have and bring it up to speed, and at least keep moving forward step by step is a valuable thing to do. As we started this interview, you shared that the adoption rates for the digital factory are geographically influ- enced. Where do you see more adoption? D'Amico: Asia is where we see the most trac- tion. But that is really something that I would fully anticipate as we typically see that Asia is at the forefront of adopting new technology. That includes Industry 4.0. Many customers in the U.S. and in Europe are still in the process of "kicking the tires." They recognize that there will definitely be value added by embracing Industry 4.0, but there does not seem to be a sense of urgency. Having said that, I find that a lot of custom- ers are asking the same question. Are these machines Industry 4.0 capable? This means that they are definitely considering this as a future requirement, which makes perfectly good sense. When a manufacturer invests in a new piece of assembly equipment, they expect to use the equipment for a period of 5–10 years or more. It stands to reason that any new piece of assembly equipment must provide the required process data, as well as the ability to communicate with other machines within the line. These are the basic requirements for Industry 4.0 capability. Johnson: It makes sense that smart factory and automation would be a priority when you're working in high volume production. You want to keep the line running; as much as possible, you'd like for the line to do its own adjustment, keep itself optimized, or to quickly throw up an alert to keep it moving. But it seems to me that, when you get into the U.S. and Europe, the manufacturing is more specialized—lower volume, higher mix, and perhaps more esoteric—in terms of what's being built, higher layer counts, and other con- straints that will require precise adjustments to the process windows. That process window feedback seems even more important in that environment than ever. D'Amico: I fully agree. In Asia, manufacturers are typically geared toward high-volume pro- duction. The same is true in Mexico. Keep in mind that these higher volume markets are very cost-competitive with very slim margins, so there is a special emphasis on fully auto- matic SMT manufacturing lines. In the U.S. and Europe, however, we specialize in high-