Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1502623
JULY 2023 I SMT007 MAGAZINE 47 The new CFX message GetInspectionInfo Request/Response allows the AOI to query inspection results directly from the SPI or supervisory application, e.g., MES related to a particular defect rather than using the UnitsIn- spection messages of the upstream SPI, which means storing and managing data that may not be needed. GetInspectionInfoRequest/Response message enables the device to focus specifi- cally on the data that are needed by the super- visory system. ese enhancements will also benefit a new activity to develop industry requirements stan- dards for automated inspection. e intent of this new activity is to create a group of auto- mated inspection process control standards, with data management, communication (IPC- CFX) and analytics (including artificial intelli- gence) built in. ese standards are critical to improve automated inspection process effec- tiveness and reduce process variation (e.g., false call reduction). A task group was recently formed to under- take the first topic in this family (AOI process control for board assemblies), and they plan to produce a standard for industry in 2024. As this group works, we also anticipate task groups to form in the months ahead to focus on AOI for PCBs, subsystem and final system assembly; automated inspection for IC substrates and IC packaging; and SPI for board assemblies. For more information on activities around this new family of IPC standards, or to join the task In 2022, their joint efforts with TEEMA through the IPC-CFX Demonstration Team in Taiwan have resulted in IPC-CFX production lines at seven EMS companies, comprising 120 pieces of equipment. ey have plans for assisting more EMS companies in implement- ing IPC-CFX, targeting an additional eight EMS facilities and 60 pieces of equipment. eir key goals of increasing IPC-CFX adop- tion within Taiwan EMS companies are to address the challenges of low equipment uti- lization due to small-batch, high-variety pro- duction and to explore grouping production and design for automation (DFA) principles to improve production efficiency and reduce costs. In addition to SMT line implementations, the groups see the full value of IPC-CFX and how it can expand to activities outside of SMT. IPC expects these collaborative efforts to result in expansions of IPC-CFX to better cover back- end processes, including warehouse systems, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and other peripheral equipment, thus making IPC-CFX even more comprehensive as a full-scale man- ufacturing automation and equipment inter- connection standard. In the same time frame as the activities being reported out of Taiwan, the IPC-CFX Standard Task Group and Plug and Players A-Team have also been highly productive in further expand- ing IPC-CFX to meet industry needs. Now Getting to the Cool Stuff For production lines with AOI and SPI, smarter machines from the same vendor can relate to a proprietary linkage between the two same-vendor devices. Many—or most—EMS lines will have devices from different vendors so a direct linkage between the two is not avail- able. To address this, the task group has devel- oped a new IPC-CFX message—GetInspection InfoRequest/Response—to close this gap and enable electronics manufacturers to choose AOI and SPI more freely based on technical and price/performance criteria.