Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1502623
50 SMT007 MAGAZINE I JULY 2023 Recording in Progress Advanced analytics systems need to be fed with large amounts of machine data such as the messages that IPC-CFX endpoints continu- ally publish with the details of their status and work. However, IPC-CFX messages are ephem- eral, meant to communicate data in flight from a producer to one or more consumers. is means that factories, that may be in the begin- ning stages of using IPC-CFX or plotting a best path for utilizing the data-rich message IPC- CFX can provide for advanced analytics, will need to build a system that will store all the data into a database, data lake, etc. is can be very an incredibly challenging endeavor. To address this and enable collection and storing of IPC-CFX data, a new, open-source, IPC-CFX Recorder soware program was developed for IPC-CFX, Version 1.6, which will record all IPC-CFX messages generated within a factory for later transfer of the data into an analytics system or database. It can be accessed at: github.com/IPCCo nnectedFactoryExchange/CFXRecorder Boxing Up IPC-CFX e data recorder is just one aspect of IPC- CFX developments for companies beginning— or looking to begin—their path to IPC-CFX. An A-Team under the IPC-CFX Standard Task Group is also working on a potential solution for IPC-CFX implementations into SMT legacy lines. ey are developing an IPC- CFX standards-based open-hard- ware interface, designed to enable existing machines, that cannot sup- port IPC-CFX natively through so- ware alone, to become part of an IPC- CFX communication infrastructure. e hardware comprises read- ily available components, includ- ing a CANBUS controller with four- wire connection and a Raspberry Pi. e architecture is intended to be modular and scalable, consisting of a pri- mary controller and optional add-on modules, connected using CANBUS. e group chose CANBUS because it has proven use over many years, is modular and flexible with simple wir- ing and installation, and there are many stan- dard hardware and circuits available. If you attended IPC APEX EXPO 2023, you may have seen a "light" first demonstration of the A-Team's work, which was a light tower connected to the Raspberry Pi box which sent and received thousands of IPC-CFX messages during the demonstrations. As the A-Team continues its work in build- ing out the SDK to support the Raspberry Pi box, they seek input from potential users of the device to ensure the SDK and device hardware instructions will meet industry needs. Anyone with interest in working with the A-Team on this project should contact answers@ipc.org. Hop on the IPC-CFX Express Line ere is a misunderstanding that adopting IPC-CFX at a manufacturing site is contingent on native IPC-CFX installations on equipment, but that is not the case. ere are pathways to integrating IPC-CFX into existing SMT lines so manufacturers can begin to reap the bene- fits of all the work the IPC-CFX Standard Task Group has done for industry.