Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1507822
SEPTEMBER 2023 I PCB007 MAGAZINE 61 Why was the Notion system the right choice for SEL? Was it your automation, high speed, or other criteria? In your interview with John Hendrickson at SEL, he shared several reasons why they bought our machines. One of the most impor- tant reasons is that it saves three to four pro- cess steps. You don't need a spray coater or a second dryer. You don't need an LDI or a developer. You are saving space and materials. For example, with the standard solder mask process, you can print maybe 20 boards per kilo. With our process, you can print approxi- mately 75 boards per kilo, so that's three times as many. Likewise, you have energy and labor savings because it's all fully automated. One operator is able to run the entire solder mask backend. Where have most of the Notion Systems equipment been installed? It depends on the year. is year, we've sold a lot of equipment to North America, and by December, we should have between 10 and 12 machines installed. We have about eight machines installed in Europe and a couple in Asia. Our focus was to first catch all the inter- ested customers in Europe, and then we saw a strong demand in North America, especially for new companies. ere are several PCB makers moving production from Asia back to North America, and that gives us the chance to sell our equipment and our process into these new factories. Are you seeing an uptick in North America for new factories? Yes, there definitely will be a couple new fac- tories in North America. We will also see new factories in Europe and Southeast Asia, espe- cially in ailand and Vietnam. With this move toward more greenfield facilities, what are those customers asking for? How are those requests driving your innovation? We save cost and material, so we decrease the carbon footprint. ese are the main economic Notion Systems' n.jet technology saves multiple process steps, large investments in valuable space, energy, and labor. This completely digital process also uses UV-curable inks instead of solvent-based inks.