Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1526114
50 SMT007 MAGAZINE I SEPTEMBER 2024 rial being used in the additive process. We have been working with a material—and also with the liquid metal paste—which is more like a thermal interface material to make sure the heat is dissipated out of the die. AI plays a part in that, but the other hot topic is sustainability. We are working to reduce our carbon footprint. We are developing a tech- nology that improves our heating techniques: moving toward less air and energy consump- tion. Along with achieving faster preheating times, we can increase the throughput. e other initiative is responding to the mar- ket, driving toward increasingly smaller fea- ture sizes. We are trying to get more smaller deposits and smaller keep-out zones—200 to 300 microns for the semiconductor markets— because that is where the market is trending. Finally, we have a tilt-and-rotate function where you can tilt the jet or the auger valve to dispense material on the sidewall to enable reduced keep-out-zone (KOZ) areas and improved capillary flow for underfill and edge bonding materials. All this development has been in the works and we're making sure we have the necessary soware functionality to support it. Open Apps 4.0, for example, is more like a Factory of the Future initiative which includes MES, CFX, and Secs/Gems standards. Open Apps 4.0 will be a new offering with shared architec- ture across all the EAE platforms. Further out, we are moving to concentrate on self-optimization to minimize operator inter- vention at the machine level because we know that 95% of the downtime in production can be traced to the operators. To reduce or eliminate that downtime, we see more features like auto- matic machine calibrations. Once the operator changes the cartridge, it will automatically cal- ibrate on the cartridge side, and provide auto- matic jet valve monitoring. All these features eliminate operator intervention. Let's talk about temperature issues. Some jobs require heat but it's important to use energy efficiently. Yet, we keep moving toward very small parts, or very small balls on very large BGAs. Both trends require more precise dispensing. Do these trends track together? Yes. We see the trend with both components moving next to each other as we try to get smaller droplets. It's driven by the technol- ogy roadmap because the market is moving to smaller, more precise droplets. Even the mate-