Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1534953
42 SMT007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2025 Gateway Solutions for CFX implementations to have listings on the QPL. Providers of these solutions were seeking a path, utilizing the QPL, to demonstrate their capabilities both to EMS and OEM companies looking for support with legacy equipment on shop floors, as well as for equipment vendors who may need CFX implementation support. As with any other piece of equipment on the QPL, Gateway Solutions listings will need to meet the minimum mandatory require- ments for either a Generic listing or for spe- cific equipment type listings (pick and place, SPI, etc.). Upon successful qualification, the qualified gateway solution will be listed on the QPL with indication of date of qualifica- tion, vendor and model of equipment used for qualification, and the soware versions for the qualified gateway and equipment. A Gateway Solution alone cannot be listed on the QPL without a correspond- ing machine and machine soware qualifi- cation. e qualification applies to the full combination of the gateway, the specific equipment model, and the supported man- ufacturing processes. is ensures that the data transmitted through the gateway accu- rately reflects the equipment's operational role and is compliant with IPC-CFX mes- saging structures. The intent is to show the true point-to- point thread between the equipment ven- dor's model and software ver- sion and the Gateway Solution and its software version as the CFX endpoint. This maintains the QPL's integrity as a techni- cal tool rather than a market- ing tool. EMS and OEM companies will be able to match Gateway Solution qualifications against specific equipment/soware versions in their factory or see the qualification as a demon- stration of equipment function- ality support by Gateway Solu- tion providers. ey can then work with those providers to provide evidence for how their product will support equipment from another vendor and that vendor's soware. e future of IPC-CFX—and this broader ecosystem of digital factory standards—is not built behind closed doors. It's being shaped by a global supply chain of companies who contribute to the develop- ment of these standards and continue to push the boundaries of what's possible. Whether your organization is leading the charge on digital transformation or just getting started, your voice matters. Now is the time to get involved: Help influence what comes next by joining the IPC-CFX task group or any of IPC's digital standards committees. If you need support for your IPC-CFX integrations or have ideas for new standards that could move our industry forward, reach out to me directly at ChrisJorgensen@ipc.org. SMT007