Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1541670
26 SMT007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2025 You mention UPH and floor space concerns as constraints, but we also have constraints in component and feature sizes. How does selective soldering help meet those conflicting needs? Norlin: It perfectly fits those needs. It is much more flexible than tradi- tional wave or manual sol- dering. It can support the mixed components that are on the boards. Because it's automated, it can run at scale. Roberta Foster-Smith: Especially with our Synchro model, the way the inside is config- ured is important. For example, you can have up to four different types of solder in one machine, all applied in one pass. It's not like a more traditional selective soldering system, where changing out the pots is a factor. Norlin: That's a really good point. Regarding board size, our selective soldering system can accommo- date boards of a very large scale and still maintain that kind of precision process. Which sectors in the marketplace seem to be the most applicable right now for moving from wave solder to selective solder? Norlin: Definitely high-volume automotive produc- tion, and because of the technology, there are also energy applications, including the higher band- width, high-speed rack mount applications like data centers, etc. Beyond the technical reasons for Kamstrup to make these changes, what were its financial advantages? Norlin: You're touching on a cornerstone of our value proposition. Our innovation is focused on providing our customers with improvements in the total cost of ownership. As our customers are very well aware, there are multiple pillars to their investment. Kamstrup experienced a quantifiable increase in UPH, which can be translated into a specific financial advantage. But they would not have been able to make this upgrade without the compact footprint. They sim- ply didn't have the space. In their case, it was all or nothing; for us, our product freed up their floor space. It simply could not have happened without the compact footprint we could provide. Workforce pressures would certainly seem to be a factor. How is Nordson helping its customers with their work- force staffing needs? Norlin: We're focusing our innovation pipeline on those automation requirements in tandem. We're focused on providing the support and training that's necessary for our customers to operate the equipment. As a global corporation, Nordson is exploring ways to embed AI into our technology to assist with automated recipe trans- lations and similar tasks. What once required very technical engineers can be more of an automated process in the future. Does Nordson Electronics Solutions see AI and machine learning as a key strategy? Norlin: For our division's entire product portfolio, the answer is yes. We have also automated confor- mal coating, precision dispensing, and plasma sur- face treatment. We're exploring AI automation as a disruptive approach due to our steadfast commit- ment to total cost of ownership. For example, for the types of programming that require a lot of time, tools are now available with machine learning and AI that can help our custom- ers complete tasks faster and solve, or alleviate, some of the challenges with workforce develop- ment. What about sustainability? There is economic sustainability and environmental sustainability. How does this help a company like Kamstrup become more sustainable? Norlin: Our customers are trying to meet new envi- ronmental regulations, but there's also an overall mission to operate in a more environmentally sus- tainable manner. J e a n i n e N o rl i n