Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1545666
N O L A N 'S N OT ES 6 SMT007 MAGAZINE I JULY 2026 It was a comment from a guest at APEX EXPO last March that hit me. We were walking the show floor together and I was describing the major pieces of equipment, their functions, and the order of operation. When we stopped at a booth with robotic component towers, my guest commented, "So, everyone has one of these, right?" "Umm, no," I said. "This is considered pretty sophisticated equip- ment. A lot of companies pick these parts from inventory by hand." My guest, an industry outsider, said, "How do they tolerate all the time and human error?" That response, frankly, was rather devastating. She may have been new to the industry, but she sure knew a thing or two about manufacturing. I said to myself, "Is it really that obvious?" Well, if it wasn't that obvious in years past, it is now. Reducing setup time is a key area for improving uptime and reducing labor waste. The biggest opportunity for EMS providers is not faster machine BY N O L A N J O H N S O N , I - C O N N ECT 0 07 The ROI of Setup Optimization