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24 SMT Magazine • August 2016 rather through an optimal combination of various machines, systems and software. We believe that it's not practical or cost-effective to implement new systems strictly for the sake of achieving a higher level of technology. As it has always been the case in the manufacturing industry, every project must be carefully eval - uated to provide a tangible return on invest- ment. This is why most manufacturers are still at the stage of implementing basic MES func- tions such as material control, traceability and analytics. These functions offer the greatest benefits, both internally in terms of increased productivity, and externally in terms of cus- tomer satisfaction. Jayaramu Nagaraj Manager KAYNES TECHNOLOGY INDIA PVT LTD What I really like about the industry/ my company is... Customer focus in delivery and service. Sim- ilarly, in India, there should be a good semicon- ductor policy required to boost the electronics industry. Sujata Singh Senior Firmware R&D Engineer Electronic Industrial Solutions Group KEYSIGHT TECHNOLOGIES There are few products in our fast paced world that have endured as long as the In- Circuit tester (ICT) where the company logo on the 30-plus-year machine's front panel has changed a few times. Its software platform has moved from Unix to Windows and is still evolving. Many components on the hardware platform have changed several times to keep pace with current technologies and platforms. The look and feel of the ICT has undergone a few transformations to be in tune with custom - ers' needs. One would think that such an estab- lished product would require minimum effort to maintain and have no need for innovation. However, that's not the case in R&D. Working as an R&D engineer with the ICT team at Keysight technologies is a challenging job. The challenge is to be able to continuously upgrade the platform and ensure better per- formance every time. For a complex machine like ICT, it is not an easy feat to accomplish. It requires extreme sleuthing techniques to grasp its intricate machining before replacing any of its existing components with newer parts. The landscape of electronic test boards has changed significantly over the last few decades. The boards are smaller and denser now, and the ICT has also evolved by adding more and more test methods in its repertoire to increase the coverage. Recent technologies such as Cover Extend and Boundary Scan have provided al - ternate test methods where conventional tests would not have been sufficient. The graphical interface is currently undergoing a full over- haul to make it easier for customers to use and interact. I am privileged and thrilled to be given an opportunity to work in an environment that is challenging and yet gives plenty of room for innovation. Steve Telgen Pre-Production Engineer SALINE LECTRONICS Design software is not necessarily created for the manufacturability of assemblies. Com- ponent footprints, copper spacing, hole sizes should be reviewed to match the datasheet rec- ommendations as opposed to the automated tools that come with the design software. Above all, design engineers should always review the design by re-loading output Gerbers into a simple free viewer. A visual review will help to catch many layout errors before the design is ever sent out for assembly. VOICES OF THE INDUSTRY X X X X