Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/782967
44 The PCB Magazine • February 2017 THE POWER OF THREE by Barry Matties PUBLISHER, I-CONNECT007 Schmoll's Thomas Kunz and I had a chat recently at the HKPCA show. In our short dis- cussion, we covered several topics, including Schmoll's approach to the U.S. market, their work in direct imaging, and the nature of their relationship with ink suppliers. Barry Matties: Thomas, please provide some background on Schmoll for our readers. Thomas Kunz: We are in the drilling, routing and laser machine business and trying to get new technology out, especially in functional- ity and features and coping with new require- ments of the market. We are also going forward with our optical technologies, mainly in niche markets, and we have found a nice application there for us to do the job for our customers. Matties: And you're in the direct imaging arena as well? Kunz: We have already been doing this for a few years. As you may remember, we are com- ing out of the Bacher Corporation from several years ago, so we are not really a new player; we launched our newest equipment to the mar- ket two years ago. Since then we have installed more than 20 systems. This year, IPC APEX EXPO 2017 will give us a chance to cope with the requirements of the U.S. market, and we are well prepared for that. Matties: Now, with the American market, we were working on a piece with Taiyo, and they're coming up with some material to run, specifically through direct imaging equipment. My understanding is that Schmoll has provided them some equipment for their testing. Kunz: Basically, we work with every supplier in the world. They each have their different niches. Of course, in the U.S., Taiyo is the place to be. We provided them equipment prior to displaying it at the IPC show, to get extensive testing to adapt their inks to what we've got. I think it has worked out quite well, and we can present something to the market that is attuned to latest ink technology in detail, and we can talk about this at the show. Matties: The equipment that they're working on, the ink is for solder mask, correct?