July 24, 2012 - Rolling Meadows, IL - Curtis Instruments, the leading supplier of motor control, battery management, and instrumentation systems to electric and hybrid vehicle original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), recently completed its first installation of the NPM-W platform from Panasonic Factory Solutions Company of America. The placement machine serves to increase capacity while further emphasizing Curtis’ commitment to the highest quality standards.
Curtis’ customers rely on them for quality and innovation. “We don’t have a cookie-cutter approach. It all has to be tailored to the individual vehicle,” said Chairman and CEO Stuart Marwell. “Our whole focus is on OEMs and supporting their vehicle design and manufacturing.” Fittingly, the NPM-W’s quick-changeover capabilities, superb quality controls, and interchangeable placement and process heads allow Curtis to adapt to changing production requirements and product designs rapidly.
The NPM-W is part of Panasonic's award-winning NPM platform for expanding and evolving electronics assembly needs. Processing boards up to 47.2 x 21.6" (1,200 x 550mm) and placing a gamut of components from 01005 chips to 120x90mm odd form packages while handling up to 120 reels with quick-change feeder carts and intelligent feeder anywhere are just a few of the features making the NPM-W especially beneficial for high-mix manufacturing. “With our constant drive to improve quality with lower defects and boost efficiency with faster changeover, the NPM-W feature set has proven invaluable in our high-mix environment,” commented Brian Rhea, Corporate Manufacturing Engineering Manager at Curtis Instruments.
“Panasonic provides the best production quality – period. After reviewing various options and suppliers, the Panasonic capabilities and functionality proved superior,” said Tom Pergolizzi, Curtis Instruments Corporate Manufacturing Director. “The NPM-W is the best overall solution for us. With the NPM-W we strengthened our corporate drive for constant quality control and advancement to support our diverse OEM base,” he concluded.
For more about the Curtis Instruments product lineup, visit www.curtisinstruments.com. For information about how Panasonic can solve your electronics assembly challenges, visit www.panasonicFA.com.
About Panasonic Factory Solutions Company of America
Panasonic Factory Solutions Company of America, a North American source for electronic assembly equipment (SMT), software and technical support, provides total business systems solutions for electronic semiconductor and packaging companies in the global marketplace through one provider. The company is a unit of Panasonic Corporation of North America, which is the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC). For more information, visit www.panasonicfa.com.
About Curtis Instruments
For over 50 years, Curtis Instruments, Inc., has led the way with innovations in motor control, battery management, and vehicle instrumentation. Vehicle design engineers at major OEMs worldwide depend on Curtis to enhance and evolve their own products. Curtis is in the forefront of developing clean transportation alternatives. Today, the company is an internationally recognized leader in instrumentation and controls, primarily for electric vehicles of all types. Curtis operates 12 offices with more than 1,000 Curtis employees worldwide providing excellent sales and service support. Curtis controllers are internationally renowned for their technical advancement, reliability, and performance. To learn more, visit www.curtisinstruments.com.