Siemens EAS expanding its technology expertise network

Siemens Electronics Assembly Systems (SEAS), which has been a separate company since the start of the year, wants to further expand its global Siplace technology expertise network. By entering into additional cooperative agreements with other technology suppliers, SEAS wants to be able to offer their shared customers coordinated manufacturing solutions. SEAS believes that this optimized interaction between SMT equipment manufacturers will take advantage of significant, currently unused efficiency and productivity potentials in electronics production. In addition to working closely with other major makers of electronics manufacturing equipment, G�nter Lauber, CEO of Siemens EAS, also plans to enhance the company's cooperation with universities, leading research institutions and manufacturing experts.

For example, the first printers and convection reflow soldering systems that follow the concept of the flexible Siplace dual conveyor system for parallel manufacturing along the entire line have recently become available to electronics manufacturers. Customers benefit from the additional productivity and flexibility provided by their consistently dual-track SMT lines. Recently, this kind of integrated concept became available for the Siplace Quad Lane, which makes it possible to produce four products simultaneously. SEAS believes that initiating such multi-supplier developments is a complex but worthwhile undertaking.

By cooperating closely with universities, research institutions and manufacturing experts all over the world, Siplace will also improve the transfer of knowledge between research and production.

Gabriela Reckewerth, head of global marketing at Siplace, is convinced of the advantages of this strategy: �As the industry's technology and innovation leader, we are constantly on the lookout for additional improvements in the placement and electronics production field that will benefit our customers. It is becoming increasingly apparent that creating consistent production solutions harbors the greatest potential as far as additional efficiencies are concerned. By coordinating our developments with the makers of other components in the process chain, we can achieve significant productivity improvements.�

Reckewerth continues: �Our customers are increasingly asking for solutions that don't require them to deal with coordination problems between components from different manufacturers. At the same time, they don't want to purchase whatever's available, but the kind of equipment that best meets their needs across the entire line. This is where cooperative agreements and joint developments help to optimize the hardware and software interfaces. The equipment makers benefit, too � from more satisfied customers as well as from reduced process costs.�

The focus is on benefits for electronics manufacturers: By cooperating closely, the players in the SMT process chain can implement previously unused efficiency and productivity potentials in electronics production.