MUNICH – The decision has been made. The winners of the productronica innovation award 2023 have been chosen just in time for the start of the world’s leading trade fair for electronics development and production. An independent panel has decided on the winners from among 70 submissions in the six categories.
Messe München is already presenting the productronica innovation award for the fifth time since its premiere in 2015. CEO Reinhard Pfeiffer is delighted with the high level of participation: “Almost 70 submissions are a clear sign that both the award and productronica as a trade fair are highly regarded in the industry. Numerous companies specifically adjust the publication of their new products to fit in with the submission period.”
Winner in the “Cables, Coils & Hybrids” Cluster: Frisimos Technologies Tal Pechter, CEO Frisimos: “I feel honored to receive this innovation award for our fully automated cable and connector assembly lines. This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, and confirmation of our vision for the future of the cable assembly industry.”
Winner in the “Future Markets” Cluster: ASYS Group Drazenko Trkulja, Product Manager: “We are very proud to be launching another solution on the market that helps our customers have a full overview of the performance of the entire store floor at a glance, in a uniquely simple way.”
Winner in the “Inspection & Quality” Cluster: budatec Dirk Buße, Managing Director: “We are delighted to receive this award and see it as confirmation of our work on innovative solutions for the soldering and sintering process. The budatec team, together with the Dresden University of Technology, and Krauss Hardware, developed a completely new test method for quality assurance in production and brought it to process maturity.”
Winner in the “PCB & EMS” Cluster: SUSS MicroTec Solutions Robert Wanninger, Senior Vice President Advanced Backend Solutions: “It is a great honor for us to have won the productronica innovation award 2023 for our SUSS JETxSM 24. We thank the jury wholeheartedly for recognizing our commitment and passion for innovation.”
Winner in the “Semiconductors” Cluster: AP&S International Tobias Bausch, CMO & CTO: “Winning the productronica innovation award for the second time in a row is not only recognition of our hard work, but also a commitment to continue pursuing excellence in all that we do. Moreover, it also acknowledges the outstanding team performance of our employees. With the new NexAStep wet bench, we have once again successfully taken a major step in the right direction, which this award confirms.”
Winner in the “SMT” Cluster: smartTec Uwe Geisler, Managing Director: “This award is both confirmation that we have embarked on the right path, and motivation to continue to pursue it. I would like to thank the entire team for what has been achieved so far, and for the commitment they have shown.”
The individual submissions were assessed by an independent jury comprising the following members:
Dr. Sandra Engle, VDMA
Sebastian Glatz, ZVEI
Dr. Maik Hampicke, Fraunhofer IZM
Dr. Andrej Novikov, Rostock University
Prof. Lothar Pfitzner, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
Helge Schimanski, Fraunhofer ISIT
The productronica innovation award is the first independent award in the electronics manufacturing sector and is organized in close cooperation with the trade journal productronic (publisher: Hüthig).
Click here for all the information about the winners and their products.
November 10, 2023 - Ventec Giga Solutions, the equipment division of Ventec International Group announces it has been appointed as sales agent and distributor of specialist PCB lamination materials from Cardel. The agreement covers the EMEA region including the United Kingdom.
With state-of-the-art manufacturing sites in the United Kingdom and Germany, Cardel is a world leader in the manufacture of lamination plates and lamination pads for a wide range of PCB manufacturing applications. The materials are designed to provide consistently high quality, durability and performance in many industrial applications offering customers genuine value in their operations.
Cardel plates are produced with different hardness levels and materials, and the lamination pads are available in a wide range of materials and composite layered formats utilizing aramid, butyl rubber, silicone, brass, and copper.
“Partnering with Cardel is a great opportunity for Ventec Giga Solutions to offer our customers high-quality PCB lamination materials from a global leader,” said Ramesh Dhokia, Business Unit Director, Ventec Giga Solutions. “We are excited to showcase our new relationship with Cardel at Productronica 2023 at booth B3/242 from 14th to 17th November in Munich.”
Mark Goodwin, COO of Ventec International Group added: “The agreement with Cardel further strengthens our one-stop-shop solution of distributed PCB manufacturing equipment, consumables and materials for PCB manufacturing customers, OEMs and EMS in the EMEA, UK and Americas regions.”
Ventec Giga Solutions handles factory design, equipment selection, sales, installation, commissioning, and training on behalf of customers. The division’s competencies and connections with numerous leading equipment suppliers, combined with the Ventec portfolio of high-performance substrate laminates and prepregs, presents a one-stop-shop for PCB manufacturers, OEMs, and manufacturing services companies to quickly establish and rapidly expand their facilities.
Further information about Ventec’s solutions and the company’s wide variety of products is available at www.venteclaminates.com.
November 08, 2023 - Ventec Giga Solutions, the equipment division of Ventec International Group announces it has been appointment by Surge Robotic as sales agent and distributor of Optical PCB Layup Systems. The agreement covers EMEA, UK and the Americas.
Surge Robotic was founded in 2020 and launched the industry’s first four-camera optical PCB laminating system after two years of extensive research and development. The Falcon Lineup offers unprecedented precision and productivity.
Falcon employs four corner etch targets to align and detect PCB inner layer deformation to calculate and modify placement. Scratch free handling for all PCB layers of any type of material is ensured. Additionally, PCB manufacturers can use inner layer measurement data to monitor and adjust their processes accordingly, thus enabling Smart Manufacturing.
"Falcon offers the fastest layup system on the market and is optionally available with a fully automatic loading system," said Ramesh Dhokia, Business Unit Director, Ventec Giga Solutions. "With our goal to provide our customers with the best PCB manufacturing equipment available in the industry, we are thrilled to add them to our Ventec Giga Solutions offering. We are excited to showcase our new relationship with Surge Robotic at Productronica 2023 at booth B3/242."
"We aim to leverage Surge Robotics' breakthrough technology and innovative spirit into a competitive advantage within our Ventec Giga Solutions PCB equipment lineup. Their unique machine technology delivers the value and performance our customers need for the future of manufacturing," added Mark Goodwin, COO of Ventec International Group.
Ventec Giga Solutions handles factory design, equipment selection, sales, installation, commissioning, and training on behalf of customers. The division’s competencies and connections with numerous leading equipment suppliers, combined with the Ventec portfolio of high-performance substrate laminates and prepregs, presents a one-stop-shop for PCB manufacturers, OEMs, and manufacturing services companies to quickly establish and rapidly expand their facilities.
Further information about Ventec’s solutions and the company’s wide variety of products is available at www.venteclaminates.com.
Ventec Giga Solutions, the equipment division of Ventec International Group, announces that it has been appointed as sales agent and distributor of Taiwanese manufacturer Yeitek's specialized PCB cleaning machines and accessories. The agreement encompasses EMEA, the United Kingdom, and the Americas.
Yeitek cleaning machines and accessories are made to effectively address and prevent FOD contamination to ensure defect-free, cost-efficient PCB production processes. The range of equipment offers single- and double-sided automated cleaning choices that utilize specially formulated adhesive rolls and absorbing rollers to efficiently remove any dust and/or debris.
“This is the beginning of a significant partnership, and I am very excited to be working with Yeitek as we develop our capabilities and equipment offering through Ventec Giga Solutions to deliver a consistently excellent customer experience to current and new customers,” said Ramesh Dhokia, Business Unit Director, Ventec Giga Solutions. “We are thrilled to present our new partnership with Yeitek at Productronica 2023 on booth B3/242, which will take place in Munich from November 14 to 17.”
Mark Goodwin, COO of Ventec International Group added: “The appointment represents a great opportunity for Ventec to expand and support Yeitek’s customer base, whilst at the same time strengthening our one-stop-shop solution for PCB manufacturers, OEMs, and EMS. Yeitek has served customers in the PCB industry for nearly 40 years, and we are proud to have such an important partnership.”
Ventec Giga Solutions handles factory design, equipment selection, sales, installation, commissioning, and training on behalf of customers. The division’s competencies and connections with numerous leading equipment suppliers, combined with the Ventec portfolio of high-performance substrate laminates and prepregs, presents a one-stop-shop for PCB manufacturers, OEMs, and manufacturing services companies to quickly establish and rapidly expand their facilities.
Further information about Ventec’s solutions and the company’s wide variety of products is available at www.venteclaminates.com
07. November, 2023 - Ventec Giga Solutions, the equipment division of Ventec International Group (6672 TT) that delivers turnkey workflow solutions, including equipment selection, installation, and commissioning, has reached an agreement to distribute high-performance inkjet-printers from Hi-Print in Europe and North America.
Hi-Print creates advanced, high-accuracy inkjet printers for precision printing of solder masks and PCB identification including legends and QR codes. As a high-speed, digital alternative to silk-screen printing, Hi-Print’s inkjet solutions are configurable, programmable, efficient, clean, and ready to start printing instantly after the design is loaded.
“Since we first met Hi-Print, we have been excited about the innovation and quality evident in the products and the opportunities to grow sales in our marketplace,” said Ramesh Dhokia, Business Unit Director, Ventec Giga Solutions. “With Ventec’s extensive distribution network, market knowledge, supply-chain management capabilities, and customer support services, we expect to build a strong and close partnership that will deliver enduring success.”
“Our printers bring game-changing speed and flexibility to electronic manufacturing, and we are confident that Ventec Giga Solutions can grow sales in high-value territories throughout Europe and North America,” said Hi-Print CEO Mr Cheng Wen. “We are looking forward to working with Ramesh and his team and to jointly focusing our energies on ensuring the success of this relationship.”
The Hi-Print portfolio includes single- and dual-workbench inkjet printers, highly automated printers including inline models, the AR20LK roll-to-roll printer for flexible printed circuit, and the SD200 dedicated double-workbench solder-mask printer. Capable of producing several thousand units per day, the printers offer outstanding features that enhance flexibility and productivity, including multiple configurable print heads, automated clamping, and one-touch operation.
Ventec Giga Solutions handles factory design, equipment selection, sales, installation, commissioning and training on behalf of customers. The division’s competencies and connections with numerous leading equipment suppliers, combined with the Ventec portfolio of high-performance substrate laminates and prepregs, presents a one-stop-shop for PCB manufacturers, OEMs, and manufacturing services companies to quickly establish and rapidly expand their facilities.
Further information about Ventec’s solutions and the company’s wide variety of products is available at www.venteclaminates.com.
About Ventec International Group
Ventec International Group Co., Ltd. is a Taiwan Stock Exchange listed (TWSE:6672.TT) global supplier of advanced base materials for the PCB industry worldwide, with manufacturing and distribution facilities throughout Asia, Europe, and the US. Ventec’s range of laminates & prepregs include signal integrity/high-speed digital, RF/Analog & high-performance IMS material technology, and an advanced range of thermal management solutions designed for specialized use in industries including automotive, communication, aerospace, and defense. All are manufactured by Ventec using strict quality-controlled processes that are certified to AS9100 Revision D, IATF 16949:2016 and ISO 9001:2015, and are backed by a fully controlled and managed global supply chain, sales- and technical support network.
For more information, visit www.venteclaminates.com.
Freudenstadt, Germany, 07.11.2023. The SCHMID Group, a global solution provider for the high-tech electronics, photovoltaics, glass and energy systems industries, will be presenting itself to a broad specialist audience at productronica in Munich. From November 14 - 17, 2023, the company will be presenting highly innovative and sustainable solutions for the rapidly growing electronics market at the world's leading trade fair for electronics development and production in Hall B3.
With their new solutions and exhibits on show, the company is underlining its pioneering technological role in the industry, its high level of innovation and its commitment to more sustainable and therefore more environmentally friendly production.
Embedded Trace Process – made by SCHMID: A new approach to PCB and substrate production
The new Embedded Trace Process (ET Process) is an absolute highlight. With this new process – and with it a new generation of production equipment – the company is revolutionizing PCB and substrate production. This unique "process-system combination" now enables higher densities and many other technological features.
For example, "embedded circuit traces" offer many previously unimagined possibilities in miniaturization. Electronic devices and components are becoming increasingly complex and compact – and the space available for the necessary structures is becoming correspondingly tight.
The ET process now gives developers new freedom in electrical design in order to achieve optimum performance, an optimum thermal budget and optimum packing density in the printed circuit board.
Another highly innovative and very important aspect is signal integrity. Embedded traces allow designers to create traces in a completely new way in any shape and connect them across the isolation planes. Furthermore, careful control of impedance and routing of critical high-speed signals can be performed. This helps to maintain signal integrity and minimize signal degradation such as reflections or electromagnetic interference.
The new ET process also enables a significant improvement in reliability and longevity of a PCB, as there is no need to press the insulation layers into the circuit traces, thus eliminating the typical mechanical stress on the delicate circuit traces. In addition, the ET process avoids the surface topology caused by the conventional structure and, with its always planar surfaces, offers significantly better layer to layer registration. Taken together, these two aspects enable a higher track density in the production process with a better aspect ratio of the copper traces.
There are also considerable advantages in terms of costs, production efficiency and the use of resources. For example, water consumption can be reduced by up to 70%, CO2 emissions by up to 30% and chemical consumption by up to 40%. The ET process therefore also forms the basis for considerably more environmentally friendly production – and enables SCHMID customers to improve their CO2 footprint.
This innovative process is realized by a new equipment technology from SCHMID. Due to this uniqueness and outstanding position in the market, the company has registered this highly innovative development for the "productronica innovation award", which recognizes the most innovative new products and manufacturing processes.
Through Glass Vias – complete solution for advanced packaging with glass wafers
SCHMID is breaking new ground with Through Glass Vias (TGVs). Glass is excellently suited as a substrate material and promises enormous market potential as a replacement for organic materials or silicon in the field of semiconductor substrates – also due to its excellent material properties. It offers significant commercial and technical advantages, particularly for requirements in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and high-frequency applications. SCHMID offers its customers integrated complete solutions for advanced packaging with glass wafers or full panels across the entire value creation process – from glass processing for through-holes and structuring to metallization. This is a new and unique offering on the market.
The titanium etching module and the chemical copper module are also completely new – both for the InfinityLine H+ product line.
For the InfinityLine H+, SCHMID is developing an etching module made of titanium for the first time – and is thus facilitate new possibilities in high-temperature etching. Titanium has very high corrosion and temperature resistance as well as a long service life. By using this resistant material, a wide variety of chemicals can be used for etching and the etching process can be carried out at a temperature of up to 70 degrees.
The efficiency of the chemicals used is increased accordingly, resulting in a significantly faster etching process and thus an increased output quantity and improved efficiency. Furthermore, completely new etching structures can be realized, providing a new range of technological possibilities.
Of course, the full titanium module is also fully compatible with all InfinityLine H+ option packages. This module can also be equipped with the highly efficient and reliable vacuum etching technology. This ensures that there is always a permanent exchange of chemicals on the surface, guaranteeing a consistent and precise etching result. Due to its high resistance, this etching module represents a very long-lasting and therefore sustainable investment.
SCHMID's decades of experience in "chemical copper" have been incorporated into the new design of the InfinityLine H+. The company is now introducing the new "chemical copper" module for the InfinityLine H+. The task of this module is to deposit a thin copper layer on through-holes, blind vias and on the surface of the dielectric in a first step towards through-hole plating. The module has optimized hydrodynamics offering different wave forms in the immersion bath (so-called standing wave). These wave forms can be individually adjusted and visualized using ultrasonic flow meters.
A modified level drain from the process area into the tank area and a separate upright-shaft rinse ensure particle-free copper deposition on the circuit board. Thanks to its intelligent design, the module also offers extremely practical advantages in terms of handling. For example, the container base is rounded on all sides to prevent unwanted copper deposits. Furthermore, it can also be emptied very easily, quickly and completely, which results in a shorter cleaning time and therefore a positive effect on efficiency.
The "Chemical Copper" module in the InfinityLine design will be presented to trade visitors as an exhibit for the first time at the trade fair.
The new vertical resist stripping module for the InfinityLine V+ and the enhanced process chamber for the InfinityLine C+ will also be on display at the trade fair stand.
InfinityLine V+: Resist stripping module – "stripping" in perfection
The InfinityLine V+ is designed for Advanced HDI and IC substrates and is characterized, among other things, by vertical, contactless transport of the panels using innovative clamping frame technology. The transport frames are loaded and unloaded fully automatically. A magnetic transport system is also used to ensure particle-free movement of the frames. In addition to the developer, flash etch and a MEC process, SCHMID is expanding its high-performance and reliable InfinityLine V+ system concept with the new stripper module.
After etching, the module removes the dry film resist (stripping) and filters the dissolved and rinsed photoresist from the chemistry and prevents it from returning the tank area. Due to the vertical arrangement, the same process parameters exist on both the front and rear sides, resulting in optimum removal of resist particles. The new module therefore stands for perfect results and thus for maximum quality.
InfinityLine C+: Process chamber – intelligently enhanced!
The InfinityLine C+ is a modular, vertical, non-contact cluster that can be equipped with up to 8 vertical spin chambers. SCHMID's proven clamping frame technology is also used here. As with other non-contact product lines from SCHMID, the clamping frame makes it possible to hold the thinnest substrates.
The further developed process chamber with simultaneous processing of the front and rear sides offers the user enormous advantages. The vertical rotary movement (rotation) and a servocontrolled spray arm allow complex movement patterns to be run, which enables maximum process reliability in terms of time, pressure and chemical distribution – allowing 2 μm structure resolution and below. Another advantage: several processes, including rinsing and drying, can be carried out sequentially within one chamber. The C+ system concept also stands for minimum consumption of resources such as water and chemicals. In this way, the C+ system series combines technological possibilities with a resource-saving production process in a special way – with correspondingly positive effects on running costs, CO2 balance and environment. Just typical SCHMID.
About SCHMID Group
The SCHMID Group is a world-leading global solutions provider for the high-tech electronic, photovoltaics, glass, and energy systems industries, with its parent company Gebr. SCHMID GmbH is based in Freudenstadt, Germany. Founded in 1864, today it employs more than 800 staff members worldwide, and has technology centres and manufacturing sites in multiple locations including Germany and China, in addition to several sales and service locations globally. The Group focuses on developing customized equipment and process solutions for multiple industries including electronics, renewables and energy storage. Further information is available at: www.schmid-group.com
