The migration of electronics manufacturing to low labour cost areas such as Eastern Europe, China or Mexico is going on. Many of Western Europe’s former big players have either closed or have moved their manufacturing activity. The search for cheaper labour is an ongoing task that condemns them to move every few years. At the end of the day, this procedure can become very expensive. It’s a truism that what we really need are innovative solutions. But can automation really make final assembly affordable in Europe? Markku Jokela, founder and CEO of the Finish company Photonium Oy says yes, it can. In an interview he explains the reasons why (see page 10).
In cooperation with EPP Europe the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) provides an interactive tool to help engineers solve their problems and obtain practical advice day or night. The NPL Industry defects database is now available to allow EPP Europe readers to search for solutions to common problems or submit defects online with full details or requesting advice and a possible solution to the process issues or failures at http://defectsdatabase.npl.co.uk (see page 12).
During the SMT/Hybrid/Packaging exhibition in Nuremberg, Germany, a public benchmark test of stencil printers will take place at the EPP Benchmark Arena, presented and organised by EPP and EPP Europe (Konradin Media) and supported by Mesago Messe Frankfurt as well as by leading printer, automation, cleaning and inspection companies and not to forget by suppliers of consumables such as paste, stencil, cleaning agents and tissue. This public benchmark test provides an ideal opportunity for a feasible comparative test of machines from different producers (see page 16).
Best wishes,
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