With the passing of the CHIPS Act, which includes USD 39 billion in manufacturing incentives, companies are reinvigorating their investments in their North American manufacturing plants so they can keep up with global demand. To do so, companies must implement emerging technologies, such as automation, into their production lines. Panasonic’s NPM-GP/L screen printing machine and Auto-Setting Feeder allow manufacturers to keep up with demand and future-proof their production lines by fixing issues in real-time.
At the Panasonic Connect booth #933, attendees have an opportunity to interact with several manufacturing solutions, including:
- NPM-GP/L, a screen-printing machine that can be completely changed over in approximately four minutes, compared to the 10-minute industry standard. The NPM-GP/L can automatically implement production line changes with precise accuracy. An optional function can create a fully automatic printing process, supplying and collecting solder, reconfiguring pin support of the substrate, and undertaking a range of other processes required for production line changes. With this automation, production line changes can happen within a cycle time of approximately 12 seconds and with a printing accuracy of ±3.8 µm.
- Auto-Setting Feeder, an automated component supply system which offers the flexibility of easily fitting tape reels from 8mm up to 104mm in width. The Auto-Setting Feeder is the industry’s first feed mechanism that can automatically peel the cover on surface mount component tape between 4 mm and 104 mm wide. This enables the automatic supply of mounting components without requiring skilled workers. Further, when a reel of tape is finished, a loading unit automatically — and instantly — supplies the next reel. This facilitates full autonomy for the component supply process. Moreover, the use of a dedicated cart means that the current NPM and NPM-X series can support the Auto-Setting Feeder without restructuring the entire line.
The NPM-GP/L printer and the Auto-Setting Feeder provide a new level of speed, accuracy, and automatic process control for manufacturers. By implementing cutting-edge technologies which increase productivity, manufacturers can invest more time building a skilled workforce to handle higher level tasks. And with an estimated 2.1 million jobs expected to go unfilled by 2030, filling this talent pipeline is crucial.
