“Manufacturing in the age of digital transformation” was the theme of this year’s Technology Day on 29 September 2016 at Rehm Thermal Systems. With almost 150 guests, including regional and international clients, distributors and partner firms, the event was a resounding success. In presentations, interesting workshop sessions and at info points, Rehm took visitors on a journey through the manufacturing of tomorrow and presented the latest in innovative plant technology and the latest software tools.
It is not just advancing digital transformation in electronics manufacturing which demand innovative solutions, themes such as Industry 4.0, large data volume handling, optimum line integration and increasingly automated plant control are among today’s biggest challenges. These themes were the key focus at the Rehm Technology Day.
A get together was held at Rehm Thermal Systems at the company headquarters in Blaubeuren the day before the event. Rehm’s clients, partners and staff had the opportunity to touch base in advance of the event and chat about the latest trends in the world of electronics manufacturing. Rehm invited guests to a buffet dinner at the Bootshaus restaurant in Ulm afterwards – a perfect opportunity to enjoy the last of the mild summer evening: a laid-back atmosphere for networking on the Danube.
Company owner Johannes Rehm opened the Technology Day on Thursday with an overview of the day’s programme and a brief outline of the challenges associated with the advancing digital transformation in manufacturing. Afterwards Alois Mahr from Zollner AG gave a talk on the topic of networked manufacturing in electronics production and stressed the importance of interfaces and data storage for seamless traceability as well as managing large data volumes for a successful future manufacturing concept. Other presentations dealt with modern line integration in the coating process using the example of Protecto for highly-selective conformal coating and the use of smart sensors in thermal systems to optimise process parameters. Another key focus was the new software interface ViCon which Rehm has developed for the VisionX series. At a live on-site switch-on at one of our partner firm Hannusch’s plants in Laichingen, a full-service supplier of industrial electronics, we succeeded in giving a real-time demo of the remote control tools the new ViCon software offers. The seminar programme was closed by Philipp Oliver from Neptune Information Technologies GmbH, who gave his audience an insight into the world of artificial intelligence and discussed the possibilities of “machine learning” for use in industry.
In practical afternoon workshops at the Technology Centre and in the manufacturing hall, the experts from Rehm held a Q&A session with participants on all issues associated with different soldering, curing and coating processes and the new ViCon software. The focus here was on innovative system technology, e.g. the CondensoX series and the advantages of vacuum technology, VisionXP+, function testing with Securo, reliable protective coating with Protecto and different drying procedures for various applications. Visitors also had the chance at various info points to find out about energy-efficient equipment from Rehm, for example, cooling using liquid nitrogen, the innovative temperature detection tool WPS 2.4 for maximum process supervision and Pulse line connection from partner Asys.
The dialogue between speakers and clients at this year’s Technology Day confirmed that the themes of networking and Industry 4.0 are presenting electronics manufacturers with new challenges and that there is a need for innovative solutions to increase and optimise production workflows. Thanks to high quality standards and cutting-edge developments in plant technology, Rehm Thermal Systems is already in a position to offer systems fit for the modern and process-optimised manufacturing of the future.
