At the Japan Robot Association, enterprises who manufacture surface mount technology (SMT) equipment and related software, launched the SMT equipment communication protocol standardization subcommittee in order to establish protocols for sharing information by communication methods between SMT machines (M2M cooperation).
A ballot was held, and the elected subcommittee chairman for the first year is from Fuji Machine Manufacturing Co., Ltd. and the vice subcommittee chairman is from Panasonic Corporation, with the board of governors comprising representatives from member corporations including Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., Juki Corporation, along with Omron Corporation, Saki Corporation, Tamura Corporation, and CKD Corporation. Twenty member companies will work together to advance this standardization.
In a traditional SMT production line, there are various machines such as printers, inspection machines, placement machines, and reflow ovens, along with connecting conveyance machines. These machines typically come from different manufacturers. Since the format of printed circuit board data in each machine and communicating with other machines is unique for each company, the user is the one that must spend the time and money in order to manage information consistently for entire lines.
Once this subcommittee has standardized protocols for communication between various machines from SMT production lines, it will be possible for users to easily implement placement systems that extend beyond the boundaries of companies. Some merits of this include: facilitating production management and hastening support for variable-volume variable-mix production. Manufacturing companies will also have opportunities to create new value offerings because of the ease of M2M cooperation.
With this, the following companies are contributing to the development of the SMT market of the future:
- CKD Corporation
- Fuji Machine Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- JUKI Corporation
- Koh Young Technology Inc.
- Komatsu Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Marantz Electronics Ltd.
- MIRTEC JAPAN Co., Ltd.
- Musashi Engineering Inc.
- Mycronic Corporation
- Nagaoka Factory Corporation
- Nagoya Electric Works Co., Ltd.
- OMRON Corporation
- Panasonic Corporation
- Parmi Co., Ltd.
- Saki Corporation
- Senju Metal Industry Co., Ltd.
- TAMURA Corporation
- Test Research, Inc.
- Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.
- YS Co., Ltd.
