Asteelflash Group Significantly Reduces Changeover Times at Bedford Facility with FUJI Solution

EMS Service Provider Adapts to New Market and Customer Demands

Kelsterbach, December 5th, 2024 – The EMS industry requires more flexible, scalable technologies than ever before to manufacture electronics efficiently and quickly respond to new market de-mands. To achieve high agility and performance, Asteelflash Group relies on solutions from FUJI EUROPE CORPORATION GmbH (www.fuji-euro.de). The EMS provider has expanded its SMT placement capacity at the Bedford facility with eight modules from FUJI’s NXT III placement platform, NEXIM software, and a Smart Setup Station. This investment has allowed Asteelflash to significantly reduce changeover times and increase flexibility in high-mix production.

Asteelflash is a global electronics manufacturing services (EMS) company offering design, development, and manufacturing services for electronic products. It specializes in producing complex electronic systems for various industries. Like many other companies in the electronics industry, Asteelflash is currently facing multiple changes and challenges in the sector, with high pressure from both innovation and competition.

To address these challenges, Asteelflash decided to modernize its SMT production. The company chose FUJI’s modular NXT III placement solution, which is ideal for assembling multifunctional and high-performance electronics. It allows for high placement density of tiny components. Paired with NEXIM software and the Smart Setup Station, the solution helps Asteelflash automate production processes while achieving the highest precision.

Replacing Outdated Equipment for a Competitive Edge

Asteelflash began the phased installation of the FUJI solution at its Bedford facility in January 2023, with the final modules integrated by September 2024. Thanks to the modular and scalable design of the NXT III, production could resume immediately after the first phase of installation. The new platform replaces outdated equipment, whose limited flexibility and long changeover times had significantly impacted production efficiency.

“One of the key requirements was to reduce changeover times in high-mix production to become faster. Thanks to the FUJI solution, we were able to significantly increase speed, expand our SMT placement capacity, and improve our responsiveness to constantly changing market demands. This has provided us with the flexibility that is essential for the current needs of the EMS industry,” said John Cardi, Engineering Manager at Asteelflash Group.