Smart Setup Station from FUJI enables quick and easy changeover operations

Changeover solution for placement processes to make electronics production more flexible and automated

Kelsterbach, September 24, 2021 – Manufacturing individual products at similarly low prices to mass production – that is a key requirement for factories. Rapid adaptation to new products and product variants as well as widely varying batch sizes and, at the same time, the requirement for fast deliveries lead to an increase in the frequency of changeovers. FUJI EUROPE CORPORATION GmbH (www.fuji-euro.de), a specialist for electronics equipment, has launched the Smart Setup Station to automate this process quickly and easily.

“In today’s competitive environment, production companies are required to maintain a similar level of quality, cost and execution as in mass production. However, in the case of high-mix production, where there is frequent product changeover, the frequency of changeover reduces production efficiency,” explains Stefan Janssen, member of the management board of FUJI EUROPE CORPORATION GmbH.

Manual offline changeover work usually time-consuming and inconvenient

In order to shorten the changeover time, the feeder set-up work in SMD assembly is carried out offline and a changeover method with feeder pallets has become established.

Stefan Janssen explains: “Offline changeover work is usually complex and time-consuming, from retrieving the parts to setting up the feeders. They also require appropriate testing. In addition, this is a process that is highly dependent on people, which means that the processing time varies depending on the skills of the workers.”

Automated changeover with the Smart Setup Station

When starting a conventional offline changeover, the parts used in the previous production are originally still present on the feeder pallet or MFU. First, it is necessary to remove the parts that are no longer needed for the application. It is very time-consuming to remove the feeders one by one while searching for the unneeded parts in the changeover list.

The Smart Setup Station from FUJI helps users in electronics manufacturing to better master the challenges of changeover work through automated processes. The Smart Setup Station automatically removes only those feeders that are no longer needed for the next production batch. It also displays the exact setup position of the feeder and the correct machine and module for the setup feeder pallet.

“With the support of the Smart Setup Station, we simplify the offline changeover by leaving the parts to be used unchanged and automatically removing the parts that are not required. Since manual operations are no longer required and there is no longer any need to check the changeover list as originally, the working time is reduced automatically. The result is more efficient processes and cost savings,” explains Stefan Janssen.

Efficiency and quality in production due to precision in placement as well as simplified maintenance processes of placement heads and nozzles

Kelsterbach, July 21, 2021 – Molex CVS Dabendorf GmbH has decided to use the NXT III placement machine from FUJI EUROPE CORPORATION GmbH (www.fuji-euro.de). With the modular and scalable placement platform, the company, which is specialized in the development and production of electronic components and solutions, achieves high positioning accuracy and efficiency as well as simplified maintenance processes.

Molex’s electronic products are used, for example, in smartphones, household appliances and connected cars. The Molex CVS Dabendorf GmbH branch manufactures components for the automotive industry, among others. The NXT III from FUJI is used at this site for the placement of very small parts as part of the placement process.

“The automotive sector in particular is highly sensitive. The smallest parts used in mass production must have extreme positioning accuracy and high consistent quality. To meet these challenges, we use the NXT III placement machine, the Smart Nozzle Cleaner and the Auto Head Cleaner from FUJI EUROPE CORPORATION,” explains Joost Voskamp, Dabendorf Maintenance Technician at Molex CVS Dabendorf GmbH.

Speed in placement as well as positioning accuracy

The modular and scalable NXT III placement platform is particularly suitable for the placement of multifunctional and highperformance electronics with, for example, high placement density of tiny components and much more. NXT III is designed for high productivity, placement quality, ease of use and speed – and this with very high flexibility due to its modular design. All this makes it very easy to adapt the machine size and configuration to the current requirements. Accordingly, fast XY robots and feeders are used.

Automated head maintenance

FUJI’s original compact, lightweight placement heads can be replaced on the NXT III without tools. On-site operators can perform offline maintenance and troubleshoot problems.

Molex CVS Dabendorf GmbH also uses the Auto Head Cleaner from FUJI. This tool automates and intensifies head maintenance work, where manual execution, especially for the placement heads used for the smallest chip components, cannot keep up with the extended possibilities offered by the Auto Head Cleaner. The use of the Auto Head Cleaner provides a significant quality improvement in head maintenance. It thoroughly removes any dirt that has been gathered in the airways of the heads and also performs a subsequent inspection. The maintenance history and inspection results are automatically stored in the system.

Joost Voskamp explains: “The new maintenance processes for the highperformance placement heads and nozzles enable us to maintain and operate our machines in parallel, so we can keep production running at all times. The machines enable the placement heads and nozzles to be replaced without great effort. We are also impressed by the modularity of the NXT. We can keep the placement output per square meter very high despite the limited space in our production hall. In addition, the system is designed for the future and can be flexibly expanded.”

Simplest nozzle cleaning and inspection

“Regular cleaning of the nozzles is also essential for a smooth process and corresponding placement quality. This is why Molex uses the Smart Nozzle Cleaner from FUJI,” explains Steffen Enderlein, Area Sales Manager at FUJI EUROPE CORPORATION GmbH.

The Smart Nozzle Cleaner not only cleans the nozzles, but also performs an inspection of the nozzle suction surface and a test of the smooth running of the nozzles with springs. Defective nozzles are sorted out separately according to the result. All this is done fully automatically. The operator simply places the nozzle station with the nozzles to be cleaned in the Smart Nozzle Cleaner – complete as removed from the pick-and-place machine without tools – and starts the cleaning program. By using additional nozzle stations, this process takes place offline while the pick-and-place machine is producing.

The maintenance history and inspection results are automatically stored in the system. In addition, the Smart Nozzle Cleaner offers the possibility to store and manage cleaned nozzles inside the unit and also to use them for new setups.

FUJI sets milestone with 100,000 delivered Modules of the NXT pick-and-place machine series

Kelsterbach, June 14, 2021 – FUJI CORPORATION has recorded 100,000 installed modules of its placement machines series NXT. The multifunctional pick-and-place machine in its latest generation is especially designed for very high speed and positioning accuracy. In Europe, the modules are distributed by FUJI EUROPE CORPORATION (www.fuji-euro.de). In favor of flexibility, modernity and scalability, FUJI’s NXT series is constantly being developed and adapted to all new kinds of production types and technologies.

The market launch of the scalable placement platform took place in 2003 with the first generation of the NXT. In order to meet the constantly changing customer requirements and new technology developments, the NXT is continuously being further developed. In 2008, FUJI reached the next stage of development with the NXT II. In 2013, the company introduced the NXT III, which is particularly designed for productivity, placement quality and user-friendliness, and in 2020 launched the SMT platform NXTR for automated electronics manufacturing.

New record in installations of the modular placement platform

Between 2003 and 2015, 50,000 NXT modules were installed worldwide. By March 2021, FUJI could double the sales figure and thus reach a new milestone. The NXT modules are used in Europe, the USA and on a grand scale in the Asian region, with the majority of the 100,000 installed modules corresponding to the NXT III expansion stage. The NXT series is used in around 60 countries around the globe.

FUJI EUROPE CORPORATION GmbH distributes the NXT series for Europe The specialist for electronic placement machines covers all areas of modern production with its portfolio: from highly flexible placement systems in high-mix to complete placement lines in high-volume.

Klaus Gross, General Manager of FUJI EUROPE CORPORATION GmbH, explains the strong increase in installation numbers, especially in recent years: “Our placement systems of NXT series meet current SMT requirements such as short changeover times and flexibility, but also increasingly automated, digitalized processes. They are thus adapting to the needs of smart factories.”

The NXT III module is particularly in demand in the increasingly digitalized factories. For example, the NXT III is used in the production of mobile devices, wearables, automotive products and server computers. The module also supports processes ranging from prototyping to variable mix and variable volume production.

“In production, the time factor is playing an increasingly important role. Our multifunctional modular pick-and-place machine in third-generation is therefore particularly designed for speed. It supports the smallest parts used in mass production with extreme positioning accuracy. This meets the new requirements on the market,” says Klaus Gross.

Our NXT-series Fuji Scalable Placement Platform has hit a milestone of 100,000 modules shipped. On the behalf of all of us at Fuji, I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who has continued to believe in the capability of these machines, because it is thanks to your support that this achievement was made possible.

NXT first went on sale in 2003, at the start of a period of growth in the digital appliance market. It has been 18 years since then, and throughout that time the NXT has continued to deliver support for all kinds of production types and new technologies that developed as electronics production continued to evolve, because of its true modularity.

The third-generation module NXT III has been used by our customers to fulfill a multitude of purposes, such as the production of mobile devices, automotive products, and server computers, in processes ranging from prototyping to variable-mix variable-volume production.

Electronic devices are indispensable for the enrichment and convenience that they bring to our daily lives. To uphold a high level of quality and productivity when manufacturing these devices, and so that our machines remain the dependable manufacturing tools that our customers need, we will keep moving forward to include functions that meet the requirements of the times.

With my sincerest thanks to all our supporters,

Shinsuke Suhara
President, COO & CTO
FUJI CORPORATION

FUJI pushes robot development worldwide and participates in fund – German subsidiary promotes automation with “NXTR” placement platform

Kelsterbach, 5^th March 2021 – Digitalization in industry has made a strong leap – partly due to the pandemic. In 2021, companies trust artificial intelligence and robotics more and more. FUJI CORPORATION also sees great potential in accelerating innovation for autonomous robotics and is therefore participating in the Smart Innovation Fund (SWIF) through its US subsidiary. The German subsidiary FUJI EUROPE CORPORATION (www.fuji-euro.de ) supports the increasing automation of assembly processes through the NXTR smart factory platform.

FUJI CORPORATION develops technologies that involve advanced sensing, communication, electricity and other infrastructures. The global company’s robot development goes beyond industrial robotics. For example, FUJI CORPORATION is also pushing ahead with the development of autonomous transport robots for the logistics sector.

Innovation leader for autonomous robotics
For example, the US subsidiary FUJI AMERICA CORPORATION recently joined the Smart World Innovation Fund (SWIF), a partnership of leading global technology companies. Motus Ventures’ initiative sees its mission in accelerating innovation for autonomous robotics. The goal is a future where robots are part of everyday life.

Motus Ventures is a early-stage venture capital fund and business accelerator focused on AI, robotics and IoT. The company operates at the intersection of industries and technologies that are strategic to the future of modern civilization, such as industrial manufacturing, transportation, agriculture and telecommunications. In addition to investing in early-stage companies, Motus Ventures also supports spin-outs of established, technology-driven companies that are at the forefront of disruptive innovation. Motus Ventures works together with academic institutes and research facilities for this purpose.

Self-optimized production through intelligent automation
FUJI EUROPE CORPORATION GmbH, an internationally active specialist for electronics assembly machines, is also pushing autonomous processes. With the NXTR smart factory platform, the German branch of FUJI CORPORATION offers a solution for fast automation and digitalization in electronics manufacturing.

Sascha Frieling, Manager Technology at FUJI EUROPE CORPORATION GmbH, explains: “Our goal is to increase the efficiency of the work performed by machines and systems and to relieve the workers. The NXTR scalable placement platform is therefore designed to free operators from repetitive tasks – while maximizing quality and productivity.”

The NXTR follows the “3 Zero” strategy: zero placement errors, zero machine operators, zero machine stops. The Smart Factory platform is being successively expanded with new expansion stages that, for example, further optimize feeders in use to enable the best possible throughput.

Sascha Frieling says: “Our Smart Factory platform NXTR-S is in constant development and our goal is to modify it into the NXTR-A – which means an automated solution with Smart Loader. With this, we are taking further important steps towards optimizing production preparation and maintenance processes as well as automating manual placement assembly processes in terms of full networking and self-optimized production.”