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The debut of the MPM Accela printer at APEX 2005 by Speedline Technologies, Inc. (http://www.speedlinetech.com) will create a new paradigm in the way electronics manufacturers view and measure printer performance. With a completely new, robust design and operator interface, this innovative printer is unlike anything else in the industry.
"The Accela includes dramatic innovations in parallel processing technology that will render traditional cycle time claims obsolete. It will shift the focus, once and for all, to the measurement that customers are really interested in - throughput. Our customers will be able to concentrate on the quality, number, and cost of good boards produced per hour," said Pierre de Villemejane, president, Speedline Technologies.
The new system produces the most boards per hour of any industry printer - delivering raw throughput gains of 20% to 30% over the closest competitor. "With shrinking profit margins and extreme competition, OEM and CEM manufacturers are demanding equipment that maximizes uptime and yields, generates more quality boards per hour, and increases the return on their capital investment," said de Villemejane. "Measuring printer performance in terms of cycle time is meaningless for the telecom, CEM/EMS, and automotive electronics producers who require ultra-high throughput with high yield performance. Additionally, our customers require the highest accuracy and repeatability for the Speedline Technologies to Introduce First Stencil Printer Designed for Ultra-High Throughput at APEX 2005 Page 2 of 3 increasingly complex boards used throughout the industry."
Already awarded two new U.S. patents, with nine additional innovations patent-pending, the technological advancements incorporated in the Accela printer address the high performance and challenging applications facing manufacturers building the highest volume and most complex printed circuit boards. The development of this printer resulted from extensive customer input indicating that cost per board, not cycle time, was their most important production measurement.
"Through years of working with customers on various printing applications, we have designed and developed a printer that optimizes production around this critical customer need," said Bob Boyes, product manager at Speedline Technologies. The new Accela platform:
· Dramatically reduces setup, changeover and consumable downtime (20 minutes to 5 minutes), and features tool-free hardware interfaces
· Delivers the highest level of equipment robustness, ease of operator use, and a module level design with CanOpen controls
· Features easy service, support, and upgrade capability with the lowest maintenance costs
· Provides a stable, solid platform that can handle the most challenging applications with unprecedented reliability
· Increases the application range including higher density, more complex boards as well as lead-free manufacturing requirements
Boyes said the Accela printer's test results demonstrated superior inspection capabilities, both in terms of speed and accuracy, greater yield potential due to tighter repeatability and accuracy specifications and a highly flexible platform for fast changeovers.
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