A decade on from the formation of SisTech, our growth continues to accelerate. That’s a key factor in our latest investment, designed to broaden the capability and throughput of our core surface mount assembly operation.
We are taking delivery of a new atom3 pick & place machine. This is the latest platform from our trusted placement partner, Europlacer Americas.
But the story is more exciting than that. At SisTech, we are well known for being forward-thinking and progressive, and this new investment proves it. It is the very first atom machine to be delivered in the US. That’s outstanding news for us and our customers. Here’s why…
When we saw this product launched at the APEX Expo earlier in the year, we knew the extreme flexibility it offers was exactly right to take our operations at SisTech to the next level.
The configuration of the new atom3 model retains all the flexibility we’ve come to value in our existing Europlacer machines, but it does more: it adds impressive high-speed capability to help drive throughput. In atom3, a pair of new Pulsar placement heads work in parallel with the flexible turret head that’s at the heart of our existing iineo machines. This inventive head technology combination handles the full range of devices we encounter, from 01005 profiles right up to parts with 99mm dimensions.
Running at full speed, atom3 can deliver placement rates up to 65,000 parts per hour – a significant performance metric that further strengthens our competitive high-volume contract services offer across the consumer sector.
By holding up to 264 x 8mm reels at once, atom3 matches the massive on-machine inventory of each of our three iineo II systems. That’s a big benefit for our manufacturing model where fast changeover between high-mix jobs is critical to productivity.
In addition to accelerating our assembly throughput with faster placement speeds, atom3 also widens our capability. It is the first Europlacer machine to feature a new conveyor system that eliminates board stops. That means it can stop a board under software control at any position in the placement area to optimize pick-to-place trajectories for maximum productivity – but also to accommodate large PCBs up to 81 inches in length. That capability puts us ahead of the game for the kinds of long board we see in applications like LED lighting.
It’s great to know that our new atom3 machine is Europlacer’s fastest flexible machine ever. And exciting to know that we will have the first atom in the US. It will extend the competitive edge we already enjoy.
