News Release from: Ekra
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 28 November 2003
Inline printer handles both screens and stencils
A novel fully automatic high-performance inline features CANopen control to reduce manufacturing costs, improve maintainability and increase flexibility.
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A novel fully automatic high-performance inline features CANopen control to reduce manufacturing costs, improve maintainability and increase flexibility. The X4 offers the high reliability and low down times typical for all Ekra printers, and excels with an outstanding price/performance ratio. An important advantage of the X4 is that it can be used as a screen as well as a stencil printer.
Fast program setup and changeover enables the operator to quickly and easily witch between printing methods.
The X4 is also fully network-compatible and can be integrated into any existing company network.
The machine features complete traceability and allows for software upgrades and remote diagnosis via the Internet.
The clearly structured, easy to use graphical interface simplifies operation with self-explanatory functions, user friendly help instructions and intuitive navigation, minimising the risk of operator errors.
The X4 inline printer is able to upload different stencil sizes and, with a stencil frame of 737 x 737mm, can take stencil and screen frame sizes from 300 x 300 to 737 x 737mm.
The maximum print area ranges from 50 x 50 to 460 x 460mm.
Prior to starting the printing process, the patented Ekra EVA vision alignment system uses its two high-resolution CCD cameras to automatically detect the position and location of the fiducials and align the PCB accordingly.
The camera module measures the fiducials while the camera itself moves between the stencil and the substrate.
Faulty substrates are recognised and eliminated by checking the fiducial positions and distances.
Distorted and bad PCBs can be removed from the process without disrupting the production flow.
Highest precision comes as standard with this high performance printer, as with all Ekra products.
The system complies with +/-12.5um at 6 sigma, an accuracy never before reached in a system of this price.
During the printing process Ekra's 2.5D patented inspection system controls the printing results.
The system checks the stencil apertures and can recognise any obstructions or impurities before they are able to create defects.
If the system discovers a blocked stencil aperture, which falls below an adjustable acceptance level it will automatically execute a stencil cleaning routine.
After cleaning, the stencil is tested again to ensure that the problem has been eliminated.
Following printing, the control function measures the quantity of paste on the pads and is then able to recognise whether there are any shorts between the solder paste fillets.
The system can also recognise other materials, such as silver conductive paste and SMD paste.
Inspection frequency can be adjusted individually for stencil and PCB inspection.
Program generation is very simple and easy-to-learn, and the inspection system can even "learn" from a known-good stencil.
Therefore, reductions and overprints can be automatically recognised so that the operator does not need search through component libraries or software upgrades for new components, uncommon layouts or unknown modules.
Programs can also be generated offline while the machine is running and uploaded when needed.
An automatic stencil wiper, with freely selectable cleaning programs, reliably and effectively cleans the underside and apertures of the stencil, either by dry or wet or with vacuum cleaning.
It is also possible to program a combination of wet, dry and vacuum cleaning processes.
The systems can therefore be set to provide the optimum solution for any production process.
The automatic stencil wiper has a speed-controlled, permanent paper supply, with a display that holds paper in reserve.
And the improved handling system makes changing the cleaning paper very simple to manage and without any tools.
Roland Heynen, Executive Vice President of Ekra, commented: "With our X4 printer we can offer our customers a fully automatic high performance machine with an excellent price/performance ratio".
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