DEK Debuts SMT Pre-Placement Machine

According to Rich Heimsch, president of DEK International GmbH, Europa's specification sheet describes the actual performance customers can expect on the shop-floor. "Europa's Cpk 2.0 at ± 20um is the figure for true paste on pad repeatability, measured after a full wet print cycle. Many specifications quote fiducial alignment capability only, but its paste on pad repeatability that really matters to electronic assemblers." Included among the support and productivity technologies built into Europa, the new machine features the DEK Instinctiv user interface, with graphical TimeToGo indications for consumable replenishment, plus extensive on-board help and error recovery. Instinctiv allows operators to increase productivity with less training, maximise uptime, and assess and optimise complex processes. Instinctiv also links to DEK's web-based Interactiv support services via Internet-based VPN technology. Interactiv provides direct access for operators to DEK's knowledge servers containing multimedia tutorials on setup, process optimisation, maintenance, and application issues. Interactiv also supports voice communication to DEK's global helpdesk service. At the heart of the machine is a newly designed chassis providing unrivalled torsioanl and thermal stability and a single natural vibration frequency. A new scaleable control system utilizes Controller Area Network technology providing the increased reliability of reduced wiring, easier and less expensive upgrading, and a host of unique on board diagnostics capabilities repeatability. These technologies combine with SMEMA-compliant interfaces, full GEM compatibility and Off-Line Editing of all process parameters, including full vision. And, according to DEK, the new Hawkeye post print vision system is designed to provide 100% print verification at line beat rate.