ASSEMBLÉON PARTNERS WITH VALOR

Veldhoven (Netherlands), 10 November 2009

In an industry-first partnership, Royal Philips Electronics subsidiary Assembléon is joining forces with Valor Computerized Systems to bring full factory integration to Assembléon’s pick & place equipment. The companies have chosen Productronica in Munich (November 10-13, Hall A2, Booth 477) to announce the introduction of a complete suite of software and tools for electronic equipment assembly. These will automate machine-, line- and factory-level workflows and business processes. The result is a complete and lean manufacturing operations management framework that is open, modular, and flexible.

“A key benefit of the new software suite is to integrate business planning and logistics systems with systems on the shop floor,” says Assembléon’s CEO André Papoular. Real-time machine data communicates transparently with the line- and factory-level controls in the Valor Manufacturing Execution System (“MES”) suite. Papoular: “That breaks the tradition of pick & place machines being merely “islands of automation”, so slimming down the whole manufacturing operation. It also helps to eliminate bottlenecks, and improves parts management, logistics and quality improvement systems.”

Optimal integration into operational management systems

Assembléon systems already integrate into manufacturing processes, and the partnership with Valor optimizes them for all operational management systems. The new software suite automates process preparation and engineering, work-order and workflow control, and tactical-level scheduling. There are modules for quality, test, inspection and repair, real-time performance management and reporting, as well as materials flow and replenishment management. These combine to bring efficient and lean manufacturing, ensuring regulatory compliance and traceability for electronic equipment assembly.

Performance monitor dashboard on show at Productronica

Specific tools cover Process Preparation for New Product Introductions (“NPI”), Real-time Performance Monitoring, and assembly Traceability.

For NPI, vPlan-Lite is a dedicated version of Valor’s leading vPlan platform. It rapidly generates run-ready optimized programs and setup instructions for Assembléon’s flagship A-Series. vPlan-Lite handles all parts-data management requirements of the Assembléon machines, and can be conveniently upgraded to the full vPlan platform to address complex multi-vendor lines and factory-level engineering requirements.

For Performance Monitoring, Assembléon is demonstrating a powerful real-time dashboard for machine and line performance display and management of alerts and exceptions. Developed jointly with Valor, the Performance Monitoring dashboard provides immediate visibility of all operational information for accurate and timely decisions that will maximize productivity, quality and efficient use of materials.

For Traceability, Assembléon will show a comprehensive reference-designator and serialized-reel I.D. solution that connects seamlessly into a complete build-record strategy at the factory and supply-chain level. 

The Valor partnership products launched at Productronica by Assembléon themselves deliver high return-on-investment. They also provide future-proof expansion to complete factory automation for electronics manufacturing.