Nice reference to the Fastech automation software that is now part of BRKS in the following article.
supersite.net
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But some experts don't believe the price of an assembly plant will go that high. In any event, such an advanced packaging facility will offer far more flexibility and productivity than today's plants, figures Abpac's Marr. His company, which specializes in fast-turnaround BGA and chip-scale packages, has just put the finishing touches on a new automated test and assembly floor in Phoenix. It is a robotic, cell-and-site design, which can run with a bare minimum of human operators. It is aimed specifically at what Marr calls "mass customization"--the ability to move a quickly changing mix of products rapidly through test and assembly.
The new production line is built around ESEC SA's AutoLine technology and Fastech's FactoryWorks shop-floor automation system from its Brooks Automation Inc. subsidiary. Marr claims that the line can be completely reprogrammed in minutes from a single server computer. After fixtures are swapped, the line is ready to go again.
Factories such as this can reach utilization rates of 80% or more on even mixed short runs, Marr estimates. As a result, he expects up to fivefold productivity improvements. All of Abpac's software is Oracle based, allowing a seamless merger with the rest of the company's tracking and management systems, he says. This should boost productivity and cut costs even more, he adds.
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