Z-AXIS has installed board buffers on our SMT lines. These machines temporarily store boards during assembly and support smooth, continuous operations. It’s all part of our commitment to continuous improvement.
After years of running three SMT lines, Z-AXIS took them to a higher level with major equipment investments. But we didn’t stop there! Continuous improvement is part of our culture, and our efforts to improve processes, products, and performance are never-ending.
Recently, Z-AXIS installed board buffers – machines that temporarily store boards during assembly. They’re important because SMT lines contain different machines that run at different speeds. That can disrupt workflows, but board buffers support smooth, continuous assembly.
Board Buffers and Assembly Efficiency
For example, a board exits an AOI machine when automated optical inspection is complete. If the inspector isn’t ready for the board, however, assembly can’t continue. That’s where a board buffer helps.
At Z-AXIS, a board exits the AOI on a conveyor belt and is lifted-up by a storage mechanism. Boards are automatically added to the buffer, which can hold up to 10 boards at a time. They’re released directly to the inspector in LIFO order, meaning that the last one in is the first one out.
Automated Processing and Machine Safety
Because this process is automated, employees don’t have to remove boards from the AOI. Inspection varies from board to board, but the buffer smooths out the line. Inspectors are kept busy, but boards in the oven or the AOI can be completed even when employees are on breaks. That’s efficient.
Each board buffer is over six feet tall, has an open front, and features a light curtain. If an employee’s hand passes through the light curtain’s beams, the buffer stops automatically to prevent injury. The board buffer is intelligent in other ways, too.
SMT Lines and SMEMA Communications
All the machines on each SMT line, including the board buffer, communicate through a protocol called SMEMA. That’s an acronym for the Surface Mount Equipment Manufacturers Association. SMEMA enables each machine on an SMT line to communicate with both the upstream and downstream machines.
With our three new board buffers, Z-AXIS gains almost an hour per line, per day. Across three lines, that’s over 15 hours per week Our board buffers support increased throughput, but they also help to control costs and promote quality.
Continuous improvement isn’t the same as continuous production, but board buffers at Z-AXIS prove that they can complement each other.
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