PICK AND PLACE MACHINE INCREASES EFFICIENCY AT SENSOR MANUFACTURER


Ion Science has invested £500,000 in a new state- of-the-art Europlacer iineo pick and place machine to increase the capacity and efficiencies of its MiniPID PCB assembly process.


The MiniPID is a simple plug-and-play sensor able


to deliver a dynamic and dependable response to thousands of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) across many diverse applications. Fully automated in process quality control and on-


the-fly visual component checking ensures the correct value component is being selected before placement onto the PCB. Component value testing is also integrated into the system with the in process electronic component testing. This has enabled Ion Science to reduce any extra cost of rework due to operator errors and incorrect components being placed on the PCBs. Optimisation of the component setup has allowed


Ion Science to increase component placement capacity from 2,500CPH (components per hour) on the old system to 20,000CPH which will allow faster


assembly times. With its Smart component feed system, Ion Science can keep track of the component inventory levels for its stock control. The Speed print in line solder paste printer is fully


automated and has its own print inspection to check for solder bridging and solder coverage via an integrated camera 2D inspection system which has removed the risk of short and open circuits due to solder paste errors. Now a PCB panel can be placed into the Speed Printer which will then automatically align and position it under the print screen. The previous system used a manual system which was vulnerable to user errors. Accurate temperature profiling is critical for the PID PCB due to the flexibility and thickness of the material. A TSM reflow oven allows Ion Science to set the temperature profiling to its specific requirements to optimise the reflow temperature for each PID and the flexibility to change between PCBs without delays with improved soldering results and PCB reliability. The Europlacer iineo pick and place system allows Ion


Science to place package sizes of down to 01005 and mini BGA (Ball Grid Array) devices. www.ionscience.com


TISSUE PAPER SENSORS SHOW PROMISE FOR HEALTH CARE & ROBOTICS


University of Washington engineers have turned tissue paper into a new kind of wearable sensor that can detect a pulse, a blink of an eye and other human movement. The sensor is light, flexible and inexpensive, with potential applications in health care, entertainment and robotics. The technology shows that by tearing tissue paper that is


loaded with nanocomposites and breaking the paper’s fibres, the paper acts as a sensor. It can detect a heartbeat, finger force, finger movement, eyeball movement and more, said Jae-Hyun Chung, a UW associate professor of mechanical engineering and senior author of the research. “The major innovation is a disposable wearable sensor


made with cheap tissue paper,” said Chung. “When we break the specimen, it will work as a sensor.” These small sensors could have a variety of


Credit: Dennis R. Wise, University of Washington


applications in various fields. For example, monitoring a person’s gait or the movement of their eyes can be used to inspect brain function or a game player’s actions. The sensor could track how a special-needs child walks in a home test, sparing the child the need for hospital visits. Or the sensors could be used in occupational therapy for seniors. “They can use these sensors and after one-time use, they can be thrown away,” said Chung. In their research, the scientists used paper similar to toilet tissue. The paper - nothing more than conventional paper towels - is then doused with carbon nanotube-laced water. Carbon nanotubes are tiny materials that create electrical conductivity. Each piece of tissue paper has both horizontal and vertical fibres, so when the paper is torn, the direction of the tear informs the sensor of what has happened. To trace eye movement, they are attached to a person’s reading glasses. For now, the work has been contained to a laboratory, and researchers are hoping to find a suitable commercial use. www.washington.edu


A provisional patent was filed in December 2017.


Anritsu’s partnership with Trescal has been expanded to cover. The Netherlands. Trescal will now be providing calibration and repair services for Anritsu Handheld RF products. www.anritsu.com


WIKA has acquired Hirschmann Mobile Machine Control Solutions. With the acquisition, the WIKA Group is enlarging its portfolio for applications in the field of mobile working machines. The new business unit will be named “WIKA Mobile Control”. en-co.wika.de


Stadium Group has signed a global distribution agreement with Mouser Electronics. The deal covers the distribution of Stadium’s standard technology products, including power supplies, HMI modules such as single illuminated capacitive switches, and wireless IoT devices. eu.mouser.com


Fascia Graphics has been acquired by CCL Design UK. Over the next few months Fascia Graphics will begin trading under the CCL name, and at the same time customers will receive access to additional products and capabilities through being part of the CCL group. These include precision cutting technologies, clean room, optical and automation technologies. www.fasciagraphics.co.uk


AMETEK Land has appointed Christopher Leonard to the role of director of Development and Product Management. Leonard will head up AMETEK Land’s global industry management and design engineering teams. www.landinst.com


WWEM Conference will take place in Telford on 21 - 22 November 2018 and see the return of the WWEM Instrumentation Apprentice Competition. www.ilmexhibitions.com/wwem/


/ INSTRUMENTATION


INSTRUMENTATION | FEBRUARY 2018


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