Product category:
PCB Assembly Equipment and Tools
News Release from: Universal Instruments | Subject: UPS+
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 10 December 2002
Software makes the most of placement
machine
Universal Instruments has complemented the latest hardware enhancements to its GSM placement platform with new UPS+ control software.
Universal Instruments has complemented the latest hardware enhancements to its GSM placement platform with new UPS+ control software UPS+ runs on Microsoft Windows 2000 and improves ease of use, usage and flexibility of the GSM platform
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 17 Jul 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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All new GSM machines will ship with UPS+, and a field upgrade is available for earlier models.
New features enhancing ease of use include national language support, as well as customisable user interface templates for operators, technicians, programmers, line engineers, and supervisors.
Improved diagnostics, product data status checking, and Internet access to upgrades lead to improved uptime, as do advanced security features native to the Windows 2000 operating system.
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System security features include administrator-level control to access levels, with further security provided by running the operation interface in full screen mode, preventing operators from accessing the operating system.
Additional enhancements include new auto pick co-ordinate update, which uses vision results to automatically tune the feeder pick point to optimise pick performance of small components.
Another improvement is the Skip Component without Segment Repair feature, which eliminates the segment repair product load by bypassing a component until the next product changeover.
"UPS+ exploits the latest GSM platform hardware enhancements, which include new dual-track feeders and improved vision capabilities, allowing owners to get more from their GSM placement machines", said Brad Bennett, Director, GSM Platform Operations.
"Moving to the Windows 2000 operating system also enhances robustness, functionality, and security, but owners can still import existing programs written for OS/2-based GSM platforms".
Operators will benefit from new event, error, and warning routines that offer improved message descriptions, corrective action recommendations, warning of potential machine stop conditions, and instructions to correct machine stop conditions.
Further operator benefits include simple and powerful production setup tools, including automatic nozzle change during enhanced component setup teach.
UPS+ also introduces many new benefits for programmers, including networkable component and nozzle databases; graphical pattern programming tools; powerful database query tools that allow changing of multiple parameters across an entire database; and easy access to software updates, important documentation, and the GSM platform knowledge base via hyperlinks.
Component and product editing is also made easier, with more than 1200 standard default component definitions, spreadsheet style data entry, programmable feeder templates, and enhanced optimisation tools, as well as three levels of error tracking with display of clear instructions for error resolution.
In addition, UPS+ allows overlapping of circuits and unrestricted positioning of leads, components, fiducials, and feeders for a wide range of applications.
Error checking ensures that a valid product will run on the given machine.
Further, the ability to program multiple heads and cameras with unique data means UPS+ can be used to program components for an entire line or factory composed of GSM platforms.
Finally, UPS+ provides improved management data, including customisable shift reports, more frequent database updates to minimise data loss, and statistical accuracy and repeatability data accessible quickly via GUI icons.
This includes detection and reporting of pick and vision inspection failures, as well as feeder, nozzle, and head performance.
Also, help is available to guide the user in creating custom queries and generating reports.
Universal Instruments is a global electronics productivity specialist, providing innovative circuit, semiconductor and back-end assembly technologies and equipment, integrated system solutions, and process expertise to manufacturers in every sector of the electronics industry.
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