Pair to link manufacturing software

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Jun 26, 2003

Universal Instruments and Valor Computerised Systems have announced an agreement to interface Valor software products with Universal's manufacturing systems.

Universal Instruments and Valor Computerised Systems have announced an agreement to interface Valor software products with Universal's manufacturing systems.

The interface will be achieved through the use of standard interfaces built into Universal's Dimensions manufacturing automation software The interface between Valor and Universal will optimise engineering dataflows and enable mutual customers to enjoy more efficient NPI.

By using the standard interface, the two companies will streamline the exchange of data between Valor's Trilogy 5000 Machine Shapes Manager (MSM), Valor Parts Library (VPL), and ODB++(X) integrated PCB CAD/CAM data source, and Universal's GSM, Genesis, Vantis and HSP pick-and-place machines via the Dimensions software suite.

The use of the interface will add extra value to Valor and Universal proposals, and allows each company to independently configure an optimal solution to meet customer requirements to integrate different software systems.

Valor will gain a standard interface to the Dimensions package provided by Universal, which enables direct interfaces between various manufacturing software vendors and factory business and management systems.

This solution will be especially attractive to customers who need machine programming solutions for assembly lines that have machines supplied by multiple vendors.

The standard interface will allow Trilogy 5000 to connect directly to Universal manufacturing equipment via the Dimensions suite of software products.

The interface with the DDM (Dimensions Database Management) tool in particular, will allow Valor to provide a closed-loop feedback mechanism from Universal assembly machines into Valor's centralised machine-vendor-independent MSM parts data control solution.

Universal's Dimensions Data Management system will interface with the Valor Trilogy 5000 NPI engineering system to drive Universal assembly lines from integrated ODB++(X) and VPL data intelligence.

This interface will allow customers using DDM and DPO for machine programming to download new component and product information directly from the VPL.

It also provides an efficient method of delivering panel layout, fiducial locations, part locations, and rotations into the Universal machine and line programming processes.

Julian Coates, Executive Vice President at Valor in charge of product management and corporate marketing said, "We are excited to be making these interfaces to the Universal assembly machines with the standard interfaces through Universal's Dimensions software suite.

This allows Valor to deliver substantial extra value to downstream line-level operations in terms of validated and integrated engineering data, with additional value from the VPL also built-in.

Our policy is to work with leading machine vendors to generate the maximum possible efficiencies for end-users, and we are sure that the best approach is via the standard Interface that Universal has provided through the Dimensions manufacturing automation software suite".

Peter Bollinger, the Manager Systems Software Products and India Operations for Universal Instruments said, "The interface between Valor and the Dimensions Software Suite will allow our customers to greatly enhance NPI efficiency by introducing new components and products to Universal placement machines directly from the vendor.

The Dimensions Software Suite provides a pathway between our world class manufacturing platforms and the business and engineering systems, such as Trilogy 5000 from Valor, that run our customers' factories".