Siplace future proofs TTems UK growth

Citation

(2008), "Siplace future proofs TTems UK growth", Soldering & Surface Mount Technology, Vol. 20 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/ssmt.2008.21920bab.005

Siplace future proofs TTems UK growth

Article Type: Industry news From: Soldering & Surface Mount Technology, Volume 20, Issue 2.

Siemens Automation and Drives EA announces that one of the UK's leading EMS providers, TT electronic manufacturing services (TTems) has made a significant investment in its future with Siplace.

When TTems looked to upgrade its facility in Rogerstone, South Wales and increase the surface mount capability by 25 per cent, they turned to Siemens UK and Ireland Siplace team. With further facilities in the USA, Malaysia and China, UK owned TTems has well and truly carved its position in today's fiercely competitive, global marketplace representing a true British success story. At a time when many EMS companies are struggling to gain market share, TTems is forging ahead with the types of investment that will enable them to respond to an increasing number of market opportunities, well into the future.

Already a Siemens customer, this latest investment in Siplace equipment is part of TTems strategy to prepare their facilities for future growth and includes the addition of a complete new line. Four out of five lines at Rogerstone are now entirely Siplace. “When we embarked on this second round of investment our engineering team had high expectations in terms of the efficiency, flexibility, quality and yield required from our placement solutions,” explains Managing Director, Andrew Cox. “We also needed to add superior 01005 component placement performance. From previous experience we knew that Siplace equipment could fulfil these criteria, whilst at the same time Siemens would provide the levels of local, on-site service and support we demand in order to fulfil our own customer expectations and remain competitive.”

The full extent of TTems investment with Siemens includes upgrading existing Siplace equipment, a complete software upgrade and the purchase of two new Siplace D3 machines for the latest production line. Launched in 2006, the Siplace D-Series represents the Siplace compact platform, incorporating high-tech innovations for both standard and high-performance applications and providing the best price-performance ratio on the market.

Winner of the 2007 Frost & Sullivan European Technology Innovation Award, the Siplace D-Series is based on a single platform to provide continuity and compatibility with existing Siplace lines. Available in four versions, depending on the number of gantries required for the application, TTems invested in the Siplace D3 three gantry system. The Siplace D3 is equipped with Siplace collect-and-place heads and comes with a choice of three head configurations: 2×12 nozzle collect-and-place heads with one twinhead, 2×6 nozzle collect- and-place heads with one twinhead or a 1×12 and 1×6 collect-and-place head with one twinhead. TTems opted for the third configuration for both their systems to provide their new line with a fast and flexible all-round system, that can even place larger and more complex components.

The Siplace D3 also incorporates Siemens highly reliable Siplace S-Feeders and robust linear drives from the proven Siplace platform, together with an innovative digital vision system with auto-learn function. The ideal specification for an EMS provider, the Siplace vision system quickly acquires the shapes and dimensions of new components and makes this information available to the Siplace Pro programming system. This process can be carried out offline, at a separate inspection and programming station, or directly at the placement machine. The D-Series also incorporates Siemens flexible dual transport from the premier line the Siplace X-Series and the latest Siplace software.

“TTems required a high-performance solution that incorporated the very latest time and cost reducing technology, so the Siplace D3 was an obvious choice,” said TTems Account Manager, Derick Cullen of Siemens Automation and Drives. “Together, with the unprecedented level of quality offered by Siplace, the D-Series will provide a reliable platform to support the level of product changeover and diversity of product required by TTems customers, now and well into the future. With investment also in machine upgrades and the latest Siplace software across the four Siplace lines, TTems has ensured placement solutions that will pay for themselves over and over again, providing lowest cost of ownership and a significant return on investment.”

TTems is a part of the global electronics company TT Electronics plc.

For more details, please visit: www.siplace.com