Growth-focused ESCATEC continues to ramp up its capabilities in order to support the exacting requirements of its fast-expanding customer base.
The Swiss-owned electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider – which already offers a fully integrated value chain from design & development, testing & certification, mass production to complete box build manufacturing services – is now targeting best-in-class technologies to meet customer requirements for even more complex, high-quality products.
This push by ESCATEC is driven in part by demand for capable EMS services from the emerging 5G, IoT, EV and IR4.0 industries.
Most recently, ESCATEC Mechatronics in Johor Bahru significantly grew its SMT capabilities with the installation of a new ASM DEK-TQ printer and Yamaha YSM20R mounter. Both machines are likely to be the first installed by an EMS provider in South East Asia.
“The new machines cost about RM1.5 million and will allow us to quickly ramp up our SMT capacity and further enhance quality,” says ESCATEC Mechatronics’ General Manager Vincent Weidinger.
The new YSM20R with its high-speed components-per-hour mounting capability can boost output by more than 130% and provides the flexibility to cater for the smallest 01005 chip size.
Featuring the latest IR4.0 abilities, data from the machine can be directly linked to the MES system and this eliminates manual scanning functions that previously had to be performed by human operators. Its manufacturer claims that the YSM20R is currently the world's fastest all-purpose surface mounter for a 2-beam, 2-head layout.
The ASM DEK-TQ stencil printer, meanwhile, offers more precise and powerful functions coupled with extremely low maintenance.
Featuring new linear drives, off-belt printing, innovative clamping systems, a newly developed under-stencil cleaning system, an innovative printhead with integrated paste height control, and a fully integrated paste dispenser, the ASM DEK-TQ ensures very high and stable levels of accuracy and is able to run continuously for 8 hours between operator assists. Vincent estimates that the new stencil printer will also deliver a 67% cycle time reduction
ESCATEC Mechatronics currently operates two production facilities in the southern Malaysian city of Johor Bahru, which borders the island state of Singapore. Headcount currently stands at around 750, with 37 assembly lines in full swing actively manufacturing well over 400 product models.
In Malaysia, ESCATEC also has its HQ and another two production facilities on Penang island where it currently operates 53 assembly lines producing close to 500 product models with a current workforce of about 820. As in Johor Bahru, ESCATEC Penang is also rapidly upgrading its technological abilities to satisfy the needs of a growing customer base (stay tuned for further updates on this).
ESCATEC Switzerland - which hosts the Group’s Design & Development Centre and specialises in advanced electronics production, based at Heerbrugg next to the Austrian border - has also been busy putting in place new cutting-edge technology. Several articles highlighting their efforts in this regard have already been published on www.escatec.com.
Step-by-step ESCATEC continues putting its strategic plans into action to grow with its customers and be firmly established as the partner of choice for leading OEMs worldwide.
