Panasonic partners with Cogiscan for RFID smart feeders
Bromont, Canada - Panasonic Factory Solutions Company of America and Cogiscan are pleased to announce their new partnership. The first step of this collaboration is based on the development of an RFID smart feeder kit for the IPAC machine. This new kit will be shown at the Panasonic booth #2521 at APEX in Los Angeles, from Feb. 20-22, 2007.
Gene Dunn, Engineering Manager, Panasonic: "The IPAC machine is the foundation of our microelectronics placement business. Over the past few years we have received an increasing number of customer requests to extend the standard set-up verification and traceability capability of the equipment to include automatic tracking of feeders and closed loop slot verification. By integrating the proven technology of the Cogiscan RFID smart feeder system with the proven capability of the PanaCIM verification and traceability system, we have produced a robust and elegant solution that can be offered on new machines and that can also be sold as a retrofit for existing machines. Now that this solution is proven in the field we think that it will become a standard option for our most demanding customers that are constantly pushing for higher levels of traceability."
As part of this agreement a complete demonstration system has been installed on an IPAC machine in the Panasonic demo room in Chicago. This system includes the Cogiscan RFID hardware integrated with the PanaCIM software.
The patented Cogiscan RFID smart feeder technology can track, trace and control feeders on and off the assembly line, without human intervention. The seamless integration with the Panasonic component verification, tracking and tape splicing functions creates a streamlined system that is very easy to use. Existing tape feeders of any model and vintage can be quickly upgraded into intelligent feeders by simply attaching a low cost RFID tag. Low profile RF antennas and readers can be installed on existing machines, feeders banks and even on feeder storage carts to provide real-time inventory of all feeders on and off the assembly line.
About Cogiscan - Cogiscan designs and manufactures material tracking systems for the electronics manufacturing market. The Cogiscan platform encompasses material identification with barcode and RFID technology, data acquisition hardware, and application software. Software applications include Real-Time Inventory, Traceability, Line Set-up Control and MSD Control. Cogiscan is dedicated to establish a global standard for material tracking in the electronics manufacturing industry. Sales and customer service offices and affiliates are located throughout the world, including the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.
About Panasonic Factory Solutions Company of America - Panasonic Factory Solutions Company of America, a North American source for electronic assembly equipment (SMT), software and technical support, provides total business systems solutions for electronic semiconductor and packaging companies in the global marketplace through one provider. PFSA is also a premier source for robotic and manual arc welding equipment to distributors, system integrators and end users. For more information about Panasonic Factory Solutions Company of America, please contact in writing at: 909 Asbury Drive, Buffalo Grove, IL 60089, by telephone (847) 495-6100 or consult the Web site: www.panasonicfa.com.
Cogiscan prime contact:
Mathieu Bégin, Marketing Manager
Cogiscan* Smart Material Control
Tel : 450-534-2644, E-mail : mbegin@cogiscan.com
