Automated production line features complete traceability

NOVEMBER 23--Flexibility, quality, and reaction time define success in the production of electronic boards on an automated production line. In Germany at the Burbach location of EbV Elektronik (Munich, Germany; www.ebv.com), where all manual process steps are excluded from the production line, a network of In-Sight vision sensors from Cognex (Natick, MA; www.cognex.com) guarantees a smooth and efficient process chain.

In the EbV Elektronikbau- und Vertriebs-GmbH automated production Plant II in Burbach, production of electronic boards is organized and optimized so that small quantities of product can be handled with flexibility and high throughput. Immediately after being laser marked, the board's Data Matrix codes are checked by vision sensors. Results are then stored and include all the fabrication data collected up to the time the product is delivered to the customer. Rommel GmbH (Ehingen, Germany; www.rommel-gmbh.de) integrated the In-Sight line of vision sensors throughout the complete project.

Forty-two In-Sight 1010 vision sensors for code reading have been integrated into a network in the production line. If updates of the respective batches in printed-circuit board production are necessary, they are programmed into the sensors using the Cognex spreadsheet interface.