SIPLACE Operations Information Broker (OIB): Efficient software integration across the entire SMT process chain

The new version of its SIPLACE OIB (Operations Information Broker), Siemens Electronics Assembly System (SEAS) now offers an optimized multi-vendor integration platform for electronics production. With SIPLACE OIB, applications from different vendors can exchange data with each other in order to completely and transparently map the SMT process chains in heterogeneous IT infrastructures. SIPLACE OIB can link previously isolated applications both horizontally across different machines and lines as well as vertically from the machine controller to MES and ERP systems. As an especially attractive feature, SIPLACE OIB maintains this integration even after updates, version changes or the replacement of individual software components. This makes it easier to link previously separate software modules, minimizes the risk of production failures after software updates, and reduces administrative requirements to a fraction of what they were before. By integrating their processes and software with SIPLACE OIB, electronics manufacturers can significantly improve the transparency, speed, flexibility and productivity of their SMT activities.

In modern electronics production, the multitude of highly specialized hardware and software from many different manufacturers form isolated "islands" and a highly heterogeneous system environment. At the same time, the market demands consistent and transparent SMT process chains in terms of quality, productivity and flexibility. With SIPLACE OIB, the SIPLACE team addresses these challenges and offers electronics manufacturers a new version of this multi-vendor software integration platform.

Robert Huber, Director SIPLACE software solutions, knows that "machine manufacturers and software solution vendors must work much more closely and intensively to deliver a standardized set of functions and data that can be used across the entire production chain. This is where SIPLACE can do a lot to make our customers more successful. That's why we have pooled our entire software and process expertise to offer a perfect integration platform in the form of SIPLACE OIB. It not only administers and forwards SIPLACE production data, but makes sure that complex and time-consuming software management is a problem of the past and that all players in the process chain can operate with a single database."

SIPLACE machine data across the entire line

With the new SIPLACE OIB, electronics producers gain an integration platform for the SMT process chain that is open for other hardware and software manufacturers. Using functional interfaces, SIPLACE OIB can make SIPLACE data and other machine-generated files available to other players in the process chain. Since this is done in the background, other software manufacturers can seamlessly process the SIPLACE business logic including the data it generates without having to use or replicate the SIPLACE user interface. Electronics manufacturers can now use the SIPLACE data as-is in other applications and process steps to improve their production quality and performance.

Simplified version management reduces IT costs

In heterogeneous software and production environments, each update poses a major challenge that involves significant cost, time and risk. Updates of individual components can create conflicts with other software modules in the process chain, which often lead to cumbersome troubleshooting procedures, repeated update runs and long line stops and production interruptions. With SIPLACE OIB, electronics manufacturer minimize the risk of updates. Thanks to this unique software integration platform, software updates can be performed separately for each application. The expensive synchronization of updates from different manufacturers is no longer required. SIPLACE OIB thus eliminates traditional interface problems during version upgrades and makes sure that other programs and versions of the same program remain functional. This lowers the maintenance costs and improves the lines’ availability and productivity.

With its SIPLACE machines and innovative manufacturing concepts, Siemens Electronics Assembly Systems GmbH & Co. KG (SEAS) is the world’s leading manufacturer of surface mount technology (SMT) placement machines and solutions. From its early days in 1985 through 2009, the company has installed roughly 22,000 placement machines at more than 2,000 customers. Electronics manufacturers all over the world take advantage of the broad SIPLACE portfolio of products and services. SIPLACE placement machines are used in all industrial applications in fields such as telecommunications, automotive, consumer electronics and automation.

For more information about SIPLACE, go to http://www.siplace.com.

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Siemens Electronics Assembly Systems GmbH& Co. KG

Susanne Oswald

E-mail: susanne.oswald@siemens.com