In his opening address, Austrian strategic consultant Franz Kühmayer of Zukunftsinstitut GmbH presented a different approach. In his presentation, "We Need to Rethink Work," the former director illustrated, with examples from the artificial intelligence sector, those fields in which cutting-edge technology will gradually replace humans in finding solutions and performing tasks. In his address, Johann Weber, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the leading international company Zollner Elektronik AG, explained the challenges of digital transformation at his company from the perspective of an electronics service provider.
With over 20 years of experience supporting companies with statistical analysis, Björn Noreik of BNB-Qualitätsstatistik und Training demonstrated how to measure production success. In his presentation, he guided us through a complex web of capability indices, such as Cgk, Cmk, Cpk, and PpK. One of the key takeaways from his presentation was that, in the context of Big Data, it is crucial to understand how measurement results are obtained and under what conditions random tests are recorded.
Veronika Franz, from Viscom's Product Marketing department, presented unique inspection solutions developed for clients to showcase their adaptability. Among the projects presented were, for example, the automated handling of PCBs during post-inspection verification of solder paste for a medical equipment manufacturer, and, also integrated into the production line, precise 3D coplanarity measurement of components, enabling a wind turbine inverter manufacturer to guarantee a perfect bonding process. The most innovative example presented was that of a shoe last manufacturer measuring volumes using a Viscom handheld X-ray inspection system and rotary computed tomography.
Uwe Pape, a quality assurance expert at Volkswagen AG, explained the inspection processes for electronic assemblies from the automaker's perspective. Driver assistance and safety systems are highly valued for their usefulness, but they must be completely reliable, whether it's the parking assistant, lane departure warning system, or distance control system. With the advancements in autonomous driving, these requirements have become even more critical. Therefore, it's no surprise that VW has developed its own quality standards in this area. The days when the company treated vehicle electronics as a "black box" are long gone.
Advanced automotive electronics require special protection from atmospheric agents such as humidity and water. This is achieved through the use of a protective varnish called a "conformal coating." Dr. Helmut Schweigart, Director of Technology Development at ZESTRON Europe, shared his extensive technical expertise with the participants and discussed the quality of varnish layers on PCBs.
Axel Klapproth, Applications Manager at Viscom's Series Products division, presented effective inspection strategies for detecting trapped gas in solder joints, i.e., bubbles. The presentation focused on the following component types: LEDs, BGAs, QFNs, THTs, transistors, and chips. Through a live connection to an X-ray inspection system demonstration, the audience witnessed how bubbles are detected and measured. Viscom customers gained access to more in-depth, user-level knowledge and information on a wide range of other topics through workshops, expert talks, and a guided tour of the systems exhibit.
Another highlight of the Forum was an engaging debate moderated by journalist and trends expert Birgit Gebhardt. Together with Franz Kühmayer, Johann Weber, and the other guests (Sven Buchholz from ASM, Christoph Stoppok from ZVEI, and Volker Pape from Viscom), they discussed, among other topics, universal M2M communication, electromobility, and the applications of the new 5G mobile standard to autonomous driving and real-time communication in industry.
