ASM Pacific Technology Limited announced its strategic investment in a software developer Critical Manufacturing, S.A., which is headquartered in Porto, Portugal. Critical Manufacturing is a leading software developer and publisher of state-of-the-art manufacturing execution systems (MES). As an experienced software solutions provider of state-of-the-art MES platforms, Critical Manufacturing has significant expertise in the integration and networking of machines and systems, as well as IT systems and cloud solutions. This strategic investment would accelerate ASMPT’s efforts to build a portfolio of Industry 4.0 solutions and will boost ASMPT’s software competence in enabling smart factories.
Günter Lauber, CEO of ASMPT SMT Solutions Segment and serving concurrently as an Executive Committee member responsible for ASMPT’s software solutions, explains the rationale behind this strategic investment: “We want to focus more on comprehensive software solutions to help customers improve their quality, flexibility and efficiency with smart factories. Initiatives like The Hermes Standard and ADAMOS already represent major steps in this direction, but we want to speed up our integration and smart manufacturing capabilities and extend our reach beyond hardware solutions.”
ASM solutions such as SIPLACE placement systems and DEK printing systems support the networking, automation and optimization of central workflows with hardware, software and services that enable electronics manufacturers to transition to the smart SMT factory in stages and enjoy dramatic improvements in productivity, flexibility and quality.
Since maintaining close relationships with customers and partners is a central component of ASM’s strategy, the company has established the SMT Smart Network as a global forum for the active exchange of information between and with smart champions. In addition to being a founding member of the ADAMOS joint venture for the development of an IIoT platform for manufacturing companies, ASM is establishing together with other SMT manufacturers the open HERMES standard as a successor to the SMEMA standard for M2M communication in SMT lines.
