EXELSIUS presents its approach to improving PCBA process quality and reliability through surface activation and coating inspection.GENIUS: Atmospheric plasma surface activation with selective treatment based on automatic trajectory generation.XPECT: Coating inspection system providing true thickness measurement for reliable process control.

Richard Osborne discussed the new QX1 AXI system. Designed to inspect the large server boards with large, heavily shaded parts.Vitrox also manufacture a range of automation systems with their V9 collaborate open-air robot which can be configured for a range of tasks within the production line. The system is complemented by an industrial robot, which operates in a protected, enclosed space, but can operate at a much higher speed than the open-air robot.

Don Dennison gives his takeaways from APEX 2026. The highlight was the US debut of the Keiron Technologies LiFT printer. Many of the visitors were interested in AXI and other forms of inspection equipment.

Ivan Romo from SMarTsol announced a new relationship representing Koh Young in Mexico.North of the border, SMarTsol is opening a new demonstration and training center in Dallas, Texas around the end of June.SMarTsol is also opening a procurement office in Taipei, Taiwan.

Conlan Verbenetsky describes the new, automated storage tower that integrates into the automatic materials handling suite of machines. The tower accommodates up to 2,000 8mm reels.

Brian D'Amico described the latest updates to their ART (Anti-Reflective Technology) inspection system, armed with a 95 megapixel camera.MIRTEC also introduced a double-sided 3D inspection system that increases throughput in medium- to high-volume applications.

Garrard Ragard discusses Hanwha Semi's development of the HS range towards the eventual goal of a lights-out operation.The DECAN range provides the mid-range platform for Hanwha with upgraded software, linear encoders etc.

Jennifer Davis and Tim Burke discuss the latest updates and integration of Agentic AI into Arch Systems software systems. Today's Arch agents can identify defects at the end of the line and track back through MES data and machine data to find the route cause.Current systems are also assisting engineers with adaptive planning as materials are delayed or don't arrive to the factory floor on time.These agentic-assisted decisions are often presented to a human operator for confirmation or final decision making, but they are backed by an exhaustive audit trail, detailing where the information was sourced from.