3 steps to progress in electrical engineering

Is AI the future of electrical engineering? Is digitalization accelerating innovation? Is the fear of disruption slowing down our industry?

Fundamental questions, polarizing discussions and innovative electrical technology: why excessive demands are understandable today, but why standing still is not a solution

Relevant factors for successful digitalization, automation and innovation in the electronics and semiconductor industry.

The year 2024 started for us with interesting trade fairs, forward-looking topics and profound questions. Whether at the Berliner Technologieforum, the EBL, the EE Kolleg and finally the EPP Innovationsforum; if we look at the thematic focus of the events, some trends are omnipresent that have not only been discussed in recent months, but will have a significant influence on the coming years and decades.

We talk about artificial intelligence, digitalization and automation to increase efficiency. About disruption and innovation. However, as self-evident and inflationary as these terms are now used throughout the industry, the challenges and excessive demands they entail are just as extensive. Our experiences, conversations, discussions and projects have taught us one thing over the past few months: We need to prepare ourselves for a turnaround in the electronics industry, which can succeed and is guaranteed to show quite a bit of progress today. BUT, it can only be successful in the long term if we allow ourselves to take the time to understand trends, recognize opportunities and test processes before they are finally adapted. The dream of maximum efficiency based on artificial intelligence and innovative technology will not be realized overnight. But the journey to this goal can be shaped in a useful and exciting way.

If we look at the electronics and semiconductor industry in particular, we see core factors that pave the way for the journey to a digitalized, automated and smart electrical engineering world:

1.Interpretation

Understanding is the basis for change. If we want to act progressively, always be one step ahead and at the same time stand for quality, reliability and competence within the company as well as towards our customers and service providers, this requires one thing first and foremost: understanding the status quo. Because without an understanding of today's processes, functionalities and technical requirements, the step forward will not succeed. At Christian Koenen, we see recognizing the relevance of this understanding and enabling our customers and employees to interpret it consistently not only as the basis for success, but also as our task to provide appropriate support.

We know that in-depth specialist knowledge for electronics production is rarely taught to a sufficient extent during training. This is why training employees and customers when starting out or adapting to new technological findings is an important step on the way to cost-optimized production with a high degree of utilization and high production quality. This is precisely why we offer training courses on the theoretical introduction to stencil or screen technology, layout options for stencils and practical printing trials for screens or stencils.

The aim of these training courses is not only to build understanding by imparting knowledge, but also to optimize processes, increase efficiency and avoid waste and reworking costs in the long term. With the systematic development of knowledge and the understanding of employees and customers for processes and possibilities, we leave no room for interpretation, but rather train a common understanding and thus create the foundation for new innovative approaches.

2. Innovation

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers," predicted IBM boss Thomas Watson in 1943. Although he was not entirely correct, the quote underlines the uncertainty that innovation brings with it during its development in the present. Then as now, disruption in technology is not only a source of concern or even fear, but also a driving force for innovation. However, if we succeed in understanding how technologies work today and can be even more efficient tomorrow, we can turn disruption as a supposed "destroyer" into an innovative "creator".

Christian Koenen's switch from 2D to 3D stencils, for example, shows how this manifests itself in our practice. Our 3D stencils open up the necessary degrees of freedom to create elevations, take special cavities into account or place component on component. This ensures the greatest design freedom thanks to unlimited geometry for 3D steps, high quality in a short delivery time as well as accuracy and reproducibility of the print deposits on the individual levels.

Although the advantages speak for themselves, innovation always requires a new approach to interpretation and knowledge transfer.

The future of the printed circuit board is three-dimensional. However, to ensure that this statement does not fail in the same way as Thomas Watson's prediction, the present must be used to show how this innovation can be understood, applied and implemented in the future.

At Christian Koenen, we use our Application Center to teach an understanding of innovation and highlight opportunities.

The Application Center has the necessary equipment to implement and analyze stencil and screen printing. A rework station is available for applications in which individual components are to be assembled and soldered. A fully automatic stencil and substrate washing system and a manual cleaning station cover the area of printing tool cleaning. This enables us to carry out the complete measurement of printed circuit boards:

- Position measurement on substrates

- Height profile measurement on substrates

- Documentation, measurement of pad and opening sizes

- 3D measurement of printed depots

- Print tests for you in-house

- Contact angle measuring station

Always being one step ahead is not just a claim. Rather, we want to take steps forward together with our customers and employees. Progress means continuously optimizing the status quo, finding new solutions and developing innovation from them. However, these must also be tested and proven in practice. To ensure this, we use the Application Center in Ottobrunn near Munich.

3. Adaptation

Understanding technological processes and developing innovative technologies is one thing. Successful practical implementation is another. Innovation does not mean flawlessness and unlimited success. Nevertheless, we see the benefits of process adaptations, innovative technology solutions and testing before implementation and completion to optimize, increase efficiency and reduce costs. In order to develop the optimal process and high-quality products and tools for our customers, we work together to develop individual solutions for specific requirements. Whether for existing problems brought to us by customers or the implementation of new possibilities and processes: our approach is to find solutions together - through analysis, testing and production.

Many people are not yet sufficiently aware of the economic benefits that result from this, especially in the SMD sector. After all, the process costs for printing in the line are around 1% of the total production costs. However, errors generated during printing can increase the total process costs by up to 70%. We see it as our task to know this error rate and to take measures to avoid it in advance. The latest technological processes, a willingness to constantly optimize and adapt to individual starting conditions help us to develop individual and innovative solutions.

Summary

Topics such as artificial intelligence, digitalization and automation are flooding our everyday lives - and not just in the electrical industry. And they will have a significant impact on the future of our industry. However, disruptive technologies are constantly giving rise to new innovative approaches and processes. We should recognize the opportunities and still bear in mind that progress cannot be achieved in a rush, but requires professional understanding and uniform interpretation. That innovation requires a willingness to change. And that the successful adaptation of new technologies, processes and products calls for practical tests.

At Christian Koenen, we deal with today's topics and trends and recognize the opportunities. In view of this diversity of possibilities and the constant, rapid pace of change, we also understand the current, often clearly noticeable overload in our industrial sector - on the customer side as well as in the training of employees. But standing still is not the solution. We therefore rely on the three stages of progress in electrical engineering: interpretation and understanding of processes, innovative and individual solutions and goal-oriented adaptation. All this at a pace that you set yourself - so that progress succeeds and does not slow you down.

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