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Suggested Items

How Faster Changeovers Unlock Production Capacity

07/08/2026 | Nolan Johnson, SMT007 Magazine
Traditionally, EMS companies have focused their continuous improvement efforts on machine speeds, placement accuracy, yield enhancement, and labor productivity. Yet across much of the industry, one of the largest contributors to lost capacity remains largely hidden in plain sight. We’re talking, of course, about setup time optimization. High-mix production is increasing even as product lifecycles shrink, meaning changeovers occur more frequently than ever, resulting in a proportionally larger amount of time lost to setup activities. Inefficient setup processes cost hundreds of hours of annual production capacity, and this lost time can mean the difference between a modest profit and self-funded company expansion.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

07/03/2026 | Nolan Johnson, SMT007 Magazine
Today is a holiday in the U.S., the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the document that launched the 13 British colonies on the path to becoming an independent country. The news, however, continues regardless of the day or the country being celebrated. Here are my top picks for the week. This week, I’m drawing attention to three news items on the shifting component supply chain balance. I’ve also selected the July issue of SMT007 Magazine on setup time optimization, and Steph Chavez’s column on digital twins.

July SMT007 Magazine Focuses on Setup Optimization

07/01/2026 | I-Connect007 Editorial Team
The fastest way to improve your uptime is by reducing setup time. That means transforming setup from a machine-centered activity into a logistics-centered process where materials, feeders, programs, and tooling arrive at the line fully validated before the previous job ends. The result is faster changeovers, less labor waste, and greater efficiency through single-minute exchange of die (SMED). In the July 2026 issue of SMT007 Magazine, we examine how manufacturers are applying SMED principles to reduce downtime, increase throughput, and improve overall equipment effectiveness.

Nolan’s Notes: The ROI of Setup Optimization

07/02/2026 | Nolan Johnson -- Column: Nolan's Notes
It was a comment from a guest at APEX EXPO last March that hit me. We were walking the show floor together and I was describing the major pieces of equipment, their functions, and the order of operation. When we stopped at a booth with robotic component towers, my guest commented, “So, everyone has one of these, right?” “Umm, no,” I said. “This is considered pretty sophisticated equipment. A lot of companies pick these parts from inventory by hand.” My guest, an industry outsider, said, “How do they tolerate all the time and human error?” That response, frankly, was rather devastating. She may have been new to the industry, but she sure knew a thing or two about manufacturing. I said to myself, “Is it really that obvious?”

Smart Automation: The Journey of a Component Through an SMT Factory

04/22/2026 | Josh Casper -- Column: Smart Automation
In electronics manufacturing, the SMT line tends to get most of the attention. Placement machines, inspection systems, screen printers, and reflow ovens often take center stage when discussing productivity improvements or new equipment investments. While these systems are obviously critical to the manufacturing process, they only represent a portion of the journey every component takes before becoming part of a finished assembly.
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