The front-end to the Aegis system includes modules for building a complete model of product and process intelligence for each assembly. Users quickly create the information the factory requires to run a job from the system's knowledge of factory assets and routes merged to the CAD and BOM data sources. In enterprise deployments, this information acts as the foundation for Aegis' uniquely intelligent MES solution.

PROCESS DEFINITION MODULE: CIRCUITCAM

• Define each factory and all factory stations and assets in an object-oriented and graphical modeler. Define logical routes, line control points, and data acquisition nodes along the entire process.

• Import over 33 native CAD types, mechanical CAD drawings, Gerber and scanned product images to develop a rich product definition.

• Merge a complete BOM with AVL/AML data into the CAD definition of the product.

• Balance line allocations, manage machine libraries, and generate and optimize programs for over 175 makes and models of SMT placement, inspection, test, printing, reflow, and insertion machines.

• Create the 'bill of process' for each station and machine along the entire route for later use in the Aegis materials control systems on the factory floor.

• Automate the creation of interactive visual operators aids for each station of the workflow, inspection, and test.

PRODUCT DEFINITION MODULE: CHECKPOINT

• Import and parse any text or Excel format BOM using an intuitive, flexible parsing user environment capable of processing virtually any BOM format.

• Place BOMs and processes under relational but discrete version control and post for electronic approvals.

• Detect errors within a BOM and compare the BOM to CAD, or compare BOM revisions.

• Utilize tools to map relationships of customer part numbers to internal numbers.

• Deploy comprehensive component engineering utilities and part master library searching and analyzing tools.

TEST DEFINITION MODULE: TESTXCELL

• Develop test programs for virtually all ICT and flying probe equipment.

• Design test fixtures for ICT. Generation of machine specific tester input lists, circuit description files, fixture drill files and wiring lists.

• DFT Analysis. Comprehensive testability checks. Test balancing between boundary scan, ICT & flying probe.

• Schematic Viewing using EDA interfaces. Layout data and schematics are cross linked for probe allocation, channels, back-annotations and net name changes.

• Component database pre-populated with 36,000 electrical models and 1,000 package models.

• 25 ATE machines supported and 57 CAD import formats supported and all major EDA schematics.

WEB-BASED PRODUCT & PROCESS RELEASE CONTROL

• Completed process and product definitions initiate notification emails to appropriate parties depending on the nature of the product.

• Recipients review the full scope of BOM and process via their web browser, provide comments, and submit their approval/rejection.

• System intelligence manages rejections/approvals and eliminates risk of unapproved data sets or jobs reaching the factory floor.

• The process of electronic approval is maintained in the system and recalled later as part of the total traceability output of the enterprise solution.