Factory information systems are only complete when they have a reliable and easily deployable means of collecting data from machines and other automated data sources in the factory. The real-time events and activities logged by each machine in the factory become very valuable when collected, analyzed and stored. It opens up new automation frontiers, proactive process management, and new efficiency opportunities by learning from actual process information. xLink is the revolutionary technology sweeping the electronics assembly industry to deliver these benefits.

XLINK PURPOSE

xLink is a software product a user will never actually experience directly. Rather, it empowers other software tools such as line monitors, quality systems, tracking systems, etc. xLink adapts to any machine and creates a web service for managing the communication of IPC CAMX machine messages to any software system wishing to electronically subscribe to these messages. By making every machine identical from a communications standpoint, the data logged by each machine during operation is made available to other software systems in an open, reliable, and uniform manner. This data is then used for an unlimited range of purposes.

USES IN THE FACTORY

xLink supports XML data communications from production, test  and inspection machines, barcode scanners, or any other data collection source such as environmental monitors or third-party software systems.

XLINK INDUSTRY ACCEPTANCE

At APEX 2003, over 7 major machine vendors display the xLink compatible badging on their machines. At APEX 2005, 17 vendors displayed the Aegis logo. Some of these vendors also showcase iMonitor in their booths.

HOW AND WHY THE XLINK TRANSMITTER WAS CREATED

Almost every placement machine vendor offers some form of data collection tool specific to their lines and machines. The dream of a vendor-independent collection mechanism came to fruition for electronics assemblers through the efforts of three parties: The IPC, the machine vendors, and Aegis:

The Emergence of CAMX: A modern, uniform machine event standard. The IPC developed the CAMX standard of machine data content. This was the critical first step to standardize “what” the machines would log when certain events occurred. XML was an excellent choice in that is a global standard, easy to use, and fundamental to web-based system design.

Machine Vendor Cooperation: Prominent machine vendors approached Aegis with a major emerging customer requirement. The machine vendors learned their customers’ needs for real-time data collection, traceability, and line monitoring. Since 30+ of the major machine vendors to electronics assembly were already aligned with Aegis for off-line programming, they communicated this need to Aegis to obtain a viable solution for their customers.

The xLink Transmitter: The creation of viable commercial technology; Aegis developed two technologies to solve the problem: xLink Transmitters software is adaptable to any machine or data source using the IPC data content standard. It transforms any machine into a web server able to dispatch machine events in the IPC XML format using globally accepted web transmission technologies. xLink was made available to all machine vendors complete with integration services.

DESIGN AND RELIABILITY ADVANTAGES

xLink is the only factory communications technology guaranteeing both zero-data-loss and sequential data integrity even during network failure. It also incorporates the globally standardized plug-and-play protocols, allowing automatic discovery and configuration of an entire factory full of data collection sources, simply with the press of a button. It is also a distributed technology free of any single point of failure.

WHY XLINK HAS GAINED SUCH
ACCEPTANCE WITH MACHINE VENDORS

Over 7 prominent machine vendors adopted xLink even before its official product release. There are several reasons xLink gained acceptance so quickly. Aegis developed a cost effective business model for customers and machine vendors to incorporate the technology. In addition, the technical design makes incorporation into the machines easy and quick for the vendors. This technology is documented and open for anyone to use as they wish, giving customers and vendors unlimited choices and freedom.

Finally, the availability of an unprecedented monitoring software system built on the technology is key, as the system would have no value if users can’t access the information is gathers. These benefits make xLink an easy, reliable, and cost-effective choice for customers, machine vendors, and the industry.