EMS@C-LEVEL
As Forbes, Entrepreneur, Fast Company and SCOOP writer, Philip Stoten, continues to talk to EMS (Electronic Manufacturing Services) executives he learns more about their individual and collective experiences and their expectations for their own businesses and for the entire electronic manufacturing industry.
EMS@C-LEVEL
The Future of Manufacturing with Koh Young and Cogiscan: How Collaboration and Data Integration Create Competitive Advantage
Explore the potential of seamless data integration in manufacturing with insights from industry leader from Cogiscan and Koh Young, filmed on location at Apex 2024.
Cogiscan's Product Manager Julie Cliche-Dubois and Koh Young's Global Smart Factory Manager detail the driving forces and strategic moves behind their partnership, demonstrating how connecting inspection systems to broader MES and ERP frameworks can turn customer challenges into triumphs. Cogiscan's mastery in interfacing SMT line machinery with a variety of protocols complements Koh Young's advanced equipment and software, showcasing the value of their collaboration. This episode underscores the advantages of a 'Switzerland' approach to vendor cooperation and the transformative power of common protocols like CFX in creating successful partnerships based on trust, openness and domain expertise.
With expert guests Julie and Ivan leading the charge, this episode offers a plethora of insights for anyone looking to leverage the strategic benefits of integration to not just meet, but exceed industry standards. Watch, listen and understand how an open approach to data and partnerships can redefine success in the manufacturing world.
Like every episode of EMS@C-Level, this one was sponsored by global inspection leader Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Adaptable Automation Specialist Launchpad.build (https://launchpad.build).
You can see video versions of all of the EMS@C-Level pods on our YouTube playlist.
Hello, I'm Philip Stoughton, I'm at Apex 2024 and I'm on the Coyoung booth. I am talking to Julie from Codgescan and Ivan from Coyoung, and you guys have just announced a collaboration. I think, ivan, you were the guy that pulled the trigger at Koyang to get this collaboration started. What was the issue you were trying to resolve?
Speaker 2:Yeah. So you know this is an interesting topic because you know a lot of companies have been talking about, you know, business analytics, mes integration, erp integrations, and really what we're trying to achieve, as you know, koyang is, of course, we want to turn those no's into yes for our customers, right, if we are capable of integrating entire line and our systems right in the middle. That's really what we're looking for here data integration. So I think really, kg Scan came along with really easy to use right. It's been so fantastic actually to work with the company because they actually know what they're doing, which sometimes is very funny. You know, you will realize that even though companies, as experts they may you may think that they know exactly the what I will call the bits and bytes behind you know their solutions. Sometimes it's just impossible to integrate with. So I think I just can. That was, you know, just the easy to use, a fantastic thing they have behind. It's just been fantastic to work with.
Speaker 1:I think what's interesting there, Julia, is that when you think about Coyoung, you think about inspection, you think about that deep domain expertise and actually getting the data from the line that has the value. But once you start to integrate that data more broadly, someone who is a specialist in all of the line, all of the data manipulation, all of the systems can add quite a lot of value, and that's what you've been able to do in this situation. Tell us a bit about Cogiscan's role in this project and how it's worked.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so basically we are connecting to machines for over 20 years Any type of machine on the SMT line so we gather the data, no matter what's the protocol. And what's really nice with Koyang machines is that they are using the IPCCFX standard and it's really easy to integrate. So we've been facing a lot of projects with Koyong machines all the time with the CFX integration and it's been really easy to integrate our software to gather the data and then include that rich data from the inspection with all the other KPIs that we're gathering for the other machines on the line.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it makes a huge difference to actually integrate all that data into somewhere where you can get intelligence from it but also you can get value out of it. I just wanted to touch on the way the teams operate together, because we talk about connecting machines, but a lot of this is about connecting organizations and connecting teams and getting the most out of it. Tell me how that collaboration worked and what kind of team you had on both sides working together to make this happen.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so well, it's pretty easy. Yeah, so well, it's pretty easy. I've met Ivan through a colleague who's been working with him in the past and during multiple customer projects we had to interact together for some questions. He's been really helpful in answering all of our questions and when he asked us about this showcase, we're really happy to do so. And just for example, last week, we just wanted to test the integration between both systems together and within 10 minutes we had the information from the machine. We're connected remotely to the machine cloud-based solution and it was just so easy and the team is so nice and so easy to work with. So it's it's a great collaboration, yeah it makes?
Speaker 1:it makes a big difference, doesn't it? And for you, it answers questions that customers are asking for for maybe a richer data set, maybe more collaboration between not just all the inspection machines they have, which may or may not be co young, but just all the inspection machines they have, which may or may not be Koyang, but also all the other machines they have on the line. That's a real add value when you're presenting your products to your customers.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, it does add a lot of value to our customers. And what I usually tell our customers we want to make sure that we have this Switzerland kind of environment where we, as Koyang, we may want to play nicely with other vendors and that basically will get these kind of integrations involved, where Coyote Scan can act as this middleman that will help us have this full-line integration and through protocols like CFX, which is plug-and-play standard to use. Everyone knows what you know. We're basically speaking the same language, right? Everyone knows what you know. We're basically speaking the same language, right? Everyone knows what to expect. So the integration, the integration part, becomes so easy compared to, you know, other examples, like customers doing so much customization, you know, on top of everything they already have, which is already complex, and it just becomes this tedious cycle of developing, endless developing. That is just pouring a lot of resources, right. So it's really nice to see, you know, companies like Kodjiscan kind of adopting this new standard way of integrating everything or putting everything together into one single solution.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that's hugely valuable, I think. The other thing I think when you're working with a company like Kodjiscan is you want to feel safe in that environment. You want to feel that they're they're not on your territory, they're not a competitor. And I think Cogiscan have always given that impression of being a super collaborative company and a company you can trust. You know you can kind of open the doors to to your own software and your own you know kind of IP and and feel safe. That's pretty important.
Speaker 2:It is very important and that's how we achieve it through independent contractors that we, as Coyote, not necessarily will get involved other than supplying the necessary information or the means for customers to build their entire software solution or software suits, which will be focused on business analytics, decision-making, actionable information. It's going to be ME assistance, traceability, all these capabilities that they're looking at as a vertical integration with all the equipment that we at Scoyone we're the means to do that right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and obviously what Kodiscan do is important, but CFX has played a really important role in enabling you to connect so many things together. Talk to me a little bit about the intelligence that you're trying to deliver. On top of that, I think, your system's factory insights. It's insights that people want. They don't want just data, they want to be able to drive value from that data. How do you synthesize it all and bring that data in a way that's consumable?
Speaker 3:Yeah. So type of equipment, no matter what's the protocol, we collect the data that's available. Some machine provides more, some less, and we do some contextualization so we can bring information such as the work order information, so you know what will be the elapsed time, what's the remaining quantity. So we take all this information and we transform it into KPIs. So without KPIs you cannot easily find out if something's not going well because you don't have the information. So you need to get the information for every machine on the line.
Speaker 3:So it's about quality. You know if more defects are found, what type of false calls are found from which machine. Also, so you can adapt the program on the machine if needed. But it's also about machine statuses. Are my machines running all the time or am I having unplanned downtime, for example? So that way you can properly take action and see is it time for me to replace my equipment? Do I need to perform more maintenance so it's more reliable? And we look at the cycle time. We can compare it to the planned cycle time. So that way you know if your machines are properly performing or if they're starving and so on.
Speaker 1:So you really need data to be able to fix issues and the quality of the data is really important, and I think that's that's where co Young's reputation comes in the highest quality and the most the most reliable data out there in the in the inspection market. Last last question, ivan when you, when you, look at this collaboration, do you think it's something that sets you apart from competitors and allows you to deliver something to customers in terms of an extra level of insight they're already using many of them are already using KSmart to see what their overall inspection structure looks like, but to be able to see the rest of the line hugely valuable.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So you know, in a quick I guess brief summary of you know, between these comparisons that you're saying and the value that it's adding to customers. So you know, as you mentioned, ksmart is really the tool to get the most out of the inspection systems. Right, understanding your process, your eyes on the line.
Speaker 2:But now, with this integration, what set us apart from competitors is that most competitors won't like to. You know, they're kind of afraid of sharing that information, of integration as a whole line, or they don't have the capability to do that. So really, as I mentioned at the beginning, turning those no's into yes, is that really differentiate you from competitors? Saying your machine is fantastic, but if you can't integrate it into our MES system, maybe in the past you know it was optional, but nowadays, if you don't have an MES system, you don't have that traceability. It won't take you anywhere, right? You need that information that has to be in place. So that's really what set us apart you, capable of playing with other vendors, other partnerships and really creating a friendly ecosystem for the entire manufacturing floor.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, and we've talked in the past about the importance of collaboration and that being kind of a cornerstone of what Cogiscan does. But, as you say, it's that open collaboration that's based on trust and knowing that your data has value, but being willing to share it that makes it makes it all the more important. Guys, thanks so much for talking to me. It's been a pleasure to chat and, uh, all the best going forward, thank you.