IPC announced the release of IPC-2591, Connected Factory Exchange, Version 2.0, the global standard for plug-and-play, machine-to-machine, and machine-to-system communication for digital manufacturing.
Version 2.0 introduces substantial updates and expansions to support a broader range of shop floor operations. This includes new capabilities for hand soldering and wave soldering operations, expanding the total number of supported device types to 14. Additionally, it provides a pathway for gateway solutions providers to demonstrate their CFX capabilities via the CFX Validation and Qualification System.
Support for AGV and AMR Technologies: New messaging to support Automated Guided Vehicle and Autonomous Mobile Robot technologies deployed in a CFX environment.
Enhanced PCB Traceability: A new message field to enable traceability of specific PCB differences, such as board vendor identification, which can influence inspection outcomes and process optimization.
Extended SMT Placement Capabilities: Inclusion of pick-and-place cycle information for each component, providing a detailed view of component placement and any failed pickup attempts, as well as capturing consecutive pickup attempts before a placement error.
Improved Dynamic Recipe Handling: Enhanced logging of on-the-fly modifications made by operators to active recipes at the equipment level during production.
As with all previous IPC-2591 CFX releases, the CFX Version 2.0 software development kit (SDK) is backward compatible with earlier versions of the CFX SDK.
“Each of these enhancements in IPC-CFX 2.0 was driven by real-world manufacturing needs and vetted by the IPC task group to maintain compatibility with earlier versions,” said Thomas Marktscheffel, Director of Product Management Software Solutions at ASMPT. “The result is a more expansive and detailed standard that covers a broader array of production processes and delivers richer data from machines, enabling smarter analytics and more efficient operations across the connected factory.”
For more information on CFX, visit www.ipc-cfx.org.
