Symtek Automation Asia and Advantech’s Collaboration Overcome the Obstacles to Industry 4.0
4/1/2021

Leveraging Symtek Automation Asia (SAA) and Advantech’s industry experience and technical strengths, SAA recently developed several innovative smart manufacturing machines that utilize Advantech’s Edge Intelligence Server and DeviceOn/iEdge to provide customers with an Industry 4.0 end-to-end manufacturing solution.
Industry 4.0 is driven by a synergy of technology advancements in IIoT, smart manufacturing, AI, wireless communications, and robotics. McKinsey’s Digital Manufacturing Global Expert Survey indicated that 68% of the participant companies consider Digital Manufacturing a top priority, but only about 29% of companies are capturing value from Industry 4.0 solutions. The main roadblocks to their adoption of Industry 4.0 is related to a lack of resources and implementation know-how, as well as the time and costs required for digital transformation.
SAA fast-tracks transformation of digital
manufacturing
Established in 1999, SAA is a renowned supplier of
manufacturing logistics solutions for many industries
including the ceramic substrates, the LED assembly,
the IC packaging and testing, and semiconductor
industries. To meet digital transformation challenges in
manufacturing, SAA set up a digital manufacturing R&D
center, and started researching commonly encountered
Industry 4.0 hurdles as early as 2013. Using customized
services, SAA gained a leading position in the global
smart manufacturing sector. Eight out of the world’s top
ten PCB manufacturers are SAA customers.
By integrating SAA’s expertise and know-how in production automation and cutting technologies such as
machine vision, edge computing, robotics, autonomous
vehicles, and rail-guided vehicles, SAA has transformed
from an automation machinery manufacturer to a fullservice digital manufacturing solution provider. Its
innovative three-axis robot arm sold more than 5,000 units. SAA pointed out that there are many technologies
involved in the operation of smart factories. Therefore, it
is impossible for a single supplier to provide everything.
Because SAA’s resources are limited to manufacturing
logistics solutions, co-creating digital manufacturing
solutions with a trust-worthy solution partner like
Advantech is essential.
Having complementary advantages accelerates the
implementation of Industry 4.0
In 2016, SAA collaborated with Advantech to
facilitate OT and IT system integration for several smart
manufacturing solutions. Advantech played an important
role in SAA’s journey towards becoming a total solution
provider. As a leading provider of industrial computers,
Advantech’s brand awareness, complete product lines, and
R&D capabilities augmented SAA’s Industry 4.0 offerings.
Leveraging SAA and Advantech’s industry experience
and technical strength, SAA became a pioneer of smart
manufacturing solutions for the Taiwanese PCB industry. Utilizing Advantech’s Edge Intelligence Server (EIS) and
DeviceOn/iEdge (iEdge) industrial app, SAA’s technical
team were able to develop several dedicated smart
manufacturing solutions based on the end customers’
production line and application requirements. Being able
to develop solutions quickly using Advantech’s industrial
app hastened the implementation process.
As a manufacturing logistics solution provider, many
SAA machines are applicable to diverse production
line workstations. They improve procedures, quality
control processes, and product traceability. The most
important factor in project success is the ability to handle
various communication protocols from different legacy
machines while meeting varied customer demands.
Thanks to EIS’ edge-to-cloud integrated architecture
design and iEdge’s support for commonly used protocols
such as Modbus and OPC-UA, SAA can focus on the
development of customized applications that interface
with the customers’ existing systems. These applications
convert raw data into meaningful information, instead
of integrating protocols from scratch. In addition, iEdge
helps users monitor and diagnose systems remotely, as
well as update mass edge devices over the air. These
functions significantly, reduce service times and costs.
EIS’s pre-installed software tools support IoT applications, cloud ser vices, system integration, and system MyWISE-PaaS
sustainability. Similarly, DeviceOn/iEdge leverages
integrated McAfee and Acronis for threat protection
and backup recovery. These security features empower
remote system recovery for production machines.
Dynamic partnership led to innovative solutions
SAA and Advantech have collaborated successfully
over many years. Advantech has responded to problems
as they emerge and made necessary changes to meet
project requirements or adjusted specifications to keep
up with the industry trends. Advantech regularly adopts
the latest technologies and solutions that will benefit
SAA’s future projects and help them stand out in the
competitive and over-saturated production equipment
market. Indeed, this dynamic partnership has led to
innovative smart manufacturing machines.
Through SAA and Advantech’s innovative smart
manufacturing solutions, end customers can enjoy
fruitful outcomes without investing large amounts of time
and money in research and development. SAA hopes to
help more manufacturer’s provide smart manufacturing
machines in the future. SAA is also extending their
services to monitor environmental risks that can lead to
production downtime.