Have you heard of IPC CFX? It’s a new standard from IPC, an industry trade association, that will help electronics manufacturers implement Industry 4.0, the name given to a group of technologies that combine automation and robotics with machine sensors and data exchange. By implementing Industry 4.0 in their factories, manufacturers can increase efficiency and productivity while reducing downtime and operational costs.
As the website I-Connect007 explains, “IPC CFX offers tremendous value to electronics manufacturers.” With Connected Factory Exchange (CFX), companies can establish seamless communications between all of their production equipment and track the status of individual parts or products in real-time. The standardization that IPC CFX provides also means that machine vendors can deploy plug-and-play solutions that don’t require extensive customization and technical support.
IPC CFX: What’s in IPC-2591?
IPC CFX, which is also known as IPC-2591, contains three elements that are required for the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), an integral part of Industry 4.0 solutions:
- a message protocol
- an encoding mechanism
- a specific content creation element
Importantly, IPC CFX doesn’t require middleware, a type of software that serves as a bridge between an operating system or database and network applications. By eliminating this middle layer, electronics manufacturers can save time and money. “Rather than days or even weeks,” I-Connect007 explains, “IPC CFX can be loaded and fully workable in a matter of hours.
As a simple, easy-to-use, and industry-wide standard, IPC CFX could also level the playing field among electronics manufacturers of different sizes. Through machine-to-machine (M2M) communications, even smaller manufacturers can enhance real-time control of product quality from board assembly to box build.
Choosing the Right Electronics Manufacturer
SHINE is a custom cable assembly manufacturer that provides wire harnessing services and electro-mechanical assembly. From engineering support and component sourcing to contract manufacturing and inventory manufacturing, SHINE strengthens your value chain.
All of our cables are built and tested to the IPC/WHMA-A-620 standard, and we maintain an ISO 9001:2015 registered manufacturing center in Adams, Massachusetts (USA). To learn more about us and how we can help you, contact SHINE on-line.
