By Justin Langford

The state-of-the-art Nextek Inc. facility helps the company provide advanced design, analytical and manufacturing services to its customers.

A niche market, technology-driven electronics manufacturing services (EMS) company that was founded in 1995, Nextek Inc. provides precision electronics assembly and engineering services to customers with needs-driven, non-commodity products.

The manufacturing specialty company offers advanced design, analytical, manufacturing services, prototype/NPI services, and box assembly to OEMs in the electronics industry. Its focus is high-function electronics assemblies using advanced interconnect technologies to bring customer products from physical design to production. Rick Gunn, VP of Engineering/CTO, said that Nextek partners with companies that have unique product needs and that seek high levels of reliability, commitment and professional service from their manufacturing partners.

To help continually provide this high level of reliability, Nextek works only with manufacturers whose technology and quality policies align with Nextek’s. One of these partners is Nordson YESTECH. Nextek uses three of its FX-12-10 inspection systems with four side cameras, one top down camera and the optional laser height measurement system for BGA planarity measurements. Nextek also implemented Nordson YESTECH’s offline programming to review and rework components as well as an x-link Aegis adaptor that ties the FX systems to the Aegis system for automated defect data transfer by serial number. The first two FX systems were purchased in April 2013, and the third was purchased in July 2014.

Nordson YESTECH’s FX AOI systems have advanced 5 megapixel color camera imaging technology offering high-speed PCB inspection with exceptional defect coverage to inspect solder joints and verify correct part assembly, enabling users to improve quality and increase throughput.  With one top down viewing camera and four side viewing cameras, and one Laser, the FX Series is configurable for all line positions. Additionally, the systems are equally effective for paste, pre-/post-reflow and final assembly inspection. Off-line programming maximizes machine utilization and real-time SPC monitoring provides a valuable yield enhancement solution.

Nordson YESTECH’s FX AOI systems have helped Nextek reduce the amount of rework in the factory.

Gunn added that the YESTECH AOI systems the company purchased replaced some legacy AOI systems that were in place when he joined Nextek. He said, “The new systems have helped Nextek reduce the amount of rework in the factory as well as reducing potential escapes to customers since day one of their installation.”

While Nextek has officially worked with Nordson YESTECH for the past two years, the companies’ personnel have had a working relationship for many years. Gunn has known some of the YESTECH core for more than 18 years and has always found both the equipment and the people to be capable and forward looking. He said that these two qualities are important to Nextek and indicated that YESTECH was going to be a good fit. “My history with the company made working with them an easy decision. Their products last in the market for many reasons, including ease of programming, high repeatability, good cost points, and excellent support and service.” He added that as Nextek continues expanding, he foresees the relationship with Nordson YESTECH also expanding.

As a full-service provider, Nextek performs surface mount as well as prototype/NPI services and box assembly. A large percentage of Nextek’s contracts are in the military and aerospace markets and the company has been AS9100 certified for many years. Nextek is also certified to ISO 13485 Quality Management Systems for Medical Devices. The AS9100 and ISO 13485 standards are highly structured quality management standards indicative of today’s advanced technologies used in aerospace, defense and medical systems. Nextek has operated as an AS9100 certified company for more than 14 years and gaining Rev C certification demonstrates the company’s continued commitment to customers in the aerospace and defense industry.

Also, as an early leader in grid arrays and CSP with a high-mix, low- to mid-volume customer base, Nextek is capable of placing any variety of parts from 1005 passives, flip chip and 0.2 mm pitch CSP/BGAs to standard SMT, and through-hole.

Nextek’s production floor uses leading-edge technologies, such as YESTECH’s FX AOI systems, to provide customers with many benefits while minimizing their development, production and personnel investments.

The manufacturing specialty company provides customers with numerous other benefits, including a range of services that consists of PCB design, advanced manufacturing, prototype/NPI services, and product assembly, box assembly, system integration, manufacturing process development, as well as complete material and process analysis capability. Nextek specializes in the design/development of needs-based products and the assembly of high-function printed circuit boards (PCBs) and electronics products. Using Nextek’s services, customers gain rapid access to leading-edge design and assembly technologies while minimizing their own investment in development, production and personnel.

Nextek also supports OEMs in most major vertical market segments. This exposure to a wide range of applications in multiple market segments enables the company to provide creative solutions, leveraging technologies and processes from one market to another. Service areas include wireless, medical, telecom/datacom, industrial, specialty optical, avionics/aerospace/defense, specialty computing, embedded systems, and test/instrumentation/data acquisition.

The company strives to provide advanced assembly services from PCB design through mid-volume production and test as well as box assembly and integration.  This offers customers numerous industry advantages, including:

• Customer- and service-focused business model

• Wide spectrum of advanced manufacturing technologies

• Broad range of services (design through production)

• Extensive engineering, process and material analysis capabilities

• Extensive materials and supply chain management capabilities

• Industry experienced personnel at all levels

• Investment in continuous quality improvement

“We feel that the comprehensiveness of these services are a valuable resource to our customers,” said Gunn. “As we continue to grow the company, we are always looking for ways to add value and to become a complete solution partner to our customers.”

He continued, “In the high-reliability market space that we work in, we need to produce assemblies as consistently and flawlessly as is possible. The YESTECH systems are a big part of this and we run every assembly through the systems in real time so if problems arise we can eliminate them immediately and not have rework. Nextek’s customers have come to expect this level of excellence in all that we do for them and the YESTECH machines are an important part of that.”

Nextek also believes that customer service is just as important as product quality, and appreciates that same value in Nordson YESTECH. Gunn said that YESTECH has a strong support team in place and that the company has been very responsive to Nextek’s need and concerns whenever they have arisen during the past couple years.

Nextek’s design and manufacturing services are advanced solutions that provide value-based technology solutions. Its Design for Testability includes electrical design services such as schematic capture, comprehensive PCB layout, DFX review/verification, diverse technology and product mix, high-speed, HDI, high layer count, controlled Impedance, differential pairs, matched lengths, buried/blind/micro via, flip chip, rigid-flex, emerging technology, and more. It also provides advanced manufacturing services including quick turn prototype assembly, production circuit card assembly, higher level assembly, box build assembly, material technology and test engineering.

For more information, contact Rick Gunn, VP of Engineering/CTO at Nextek, Inc., 201 Next Technology Dr., Madison, AL 35758; 256-772-0400; Fax: 256-772-0420; E-mail: ; Web site: www.nextekinc.com. To find out more about Nordson YESTECH’s advanced AOI solutions, contact the company at 2747 Loker Ave. West, Carlsbad, CA  92010-6603; E-mail: ; Web site: www.nordsonyestech.com.