Automation in Electronics Manufacturing Digitalization Beyond the SMT Line

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DELTEC GROUP GmbH

FAULHABER Antriebssysteme

Caltest Instruments GmbH

Even in highly automated electronics manufacturing, many tasks still require manual work. DELTEC GROUP is addressing this with two approaches: a digital operator assistance system for manual assembly and a robot-assisted test cell.

On SMT lines, component placement is largely automated. But manual through-hole assembly, PCB assembly, and electrical testing often tell a different story. Components still have to be inserted by hand, boards placed in test fixtures, and individual operations checked. This takes time, ties up skilled personnel, and creates opportunities for errors, particularly when products change frequently.

DELTEC GROUP, based in Furth im Wald, Germany, is tackling two of these areas. A digital operator assistance system is designed to support employees during assembly, while two collaborative robots handle electronic assemblies in a newly developed test cell. The EMS provider is bringing both solutions to electronica 2026 in Munich, where they will be demonstrated live to a broad international audience for the first time.

Digital Guidance Without Added Complexity

Developed jointly with B4C Solutions, DGMA (DELTEC Guided Manual Assembly) is intended for operations where full automation is difficult or economically impractical. The workstation guides employees through the individual steps of manual component insertion and assembly while supporting quality assurance.

At its core is operator guidance software that divides the assembly process into defined steps. A screen provides the information needed for each task, including images and videos. During material picking, a pick-by-light system indicates the correct bin. Light curtains at the other bins are intended to prevent operators from taking the wrong components.

The setup procedure is another distinctive feature: material bins do not have to be arranged in a fixed order. Instead, they can be positioned flexibly during setup. This can simplify workstation preparation, especially when products change frequently.

A camera mounted above the work surface tracks assembly progress. According to the developers, visual quality control combines conventional inspection algorithms with AI-based image processing. The aim is to detect deviations during assembly rather than at a later inspection stage.

Operator guidance goes beyond component picking. Additional devices such as torque screwdrivers, sensors, cameras, and test systems can be integrated into process control, allowing DGMA to support other manual assembly tasks as well.

Connecting Operator Assistance to the MES

Integration into existing manufacturing IT is central to the concept. DELTEC GROUP does not intend DGMA to operate as an isolated workstation. Instead, the data collected is made available for materials management, process monitoring, and traceability. Consumed materials are reported to the materials management system in real time. Product definitions are managed centrally in the manufacturing execution system (MES), which also receives process data recorded during assembly.

Traceability can extend across multiple production steps. When assemblies are handled on carriers, each can be linked to a carrier ID. This association can be maintained through subsequent processes, such as selective soldering or automated optical inspection (AOI).

Cost is another consideration. According to the company, the goal is to limit investment per DGMA workstation to no more than one-third of the cost of comparable solutions on the market. Development with its technology partner should also make it possible to continuously adapt functions to production requirements.

Two Cobots Take Over Handling

While DGMA supports employees performing manual tasks, the second project takes a different approach: robots are intended to take over handling operations previously carried out by hand. Production volumes help explain the need. According to the company, up to 350,000 assemblies pass through DELTEC GROUP's ten SMT lines each week. Some must then undergo electrical testing, including in-circuit testing (ICT) or functional testing (FCT).

Although the tests themselves are largely automated, loading and unloading test systems often require manual intervention. Employees remove assemblies from thermoformed trays, place them in test fixtures, and take them out again after testing. A robotic cell developed by the team is designed to handle these steps. It uses two cobots working on separate tasks in parallel.

The first robot handles the trays, positioning them for assemblies to be picked up or deposited. The second loads and unloads the connected test system, which is also an in-house development by DELTEC GROUP. This division of labor is deliberate. The greater challenge is not placing an assembly precisely in the test fixture, but reliably handling the trays. Splitting the tasks allows both robots to work at the same time.

The cobots offer repeatability of 0.03 mm and a payload capacity of up to 10 kg. The company expects the automation to reduce the manual workload and pay for itself in less than a year. This estimate is based on projected efficiency gains.

Automation Must Fit the Production Process

For EMS providers, the objective is not simply to automate as many steps as possible. Solutions also have to accommodate changing assemblies, production volumes, and customer requirements. DGMA and the robot-assisted test cell take different approaches: one supports employees in their work, while the other automates repetitive handling tasks.

“Automation and digitalization go hand in hand at DELTEC GROUP. That is also essential to secure Germany’s manufacturing base over the medium and long term. At DELTEC GROUP, we have a clear strategy and the capabilities to continue moving in this direction,” says Thomas Fischer, Technical Director.

For Carsten Ellermeier, owner of DELTEC GROUP, these projects are also about positioning the company. At electronica, he wants to showcase more than manufacturing capacity and modern equipment. He wants visitors to see the process expertise within the company. DGMA and the automated test cell give him two concrete examples to demonstrate it. (sb)

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