Binghamton University unveils manufacturing lab, introduces industry partner

VESTAL, N.Y. — Binghamton University has unveiled what it’s calling a “smart electronics manufacturing laboratory” as part of its Integrated Electronics Engineering Center (IEEC).

Seoul, South Korea–based Koh Young Technology Inc. provided the “key” piece of equipment for the lab, the school said in a news release.

Binghamton University introduced the new lab and its partner company during an event held Thursday at its Center of Excellence Building.

Koh Young Technology specializes in three-dimensional (3-D) measurement and inspection equipment. Its equipment donation means the Binghamton researchers in the new smart electronics manufacturing laboratory can work “side by side” with other IEEC industry partners, the school said.

“The ultimate outcome is that the research conducted here in our new lab, in partnership with industry, will lead to the development of new electronics-manufacturing schemes with the highest levels of efficiency and reliability,” Seungbae Park, director of the IEEC, said in the release.

Binghamton University researchers contend the new partnership with Koh Young Technology will allow the school to take a “major step forward into the world” of “Industry 4.0,” or “smart factory.”

Industry 4.0
Industry 4.0 describes the “smart, interconnected” machine tools that improve the assembly process for the electronic devices that “we use every day,” Bahgat Sammakia, Binghamton University’s VP for research and S3IP director, said in the release.

“Bottom line, this new equipment will enable us to make sure electronic products are made faster and more efficiently. The efficiency is the result of the fact that defects detected by the testing equipment will one day be repaired by ‘smart communication’ between the tools used to make the product and the machines used to inspect the product,” said Sammakia.

S3IP is short for small scale systems integration and packaging, a state-designated center of excellence at Binghamton University that includes the IEEC, according to the school.

“The end result is that we can save costs in manufacturing by reducing the number of iterations, and no human intervention will be needed to fix the problem,” Harvey Stenger, president of Binghamton University, said. “This smart manufacturing concept is leading-edge, and we are thankful to Koh Young Technology Inc. for its membership in our IEEC and its significant donation of this new inspection equipment.”

Koh Young hopes its collaboration with Binghamton University brings its electronics-manufacturing system and process technology “to the next level by incorporating advanced artificial-intelligence knowledge,” Kwang Koh, company president, added in the release.

About the IEEC
The IEEC, part of Binghamton’s S3IP, pursues research in electronics packaging in partnership with private industry.

Binghamton’s research, conducted with both large and small partner companies, has led to “significant” technological advances in devices that are “smaller, faster and greener” than their predecessors, the school contends.

Current projects focus on topics such as cybersecurity, 3-D packaging, flexible electronics, power electronics and batteries.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com