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Suppliers Demonstrate Implementation of Standards
Developed by NEMI’s Virtual Factory Project
Netfish Technologies and Agile Software demonstrate new technology aimed at
automating and standardizing the exchange of technical engineering and
manufacturing data for improved data integrity and shorter cycle times
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HERNDON, Va. · March 23, 2000 · The National Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (NEMI) today announced that its Virtual Factory Information Interchange Project (VFIIP) has successfully demonstrated the use of a candidate NEMI/IPC standard to support the electronic exchange of engineering and manufacturing information across the supply chain. Two project participants · Netfish Technologies, Inc., a leader in XML-based business-to-business e-commerce solutions, and Agile Software, a leading supplier of business-to-business collaborative manufacturing commerce solutions · used the proposed VFIIP Product Data Exchange (PDX) standard to exchange data over the Internet in a simulated transaction between an OEM and an electronic manufacturing services (EMS) provider.
"This demonstration highlights the benefits of automating and standardizing the exchange of data within the electronics manufacturing supply chain. It also shows the effectiveness of a collaborative effort among companies within the supply chain to develop and implement standards that will benefit the industry as a whole," stated Jim McElroy, executive director and CEO of NEMI. "Even though the Virtual Factory Project is a relatively new project, we already have a couple of supplier companies that are beginning to implement the standards that the group is generating."
The demonstration, shown at IPC’s recent Electronics Assembly Process Exhibition and Conference (APEX), utilized PDX to transfer a complete product definition package across the Internet in a simulated exchange between an OEM and an EMS provider. The PDX standard (IPC 2571) is being developed by the VFIIP team to facilitate transactions between supply chain partners such as quoting, production, product configuration, test and kit interactions. PDX is one of a suite of emerging IPC standards aimed at enabling a robust and flexible mechanism for supply chain communications.
"This demonstration is an excellent example of how the Virtual Factory Project will make application-to-application integration more efficient," said Patrick Gannon, vice president of marketing and strategic programs at Netfish Technologies. "Trading partners will reduce cycle time when exchanging technical data, resulting in significantly faster time to market."
"As manufacturers move increasingly to the use of outsourced manufacturing, the need for a standardized format for the exchange of product definition and change information becomes critical," stated Bryan Stolle, CEO of Agile Software. "The work of the VFIIP project in defining PDX is meeting this need."
The VFIIP is addressing the bi-directional exchange of information between OEMs and EMS providers for board and final assembly, centering on the exchange of technical engineering and manufacturing data. The project’s objective is to develop, identify and implement standards that will shorten the time and reduce the cost required to establish and maintain information exchange partnerships across the manufacturing supply web. During the year, VFIIP will demonstrate a full cycle quote request-response scenario between an OEM and an EMS provider. A typical exchange includes bill of material (BOM) information, engineering change information, CAD files, assembly drawings and fabrication drawings associated with the bill of materials.
In addition to Netfish Technologies and Agile Software, VFIIP participants include OEMs such as Intel, Lucent and Nortel Networks, along with EMS companies such as Celestica and Solectron, plus equipment manufacturers and suppliers. Georgia Institute of Technology Manufacturing Research Center is providing the prototype team leadership and the National Institute of Standards and Technology is contributing neutral testbed support.
"OEMs are forming ‘virtual enterprises’ or ‘e-factories’ with EMS providers and other organizations within the supply chain in order to achieve greater flexibility in response to unpredictable market conditions," said Barbara Goldstein, co-chair of VFIIP and project leader of the Infrastructure for Integrated Electronics Manufacturing Project at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). "Development of the Virtual Factory demonstration is an excellent example of how this NEMI project is helping to close one of the gaps identified in the consortium’s 1998 roadmap · the lack of open, extensible interfaces between factory information systems and Enterprise Resource Planning systems."
About the IPC
IPC is a US-based trade association dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its nearly 2,600 member companies which represent all facets of the electronic interconnection industry, including design, printed wiring board manufacturing and electronics assembly. As a member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy, IPC supports programs to meet the needs of a $33 billion US industry employing more than 330,000 people.
About NEMI
The National Electronics Manufacturing Initiative was formed in November 1994 to facilitate long-term North American leadership in electronics. The industry-led consortium is made up of more than 50 electronics equipment manufacturers, suppliers, associations, government agencies and universities. NEMI’s members represent a combined total of more than $200 billion in 1998 revenues and employ more than 1.25 million people.
NEMI roadmaps the needs of the North American electronics industry, identifies gaps in the technology infrastructure, establishes implementation projects to eliminate these gaps, and stimulates standards activities to speed the introduction of new technologies. The consortium also works with government, universities and other funding agencies to set priorities for future industry needs and R&D initiatives. NEMI is available on the web at www.nemi.org.
About Agile Software
Agile Software Corporation is a leading supplier of business-to-business collaborative manufacturing commerce solutions. Agile products enable supply chain partners to communicate and collaborate over the Internet about new or changing product content, and then source and procure the required components. Customers include Flextronics International, Solectron, GE Medical Systems, Hewlett-Packard, Agilent, Jabil Circuit, Lucent Technologies, Philips, Texas Instruments, Dell and others. Agile Software is available on the web at www.agilesoft.com.
About Netfish Technologies
Netfish Technologies is a leading provider of XML-based business-to-business e-commerce solutions. Netfish services customers, such as Cisco Systems and Sun Microsystems, in a range of industries including IT, semiconductor, and manufacturing. Netfish was selected as one of the "Top 4 Most Innovative Solutions" on Oracle Applications and one of the "Top 50 Overall." Founded in 1997, Netfish is based in Santa Clara, CA. Netfish is available on the World Wide Web at www.netfish.com or via email at info@netfish.com.
For further information, contact:
Cynthia Williams
207-871-1260
cwilliams@nemi.org
Patrick Corman
Corman Communications
650-326-9648
patrick@cormancom.com