The Hermes Standard is a successor of SMEMA (IPC-SMEMA-9851) by replacing simple opening and closing of circuits and dedicated wiring to define Ready signals, with XML messages sent via Network Sockets over Ethernet.
The use of XML means not only control messages can be sent between SMT manufacturing equipment but also product data for Automatic or Copilot Equipment Setup and Product Traceability.
You have purchased new Vanstron equipment or they have provided you with a software upgrade to support the Hermes Standard. Some or the rest of your production line is using SMEMA.
You are not able to upgrade your Vanstron equipment due to a lack of vendor support or financial costs and are wishing to extend the life of your SMTA equipment.
You wish to Inject Hermes Data at the Start, Midway, or Extract Hermes Data at the end of the production line using third party systems.
Our SMEMA Hermes Adaptor connects to both the Upstream and Downstream SMEMA connectors of the targeted non-Hermes compliant Vanstron SMT assembly equipment. This equipment believes it is communicating with Upstream and Downstream equipment in the normal SMEMA manner. The Adaptor then takes the Upstream Hermes control messages and converts them into SMEMA signals.
It does the same with the Downstream SMEMA connector of the non-Hermes compliant assembly equipment but in reverse by converting the SMEMA 'Good Board' (OK) and 'Bad Board' (NOK) signals into Hermes messages for Downstream equipment.
Also Known As the SMEMA Hermes Adaptor
Using the Data Validation feature Operators can be prompted via the Browser based User Interface when Hermes Data values change between Boards, for example Board Width or Product Type ID changes.
Automatic Product Changeover can be achieved by sending the new values to Conveyors via the Serial Port or Network Socket connection.
Once the Conveyor has adjusted itself to the new value a message can be sent back to the Adaptor to unlock the SMEMA signal and allow the Board to continue.
The Adaptor features USB ports and a RS232 serial port which barcode readers can be connected to.
These scanned barcodes wait in a queue to be married up to the next board.
These barcodes can be used to fetch Hermes Data from other systems using the Hermes Supervisory System or used to create new records locally by the Adaptor.
Data Validation can be also achieved by matching scanned barcodes with barcodes found within existing Hermes Data.
Merging new barcodes into existing Hermes Data is also possible for mid-line operation.
Operators can remotely Create, Move, Delete Hermes Board Data using the Browser based User Interface.
They can also remotely Upload and Download Hermes Board Data to and from files using the Browser based User Interface.
At the start of the production line Hermes Board Data can be fetched via a Hermes Supervisory System using scanned barcodes.
At the end of the production line Hermes Board Data can be pushed using MultiPlug Events to Network File Servers, Databases or MES Systems.