Overall, the sector is expected to exceed $4 billion in Europe by 2028, according to analysts. Seeing such a positive outlook, Ouman's management decided it was the right time to invest in new equipment to build its portfolio of advanced electronic sensors, actuators, controllers, and communication gateways that enable buildings to be smart and connected.
“We needed a flexible, high-mix assembly solution to manage our diverse product range,” explains Rando Kubits, Managing Director of Ouman Estonia OÜ, at the grand opening of the new facility. “Choosing our partners was equally important. We were looking for excellent technical services to help us select the right equipment options and get up and running quickly, as well as committed, long-term support, technical expertise, and a stable company.”
From left: Matti Lipsanen (CEO of OUMAN), and Alexander Wennergren Helm (CEO of Ernströmgruppen)
Ouman initiated a thorough evaluation of potential suppliers, narrowing the list from 10 candidates to four, and then choosing the winner from a final pair. Key criteria included not only equipment performance, but also access to local support, the company's credentials and track record, and peer feedback on equipment already installed.
“We were impressed by the professionalism and range of services that Yamaha and its regional distributor, CORE-emt, were able to provide,” says Kubits. “Furthermore, the 1 STOP SMART SOLUTION, being so integrated and connected, gave us the added confidence that our new surface-mount assembly line would exceed normal expectations.”
From left: Steen Haugbolle (CORE-emt), Matti Lipsanen (OUMAN), Erik Keerberg (OUMAN), Rando Kubits (OUMAN), Kai Koivunen (CORE-emt), and Pierre Williams (Yamaha Robotics)
In collaboration with CORE-emt, Yamaha proposed a complete assembly line that included the YCP10 precision screen printer, two YSM20R high-speed SMD assemblers, and YSi-V 2D and 3D inspection systems. Ouman requested QA Option features, which provide real-time feedback on inspection results to help continuously optimize printing and assembly processes.
Kai Koivunen of CORE-emt commented: "We were able to offer the best solution, leveraging our close collaboration with Yamaha and our in-house technical expertise. We now look forward to strengthening our connection with the Ouman team to ensure the best possible return on their investment."
Pierre Williams, Yamaha's sales director, added: "I am confident that Rando and his team will achieve their goals in the dynamic building automation market, aided by their new SMT line and the support we can offer through our distributor CORE-emt."
The Yamaha YCP10 screen printing printer, which spearheads Ouman's new surface mount line, combines an 8-second print cycle time with extremely high repeatability. It boasts high-end features such as Yamaha's 3S printhead, which offers flexible adjustments to optimize paste transfer, as well as a stencil vacuum system that saves setup time. Users also benefit from advanced stencil alignment and cleaning functions, and the machine can accommodate large printed circuit boards within its compact footprint.
Each YSM20R SMD assembly unit can assemble up to 95,000 components per hour (cph). Yamaha's flexible mounting heads can handle a wide range of component sizes and help minimize downtime for machine reconfiguration. The YSM20R can be configured to handle a wide range of component sizes, from 0.201 mm to 100 mm x 55 mm. Intelligent component recognition and on-the-fly pick-up verification help maximize throughput at the end of the line. Special options include efficient feeders, zero-stop carriage changeover, and automatic tray sequencer, which help further increase productivity.
The first of the two YSi-V inspection systems is installed immediately after the assembly lines to provide high-speed, high-resolution 2D inspection. It supports various inspection modes, including color and infrared scanning, and laser height measurement to verify that all components are correctly positioned and oriented before reflow. At the end of the line, after the reflow oven, the second Yamaha YSi-V is configured for 3D inspection with powerful features for detecting floating components and performing pass/fail contour analysis
To complete the line and provide a turnkey solution, as requested by Ouman, Core-emt added a flexible, multi-zone reflow oven and implemented customized conveyor systems, leveraging its extensive portfolio of high-quality manufacturing equipment. With the commissioning of the complete line based on Yamaha's 1 STOP SMART SOLUTION, Ouman's new production capacity is now operational and promises many years of reliable service.
