The Global Electronics Association Hosts Successful WorksAsia-AI and Factory of the Future Technical Seminar

On August 22, 2025, the Global Electronics Association hosted the successful WorksAsia-AI and Factory of the Future Technical Seminar during the exhibition Automation Taipei 2025. The seminar brought together 81 representatives from 58 companies, focusing on the latest applications of AI in smart factories and unveiling four key directions that will drive the electronics industry's transition toward intelligence and sustainability.

The Global Electronics Association emphasized that the deep integration of AI and robotics has become the key driving force for smart manufacturing transformation. Taiwan is steadily advancing from a hardware manufacturing powerhouse to a new milestone of smart manufacturing innovation.

IPC Standards Driving Smart Factory Connectivity

The seminar featured Chuck Li, Standards Director, East Asia, Global Electronics Association, and Ronglun Li, Technical Director of Sunjsong Technology, who introduced the latest IPC standards and solutions, including IPC-CFX-2591 (Connected Factory Exchange), IPC-Hermes-9852 (The Global Standard for Machine-to-Machine Communication in SMT Assembly),

IPC-2581, Generic Requirements for Printed Board Assembly Products Manufacturing Description Data and Transfer Methodology), and IPC/DAC-2552, General Electronic Components Model-Based Definition (MBD) Standard.

These standards help enterprises:

• Enable end-to-end digital workflows from design to manufacturing (DPMX+CFX closed-loop solution)
• Enhance equipment cross production line and cross-factory interoperability with true "plug-and-play" capability
• Support digital twin, virtual verification, and supply chain traceability, reducing costs and improving yield

Global Electronics Association stressed that the continuous update and global promotion of IPC standards will remain the cornerstone of Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing transformation.

Key Highlights of the Seminar

Industry experts shared cutting-edge practices and case studies in smart factory applications:

• AI + Digital Twin: A New Engine for Factory Integration
  Peter Peng, Division Director at Delta Electronics, demonstrated the DIATwin digital twin platform, powered by NVIDIA Omniverse. The platform shortens the cycle from new product introduction (NPI) to mass production (MP), while optimizing processes, coating simulations, and human-machine collaboration. This showcases the practical transition from automation to true intelligence.
• CFX + HERMES: Accelerate the transformation and upgrading of intelligent manufacturing
  Jeffery Li, Director at MiTAC Computing Technology, shared their experience implementing IPC-CFX-2591 and IPC-HERMES-9852, solving SMT production challenges such as long changeover times, inconsistent data, and low utilization. These standards enable real-time data exchange across machines and machine to system , achieving automated scheduling, parameter deployment, and dynamic job assignments for fully digitalized, intelligent production lines. Establish the underlying infrastructure for AI applications and build highly efficient digital production lines
• AI Strengthening Supply Chain Resilience
  Accuris expert Reto Gurini highlighted AI applications in BOM management, demand forecasting, and supply chain operations. He noted that AI can accelerate decision-making, lower operational costs, and mitigate logistics disruptions-provided it is built on high-quality structured data and domain-specific models.
• AI-Powered Inspection: A New Era of Quality Assurance
  Che-Wei Liu, Manager at Test Research, Inc. (TRI), introduced AI-driven inspection solutions across AOI, AXI, and SPI. With "AI Programming," setup time is reduced by 85%, while "AI Verify Host" cuts manual re-inspection, significantly lowering false call rates and inspection costs. These solutions not only improve yield and productivity but also reduce reliance on manual labor.

Global Electronics Association Outlines Four Future Development Directions

The Association identified four strategic directions for the future of smart manufacturing:

• Integration of Electronics Assembly Standards - Promote IPC-CFX-2591 and IPC-HERMES-9852 to accelerate cross-equipment connectivity and digital transformation.
• New Frameworks for Quality Assurance - Establish AI-driven standards for process optimization, predictive maintenance, and automated decision-making to ensure quality and reliability.
• Sustainability and Standardized Reporting - Advance best practices and standardized sustainability reporting mechanisms to clearly demonstrate progress in carbon reduction and environmental initiatives with digital capability.
• Talent Development and Certification - Strengthen training and certification programs to cultivate a new generation of professionals equipped with IPC standards knowledge and AI application capabilities.

Taiwan as a Global Model for Digital Manufacturing

Winny Lin, Global Electronics Association Taiwan Director, stated, "Taiwan's manufacturing industry is rapidly transitioning from its hardware advantage to innovation in smart manufacturing. Through standards, talent, and international collaboration, the Association will help position Taiwan as a global benchmark for smart manufacturing and drive the entire electronics supply chain toward a smarter, more sustainable, and higher-quality future."