Virtual Factory Information Interchange Project (completed)

In the 1998 NEMI roadmap, issues of interoperability, transaction automation, supply chain integration and tracking of product and process data were among the industry needs identified in the FIS and Supply Chain Management chapters. In response, NEMI organized the Virtual Factory Information Interchange Project (VFIIP) to develop standards for the bi-directional exchange of information between OEMs, EMS providers and component suppliers for board and final assembly. Efforts centered on the exchange of technical engineering and manufacturing data, with the goal of giving companies the means to increase efficiencies, shorten time to market and improve return on investment (ROI).

The Virtual Factory Project developed specifications for four PDX (Product Data eXchange) standards. This suite of XML-based standards gives partners a way to exchange product content and changes in a common language. VFIIP worked closely with IPC and RosettaNet on development of these specifications. IPC created the 2570 series specifically for standards resulting from NEMI's Virtual Factory Project. RosettaNet, an industry consortium focused on development of open e-business process interfaces, worked with NEMI and IPC to integrate the PDX standards into its own Cluster 2 and Cluster 7 Partner Interface Processes (PIPs). These PIPs relate to distribution and update of production information and to the exchange of technical data for manufacturing

Standards

Press Releases

Several Companies Demonstrate New CAMX and PDX Standards at Productronica Trade Show in Munich (see also: Backgrounder) (11.07.01)

IPC Publishes Final Specifications for Three Product Data eXchange (PDX) Standards (11.12.01)

Electronics Manufacturers and Their Supply Chain Partners Demonstrate Standards for Product Data Exchange (4.24.01)
(see also: RosettaNet Partner Conference presskit)

NEMI's Virtual Factory Project Premieres New IPC Standards for Supply Chain Communication (10.17.00)

Suppliers Demonstrate Implementation of Standards Developed by NEMI's Virtual Factory Project (3.23.00)

NEMI Launches "Virtual Factory" Project to Standardize Information Exchange Across the Supply Chain (3.6.00)

IPC, NEMI Team to Standardize Factory Floor and Supply Chain Communications (9.7.99)

Articles

"Supply Chain Management," sidebar to "Is Outsourcing for Everyone?" (cover story), SMT, April 2001.

"Virtual Factory: Improving Supply Chain Communications," Barbara Goldstein and John Cartwright, Circuits Assembly, September 2000. (124K PDF)

"Virtual Factory Project Tackles Integration of Supply Chain Systems," John Cartwright, Joanne Friedman, Barbara Goldstein and John Minchella, Future EMS, Issue 2, 1999. (1.2MB PDF)

"A Standards-Based Approach to Integrating Information Across the Electronics Manufacturing Supply Network," Barbara Goldstein, presentation to the Electronic Circuits World Convention 8 (ECWC8), Tokyo, September 1999. (112K PDF)

"Opening Up to Standardization," Barbara Goldstein and John Cartwright, Circuits Assembly, June 1999. (1.1MB PDF)

Presentations

APEX 2003: Spanning the Virtual Factory - Managing Supply Chain Communications (April 1, 2003)

APEX 2002: Spanning the Virtual Factory - Managing Supply Chain Communications (January 21, 2002)

APEX 2001: Supply Chain Partners in Collaboration - A Standardized Industry Approach (January 17, 2001)