How Z-AXIS increased capacity, reduced downtime, and improved high-mix throughput with Mycronic SMT solutions
Z-AXIS transformed its high-mix production environment with faster throughput, reliable material handling, and scalable SMT solutions that support long term growth without adding labor or extra shifts.
Customer Overview
Z-AXIS is a long-established electronics manufacturing services provider delivering high-mix production from its facility in Phelps, New York. The company President, Michael Allen, shared that company has been a Mycronic customer for nearly 25 years. Now operating with three SMT lines. Their batch sizes range from 25 to 4,000 boards, and they have a team of ninety-five employees. The company operates in an environment where flexibility, repeatability, and reliability are essential to their business goals.
The Challenge
As Z-AXIS grew its production needs and accelerated faster than its existing equipment could support. The company found itself running at or near full capacity, at times relying on Saturday shifts to keep up with customer demand. Thousands of components were moving across the facility every week, creating challenges in changeover frequency and process reliability.
Manual material handling created additional obstacles: operators regularly searched for missing reels, managed inconsistent partial quantities, and experienced shortages that caused unexpected stoppages lasting hours. These inefficiencies placed pressure on throughput, increased operator stress, and risked customer delivery timelines.
Owner and President, Michael Allen, looked for ways to reduce these bottlenecks and at the same time to increase speed, accuracy, and operational control without adding extra shifts.
The Solution
Z-AXIS continued building on the Mycronic platform they had trusted for decades, adding newer generations of stencil printers, placement machines, and storage systems that worked like their previous equipment but delivered stronger performance.
When we ran the first big job on the A40s and saw that instead of taking three days it took two, that was an impressive thing.
Z-AXIS' solution for scalable growth included the following:
MYPro A40DX pick-and-place
Installed as part of a new high speed third line, is the MYPro A40DX, a component placement system built to deliver speed, precision, and flexibility – all necessary to increase capacity without expanding the team.
MYPro S30 stencil printers
After years of downtime with competitor printers, Z-AXIS upgraded to several Mycronic MYPro S30 stencil printers. Their performance led the company to standardize all three lines on Mycronic printing technology.
MYCenter and MYPlan software with common TPSys platform
All of Z-AXIS’ SMT lines use Mycronic connected software (TPSys platform), providing a single set of reliable, searchable data and an integrated environment for production data preparation in MYCenter and planning/scheduling in MYPlan. This ensures consistent setups across all lines and enables trained operators to move seamlessly between lines.
MYTower automated storage with automatic replenishment
Automated storage became a turning point for the organization. Z-AXIS installed several Mycronic component storage systems to eliminate reel hunting, provide accurate inventory control, support interruption free changeovers, and improved inventory handling.
The automated towers completely changed how we manage materials. Instead of losing time hunting for reels or sorting through partial stock, everything is organized, traceable, and ready when we need it. It has eliminated so much waste and removed the stress of unexpected stoppages.
The approach
The rollout of new equipment happened in phases over several years, supported by a consistent, reliable service experience that helped Z-AXIS scale without disruption. Each upgrade felt familiar to the team, since new versions kept the same general interface while improving speed and capability.
Seamless migrations across multiple generations
Every upgrade—from MY9 to MY200, MY300, and finally the MYPro A40DX—retained compatibility with the same feeders, magazines, and operating concepts. This continuity minimized training needs, reduced friction between generations, and kept operators confident as the company modernized its lines.
Expansion of a high-speed third pick-and-place line
As capacity demands increased, Z-AXIS added a full highspeed line powered by two MYPro A40DX pick-and-place machines, immediately improving throughput and giving the team a buffer to support continual 15–20% annual growth.
Standardization on MYPro S30 stencil printers
After testing a single MYPro S30, Z-AXIS replaced its remaining printers due to the significantly higher print quality, reliability, and reduced downtime the MYPro S30 systems delivered.
MYTower automation for material control
The installation of four Mycronic automated storage towers resolved long standing inventory accuracy issues and enabled clean FIFO workflows. Automated kitting, replenishment, and reel retrieval eliminated the hours previously lost searching for parts and greatly reduced the risk of line stoppages.
Consistent, responsive SMT assembly service & support
Despite minor delays caused by tariffs and global supply constraints, Z-AXIS emphasized how Mycronic’s service team kept installations moving efficiently.
Technicians are professional, knowledgeable, and quick to escalate complex questions to global experts when needed, and we often receive answers overnight. This reliable support reinforced Z-AXIS’s confidence as an early adopter of next generation systems and contributed to smooth rollouts across all three SMT lines.
"Working with Z‑Axis has always been a true partnership. They move fast and set a high bar for efficiency, so our job is to be there the moment they need us. Whether it is a quick answer or coordinating a smooth upgrade, we make sure they get support without disruption." - Liz Morrill, Regional Sales Manager, Mycronic
Key factors influencing SMT efficiency and operational cost
Z-AXIS found that several operational factors played a major role in improving SMT efficiency and stabilizing overall production costs. Faster placement machines increased throughput, enabling the company to expand output without adding extra headcount or shifts.
At the same time, automated material handling dramatically reduced wasted time previously lost searching for missing reels, allowed better use of space vs expanding, and resolving inconsistent inventory, eliminating hidden costs linked to downtime and manual errors.
Real time part tracking and proactive replenishment further minimized unexpected stoppages that could halt a line for hours, protecting schedules and avoiding overtime labor.
As demand grew, upgrading to higher capacity equipment removed bottlenecks and prevented delays and kept production flow steady.
Together, these improvements show how speed, reliable material flow, downtime prevention and scalable equipment directly improve SMT efficiency and operating costs.
The results
Z-AXIS has seen clear results across its production lines with every Mycronic equipment upgrade. Jobs finish faster, parts are easier to manage, and the team can stay focused on building boards instead of searching for materials or handling delays. The combination of the MYPro A40DX placement systems, the MYPro S30 stencil printers and automated MYTower storage has helped them keep up as production batches become more complex and high-mix, allowing them to be agile for each customer.
These updates also make daily work smoother for the operators. For seamless operations, the team uses familiar systems across all assembly lines, cutting stress and making it easy for anyone on the team to step in where needed. With reliable performance and room to grow, Z-AXIS is well positioned to continue expanding at the pace they are used to—while still delivering consistent quality to their customers.
With faster machines, reliable storage, and fewer interruptions, Z-AXIS can keep up with its steady growth while maintaining on-time delivery.
Quantified operational wins
- 33% percent faster throughput: Large jobs that once required three days now finish in closer to two, thanks to the MYPro A40DX line. By increasing placement speed and streamlining the operator's workload, Z-AXIS uses its resources more efficiently and manages growth without adding labor.
- Zero-time wasted searching for reels: Automated storage eliminated lost parts and downtime that previously halted production for hours.
- Higher print quality with fewer defects: The MYPro S30 stencil printers consistently deliver high quality solder paste deposits, creating a strong foundation for efficient placement and higher first-pass yield.
- Higher print quality with fewer defects: The MYPro S30 stencil printers consistently deliver high quality solder paste deposits, creating a strong foundation for efficient placement and higher first-pass yield.
Qualitative improvements
- Greater operator confidence: Familiar interfaces and consistent workflows across machines have improved ease of use and reduced operator stress.
- Capacity to grow fifteen to twenty percent annually: The flexibility and scalability of Mycronic systems support Z-AXIS’ long-term growth targets.
- Customer satisfaction protected: By eliminating stoppages and improving consistency, Z-AXIS continues to deliver on time even as product complexity increases.
Closing
Z-AXIS has seen clear results across its production lines with every Mycronic equipment upgrade. Jobs finish faster, parts are easier to manage, and the team can stay focused on building boards instead of searching for materials or handling delays—allowing them to be agile for each customer as production batches become more complex and high-mix.