For the eleventh consecutive year, SMT Magazine has recognized outstanding companies whose products in surface mount technology serve as the benchmarks of excellence. By honoring the Agilis feeder with the SMT Vision Award shows recognition for its outstanding innovativeness.

The new Agilis feeder is a revolution in terms of tape feeder design. Its automatic loading system works like a plow to move aside the cover tape, and expose components for easy picking. The used tape and cover tape are then pushed out the back. No extra take-up reels are needed. Loading or unloading of feeders can be done in under ten seconds, which reduces setup and changeover time by up to 75 percent while radically reducing the cost per mounted component.

SMT's 2002 vision awards ceremony was held in conjunction with the APEX exhibition in San Diego, USA on January 22, 2002. A panel of industry experts judged each candidate based on its capacity to fulfill five ongoing industry needs: ability to meet a significant industry challenge; creative application of a new or existing technology; overall quality and consistency of performance; economic merits; throughput characteristics. In addition, the submissions were assessed specifically on their innovativeness and cost effectiveness, contribution to quality assurance and ease of use.

Awards are presented in the following categories: Adhesives/Coatings/ Encapsulants, Assembly Tools, Cleaning, Components, Contract Services, Dispensing Equipment, Inspection, Pick and Place, Printing, Rework & Repair, Software, Soldering Equipment, Soldering Materials, and Testing.