FUJI, a Robot Manufacturer, Wins Two Categories at '2026 NPI Awards' for SMT Manufacturing Automation Technology
FUJI's automation solutions for SMT manufacturing have been recognized with two 2026 NPI Awards: "Smart Storage" and "Nozzle Supply Unit", highlighting their innovation in electronics assembly automation at IPC APEX EXPO 2026.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 9, 2026 at 01:10
- 🔍 Collected: April 8, 2026 at 16:30
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 20, 2026 at 19:12 (290h 42m after Collected)
FUJI Corporation (Headquarters: Chiryu City, Aichi Prefecture, President: Joji Iisomi, hereinafter "FUJI") is pleased to announce that its products realizing automation solutions for SMT manufacturing have won two categories at the 2026 NPI Awards (New Product Introduction Awards). The awarded products are "Smart Storage" in the Equipment - Component Storage division and "Nozzle Supply Unit" in the Equipment - Automation Tools division. These products were honored at 'IPC APEX EXPO 2026', North America's largest electronics manufacturing exhibition, held in Anaheim, USA, in March 2026.
## About the NPI Awards
The NPI Awards (New Product Introduction Awards) are presented by CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY, a trade magazine for the electronics assembly industry, and the Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA), a non-profit organization promoting the advancement of electronic circuit design. The awards recognize outstanding new products in the electronics assembly field announced within the past 12 months. Winning products are selected by an independent panel of industry engineers and evaluated comprehensively based on criteria such as innovation, performance, and ease of use.
(Reference site) PCEA | About NPI Awards https://pcea.net/npi-awards/
## About the Award-Winning Products
### Further Efficiency in External Setup Achieved | Smart Storage
Smart Storage is a unit that automates the storage, sorting, and supply of feeders that supply electronic components to equipment in the external setup area. Based on the production schedule, it automatically collects the necessary feeders from storage and transports them to the production line via AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot). Furthermore, returned feeders from the production line are automatically sorted based on whether they are scheduled for subsequent use. This reduces the feeder search and replacement tasks traditionally performed by operators, thereby improving the efficiency of external setup operations and reducing workload. The integration with AMRs also promotes automation throughout the SMT floor, contributing to the realization of smart factories for unmanned operations.
Keywords: FUJI, Electronic Parts Mounting, SMT, NXTR, Automation, NPI Awards, Smart Storage, Nozzle Supply Unit, IPC APEX EXPO, Smart Factory
## About the NPI Awards
The NPI Awards (New Product Introduction Awards) are presented by CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY, a trade magazine for the electronics assembly industry, and the Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA), a non-profit organization promoting the advancement of electronic circuit design. The awards recognize outstanding new products in the electronics assembly field announced within the past 12 months. Winning products are selected by an independent panel of industry engineers and evaluated comprehensively based on criteria such as innovation, performance, and ease of use.
(Reference site) PCEA | About NPI Awards https://pcea.net/npi-awards/
## About the Award-Winning Products
### Further Efficiency in External Setup Achieved | Smart Storage
Smart Storage is a unit that automates the storage, sorting, and supply of feeders that supply electronic components to equipment in the external setup area. Based on the production schedule, it automatically collects the necessary feeders from storage and transports them to the production line via AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot). Furthermore, returned feeders from the production line are automatically sorted based on whether they are scheduled for subsequent use. This reduces the feeder search and replacement tasks traditionally performed by operators, thereby improving the efficiency of external setup operations and reducing workload. The integration with AMRs also promotes automation throughout the SMT floor, contributing to the realization of smart factories for unmanned operations.
Keywords: FUJI, Electronic Parts Mounting, SMT, NXTR, Automation, NPI Awards, Smart Storage, Nozzle Supply Unit, IPC APEX EXPO, Smart Factory