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Yuasa System Co. Partners with NextFlex to Provide Flexible Hybrid Electronics Testing Equipment

MONTEREY, Calif. (FLEX 2017, Booth #105) – Yuasa System Company, Ltd., the inventors of the Tension-Free™ Endurance Testing System, has signed an agreement with NextFlex of San Jose, Calif. to provide its testing equipment to the Institute for the next three years.

Under the agreement, Yuasa will provide equipment to NextFlex for the testing of new manufacturing tools and materials, and participate in the development of new industry research and manufacturing procedures in the flexible display space.

NextFlex is a flexible hybrid electronics manufacturing institute that provides key companies the ability to showcase their products to potential customers. The Institute and its members also provide feedback to companies to help them improve their equipment.

“Working with NextFlex is very positive step for our company as it will expose our products to a variety of companies in the flexible display and electronics industry,” said Yasuhisa Okazaki, executive vice president of Yuasa System Co. Ltd. “We also welcome any feedback regarding our testing equipment.”

Yuasa will be providing an Environmental Chamber (model #CL-09FSC900) to conduct various folding tests in different climatic conditions, along with two machines to test the stretching of flexible displays (model #S1912, model #Z8040). Products will be installed on-site by September.

“Yuasa’s folding and stretching test equipment will enable NextFlex and its members to conduct rigorous mechanical tests on flexible hybrid electronic (FHE) devices, under various environmental conditions,” noted Paul Semenza, director of commercialization for NextFlex. “This equipment will help NextFlex realize its goal of offering end-to-end capabilities in FHE manufacturing.”

About Flexible Hybrid Electronics
FHE gives everyday products the power of silicon ICs by combining them with new and unique printing processes and new materials. The result: lightweight, low-cost, flexible, conformable, stretchable, and highly efficient smart products with innumerable uses for consumer, commercial and military applications.

About Yuasa System Company Ltd.
YUASA System Company Ltd. designs and manufactures automation and endurance testing systems using their own in-house mechanical, electrical and software engineering. They began work on Tension-Free™ systems in 2012. YUASA System has offices in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan, a factory in Kibitsu, Japan, and a U.S. office in Silicon Valley. For further information, contact info@yuasa-system.jp.

About NextFlex
NextFlex®, America’s Flexible Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Institute, is a leading force in the Manufacturing USA network of Institutes. Formed through a cooperative agreement between the US Department of Defense (DoD) and FlexTech Alliance, NextFlex is a consortium of companies, academic institutions, non-profits and state, local and federal governments with a shared goal of advancing U.S. manufacturing of FHE. Since its formation in 2015, NextFlex’s elite team of thought leaders, educators, problem solvers, and manufacturers have come together to collectively facilitate innovation, narrow the manufacturing workforce gap, and promote sustainable manufacturing ecosystems.