Circuits Assembly articles from April 2003

Circuits Assembly archives from April 2003

A profitable proposition.(Editorial)(Varian Electronics Manufacturing)
April 1, 2003... Believe it or not, North American-based electronics manufacturing companies can turn a profit. Case in point: Varian Electronics Manufacturing (VES), a segment of Varian, Inc. based in Palo Alto, CA, recently released its first quarter...

www.wiremarkersplus.com.(Web Sites Worth Mentioning)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The WireMarkersPlus Web site features three marking systems developed for low--, medium--and high-volume wire marking and cable identification requirements, The Site includes computer-controlled thermal marking systems for printing...

www.btu.com.(Web Sites Worth Mentioning)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... BTU International has introduced a mew company Web site, designed to be a product and process resource for customers. The site includes solutions for thermal processing applications, links to product pages, downloadable brochures and requests...

www.singleiteration.com.(Web Sites Worth Mentioning)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Single Iteration, a consulting firm specializing in defining end resolving problems related to thermal subsystems, has unveiled a new Web site. The site offers details an the company's program management, its phased approach to managing...

www.everythingpcb.com.(Industry Resources)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... EverythingPCB is a printed circuit board (PCB) industry service, product and resource guide listing everything from software to manufactures to assembly services. The service was created by and for professionals in the industry to provide...

www.flipchips.com.(Industry Resources)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... FlipChips Dot Com is an independent flip chip site to help users choose the right assembly process, find the right suppliers and keep up with this rapidly changing microelectronics packaging field. The site offers a range of technical and...

http://www.schemazoo.net/jaguar/cabg/.(Surveys and Guides)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Circuits Assembly Buyers" Guide provides company services and contact information in 35 product categories.

www.circuitsassembly.com/resource/survey_index.html.(Surveys and Guides)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... All of the Circuits Assembly equipment surveys are now updated! Red information on front-end software, pick and piece equipment, reflow ovens, inspection equipment, rework/repair equipment. screen printers and wave soldering equipment.

Circuits Assembly Online: www.circuitsassembly.com.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... * Focus on Business: 2003 Salary Survey Results Lisa Hamburg, Editor-in-Chief * Process Defect Clinic Bob Willis, EPS * Online Literature Showcase Would you like to contribute to NET gain? Contact Robin Norvell at...

MSL, GlaxoSmithKline to collaborate.(Industry News)(MSL Group International Ltd.)(GlaxoSmithKline)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... MSL (Concord, MA, www.msl.com), a manufacturing and supply chain services company, has been selected by GlaxoSmithKline (London, England, www.gsk.com) to support development efforts for a next-generation medical device by providing product and...

Asymtek to equip Lee Air aircraft electronics facility.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Lee Air Inc. (Wichita, KS), a designer and manufacturer of aircraft electronics, recently purchased an Asymtek (Carlsbad, CA, www.asymtek.com) Automove A-402 dispensing system for its aviation electronics facility. According to a statement from...

MVP issued patent for manufacturing control system.(Industry News)(Machine Vision Products Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Machine Vision Products Inc. (MVP, Carlsbad, CA, www.machinevisionproducts.com) has been granted a U.S. patent for the company's computer integrated manufacturing control and information system (CIMCIS). The system allows manufacturers to...

DEK, Gore introduce shielding solution.(Industry News)(W. L. Gore and Associates Inc.)(DEK (Zurich, Switzerland))(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... DEK (Zurich, Switzerland, www.dek.com) and W. L. Gore & Associates Inc. (Dundee, Scotland, www.wlgore.com) have combined their technologies to deliver an electromagnetic interference (EMI) board-level shield for wireless communications devices....

EKRA GmbH (Boennigheim, Germany) and the Circuits Material Division of W.C. Heraeus GmbH & Co. (Hanau, Germany) have signed a partnership agreement.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... EKRA GmbH (Boennigheim, Germany) and the Circuits Material Division of W.C. Heraeus GmbH & Co. (Hanau, Germany) have signed a partnership agreement. Heraeus will use EKRA's stencil printers in its technology centers, and EKRA will recommend...

DEK (Dorset, UK) has acquired Acumen Technology (Guadalajara, Mexico) as a production center for its stencils in North and South America.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... DEK (Dorset, UK) has acquired Acumen Technology (Guadalajara, Mexico) as a production center for its stencils in North and South America. The new entity, known as Acumen Technology, A Business of DEK, was formed due to an expanding customer...

Circuit Check Inc. (Maple Grove, MN) has announced the acquisition of Southwest Test Inc. (Richardson, TX).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Circuit Check Inc. (Maple Grove, MN) has announced the acquisition of Southwest Test Inc. (Richardson, TX). Circuit Check will purchase the operating assets and liabilities of Southwest Test, and the combined company will operate manufacturing...

Flextronics.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Flextronics (Singapore) has opened a new technology center in Guadalajara, Mexico. The address is: Carretera Base Aerea Militar 5850, Zapopan, Jalisco, 45100, Mexico; +52,33.3818.3200; www.flextronics.com.

Rockwood Specialties Inc.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Rockwood Specialties Inc. (Princeton, NJ) has announced a $7 million expansion and refurbishment project for its wafer reclaim facility in Greasque, France. The project will increase capacity and enhance capabilities, particularly in the area...

Selco Products Co.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Selco Products Co., an electronics manufacturer, has consolidated its two 10,000 sq. ft. facilities from Orange and Los Alamitos, CA, to a 50,000 sq. ft. site in Anaheim, CA. The contact information is: 605 South East St., Anaheim, CA, 92805;...

Intelicoat Technologies (Wrexham, UK), formerly Rexam Image Products, has acquired Axon Corp.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Intelicoat Technologies (Wrexham, UK), formerly Rexam Image Products, has acquired Axon Corp. (South Hadley, MA), a manufacturer of wide-format coated papers and films for the reprographics industry, and SKC America Inc. (Sunnyvale, CA), which...

Powell-Mucha announces new EMS e-seminar.(Industry News)(electronics manufacturing services)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Powell-Mucha Consulting, Inc. (El Paso, TX, www.powell-muchaconsulting.com) announced that the company is developing a line of e-learning seminars targeted at the electronics manufacturing services (EMS) industry. The first in the series, EMS...

Agilent's Firooz to lead OSS Division.(Industry News)(Operations Support Systems Division )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Kamran Firooz, vice president and general manager of Agilent's (Loveland, CO, www.agilent.com) Manufacturing Test Business Unit, has accepted the position of vice president and general manager of its Operations Support Systems Division (OSSD)....

IMAPS to award $15,000 educational grants.(Industry News)(IMAPS Sidney J. Stein Educational Foundation)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The IMAPS Sidney J. Stein Educational Foundation (Washington, D.C., www.imaps.org) will accept proposals for new student grants from faculty members at accredited colleges or universities in engineering, materials science and related technical...

OMM Inc. discontinues operations.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... OMM Inc. (San Diego, CA, www, ommninc. com), a supplier of micro-electromechanical (MEMS)-based optical switch array modules, announced that it has ceased operations, effective last month. "OMM has been highly successful in the design and...

PPM Monitoring Project examines assembly yields.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The SMART Group (Buckinghamshire, UK) Parts per Million (PPM) Monitoring Project aims to provide a benchmark for small--and medium-volume companies to compare their manufacturing yields. Participation in the project is free. Graphs on the...

Pinnacle Electronics.(People)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Pinnacle Electronics (East Pittsburgh, PA), an electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider, has appointed Teresa Huber as chief operating officer. Huber has more than 15 years of corporate and manufacturing experience and recently joined...

SpecialChem.(People)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Francois Baudin (pictured) has been hired as vice president of the adhesives and sealants division at SpecialChem (Paris, France). Baudin was previously with Bostik Findley (Wauwatosa, WI).

ITT Industries, Cannon.(People)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... ITT Industries, Cannon (Santa Ana, CA) has named Randy Gorrell as vice president and director of human resources. Gorrell, recently senior vice president of human resources with NWP Services Corp., will report to Gerry Gendron, president of...

LEDtronics.(People)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... LEDtronics (Torrance, CA) has hired Edwin Taylor as a sales representative for Canada. A native of Canada, Taylor has over 25 year's experience in electronics, manufacturing and sales.

PXI Systems Alliance.(People)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... PXI Systems Alliance (San Diego, CA), a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and promoting PXI technology, has named Teradyne (Nashua, Nil) marketing manager Bob Stasonis as its president and Geotest (Inglewood, CA) president Loofie...

Littelfuse.(People)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Littelfuse (Des Plains, IL) has appointed Dave Samyn as general manager of its electronic business. Samyn replaces Bill Baroon and will report to Howard Witt, chairman and president.

International Manufacturing Services Inc.(People)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... International Manufacturing Services Inc. (IMS, Portsmouth, Rhode Island) has appointed David London (pictured) as director of sales and marketing. London has held positions as sales and marketing vice president with several microwave component...

GE Global Electronics Solutions.(People)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... GE Global Electronics Solutions (GES, San Diego, CA) has hired Mike Quain as global sales director, Martin Heerschop as equipment sales manager for Northern and Eastern Europe, Christopher Hayden as product manager lithography and Ivo Miller as...

Photonics Manufacturing Association Council.(People)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Randy Heyler (pictured), vice president of business development at Newport Corp. (Irvine, CA), has been appointed as the 2003 Steering Committee Chairman for the Photonics Manufacturing Association Council (PMAC) organized by IPC (Northbrook,...

Photon Dynamics.(People)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Photon Dynamics (San Jose, CA) has named Elwood "Woody" Spedden as president and CEO. Spedden joined the company's board of directors in April 2002, and he serves as director of Advanced Energy Industries Inc. (Fort Collins, CO), a power...

Sanmina-SCI, Fujitsu Microelectronics establish strategic relationship.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Sanmina-SCI, Fujitsu Microelectronics establish strategic relationship Sanmina-SCI Corp. (San Jose, CA, www. sanmina-sci.com), a design and electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider, and Fujitsu Microelectronics America, Inc. (FMA, San...

Wolf Electronix opens facility in Loveland.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Wolf Electronix (Orem, UT, www.wolf electronix.com), an electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider, has announced the expansion of its contract manufacturing services into the Denver, CO, area. The new facility, located at 710 SW 14th...

GE Global Electronics solutions: a new lease on life.(Industry News)
April 1, 2003... Last April, General Electric Commercial Equipment Financing, part of publicly traded General Electric Company (GE), purchased the assets of what was Comdisco Electronics. Known as GE Global Electronics Solutions (GES, San Diego, CA,...

Industrial standards to boost machine vision system markets.(Market Watch)(Frost and Sullivan Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... New analysis from the consulting firm Frost & Sullivan (San Jose, CA, www.test andmeasurement.frost.com) reveals that the world machine vision inspection systems industry generated revenues totaling $1.12 billion in 2002. Total market revenues...

Semiconductor memory market to cross $86 billion by 2007.(Market Watch)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... According to a report from Business Communications Co. (www.bccresearch.co m, Norwalk, CT), RG-277 Computer Memory: Important Trends and Directions, the worldwide market for semiconductor memory was valued at nearly $47 billion in 2002....

January 2003 book-to-bill.(Market Watch)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... According to IPC (Northbrook, IL), the book-to-bill ratio for January rose to 1.02; however sales billed decreased 19.8% year-on-year and the number of orders booked was down 16.4% from January 2002. The ratio is calculated by averaging the...

Univertical breaks ground for China plant.(Asia Watch)(Univertical International Co. )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Univertical International Co. (Angola, IN, wwvv.univertical.com), a supplier of anodes and chemicals for the electronics, semiconductor and surface finishing markets, recently had ground-breaking ceremonies for a new manufacturing facility in...

Camtek names distributor in Japan.(Asia Watch)(Camtek Ltd.)(Kanematsu-Gosho Ltd.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Camtek Ltd. (Migdal Haemek, Israel, www. camtek.co.il) has appointed Kanematsu Devices Corp. (KDC, Tokyo, Japan, www.kdcjp.co.jp), a subsidiary of Kanematsu Corp., as the exclusive distributor of Camtek products for the microelectronics...

Palm Solutions Group to enter China.(Asia Watch)(Palm Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Palm Inc. (Beijing, China, www.palm.com), a provider of handheld computers, has announced plans to enter the China market in the first half of 2003. "Palm looks forward to begin selling the world's favorite handheld in the world's largest...

SMTA announces mission to China.(Asia Watch)(Surface Mount Technology Association)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Surface Mount Technology Association (SMTA, Minneapolis, MN, www.smta.org) recently announced its "Mission to China," which is limited to 20 SMTA members and will provide participants immediate access to a network of government and industry...

WKKT opens Technology Park in China.(Asia Watch)(Wong's Kong King Technology Ltd.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... At the end of 2002, 450 dignitaries, guests, suppliers and customers from around the world attended the grand opening of the Dongguan, China, location of Wong's Kong King Technology Ltd. (WKKT, Hong Kong), an electronics manufacturing services...

Hella forms alliance with Japanese auto supplier.(Asia Watch)(Hella KG Houck and Co.)(Taiko Device Techno & Company Ltd.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Hella KG Hueck & Co. (Lippstadt, Germany, www.hella.com) has formed an alliance with Taiko Device Techno & Co. (Tokyo, Japan, www.taiko-device.co.jp) to market automotive plug-in and printed circuit board (PCB) relays. Under the agreement,...

Wire bonders shipped to Thailand.(Asia Watch)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Kulicke & Soffa Industries (Willow Grove, PA, www.kns.com) has announced shipments of its Nu-Tek wire bonders to a semiconductor manufacturer in Thailand. The bonders will be used to manufacture low pin count quad flat non-leaded (QFN) packages...

SMTC, Alco enter China-based manufacturing agreement.(Asia Watch)(SMTC Corp.)(Alco Electronics Ltd.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... SMTC Corp. (Toronto, Ontario, Canada, www.smtc.com), an electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider, and Alco Electronics (Hong Kong, www.alco.com.hk), an original design manufacturer (ODM) and EMS provider, announced that they have...

Selective soldering--the future is now: optimize your through-hole soldering process down to the pin level.(On the Forefront)
April 1, 2003... "Any tool can be the right tool."--Red Green Recessions and economic slowdowns rarely have an adverse effect on the evolution of technology. In fact, such times can serve as catalysts for process efficiency improvement, as is the case with...

Optoelectronic standards: optoelectronics moves forward with new standards and strategies.(Standard Features)
April 1, 2003... At the end of 2001, much of the buried optical fiber that comprised the global telecommunication and World Wide Web network carried no traffic; the fiber was "dark" or "unlit." Now, reports indicate that less than 20% of that buried fiber,...

Solder paste handling: welcome to our newest series--Ten Timely Tips! Bimonthly, we'll provide you with 10 technology tips on a certain process aspect culled from the best suggestions received from readers.(Ten Timely Tips)
April 1, 2003... 1. Correct handling of solder paste immediately before printing is a critical phase to maximize the material's performance and reduce assembly defects. Prior to use, the solder paste must be allowed to reach room temperature. Removing solder...

Outsourcing the dirty work: is contract cleaning for PWAs a good idea?(Ask Les)(printed wiring assembly)
April 1, 2003... Q: Our company is considering outsourcing the cleaning/defluxing capability we curl rently have in our printed wiring assembly (PWA) operation. We have seen articles and advertisements suggesting that outsourcing the capability to carry out our...

Reducing solder voids with copper-filled microvias: a study seeks to find out the frequency, location and size of voids with and without copper-filled vias.(Materials/Substrates)
April 1, 2003... Utilizing microvias in surface-mount pads on printed wiring boards (PWBs) has created unique challenges for both PWB fabricators and assembles. Microvia structures of 50 top 100 microns are manufactured daily in high-volume production of...

Validating press-fit connector installation: a winning combination: press-fit technology and installation by PC-controlled servo-electric presses.(Connectors)
April 1, 2003... The combination of press-fit pins and servo-electric presses provide a powerful technique for automating and verifying the integrity of board-to-board connector installations. Press-fit connectors have begun to dominate high-end connector...

Automating 0201 rework: automation and conductive heating are essential for effective rework of tiny 0201s--and beyond.(Rework)
April 1, 2003... Next-generation designs for products in the consumer, medical and automotive markets will proliferate the growth of 0201 components due to their small size, low cost, low current and limited power dissipation. In addition, the emergence of...

Selecting solder mask material: how to avoid falling in the cracks.(Materials)
April 1, 2003... Laminate chip carrier packages continue to expand and mature in the semiconductor industry. In addition, increasing customer demand for quality and reliability requires that closer attention be given to the material component of the laminate...

MEMS: a nickel for your thoughts: a novel approach to building microstructures based on nickel has paved the way to lower cost MEM/MOEM applications.(Emerging Technology)(microelectromechanical systems)
April 1, 2003... Electroforming of microstructures in nickel is not itself novel. How often in the electronics world have you heard the phrase a revolutionary concept attached to new products or technologies? The answer is probably too often, as most...

Pull tester.(Product Spotlight)(from Cirris Systems Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The PT3000 Crimp pull tester is an automatic, electrical-motor driven pull tester used to verify the quality of wire termination crimps. The tester has a constant, motorized pull speed for consistent pull-off force measurement and a 12-position...

Transformer tester.(Product Spotlight)(from Alpha-Core Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The PF-401 bench top test system for transformers up to 10 KVA is a go/no-go system for production testing or incoming inspection. The light-emitting diode (LED) display shows primary test voltage, no load current, core losses and up to five...

Vision measuring systems.(Product Spotlight)(from Mitutoyo America Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Quick Vision family of computer numerical control (CNC) vision measuring systems is up to 3 times faster than previous models. The platform offers a wider range of accuracy levels, optical/oblique illumination systems and measuring ranges,...

Optical spectrum processor.(Product Spotlight)(Newport Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The LambdaCommander programmable spectral processor gives users control of optical spectrum profiles to simulate a number of spectral source types. The processor uses a digital micromirror device to switch segments on and off in an incremental...

ESD storage container.(Product Spotlight)(from Global Kitting Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Partfolio system protects parts against static discharge and electro-magnetic interference damage throughout the manufacturing cycle. The container features interleaving trays and covers that unfold for access, then fold up to retain...

Reflow oven.(Product Spotlight)(from Advanced Techniques US Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The PRO 1600 high velocity forced convection reflow oven has a built-in exhaust/fume cleaning unit. The sealed heating chamber design with five time zones allows for heating uniformity. A loading/unloading mechanism provides safe, easy access...

Potting compounds.(Product Spotlight)(from Devcon Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Syon thermally conductive potting/encapsulating compounds seal electrical components or wiring in applications where heat dissipation is required. The low-shrink epoxide formulations mix and pour easily, fill voids completely and cure with...

Screen printer.(Product Spotlight)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The ASP 01 screen printer for thick-film and photovoltaic applications includes an optical positioning system and a self-calibrating squeegee head. The charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras are integrated in the printing table, allowing optical...

Water-based fluxes.(Product Spotlight)(Cookson Electronics Assembly Materials)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The ALPHA EF series of water-based fluxes for wave soldering processes has been designed to reduce or eliminate VOC emissions and deliver flux action with a rosin content of 10% or less. The fluxes have been formulated to work effectively in...

Pick and Place machine.(Product Spotlight)(from Tyco Electronics Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Automatic Pick, Place and Press (AP3) fully automated inline system accepts boards up to 762 x 457 mm (30 x 18 in.) and can process components up to 32 x 32 x 305 mm (1.23 x 1.25 x 12 in.).The press is rated for 8 tons and incorporates a...

Soldering station.(Product Spotlight)(from Aven Tools Ltd.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The SX ultra-compact soldering station measures only 76.2 x 127 mm with the features to meet all surface-mount and through-hole applications. The station allows continuous temperature regulation from 180 to 420[degrees]C and has K-type thermo...

Switch mode rectifiers.(Product Spotlight)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... High-frequency switch mode rectifiers (SMR) are available in 200 standard voltage and current combinations. DC power levels from 1 to 30 KW are available at voltages from 3 to 600 VCD. All models have digital front panels and controls for...

Substrate registration device.(Product Spotlight)(from Systematic Automation Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Model NCC two-color rotary screen printer has a new substrate registration device that overhangs the vacuum table. Templates for various parts fasten to the registration device. During the dwell period, the template lowers onto the vacuum...

Laser diode tester.(Product Spotlight)(from Royce Instruments)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Production testing of edge-emitting laser diodes while in die form can be done with the P35 light intensity-current voltage (L-I-V) tester. Laser diode die are picked from tape or gel-pak and tested using a pulsed sweep laser diode test system,...

Ceramic-on-metal substrate.(Product Spotlight)(from Lanmina Ceramics)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic on Metal (LTCC-M) is a multi-layer technology that bonds unfired ceramic to either Kovar or CuMoCu metal for direct component die mounting on the metal layers. Shrinkage in the x-y plane during firing is...

Multiple loop controller.(Product Spotlight)(from Watlow Electric Manufacturing Co.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The D8 series of controllers offer PID control of up to eight loops in a 1/8 DIN package. The series is available in four and eight loop versions and can support multiple types of sensor inputs, including thermocouples, linear voltage and...

Dual-axis motion controller.(Product Spotlight)(from ETEL Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The DSDC-P dual-axis motion controller is a fully digital servoamplifier with position control for direct drive motion applications using multi-phase linear or torque motors. The controller has a bus voltage of up to 400 VDC at 15A peak, 3.5A...

Inductor platforms.(Product Spotlight)(from Pulse)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Model PG0067 and PG0077 surface-mount inductor platforms for DC-to-DC converters and AC-to-DC switch-mode power supplies are designed for distributed power architecture and voltage regulator modules. The platforms use helical winding for low...

Battery post terminals.(Product Spotlight)(from ETCO Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... A full line of lead-free battery post terminals meet SAE specifications and are supplied in strip form for termination on automatic equipment. The terminals include universal post and ring styles and are available in sizes to match 2 to 6 Ga...

Mounting hardware.(Product Spotlight)(from GPD Global)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Taper-Lock tool-less mounting hardware for dispensing valves allows operators to lock the valve in place or quickly release it with the push of a lever. The hardware can be attached to any of the company's dispensing systems, and the...

Pressure analysis system.(Product Spotlight)(from Sensor Products Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Topaq pressure analysis system provides a perspective of the distribution and actual magnitude of pressure between any contacting or impacting surfaces. The system scans and interprets the exposed film and produces digitally enhanced images...

Alignment system.(Product Spotlight)(from EV Group)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The IQ Aligner is a fully automated system for lithography and aligned wafer bonding. The dual-use mask and bond aligner has capabilities for top side, bottom side, large gap and darkfield alignment and is equipped with an automated handling...

Heat-sensitive labels.(Product Spotlight)(from Spirig Advanced Technologies Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... CelsiStrip self-adhesive labels can be applied to any cleaned surface to catch the maximum surface temperature history. The strips are available in a variety of arrangements of 40 sequenced temperature levels from 40 to 260[degrees]C (105 to...

Through-hole automation challenges: new applications push the boundaries of mature technologies.(Problem Solved)
April 1, 2003... Problem A new radio frequency (RF) application using mature through-hole technology requires several design changes, including insertion angles and clinching techniques, to optimize board functionality and reduce solder bridging. The...

Waste not, want not: simplify BGA rework by reusing leftover solder.(Rework and Repair Depot)
April 1, 2003... Ball grid array (BGA) rework is a complicated procedure, but the operation can be simplified by saving steps whenever possible--as long as quality and reliability are not compromised. The following procedure outlines how to reuse the solder...