Circuits Assembly articles from February 2002

Circuits Assembly archives from February 2002

The year ahead.(Editorial)(Editorial)(Industry Overview)
February 1, 2002... Recently, I've had the privilege of hearing some of the industry's biggest names in research speak on what we can expect from 2002. And, while "bust" "negative growth," and "recession" were words used to describe 2001, the coming year holds...

Web sites worth mentioning.(NEtgain: the latest the Internet has to offer)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... www.arrow.com Arrow Electronics' redesigned site now offers a component search feature, data sheets new product information and purchase options for prototype quantities. www.e-packaging.com This Sealed Air Corp. site is designed to assist...

This month's industry resources.(NetGain: the latest the Internet has to offer)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... www.empf.org The Electronics Manufacturing Productivity Facility site offers information on research and development projects, electronics courses and a technical library. www.ihs.com/capsexpert IHS Engineering has partnered with PartMiner...

Surveys and guides.(NetGain: the latest the Internet has to offer)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... www.circuitsassembly.com/forms/02 salaryq.htm A link to Circuits Assembly's 2002 Salary Survey form. www.circuitsassembly.com/online/2 001/04/0104salary.htm A link to Circuits Assembly's 2001 Salary Survey results,

This month's shareware preview.(NetGain: the latest the Internet has to offer)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2002... http://www.graphicode.com/index.cf m?section=download GraphiCode's GC-Place is graphical CAM software for captive and contract PC8 manufacturers. The program accepts Gerber data along with an ASCII BOM file to create and verify assembly...

Teradyne and GenRad partner.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Teradyne, Inc., (Nashua, NH) and GenRad (Westford, MA), have joined forces to provide test and inspection technologies to the electronics manufacturing industry. The companies, with a combined heritage of 125 years, offer manufacturing...

Plexus purchases assets of MCMS.(Industry News)(Plexus Corp.)(MCMS, Inc. )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Plexus Corp. (Neenah, WI), a provider of design, manufacturing and testing services to the electronics industry, and MCMS, Inc. (Nampa, ID), a global electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider, have signed an asset purchase agreement in...

Qualcon selects Applied Systems software.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Applied Systems Intelligence, Inc. (ASI, Roswell, GA), a provider of support software applications, announced today that Quality Contract Manufacturing, LLC (Qualcon, Flowery Branch, GA), an electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider,...

IPC publishes NEMI PDX standards.(Industry News)(National Electronics Manufacturing Initiative Product Data eXchange standards from Institute of Printed Circuits)
February 1, 2002... The National Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (NEMI, Herndon, VA) announced that IPC (Northbrook, IL) has published final specifications for three Product Data eXchange (PDX) standards developed by NEMI's Virtual Factory Information...

Forecast: increased outsourcing in assembly.(Industry News)(Industry Overview)
February 1, 2002... A recently published report from Electronic Trend Publications, Inc. (San Jose, CA), The Worldwide Electronics Assembly Market, Second Edition, relates that the assembly industry is undergoing significant change--both structural and...

Worldwide EMS industry to recover.(Industry News)(electronics manufacturing services)(Industry Overview)
February 1, 2002... The worldwide electronics manufacturing services (EMS) industry is expected to decrease by $8 billion (7 percent) in 2001, according to a report released by market analysts IDC (Framingham, MA), However, according to the report. Contract...

electronicChina responds to booming Chinese market.(Industry News)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
February 1, 2002... The newly created electronicChina, an international trade show featuring components, assemblies, electronics production and photonic technologies, will debut March 12-15, 2002, in Shanghai, China. The show will be held at the Shanghai New...

Nilfisk-Advance America.(People)(Mike D'Agostino )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Mike D'Agostino (pictured) has been named product manager by Nilfisk-Advance America (Malvern, PA). The company will leverage D'Agostino's experience to continue developing specialty vacuum systems that anticipate customer needs.

MRSI.(People)(Jon Medernach )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... MRSI (North Billerica, MA) has appointed Jon Medernach as East Coast sales manager. With over 18 years of equipment sales experience, he will provide sales and support to customers east of the Mississippi River.

X-TEK.(People)(Peter Marsh)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... X-TEK (Weymouth, Dorset, England) has announced the appointment of Peter Marsh as new managing director. Marsh brings experience in sales, marketing and new product development to his new position.

E2open.(People)(Greg Clark, Martinelli, Lorenzo)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Greg Clark has been promoted to chief operating officer of E2open (Belmont, CA). Clark was previously the company's chief technology officer and was responsible for building the technology team and delivering the company's first generation of...

Optiant, Inc.(People)(James Lawton)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... James Lawton, a 15-year veteran of manufacturing and supply chain management, has been named Optiant, Inc.'s (Somerville, MA) first vice president of product management. He will direct the company's overall product management strategy.

Integrex, Inc.(People)(Mark Johnson, Bruce Miller)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Integrex, Inc. (Bothell, WA) has announced the hiring of Mark Johnson as vice president of operations, from Flextronics International (San Jose, CA), and Bruce Miller, as director of materials and logistics, from Manufacturing Services Limited...

Events calendar.(Industry News)(Calendar)
February 1, 2002... Events Calendar February 5-7 Pan Pacific Microelectronics Symposium and Exhibit, Maui, Hawaii. Contact JoAnn Stromberg, (952) 970-7682; www.smta.org. 11-14 6th...

Plexus Corp.(New Product Introduction Plus facility)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Plexus Corp. (Neenah, WI) has completed the expansion of its 25,000-sq. ft. New Product Introduction (NPI) Plus facility in Fremont, CA. NPI Plus services include prototype assembly, ramp-to-volume assembly, turnkey material procurement,...

Consulting firm Technology Forecasters, Inc. (TFI, Alameda, CA), and Siemens Dematic Electronic Assembly Systems, Inc., (Norcross, GA), will offer one-hour quarterly strategy sessions for mid-sized electronics contract manufacturers based on TFI's Quarterly Forum for Electronics Manufacturing Outsourcing and Supply Chain.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Consulting firm Technology Forecasters, Inc. (TFI, Alameda, CA), and Siemens Dematic Electronic Assembly Systems, Inc., (Norcross, GA), will offer one-hour quarterly strategy sessions for mid-sized electronics contract manufacturers based on...

Soldering Technology International, Inc.(new training facility )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Soldering Technology International, Inc. (STI, Madison, AL) has opened a new training facility in Madison, AL The facility is adjacent to the main STI facility and features expanded classrooms and new equipment.

Solectron Corp. (Milpitas, CA) has acquired Artesyn Solutions, Inc. (Boca Baton, FL), a product support services company.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Solectron Corp. (Milpitas, CA) has acquired Artesyn Solutions, Inc. (Boca Baton, FL), a product support services company. The acquisition expands the materials return processing, repair and refurbishment capabilities of Solectron's Global...

BTU International, Inc. (North Billerica, MA) has received the Howard Beck Award from the International Microelectronics and Packaging Society (IMAPS, Washington, D.C.).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... BTU International, Inc. (North Billerica, MA) has received the Howard Beck Award from the International Microelectronics and Packaging Society (IMAPS, Washington, D.C.). The award honors the organization that has worked most to forward the...

A $294,000 grant from the SME Education Foundation (Dearborn, MI) has been awarded to California Polytechnic State University (San Luis Obispo, CA) to help the university strengthen its manufacturing curriculum.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... A $294,000 grant from the SME Education Foundation (Dearborn, MI) has been awarded to California Polytechnic State University (San Luis Obispo, CA) to help the university strengthen its manufacturing curriculum. The grant will help the...

ViTechnology (Haverhill, MA) and Siemens Dematic (Norcross, GA) have announced a cooperation to provide a high level of manufacturing excellence to their customers in the Americas.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... ViTechnology (Haverhill, MA) and Siemens Dematic (Norcross, GA) have announced a cooperation to provide a high level of manufacturing excellence to their customers in the Americas. As part of this cooperation, Siemens Dematic will include...

Sanmina Corp. (San Jose, CA) and SCI Systems, Inc. (Huntsville, AL) have completed their merger after receiving approval from stockholders of matters related to the merger, including the change of Sanmina's corporate name to Sanmina-SCI Corp.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Sanmina Corp. (San Jose, CA) and SCI Systems, Inc. (Huntsville, AL) have completed their merger after receiving approval from stockholders of matters related to the merger, including the change of Sanmina's corporate name to Sanmina-SCI Corp....

Economy to emerge from recession in late 2002.(Market Watch)
February 1, 2002... While chief financial officers (CFOs) of 300 middle-market manufacturers are part of a growing chorus of observers who believe the U.S. economy is in recession, they are confident that the economy will recover by the third quarter of 2002,...

OEOM market to reach $38.5 million.(Market Watch)(Organics for Electro-Optical Applications)(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)
February 1, 2002... According to a study from Business Communications Company, Inc. (BEE, Norwalk, CT), RGB-253 Organics for Electro-Optical Applications, the total market volume for the major applications/products based on organic electro-optical materials (OEOM)...

ODM market revenue increasing.(Market Watch)(original design manufacturing)(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)
February 1, 2002... Global revenue for the original design manufacturing (ODM) market is growing slightly faster than the electronics manufacturing services (EMS) market, and the standalone systems-integration market is shrinking, according to Technology...

November book-to-bill.(Market Watch)
February 1, 2002... November Book-to-Bill Sales Billed: Ordered Booked: (percentage change) (percentage change) Sept. Oct. Nov. Sept. Oct. Nov. -41.6% -47.5% -53.2% -56.1% -51.8% ...

Singapore symposium on photonics.(Asia Watch)(International Symposium on Photonics and Applications)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE, Bellingham, WA) and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU) recently cosponsored The International Symposium on Photonics and Applications (ISPA), held at Singapore's Shangri-La...

AIM and Nihon sign lead-free agreement.(Asia Watch)(AIM, Inc.)(Nihon Almit Co., Ltd. )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... AIM, Inc. (Montreal. Quebec, Canada), a global manufacturer of solders and fluxes for the electronics industry, and Nihon Almit Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan), also a worldwide manufacturer and supplier of solders and fluxes, have signed a worldwide...

MRSI appoints JIPAL as Taiwan agent.(Asia Watch)(JIPAL Corp. )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... MRSI (North Billerica, MA), a supplier of dispense and assembly systems for the semiconductor and microelectronics industry, has announced the appointment of JIPAL Corp. (Taiwan) as its exclusive agent for sales and service of MRSI equipment in...

DENSO ranks high in environmental performance.(Asia Watch)(Company Profile)
February 1, 2002... DENSO Corp. (Kariya Japan) a manufacturer of automotive engine management systems, instrument dusters, semiconductor sensors and car navigation systems, topped the environmental rating survey of automobile parts and supply companies, conducted...

Selective soldering: wave soldering redefined: the emergence of surface-mount technology forced engineers to rethink the wave soldering process.(On the Forefront)
February 1, 2002... Surface-mount technology may continue evolving, with newer and more extensive packaging, but through-hole mounted components still appear in many applications. More and more Type I printed circuit board assemblies, comprised completely of...

Optoelectronics development: with the surge of optoelectronics packaging, component alignment issues need to be resolved.(Problem Solved)
February 1, 2002... Problem One of the many concerns unique to optoelectronics applications is the effect of adhesive deposition control and materials properties on optical alignment. One customer recently reported an unexpectedly rapid loss of alignment with...

Even small things count! Readers with questions concerning 0201 components and ceramic capacitors are given some helpful advice.(Ask Les)
February 1, 2002... Q: Can you recommend techniques for removing and replacing small components--specifically 0201 devices? A: One recommended removal technique involves using a small brush to apply a small amount of flux to the existing solder joint....

PWI: process optimization made simple: the process window index (PWI) can be used to quickly determine the impact of process changes and compare different process parameters.(Process Optimization)
February 1, 2002... Improving product quality in electronic assembly processes is important to profitability and is especially significant in the highly competitive electronics manufacturing services (EMS) industry. In practical terms, the foundation step is...

Improving the reflow process with SPC: continual data analysis of a reflow process offers increased product quality and reduced manufacturing cost.(Reflow and SPC)
February 1, 2002... A good statistical process control (SPC) program for the reflow process should be set up to monitor oven stability and catch any process drift before it can affect product quality. The SPC program enables the operator to easily gather data to...

X-ray systems for optimizing PCB inspection: x-ray systems are not all equal, and their differences affect the type of defects that can be detected.(X-Ray Inspection)(printed circuit board inspection)
February 1, 2002... The need to incorporate x-ray inspection into today's printed circuit board (PCB) assembly line is now a foregone conclusion for many manufacturers. It is no longer a question of if, but where in the line, how often to test and what features...

Get with the program for a competitive edge: read on for tips to increase market share and profits while reducing inventory, lead times, cycle times and time-to-market.(Continuous Improvement)
February 1, 2002... So, you want to implement a continuous improvement (CI) program? Why not, it's the latest rage, and everyone is doing it. You've probably heard all the latest buzzwords: lean manufacturing, cellular, six sigma, supply chain management,...

The yin and yang of today's quality management: a properly implemented quality management system can provide improved efficiency, lower costs and improved employee morale.(Quality)(ISO 9000 Quality Management Standard )
February 1, 2002... The ISO 9000 Quality Management Standard has brought many changes to today's concept of quality assurance and the methods of management control. The ISO 9000 family of standards provides a structured approach to quality management. The current...

Ensuring a successful new product launch: failure mode and effect analysis can find weaknesses in product designs and manufacturing processes before a new product is launched.(FMEA)
February 1, 2002... Failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) is an analytical technique used to identif, potential failure modes and their associated causes. Specifically, a FMEA can find the weaknesses in product designs and manufacturing processes before the...

Reliability relationships: what ensures complete product reliability?(Rework and Repair Depot)
February 1, 2002... How reliable is your rework? Can you rex a broken corner on a circuit board reliably? Do you consider re-balling ball grid array (BGA) components to be a reliable procedure? Your opinion and experiences with issues such as these are important,...

A fitting addition to the Pyramax Platform.(BTU)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2002... Introducing BTU International's new Pyramax 98; the new addition to the Pyramax[R] Platform. With up to 24-inch processing capability, a maximum operating temperature of 350[degrees] C, air or nitrogen capability, this oven is ready for...

Ekra America Inc.(Literature Showcase)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2002... Ekra provides screen printing solutions for the SMT. Hybrid, and Semiconductor Packaging markets. Focusing on useful technology that provides real benefit to customer processes. EKRA America Inc. (508) 486-9566 Fax: (508) 486-9567...

New eight-page brochure.(MYDATA)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2002... MYDATA releases a new 28-page brochure that features supply-chain manufacturing and an interview with Brian Duffey, President of MYDATA automation, Inc., on local sales cultures and the future economic outlook. The brochure covers the MY-Series...

DEK.(Literature Showcase)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2002... Contact DEK today to receive the latest issue of the DEK DirEKt newsletter, featuring the latest products, processes and other news from Productronica 2001 and APEX 2002. For more information, contact DEK USA Inc. at 8 Bartles Corner Road,...

Free IPC publications catalog.(IPC)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2002... Now Available! Get the latest information on the newest standards, guidelines, and publications for printed board assemblers, designers, and manufacturers. New standards on wire harness assembly, solder attachments, supply chain and equipment...

View Engineering, Inc.(Literature Showcase)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2002... Accuracy. Speed. Innovation. These are the hallmarks of technology from View Engineering. This comprehensive brochure describes the innovations found in View's new Pinnacle and Summit vision measurement systems. Learn why precision measurement...

Soldering station.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2002... The FUTURE MODULE Model FM-202 soldering station features a unique cartridge and soft grip design that allows cartridges with different tips and removable ergonomic grips to be quickly replaced. Soldering tip temperature is controlled via a...

Inspection software.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2002... SMT V4.6A software, with program creation tools and real-time reporting tools, provides increased efficiency during program creation and management, and during use by operators. The software includes improved graphical interfaces for more...

Reliability Testing System.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2002... Standard Reliability Testing Systems, for use in the testing of non-standard devices, have the ability to perform life test, burn-in, electromigration testing, hot carrier testing, dielectric testing and bump testing on specialized,...

Screen printer.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2002... The MK-878SV automated in-line printer features improved print accuracy and repeatability of 2.0 Cpk at +/-25 [micro] m. Patented technology for automatic pressure control system (APCS) print heads and SUS squeegees deliver accurate and...

Convection soldering system.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2002... The X-600 Phase Convection soldering system features a hermetically sealed loading system by which boards are loaded into one of four levels of phase convection. Each phase unit has a re-circulating convection system in which the temperature is...

Biodegradable solvents.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2002... Competitively priced compared to petrochemical solvents, corn-derived ethyl lactate solvents offer an economical solution for a wide range of applications. The solvents are 100 percent biodegradable; are inexpensive to recycle; are EPA-approved...

Management software.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2002... The Product Chain Management software suite offers three solutions--Product Collaboration, Product Sourcing and Product Service & Improvement. Each can increase efficiency and speed of an organization's efforts to manage products through every...

Linear encoder system.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2002... The RG40 linear encoder system design combines the reliability of non-contact, contamination-tolerant optical RG read-heads with the accuracy and thermal behavior of glass scales. The design meets requests for glass scales by makers of...

Inspection system.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2002... The SMT Inspection System offers flexibility and ease-of-use for inspecting surface-mount assemblies, especially with fine and ultra fine pitch components. The system's lens can be rotated to yield clear, sharp images from various angles, for...

BGA inspection system.(Product Spotlight)(V.J. Technologies Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The VJ-1000 LP, a high-resolution x-ray inspection system, provides images of BGAs, micro BGAs and a variety of chip scale packages, with a 101.6-mm image intensifier, digital x-ray control and 25x to 200x magnification, for the surface-mount...

Miniature soldering iron.(Product Spotlight)
February 1, 2002... The Antex G/3U miniature soldering iron features tips that fit directly over the heating element and a handle that stays cool. The iron is designed for optimum thermal efficiency and is comfortable to hold for several hours by assembly...

Dispenser.(Product Spotlight)
February 1, 2002... The DispenseLink[TM] controller provides a cost-effective micro volume dispensing capability for high density interconnect, semiconductor packaging and surface-mount applications. A brushless motor controls the rotation of the auger with a...

RF test sockets.(Product Spotlight)
February 1, 2002... Radio frequency (RF) test sockets, with spring-loaded lids to provide consistent lead pressure on every socket, meet precise pressure requirements with mix-and-match springs. This design can be used throughout RF/microwave, automated handling...

Inspection station.(Product Spotlight)
February 1, 2002... The Observatory video inspection station features a high-resolution color CCD, dual illumination source and laser positioning indicator. These features are housed in a compact dome for an ergonomic design. The system mount clears valuable...

Radial design system.(Product Spotlight)
February 1, 2002... CADSTAR Radial Design is based on the CADSTAR suite of PCB design tools integrated with a Route Editor. The product enables the design of radial boards, those with identical blocks of design centered around a single device or area, to be...

Manufacturing software.(Product Spotlight)
February 1, 2002... The GC-PowerStation v. 1.4.2 CAM software for printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing offers improved component modeling and display to provide CAM operators with information useful for communication between designers in the CAM process....

AOI verified stencils.(Product Spotlight)
February 1, 2002... EtchGuard[R] laser cut stencils are now inspected via ScanCheck technology. The automated optical inspection (AOI) system provides image analysis of every laser cut stencil at 12,000 dpi to ensure a high level of quality and reliability. The...

Die bonder.(Product Spotlight)
February 1, 2002... The Model 410-XP precision bonder achieves finished bond precision of +/- 1 to 2 [micro]m. The Ponder features enhanced optics and mechanical movement with a more stable granite-based platform. The product also offers 750x magnification, a wide...

Anti-tombstoning solder paste.(Product Spotlight)
February 1, 2002... Multicore[R] 63S4 solder pastes, formulated with 63S4 alloy that eliminates costly tombstone defects and reduces component misalignment, produce safe residues and are effective over a wide range of reflow profiles in air or nitrogen. Suitable...

Image processing software.(Product Spotlight)
February 1, 2002... The GTI-5000, version 1.06, has been upgraded to run in a Windows XT[TM], Windows 2000[TM] or Windows NT[TM] environment and perform inspection routines required for packaging technologies such as TBGAs, super BGAs, DSPs, CSPs and micro BGAs....

Impedance tester.(Product Spotlight)
February 1, 2002... The RITS520a, a turnkey system, offers reliable, repeatable and automated controlled impedance testing of 508 x 711.2 mm PCBs and coupons in a production environment. The system includes reference airlines traceable to NPL and NIST standards to...

Low stress adhesives.(Product Spotlight)
February 1, 2002... Low Shrink[TM] adhesives feature shrinkage as low as 0.1 percent and improved cure speed and offer low total movement, improved moisture resistance, low outgassing and adhesion to a variety of substrates. The adhesives can be used in many...

Electrochemical sensors.(Product Spotlight)
February 1, 2002... The XS-R series of DraegerSensors[R] offer extended stability, long-range and longer operation time--including a five-year warranty. The sensors exhibit stability to changing temperatures, pressures and humidity. The three-electrode design...

Board stackers.(Product Spotlight)
February 1, 2002... Board stacking headers, board stackers and mating socket strips can achieve board spacings of 0.13 mm increments. For 2.54 mm pitch, single, double and triple row through-hole headers (MTSW Series) and stackers (ZW Series), surface-mount board...

Surface-mount adhesive.(Product Spotlight)
February 1, 2002... LX70011 is a one-part surface-mount adhesive designed for high-speed dispensing applications. The adhesive exhibits no stringing to optimize dispensing. The stress on the bonded components is minimized with low shrinkage and a low coefficient...