Circuits Assembly articles from January 2005

Circuits Assembly archives from January 2005

New model year.(Caveat Lector)
January 1, 2005... It is a publishing maxim that big changes are saved for the January issue. It's a time-honored tradition--don't ask me why--but one I'll stick with here. To a degree. Last July, upon taking over as editor of CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY, I assembled...

Supply and demand.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... Your December editorial (circuitsassembly.com/pdf/0412/0412editorial.pdf) was good (although, if I might say so, a bit too homey and safe). It's encouraging that you're venturing out politically--you should do it regularly, especially...

Of politics and PCBs.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... You are right on! Great article (circuitsassembly.com/pdf/0411/0411editorial.pdf)! Now is the time to protect our industry. Keep up the great work! Ed Empero Business Development Manager Cirexx Corp. I have recently started...

Another letter to the president.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... First, let me congratulate you on your recent victory. I was very proud to have voted for you and was delighted to see you elected to a second, well-deserved term. I've attached a link to an editorial that appeared in the November issue of...

Corrections/clarifications.(Correction Notice)
January 1, 2005... In Phil Zarrow's November column the mask thickness should have read typically about 50 [micro]m (0.002"). In December, we noted that the impending ROHS mandate restricts the use of bromine. We should have noted that it bans PBB and PBDE...

GPS is the newest distributor for Indium Corp.(In Brief)
January 1, 2005... GPS is the newest distributor for Indium Corp. of America (indium.com), selling solders and fluxes in Germany, Croatia and Slovenia.

Specialty Coating Systems.(In Brief)
January 1, 2005... Specialty Coating Systems (scscookson.com), a unit of Cookson Electronics, has opened SCS Shanghai, a full-service conformal coating facility in China. SCS also purchased the assets of former service partner Cycad Specialty Coatings Technology...

IslandTek International.(In Brief)
January 1, 2005... IslandTek International, a PCBA equipment sales company, will represent Feinfocus' (feinfocus.com) line of x-ray inspection systems in Taiwan.

ARRIS.(In Brief)
January 1, 2005... ARRIS (arrisi.com) selected eValue from Applied Systems Intelligence (asinc.com) for enterprise resource planning.

Sparton Electronics.(In Brief)
January 1, 2005... Sparton Electronics (sparton.com) opened an EMS operation in Albuquerque in a building formerly owned by Honeywell (honeywell.com). Sparton closed and sold a smaller, older facility located in Rio Rancho, NM.

SolderMask Inc.(In Brief)
January 1, 2005... SolderMask Inc. (soldermask.com) will become the first North American licensee of DEK's VectorGuard stencils. SolderMask will manufacture stencils from foil blanks supplied by DEK (dek.com) and will also provide complementary frames.

Fuji Do Brasil Maquinas Industriais LTDA.(In Brief)
January 1, 2005... Fuji Do Brasil Maquinas Industriais LTDA (fujibrasil.com.br) will market Asymtek's (asymtek.com) automated fluid dispensing systems throughout South America.

Cobar Solder Products.(In Brief)
January 1, 2005... Cobar Solder Products (cobar.com) appointed Tom Fareno and HiTecs Sales to represent its line of fluxes, solder pastes, alloys and soldering materials in Illinois and Wisconsin.

West Tech Inc.(In Brief)
January 1, 2005... West Tech Inc. will provide representation for KIC's (kicthermal.com) thermal management tools in Colorado and Utah.

Hitachi.(In Brief)
January 1, 2005... Hitachi (hitachi.com) has adopted a lead-free alloy across its plants worldwide. The company is using SnAgCuln solder in highrel communications and medical equipment and larger PCBs. Hitachi chose the alloy based on its melting point...

Solder vendors: 'no difference' in tested SAC alloys.(Industry NEWS)
January 1, 2005... Bannockburn, IL -- A group of leading vendors of solder in November released white paper findings that "no significant difference" exists between a trio of heavily researched lead-free alloys. The lead-free pastes were found to result in less...

NEMI: RoHS/WEEE conversion 'well underway'.(Industry NEWS)
January 1, 2005... Herndon, VA -- Makers of consumer electronics are planning full compliance to new environmental mandates from Europe by the third quarter of 2005, with some early adopters ready now. The supply chain is prepared to support this schedule, NEMI...

Siemens set to launch new placement platform.(Industry NEWS)
January 1, 2005... Munich -- Siemens Logistics and Assembly Systems (siplace.com) in December disclosed its latest machine platform to CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY, the equipment giant's first new platform in years. The Siplace X-series features an innovative head with...

Interplex Industries.(In Brief)
January 1, 2005... Interplex Industries (interplex.com) opened a facility in Dalian, China, to provide tooling and precision-metal stamping and heat-treating services. The company hopes to add electroplating, insert and injection molding and assembly services.

Autron Corp.(In Brief)
January 1, 2005... Autron Corp. (autroncorp.com) opened a center in Singapore for remanufacturing and sale of complete lines of previously owned equipment. The new center houses process R&D and remanufacturing facilities, spare parts, component engineering and...

EMS provider MiQuest.(In Brief)
January 1, 2005... EMS provider MiQuest (miquest.com) will expand its Grand Rapids, MI, factory to meet higher demand. Production will start early this year, the firm said.

Hangzhou Eastcom Cellular Phone Co.(In Brief)
January 1, 2005... Hangzhou Eastcom Cellular Phone Co. will purchase $20 million worth of SMT equipment and maintenance over the next three years from Autron Pte. Ltd., a subsidiary of Autron Corp. Autron will also help manage Hangzhou's spare parts inventories.

FocalSpot Inc.(People)
January 1, 2005... FocalSpot Inc. named Jeff Herberg global customer support manager and Glenn Olaes x-ray product line manger. Herberg was in technical support at GenRad/Nicolet Imaging Systems and Teradyne. Olaes was in applications engineering and product...

Samuel Sher.(People)
January 1, 2005... Samuel Sher was named VP of sales and marketing at Bliss Industries. Sher was a sales and marketing consultant to tech companies.

Pete Waddell, UP Media Group Inc. (publisher of CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY).(People)
January 1, 2005... Pete Waddell, UP Media Group Inc. (publisher of CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY), received a Special Recognition award from IPC in October for contributions to the Designers Council. Bill Brooks and Susan Webb were also honored. They were among 26...

New CEO Corbett sewing up Cookson units.(Industry NEWS)
January 1, 2005... Providence, RI -- When Ray Sharpe abruptly stepped down as chief executive of Cookson Electronics last May, it opened a huge can of worms over who was next in line to run one of the world's largest suppliers of electronics assembly materials....

Ann Wood, corporate vice president of operations at IEC Electronics.(People)
January 1, 2005... Ann Wood, corporate vice president of operations at IEC Electronics resigned for personal reasons and was replaced by Don Doody, formerly of Plexus. [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]

Dage Precision Industries.(People)
January 1, 2005... Dage Precision Industries appointed John Travis Eastern regional sales manager. Travis previously worked with Electrovert as a field engineer, Trig Technologies as owner/operator and as VP of sales for contract manufacturer Accutronics.

Cookson Electronics Assembly Materials Group.(People)
January 1, 2005... Bruce Moloznik (right) was promoted to global director of product management for Cookson Electronics Assembly Materials Group responsible for the Alpha brand and product line strategies. Also, Mike Murphy (left) was named regional marketing...

Joseph D'Andrea.(People)
January 1, 2005... Joseph D'Andrea has joined Printed Circuits Corp. as sales manager. D'Andrea spent the past 11 years in sales and marketing at T-Tech Inc.

Vijay Patel.(People)
January 1, 2005... Vijay Patel has been promoted to president of View Engineering. He has spent 20 years in technical and marketing management at the company.

Hover-Davis Inc.(People)
January 1, 2005... Hover-Davis Inc. named Mike Hayward (right) European sales manager. He previously worked for ECD and Philips EMT. Roland Heitmann (left) will also join the company as director of the new Semiconductor Feeding Solutions Group. Heitmann has held...

EMS firms must 'stand up' to OEMs.(Industry NEWS)
January 1, 2005... New York -- Top tier electronics manufacturing services providers need to adopt a small business mindset if they are remain viable and profitable companies, says a report issued by a major consulting firm. McKinsey & Co. said that although...

CTS to buy SMTEK.(Industry NEWS)
January 1, 2005... Moorpark, CA -- CTS Corp. (ctscorp.com), a manufacturer of components and EMS provider, will acquire SMTEK International (smtek.com) in a cash and stock deal. CTS will pay between $14.20 and $15 per share, 75% in cash and 25% in CTS common...

Datacon, BE Semiconductor form nice package.(Industry NEWS)
January 1, 2005... Radfeld, Austria -- A pair of leading semiconductor gear makers, BE Semiconductor Industries (besi.com) and Datacon Technology (datcon.at), will merge this month. Besi will assume 100% of Datacon's shares. Datacon shareholders will receive...

Flip chip substrate demand taxing Taiwan capacity.(Industry NEWS)
January 1, 2005... Taipei -- Companies needing flip chip parts might do well to order them now. Word from Taiwan is that flip chip substrate capacity might be maxed during the first half of the year, due to heavy demand for graphics chips and chipsets. Rumors of...

Calling Iraq.(Market WATCH)
January 1, 2005... [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] Trends in the U.S. electronics equipment market (shipments only). % Change Aug. Sept. r Oct. * YTD...

Manufacturing warms in November.(Market WATCH)
January 1, 2005... Tempe, AZ -- Manufacturing in November reversed a three-month slide as new orders climbed for the first time since July. Production and backlogs slipped for the second straight month, however, said the Institute for Supply Management (ism.ws)....

Industry market snapshot.(Market WATCH)
January 1, 2005... Book-to-bills of various components/equipment. July August Sept. Oct. Semiconductor equipment (1) 1.04 1.01 0.96 0.96 Semiconductors (2) 1.0% 1.1% 1.0% 1.5%...

Q3 server sales up 6%.(Market WATCH)
January 1, 2005... Framingham, MA -- Factory revenue in the worldwide server market grew 5.5% year-on-year to $11.5 billion in the third quarter, the sixth consecutive quarter of growth. Units shipped rose 18.7%, said research firm IDC (idc.com). A competing...

Study: flip chips jumping.(Market WATCH)
January 1, 2005... Austin, TX -- Flip chip and wafer level packaging will see a compound growth rate of 28% between 2004 and 2009, a new study projects. TechSearch International (techsearchinc.com) says drivers continue to be performance, on-chip power...

WKK: Asian connection.(Talking Heads)
January 1, 2005... Those who consider themselves cosmopolitan should spend a day in the shoes of Hamed El-Abd. He is an American citizen (raised in Baltimore) of Egyptian descent who spends most of his time in Asia, where he is president of WKK Distribution, a...

The EMS marketing balancing act: optimizing expenditures means building awareness through the right vehicles.(Focus on Business)
January 1, 2005... The two biggest myths in EMS marketing are contradictory. Myth One is that you have to spend a lot of money to get your name known. Myth Two is that formal marketing doesn't work and all you really need is a sales team with good relationships....

Going offshore for bare boards: it's 10 p.m.: do you know where your boards are?(Global Sourcing)
January 1, 2005... Your company has decided to provide your manufacturing operation with an offshore solution to your printed circuit board needs. Going offshore for bare boards has its rewards--and problems. Careful planning and the ability to honestly assess...

Optimizing Pb-free SMT process parameters: a Taguchi approach reveals the most important process steps and best settings for screen-printing and reflow, as well as the best combination of paste and board finishes for lead-free soldering.(Cover Story)
January 1, 2005... Ed.: For the complete paper, including test methodologies and data results and analyses, and a list of references, please visit circuitsassembly.com/online/0501/0501napoli.shtml. [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] Many investigations...

A new, thin high-performance organic substrate: the flip-chip package can be conventionally processed and meets lead-free demands.(Packaging)
January 1, 2005... Ed.: For the full article, please see circuitsassembly.com/online/0501/0501_3m.shtml. This paper is courtesy of the SMTA (smta.org). Advanced semiconductor package development has been driven by electrical performance improvements,...

Welcome to CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY's 2005 Buyers' Guide.(PRODUCT LISTINGS)
January 1, 2005... The Product Listings (pg. 28-38) are ordered alphabetically, from Adhesives to Wire Processing. An alphabetical list of suppliers follows on pages 40-45. How to Use the Guide 1. In the Product Listings, you can look up a product by...

Supplier listings.(A-Z)
January 1, 2005... A A-Laser, Inc. 6190 SW Arctic Dr. Beaverton, OR 97005 tel: 503-641-9428, fax: 503-643-7698 A-Laser.com A.P.E. 106240 Overseas Hwy Key Largo, FL 33037 tel: 305-451-4722, fax: 305-451-3374 ...

How mass-imaging is chaning dispensing: printing thousands of dots in a single stroke.(Screen Printing)
January 1, 2005... When CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY asked me to pen a regular column on screen printing, I was honored. And, admittedly, challenged. Not because of the topic: I've been studying and applying materials deposition technology for years. But now I find myself...

The Ultimate Cutter Ring.(Assembly Insider: Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... The Razor * 100-300% increase in blade life!! * Cleaner Cuts--Reduce inspection time significantly * No Heat--No more Melted Solder Joints * Available in Cutter Rings for all Lead Trimmers [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Electronic reprints.(Assembly Insider: Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... Electronic reprints show your clients, partners and employees that you have been recognized in a well-respected industry magazine. They also serve as an attractive endorsement, adding credibility to your company and its products and services....

In stock and ready to ship!(Assembly Insider: Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... Order your copy of the fourth edition of Printed Circuit Board Basics: An Introduction to the PCB Industry today! Now there's an easy-to-read handbook that explains the process and business of printed circuit board manufacturing in simple...

Traceability's impact on manufacturing: knowing what went wrong and where could save money in future designs.(Better Manufacturing)
January 1, 2005... The consequences of field failures range from mild frustration to total disaster. If a low-cost consumer gadget fails, it is annoying but hardly fatal or life threatening. Should an avionics fuel monitoring and distribution system break down,...

Pb-free's impacts on test and inspection: early runs show higher numbers of opens, bridges and voids.(Test and Inspection)
January 1, 2005... Effective July 1, 2006, a majority of circuit board assemblies sold in Europe will be required by law to be lead-free. In the traditional tin-lead process, tin-lead paste and components with some lead is preferred. Clearly, it would be great if...

Will Buzz Lightyear return? Poor manufacturing yields are slowing development of this key technology.(Optoelectronics Assembly)
January 1, 2005... Introduced over a quarter century ago, optoelectronics has impacted almost every aspect of our daily lives. Innovations in lightwave technology have influenced information technology, telecom, computing, manufacturing, aerospace, military,...

The environmental mandate: in the first of an exclusive NEMI series, we look at the looming deadlines and what they mean.(Countdown to Pb-Free)
January 1, 2005... Although not yet in effect, the European Union's RoHS (Restriction on Use of Certain Hazardous Substances) and WEEE (Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment) directives are already having a dramatic impact. These two directives govern...

What's in your electronics equipment? Can a materials declaration standard be developed by the RoHS deadline?(New Standards)
January 1, 2005... Under the guise of wanting to offer customers so-called "green" or environmentally friendly product, the past few years have seen an increasing focus on the material content of electronics equipment. While the European Union's Restriction on...

RFID Feeder kit.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... RFID Smart Feeder validation system is reportedly robust and flexible enough for all machine types. Can be retrofitted to existing placement machines. Enables closed-loop feeder and component setup validation; eliminates human errors and...

Aqueous batch cleaner.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... Model 7883CD batch cleaner removes water-soluble fluxes. Incorporates a rotary selector switch with eight standard programs and one custom program for control. Standard wash recipes have fully adjustable times and temperatures. Features a...

Multi-job placement.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... Autoplacer pick-and-place system has over 300 feeders to maximize flexibility and reduce or eliminate changeover time. Multiple jobs can be run without stopping to change feeders during production. Reportedly places components from 0201s to 55...

Pb-free solder paste.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... DSP889 is a no-clean, lead-free stencil printing solder paste for high-yield lead-free manufacturing. Claims to provide 10 to 12% higher metal volume than typical lead-containing alloys. Fluxing activity levels reportedly promote thermal...

Modular workstation.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... Series 8000 modular workstations can be assembled and reconfigured quickly--saving time and money. Can be configured in a variety of heights and lengths, easily converted from single to double sided. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Arlink,...

Lead-free profiler.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... SlimKIC 2000-LF profiler and process development tool optimizes the lead-free thermal process. Incorporates up to 12 thermocouples and has both real-time and datalogging options. Comes with a stainless steel thermal shield and thermocouples...

Vision measurement system.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... Linear motors are said to provide Summit XP with the velocities and accelerations needed to satisfy near-line measurement/inspection requirements. Elements 2.0 software eliminates complexity and long setup times by using CAD data and...

Reel-to-Reel RFID.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... The Reel-to-Reel RFID system features throughput up to 9000 cph, a 20" wide Web process capability and 12 [micro]m placement repeatability at [+ or -]3 Sigma. Offers passive or active designs, direct die pick from wafers to 0.008" and positive...

Screen printer support.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... Micron-class high accuracy mass-imaging platform, which includes the Galaxy and Europa configurations, come with intelligent scalable control area networks, Instinctiv user interface and IP-based access to DEK's knowledge servers through...

Water-soluble Pb-free paste.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... Indium3.1 water-soluble lead-free solder paste is said to offer excellent wetting and printing for fine-pitch applications, and a long stencil life that virtually eliminates waste. Resultant solder joints are shiny and smooth. Also claims a...

Pb-free rework.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... 7500 Intruder series of split vision machines is suitable for lead-free soldering applications. Delivers up to 2100 W of reflow energy, includes a split vision alignment and placement system with computer generated thermocouple programmability....

Stencil printing 'in parallel'.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... MPM Accela printer has an operator interface with parallel processing. Permits reported 20 to 30% raw throughput gains. Backed by 11 patent applications, developed for low cost per board. Reduces setup, changeover and consumable downtime (from...

Post-reflow AOI.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... VSS-3EL post-reflow AOI features OCR, pattern matching and color inspection, as well as complete solder inspection. Made by Samsung Electronics. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ASC International, ascinternational.com Booth 2066

X-ray inspection.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... Jewel Box 70-T provides real-time x-ray inspection with large transparent windows on four sides. The windows, along with built-in five-axis positioner, permit positioning and viewing inspected objects from any angle, visually and by x-ray....

High-mix pick-and-place.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... FLX2010 SMD pick-and-place has 190 feeders, permitting feeder changeover during operation. Said to place 5900 components per hour, including advanced components, condensators up to 15 mm, large connectors and BGAs with 50 mm side length....

Small IC feeders.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... Small IC feeders provide fast, error-free feeding of small IC packages, eliminating mold flash interlock. The only component out of the tube is the component at the pick point. Component is covered as it leaves the tube and enters the nest, so...

Small sized AOI.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... Supra M AOI has full solder joint inspection and measurement capabilities in a small footprint. One large format digital camera and a high precision linear x/y stage come standard. Permits a configurable field of view depending on the...

Parts traceability tool.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... TraceXpert enables real-time production monitoring, SMT machine-performance level enhancement and traceability to single components. Provides a standard enterprise-wide solution for mixed-vendor assembly lines. Real-time machine interfaces. ...

X-ray auto-inspection.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... VJE X2500 fully automated x-ray inspection system provides high-contrast resolution at high viewing angles. Features integrated motion control, image measurement analysis and on-screen board representation for easy maneuvering. VJ...

No-clean, Pb-free paste.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... EnviroMark 909 lead-free, soft-residue, no-clean solder paste is reportedly capable of printing downtimes up to 60 min. with speeds up to 6 in./sec. Said to exhibit continual printability for small apertures such as 0201s and 0.016" pitch...

Lead-free solder bath.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... HC50-32LF2, HC50-39NF, HC50-32KDF2 and TAF40-12F lead-free systems offer drossless wave soldering, a motorless solder bath and 40% less dross than motor-driven systems. Requires 660 lb. initial solder to operate. Offers enhanced preheat...

Soldering station.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... Version PRO-8 in-line soldering station features a 60W diode laser (10,000 hours of useful life), four-axis cartesian robot with Adept controls, vision guidance, air knife and fume extraction on soldering lens, and optional micro camera...

High-speed placement.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... FX-1R high-speed placement machine reportedly delivers 10 to 15% improved actual throughput. Using linear motor and HI-drive mechanism, places a maximum of 33,000 or 25,000 cph. Dual placement head design with four nozzles each on a single x...

950 nm digital x-ray.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... XiDAT XD7500 digital x-ray system for PCB assembly has 950-nm feature recognition and oblique angle views of up to 70[degrees] for any position 360[degrees] around any point of the 18 X 16" inspection area. Inspects interconnections on BGAs and...

Lead-free paste.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... S3X58-M406 lead-free solder paste reportedly provides exceptional performance and a wide process window. Features superior tack time, voiding, solder wetting to Cu, Ni and Alloy 42, and post-reflow flux residue properties. [ILLUSTRATION...

0201 placement verification.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... EPV 5 embedded technology for high-speed, real-time verification of component placements. Provides absence/presence detection and panel deflection measurements at full placement speeds. High-resolution, point-of-placement images detect wrong,...

Digital dispenser.(Product PREVIEW)
January 1, 2005... Champion 6809 servo-driven automated dispensing system features easy-to-use proprietary software, includes a bright, high-contrast color TFT display. Can match application requirements from dots to underfills. Placement accuracy of within 3...