Circuits Assembly articles from July 2007

Circuits Assembly archives from July 2007

'Flex'ing its muscle.(Caveat Lector)
July 1, 2007... About a month ago, Flextronics announced the purchase of rival Solectron. Although the move comes not entirely as a surprise, the timing snuck up on more than a few of us. And it is a behemoth: Flextronics will pay some $3.6 billion, topping by...

'One stop' never stopped.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2007... I really enjoyed your article ("Return of the One-Stop Shop," May 2007). However, I would make the argument that we never left! We are the one-stop solution for southern California, located in Anaheim, serving the aerospace/military and medical...

Intel.(In Brief)
July 1, 2007... Intel (intel.com) in May said its future processors will contain a SAC alloy instead of SnPb, beginning with its 45 nm high-k metal gate processors in the second half of this year, including Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Quad and Xeon processors. The...

ACE Production Technologies.(In Brief)
July 1, 2007... ACE Production Technologies (aceprotech.com) has acquired all Drop-Jet Spray Head technology and its related products from Castle Controls & Automation. ACE will offer the flux head as an option on its selective soldering products, and will...

Blue Thunder Technologies.(In Brief)
July 1, 2007... Blue Thunder Technologies (bluethundertechnologies.com) will carry Multicore and Hysol products manufactured by Henkel Electronics' (henkel.com/electronics) Loctite Group.

Dage Precision Industries.(In Brief)
July 1, 2007... Dage Precision Industries (dagegroup.com) named Electronic Assembly Products Inc. to represent its digital x-ray inspection systems and bond test equipment lines in Colorado, Utah and Costa Rica.

Design Chain Associates.(In Brief)
July 1, 2007... Environmental consulting firms Design Chain Associates (designchainassociates.com) in the U.S. and Eco-Frontier (ecofrontier.co.kr/eng/business/biz_sv.asp) of Korea have begun collaborations.

Inovaxe Corp.(In Brief)
July 1, 2007... Inovaxe Corp. (inovaxe.com) appointed Fix Trade BV (fixtrade.nl) as representative throughout the European Union and REStronics Mid-Atlantic Group (restronics.com) as distributor for South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia,...

Promation Inc.(In Brief)
July 1, 2007... Promation Inc. (pro-mation-inc.com) named Century Automation its sales representative in Florida, and Sertek Sales as its sales representative in Arizona and Sonora, Mexico.

Incap Corp.(In Brief)
July 1, 2007... Incap Corp. will add a line to its EMS operations in Tumkur, the site of the former TVS Electronics Ltd., which Incap acquired in February.

Practical Components.(In Brief)
July 1, 2007... Practical Components (practicalcomponents.com) appointed Kasion Automation Ltd. (kasion.com) as exclusive distributor in China.

Solectron.(In Brief)
July 1, 2007... Solectron (solectron.com) opened an aftermarket repair services and product fulfillment facility in Plzen, Czech Republic, and expanded its Shanghai product development site.

Sunburst EMS.(In Brief)
July 1, 2007... Sunburst EMS (sunburstems.com) has been certified ISO 13485.

Lenovo Holdings.(In Brief)
July 1, 2007... Lenovo Holdings is China's largest tech company, according to a recent government report. No. 2 is Haier Group, followed by Huawei Technologies, BOE-Hydis, Midea, TCL, Hisense, Founder, Panda Electronics and SVA Corp. According to the report,...

Private equity firms General Atlantic and Francisco Partners sued Aeroflex Inc. (aeroflex.com), saying the maker of electronics test equipment owes them a larger fee for breaking off a pending merger.(In Brief)
July 1, 2007... Private equity firms General Atlantic and Francisco Partners sued Aeroflex Inc. (aeroflex.com), saying the maker of electronics test equipment owes them a larger fee for breaking off a pending merger. According to an SEC filing, the $22.5...

Jabil Circuit.(In Brief)
July 1, 2007... Jabil Circuit (jabil.com) will close its Poway, CA, assembly plant and lay off 143 workers by September. The plant manufactures medical electronics, according to published reports.

Kimball Electronics.(People)
July 1, 2007... Kimball Electronics named Kevin Stokes vice president, global technical services, responsible for Lean Six Sigma, design and test, development services, advanced manufacturing, engineering, supply chain, quoting and IT.

Electronic Systems Inc.(People)
July 1, 2007... EMS firm Electronic Systems Inc. named Charles Stranko director of program management, responsible for customer relationships. He has 20 years of EMS experience. Deb Cardinal rejoined the company as a director, with oversight of materials...

KIC.(People)
July 1, 2007... KIC named Peter Chadwick operations manager, responsible for R & D and production. He has extensive background in design and development, quality, lean production, and management. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Kester.(People)
July 1, 2007... Kester promoted Maureen Brown to Intel business unit manager, responsible for managing all aspects of supply to Intel.

Suntron Corp.(People)
July 1, 2007... Suntron Corp. named Brian Throneberry vice president of sales and marketing. He has been an executive with Avex Electronics, Tri-M Technologies LTD, CMC Industries, ACT Manufacturing and Venture Corp. Ltd.

Precision PCB Products.(People)
July 1, 2007... Precision PCB Products named William Sanson operations manager.

Zestron America.(People)
July 1, 2007... Zestron America named Naveen Ravindran to its application technology team. He was a process engineer for Avavid Polymers and has a master's in chemical engineering from the University of West Virginia.

Indium Corp.(People)
July 1, 2007... Indium Corp. named Dr. Terry Guckes (pictured top) business development director for the Metals & Chemicals Business Unit, responsible for extending relationships and creating new opportunities for gallium and germanium products. Also, the...

Carl Zeiss SMT Inc.(People)
July 1, 2007... Carl Zeiss SMT Inc. named Frank P. Averdung president. He has more than 20 years of management experience in sales, marketing, technical support and operations.

Millennia Design.(People)
July 1, 2007... EMS firm Millennia Design named Regis Clark senior design engineer.

RoBAT Ltd.(People)
July 1, 2007... RoBAT Ltd. named Paul Ashford applications manager, responsible for user support.

CADParts & Consulting LLC.(People)
July 1, 2007... CADParts & Consulting LLC named Dennis Carmody to manage the newly formed IT Services Group.

Corrections.(Correction notice)
July 1, 2007... Due to conversion errors, "A Study of Copper Dissolution During Pb-Free PTH Rework Using a Thermally Massive Test Vehicle" (May 2007) contained several incorrect dimensions. Please see the online version for the correct measurements. In...

Panasonic opens U.S. Advanced Packaging Lab.(Industry NEWS)
July 1, 2007... BUFFALO GROVE, IL -- Calling the U.S. "at the forefront of advanced research," Panasonic Factory Solutions Company of America (panasonicfa.com) in June held the grand opening ceremony for its Advanced Packaging Lab. The lab, located at the...

Rohwedder acquires JOT Automation.(Industry NEWS)
July 1, 2007... BERMATINGEN, GERMANY -- Rohwedder AG (rohwedder.com) will acquire JOT Automation from Elektrobit Corp. (elektrobit.com) for $38.6 million, less contingencies covering JOT's interest-bearing liabilities and its financial performance in 2007 and...

Asustek to split EMS, OEM ops.(Industry NEWS)
July 1, 2007... TAIPEI -- Asustek's (asustek.com) chairman said the motherboard maker will separate its contract manufacturing operations from its branded products group as soon as possible. The company previously said it would split the divisions in 2008. ...

The end of Pb-free wave soldering?(Industry NEWS)
July 1, 2007... COLORADO SPRINGS, CO -- A top stencil manufacturer has devised a process for eliminating wave soldering. In a recent paper, Photo Stencil (photostencil.com) vice president of technology Dr. Bill Coleman outlines a procedure called intrusive...

Nordson files patent infringement against Musashi.(Industry NEWS)
July 1, 2007... WESTLAKE, OH -- Nordson Corp. filed a patent infringement action on April 27 in the Tokyo District Court against Jetmaster and Jetmaster2, manufactured by Musashi Engineering Inc. The complaint alleges that two Musashi...

Nu Visions to acquire Veritek.(Industry NEWS)
July 1, 2007... SPRINGFIELD, MA -- Nu Visions Manufacturing and San Francisco-based private equity firm Golden Gate Capital bought Veritek Manufacturing Services for an undisclosed amount. The deal includes Veritek's (veritekmfg.com) plants in San Jose and...

New Zestron global HQ takes flight.(Industry NEWS)
July 1, 2007... MANASSAS, VA -- Dr. Harald Wack, executive VP and CEO of Zestron, describes his precision cleaning company as "a true multicultural experience." At the company's Manassas, VA, facility inauguration in May, his statement couldn't have been more...

JPCA report: technology never sleeps.(Industry NEWS)
July 1, 2007... TOKYO -- JPCA 2007, held amid a minor slowdown in the electronics interconnect industry, must be considered an unqualified success. Between the innovations on display, the incorporation of the Protec assembly show, and real-world...

Viscom opens China test center.(Industry NEWS)
July 1, 2007... SHANGHAI -- Viscom (viscom.com) opened its applications center in China on May 9. The 3,900-ft.[.sup.2] site offers machine testing and training in Chinese and English. The company will stock the demo room with all its branded inspection...

Semiconductor surge.(Market WATCH)
July 1, 2007... Trends in the U.S. electronics equipment market (shipments only). % Change Feb. March (r) April* YTD Computers and electronics products -6.0...

PMI rises to highest level in a year.(Market WATCH)
July 1, 2007... TEMPE, AZ -- Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in May for the fourth consecutive month, while the overall economy grew for the 67th consecutive month, says ISM (ism.ws). In a statement, ISM spokesman Norbert J. Ore...

Industry market snapshot.(Market WATCH)
July 1, 2007... Book-to-bills of various components/equipment. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. Semiconductor equipment (1) 1.01 1.00 0.98 0.99 (r) 1.00 (p) Semiconductors (2) 9.0% 9.6%...

Metals index.(Market WATCH)
July 1, 2007... Price Price Price Price per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. Date 2/12/07 4/9/07 5/14/07 6/11/07 LME Cash Seller and $6.28 $6.43 $6.55 $6.45...

Healthy growth for medical.(Market WATCH)
July 1, 2007... LOS ALTOS, CA -- U.S. medical electronics production is predicted to grow more quickly than healthcare outlays, says Henderson Ventures (hendersonventures.com) in its recent forecast. Healthcare expenditures will grow at an average annual rate...

Firms downgrade chip forecast.(Market WATCH)
July 1, 2007... EL SEGUNDO, CA -- Global semiconductor revenue will rise to $281.4 billion in 2007, up 8.1% from $260.2 billion in 2006, according to iSuppli (isuppli.com). Earlier, iSuppli predicted 10.6% growth for the year. Meanwhile, rival research...

WSTS projects 2H semiconductor recovery.(Market WATCH)
July 1, 2007... SHANGHAI -- The global semiconductor market is expected to grow 2.3% to $253.5 billion in 2007, according to the spring forecast of the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (wsts.org) group. That's down from 8.9% in 2006. However, a moderate...

The profitability line.(Talking Heads)(Interview)
July 1, 2007... You might not recognize Michael Foster. He doesn't spend much time making speeches or taking part in a lot of fancy committees. What the general manager for Dynatech Technology (dynatechsmt.com) has been, however, is a driving force behind...

India curries favor, but still has work to do: does the 2d most populous nation lack managerial maturity?(Global Sourcing)
July 1, 2007... "No culture can live, if it attempts to be exclusive." --Mahatma Gandhi About a year ago, a customer asked me to identify a reliable manufacturing source for stainless steel castings in India, and to manage it as well as my company...

The sun shines for semiconductor equipment and material makers: how the electronics industry benefits from alternative energy development.(On the Forefront)
July 1, 2007... Ed.: For the complete article, visit circuitsassembly.com/cms/content/view/ Alternative energy development, be it to decrease fossil fuels use and the subsequent global warming or simply to reduce consumption of (high-priced) energy,...

Understencil cleaning: optimizing a necessary evil; Controlling cleaning inputs is essential to achieving a clean stencil.(Screen Printing)
July 1, 2007... There is probably not a fully automatic screen printer sold today that doesn't include an understencil cleaning option, but the fact is that cleaning is a process fix. If the printing process is well centered, completely in control, and all of...

Black pad on ENIG PCBS: the discovery of "extreme dewetting" prompted a search for the source--in Shenzhen.(Better Manufacturing)
July 1, 2007... Early in 2005, SMC formed a steering committee to discuss and define implementation of Pb-free and RoHS production capabilities at its Lexington, KY, facility. One major decision was the use of electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG) finish on...

EFD's customer service metrics: why the material supplier and SEA winner's average customer relationship tops 15 years.(SEAs 2007)
July 1, 2007... Ed.: For the complete article, visit circuitsassembly.com/cms/content/view/5026 At the 2007 CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY Service Excellence Awards, EFD Inc. (efd-inc.com) took home an honor for customer service as a materials supplier. Marketing...

Understencil cleaning for process repeatability: the optimal solution doesn't mean ramping the cleaning frequency.
July 1, 2007... Understencil cleaning is essential if a process is to be repeatable. Excessive cleaning, on the other hand, will slow throughput unnecessarily. SPC tools can help optimize the frequency, but this frequency is increasing as aperture dimensions...

Solder paste thixotropy impacts rheometric results: a sample preparation method reduces thixotropy's impact in paste testing.(Solder Testing)(Reprint)
July 1, 2007... Ed.: For the complete article, visit circuitsassembly.com/cms/content/view/5022/ This article describes the differences in this respect between the various measuring principles such as the spindle, spiral pump and plate/plate method. It...

An EMS provider that doesn't build boards: taking "focus" to the extreme can mean giving up SMT assembly too.(EMS Business Models)
July 1, 2007... Ed.: The complete article can be seen at circuitsassembly.com/cms/content/view/5023. Narragansett Technologies lives the philosophy it espouses to its customers: Focus on core competencies and outsource everything else. Narragansett...

Products and services.(2007 BUYERS GUIDE)(Directory)
July 1, 2007... The annual CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY Buyers Guide is the industry's only comprehensive source of supplier product and process information. For 2007 the CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY Buyers Guide has been redesigned. You can now use the interactive online guide at...

Special suppliers section.(2007 BUYERS GUIDE)(Directory)
July 1, 2007... ACL Staticide 1960 E. Devon Ave. Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 847-981-9212, fax: 847-981-9278 aclstaticide.com Amistar Corp. 237 Via Vera Cruz San Marcos, CA 92078 760-471-3957, fax: 760-471-9065 ...

A foundation for continuous improvement: lean is highly effective, but it's hard to do right.(Getting Lean)
July 1, 2007... In 1949, on a factory shop floor in Koromo, Japan, an automotive company implemented a process to increase efficiency, eliminate waste and improve quality in its manufacturing. Today, this company--Toyota Motor Corp.--is a market leader because...

Conformal coating characteristics: Part 1 of a primer on types and uses of these protective materials.(Tech Tips)
July 1, 2007... A conformal coating is defined as a thin polymeric material that covers the surface of an electronics assembly. These coatings are used to provide an electrically insulative and environmentally protective seal or cover to a completed PCB. ...

Wave soldering 0603s: these small parts can usually withstand higher soldering temps.(Wave Soldering)
July 1, 2007... The introduction of Pb-free alloys to wave soldering has made soldering more difficult when smaller components are used. Different techniques are employed for soldering small components such as 0603 resistors. In many cases, reflow soldering...

Limited access testing: the never-ending quest to keep up with testing challenges.(Test and Inspection)
July 1, 2007... In my dealings with customers and coworkers in recent weeks, the latest buzzwords used repeatedly in association with test challenges experienced in the industry include "limited access." Why this surge in excitement? And why now? Access...

The new 'mixed technology' PCB: what will you do when SnPb balls are discontinued?(Pb-Free Lessons Learned)
July 1, 2007... Remember when the term "mixed technology" referred only to a design that included both surface mount and through-hole components? Ah, the good old days of SnPb. These days, mixed technology often refers to mixed alloy systems between components...

[TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII].(Materials World)
July 1, 2007... [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] Renzhe Zhao, Ph.D., is a senior applications engineer at Henkel's Electronics Group (henkel.com); renzhe.zhao@us.henkel.com. For the English version, visit circuits assembly.com. [ILLUSTRATION...

Water-soluble solder paste.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
July 1, 2007... Alpha WS-819 water-soluble Pb-free solder paste reportedly withstands 50% [+ or -] 15% humidity. Developed for Pb-free PCBs Is said to provide long stencil life, reduced printing cycle time, voiding resistance, and water cleaning without...

AOI software with process control.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
July 1, 2007... AOI tools include Advisor process control software, which provides a central data hub for storing SMT quality data. Reportedly gives a broad view of quality relevant metrics for the entire line from a single source. Said to provide highly...

EMES monitoring software.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
July 1, 2007... VManage software monitors and controls work and materials at the shop floor and factory management level. Extends TraceExpert tool into into manual assembly and box-build. Has complete, real-time visibility to every aspect of the manufacturing...

Multi-level stencil system.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
July 1, 2007... OptiGuard stencil system is part of the VectorGuard stencil range. Provides an alternative mounting process, helpful when stepped or multi-level stencils are deployed. Can be used with laser-cut, precision-etched, laser-formed or electro-formed...

ESD control device.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
July 1, 2007... The minION2 bipolar DC corona ionizer controls electrostatic charges cleanly, quickly and reliably in work areas where static charge is a concern. Has a novel emitter array design and control circuitry in a small package. Is said to maintain [+...

'No smear' SAC paste.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
July 1, 2007... SAC3 XM5S reportedly produces void-free Pb-free solder joints and has excellent wetting. Said to resist slump when heated, and work in air or nitrogen. Is compatible with OSP, NiAu, silver and tin finishes. Is designed for stencil printing...

5-zone Pb-free oven.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
July 1, 2007... R-500 reflow oven features 10 reinforced PID temperature controllers in each of the five upper and lower chambers for precise profiling of reflow parameters. Has three thermocouple inputs for real-time monitoring of component and PCB...

Fast changeover printer.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
July 1, 2007... Icon i8 fully automatic screen printer is said to reduce product changeover time to two min., and permit new product setup time in less than 10 min. Is reportedly capable of 12 sec. cycle time, and processes boards up to 350 x 300 mm. Features...

Large object x-ray.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
July 1, 2007... X8060 NDT universal x-ray and CT inspection system performs nondestructive test on larger, heavier objects. An integrated, computed tomography permits 3-D reconstruction of test objects up to 66 lbs. Has microfocus x-ray tube with a max....

Large part stick magazine.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
July 1, 2007... Agilis stick magazine has a precision linear drive and servo-controlled horizontal motion to feed up to 50 mm long components in up to 28 mm high sticks. Moves the stick forward and immediately pulls straight back to advance components through...

Selective flux dispenser.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
July 1, 2007... Axiom X-1030 series dispenser is for selective jetting of traditional flux, no-clean solder fluxes and other precise coating applications. Comes in single or dual-lane configurations. Said to optimize underfill and package reliability,...

Array rework tool.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
July 1, 2007... APR-5000-DZ array package rework tool is said to enable fast ramp and tighter delta temperature control for Pb-free rework without affecting adjacent and underside components. Expands capability to rework odd-form and temperature-sensitive...

Small footprint component tester.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
July 1, 2007... Thermonics T-2800 fully self-contained precision temperature forcing system (PTFS), for component testing, incorporates a built-in air compressor said to eliminate the need for an external air supply at the test location. Has a temperature...

In case you missed it.(Technical Abstracts)
July 1, 2007... Emerging Technology "Photonics Reliability--Managing the Time Bomb" Author: Professor Nihal Sinnadurai Abstract: Qualification to photonics reliability "standards" does not provide the evidence required for ensuring the required...