Circuits Assembly articles from June 2003

Circuits Assembly archives from June 2003

The new SIRPLACE C-Series: for flexible medium-volume electronics applications at an affordable price.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... At Siemens Dematic, we understand the special requirements of medium-volume manufacturers. And that's why we created the SIPLACE C-Series--to give you the maximum flexibility and cost-effective performance you need for constantly changing...

Same old, same old.(Editorial)
June 1, 2003... Ladies and gentlemen, trying to analyze this industry is a crapshoot. Speakers at countless market and business seminars I've been to over the past two years have repeatedly told me, "Looks like we've turned the corner, and business in North...

www.myselective.com.(Web Sites Worth Mentioning)(Vitronics Soltec North America)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The Vitronics Soltec site offers total Web integration for selective soldering systems. The site provides information related to selective soldering processing and equipment, including technical articles, applications notes and news pertaining...

www.quadtech.com.(Web Sites Worth Mentioning)(QuadTech)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The QuadTech Website includes an application note library, the updated Web version of the electrical safety testing guide, the expanded LCR measurement primer, sign-up for the newsletter and product information, pricing, manuals end guides.

www.ledtronics.com.(Web Sites Worth Mentioning)(Ledtronics Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Ledtronics' Web site now includes an online energy calculation tool that computes the energy and monetary savings derived from replacing incandescent bulbs with light emitting diode (LED) lamps. The report can then be printed or e-mailed.

www.ebaybusiness.com.(Web Sites Worth Mentioning)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... eBay Business provides a single destination for small businesses to buy and sell equipment and supplies. Using the same features us the traditional eBay marketplace, the site offers a selection of items in three main categories: industrial...

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

www.circuitsassembly.com/resource/dems.html.(Surveys and Guides)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Are you an EMS provider wanting to attract more OEM customers? Then, don't miss the opportunity for your free listing in the original Directory of Electronics Manufacturing Services Providers (DEMS).

Circuits assembly online: www.circuitsassembly.com.(NETgain: the latest the internet has to offer)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... * Ten Timely Tips: Hand Soldering * MSD Control in e High Reliability Production Environment J. Cambrils, M. Hickey and D. Tibbets, BAE Systems * VOC-Free Liquid Flux Development Tim Lawrence, Ph.D., Malcolm Warwick, Ph.D., and...

Engent acquires rights to Siemens Dematic AAT Center.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Engent Inc. (Norcross, GA, www.engentaat.com) and Siemens Dematic Electronics Assembly Systems Inc. (EAS, Norcross, GA, www.siemens-dematic.com) have signed an agreement for Engent to assume the rights to the Advanced Assembly Technology (AAT)...

Asymtek marks 20 years in PCB assembly industry.(Industry News)(printed circuit board)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Asymtek (Carlsbad, CA, www.asymtek.com), a Nordson company, marks its 20th anniversary, celebrating its position as a provider of automated fluid dispensing systems for printed circuit board (PCB) and semiconductor assembly. Asymtek is part of...

Elcoteq designs, manufactures phones for wireless phone OEMs.(Industry News)(original equipment manufacturer)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Elcoteq (Irving, TX, www.elcoteq.com), an electronics manufacturing services (EMS) company for the communications technology industry, has announced its capability to provide complete mobile phone design platforms and co-development engineering...

Vitronics Soltec: making the most of lead free.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The Vitronics Soltec (Stratham, NH www. vitronics-soltec.com) lead-free seminar, "Make the Right Connection in Lead-Free Soldering," stopped in Atlanta in April as part of the company's 18-day tour. Denis Barbini, Ph.D, advanced...

SMTA certification programs planned for Boston.(Industry News)(Surface Mount Technology Association)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The Surface Mount Technology Association (SMTA, Minneapolis, MN, www.smta.org) recently launched two certification programs, SMT Processes and SMT Systems, which are intended for engineers with at least one year of surface-mount experience and...

March 2003 IMS/PCB Book-to-Bill.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The U.S. IMS/PCB Industry Book-to-Bill Ratio for March 2003 was 1.04. Sales billed (shipments) in March 2003 decreased 29.2% from March 2002, and orders booked decreased 25.7% from March 2002. Compared to 2002, bookings of PCBs are down...

MSL chooses Valor CAM solution.(Industry News)(Manufacturers' Services Ltd.)(Valor Computerized Systems Ltd.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Valor Computerized Systems Ltd (Yavne, Israel, wvw.valor.com) has sold its Trilogy 5000 pre-production CAM solution for assembly and new product introduction to MSL (Concord MA. www.msl.com), an electronics manufacturing services (EMS)...

Reed postpones October NEPCON West.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Reed Exhibitions (Norwalk, CT. www.reedexpo.com) announced that NEPCON West 2003. scheduled for October 28-29 at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center, in San Jose. CA. has been postponed "indefinitely." Also postponed for 2003 were the...

Correction.
June 1, 2003... The article, "Reducing Solder Voids with Copper-Filled Microvias," which appeared in the April 2003 issue, inadvertently omitted Guillermo Echeverria as one of the authors. Echeverria is an R&D intern Cookson Electronics' Jersey City, NJ,...

A4 600 dpi Thermal Transfer Printer the newest release from cab.(Assembly Insider)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The A4/600 is the newest member to our family of cab A-Series printers. High resolution 600 dpi output is ideal for high density 2D bar-codes and small labels.... Ease of Use- Graphic LCD Display, Navigator Pad, USB Peripherals, Network...

Directory of Electronics Manufacturing Services Providers (DEMS).(Assembly Insider)(Brief Article)(Directory)
June 1, 2003... Are you on EMS provider that wants to attract more OEM customers? Then, don't miss the opportunity for your free listing in the original Directory of Electronics Manufacturing Services Providers (DEMS)--back by popular demand! For more...

Witness the difference.(Assembly Insider)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The Difference Isn't Black and White--It's Gray Dage's new XD6600 and XD6500 digital x-ray systems, provide extensive grayscale definition capability allowing users to detect small differences that can reveal problem areas. The XiDAT...

Circuits Assembly's Service Excellence Awards 2003.(Assembly Insider)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Get ready... It's time to start thinking about your 2004 Service Excellence Award entry. Are you up to the challenge? Do you want to find out what your customers really think about you? Entries will be accepted from July 15 through...

News and resources for PCB industry professionals.(PCB Update)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... PCB UPdate is a semimonthly e-mail newsletter from UP Media Group, which provides subscribers with the terrific editorial content and expertise of UPMG's two industry magazines: Printed Circuit Design & Manufacture and Circuits Assembly....

Bringing it all together at UIC's grand opening at Shekou, China.(Asia Watch)
June 1, 2003... Traditional Chinese lion dances and state-of-the art pick-and-place machines share a common characteristic that can be described as synergistic precision. Earlier this year, these two diverse movements, one cultural and the other high tech,...

Three-Five Systems acquires Malaysian EMS company.(In Other Asia News)(Unico Technology Bhd.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Three-Five Systems Inc. (TFS, Tempe, AZ, www.threefive.com), an electronics manufacturing services (EMS) and display products provider, announced recently that it acquired the business and certain assets of Unico Technology Bhd., a privately...

John Yim appointed VP sales, Asia, by Enthone Inc.(In Other Asia News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... John Yim has been appointed vice president of sales, Asia, by Enthone Inc. (West Haven, CT, www.cooksonelectronics.com), a Cookson Electronics PWB Materials & Chemistry business. Yim will be responsible for the sales and technical support of...

Plastic fantastic: conductive epoxies boldly go where no solder has gone before.(On the Forefront)
June 1, 2003... With the advent of lead-free legislation in Europe and Japan and the ensuing struggle to find materials that do not require an excessive thermal excursion, thoughts occasionally turn to conductive epoxies. One frequently asked question regards...

Dry solder joints and assembly cleanliness: Les defines solderability and troubleshoots cleaning process problems.(Ask Les)
June 1, 2003... Q: What is a "dry joint?" Why is it important that a circuit board have no dry joints? A: To achieve a solder joint between two mating surfaces, liquid solder must wet and flow over those surfaces to form a metallurgical bond. The IPC-T-50...

What does ESD really cost?: A Q&A session regarding the impacts of ESD damage.(ESD)(electrostatic discharge)(Interview)
June 1, 2003... In most conversations about electrostatic discharge (ESD), somebody inevitably asks, "What does ESD cost us?" and "Is it cost effective to control ESD?" I asked Steve Halperin, president of the ESD Association, to provide us with some answers...

The road ahead for board assembly: several process and equipment developments are needed to keep North America in pace with the changing nature of electronics manufacturing.(NEMI's 2002 Roadmap)
June 1, 2003... Earlier this year, the National Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (NEML Herndon, VA) published its 2002 roadmap, which identifies technology and infrastructure developments required to ensure the competitiveness of the North American...

The persistent problem of tombstoning: understanding this phenomenon and how to prevent it.(Soldering)
June 1, 2003... Tombstoning of passive chip components during the mass reflow soldering process has plagued circuit assemblers since the beginning of production surface-mount assembly. Tombstoning--the partial or complete lifting of passive surface-mount...

Let the customer be the Judge: 2003 Service Excellence Award participants learn what their customers really think.(SEA Awards)
June 1, 2003... For 11 years, Circuits Assembly has sponsored the Service Excellence Awards (SEA) program to help electronics manufacturing services (EMS) providers and electronics assembly equipment and software suppliers measure their customer service. The...

Defense electronics outsourcing: EMS companies should think twice before entering the defense market.(EMS Insight)
June 1, 2003... Given recent global events in which electronics intensive weaponry has been deployed, electronics manufacturing services (EMS) executives are wondering if now is the time to add the defense sector to their cadre of industry specialties. EMS...

Calculating the total costs of offshore outsourcing: is your product suited for offshore manufacturing?(EMS)
June 1, 2003... Several years ago, an industrial products manufacturer facing margin pressure decided to more a portion of its outsourced manufacturing to China. Today, that manufacturer is reevaluating part of that decision because of lack of schedule...

Infectious disease in developing countries.(EMS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in China and its subsequent spread to other parts of the world has highlighted a potential issue that has been present for some time: Areas of the world that are the least expensive to...