Circuits Assembly articles from November 2006

Circuits Assembly archives from November 2006

Come next fall, Chicago or Orlando?(Caveat Lector)
November 1, 2006... The Assembly Technology Expo show hadn't even drawn to a close before the battle began heating up over where exhibitors will put their trade show dollars next year. [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] In one corner is the incumbent AT...

Digi-Key Corp.(In Brief)
November 1, 2006... Digi-Key Corp. (digikey.com) has signed a worldwide distribution deal covering Antenova Ltd.'s (antenova.com) integrated antenna product line.

The MicroElectronics Packaging and Test Engineering Council.(In Brief)
November 1, 2006... The MicroElectronics Packaging and Test Engineering Council (meptec.org) will hold its annual packaging roadmaps symposium Nov. 16 in San Jose. IC Packaging & Test Roadmaps: Device Trends Impact on Packaging & Test Technology and Supply Chain...

Eunil H.A.Americas Inc.(In Brief)
November 1, 2006... Eunil H.A.Americas Inc. (eunil.com) will distribute Jaesung Precision Co. (jaesung.com) spare parts for automatic insertion and SMD systems from such makers as Panasonic, Fuji, KME, Sanyo, Juki, Hitachi and Samsung.

EasySpheres.(In Brief)
November 1, 2006... EasySpheres (easyspheres.com) will inventory and sell Kester's (kester.com) full product offering of Ultra-Spheres and TSF interconnect fluxes.

Sanmina-SCI.(In Brief)
November 1, 2006... Sanmina-SCI (sanmina-sci.com) will assemble an integrated optical component designed by Enablence Technologies (enablence.com) and used in certain modems. Financial terms were not disclosed. As a result of the deal, Sanmina-SCI will hire...

Allied Electronics.(In Brief)
November 1, 2006... Allied Electronics (alliedelec.com) will distribute Kemet's (kemet.com) line of capacitors and tantalums.

Mercury Computer.(In Brief)
November 1, 2006... Mercury Computer (mc.com) selected AssurX's (assurx.com) CATSWeb OnDemand Solutions for global quality management at 15 locations.

DEK.(In Brief)
November 1, 2006... DEK (dek.com) is now sole distributor for MicroStencil (microstencil.com) in Asia and the Americas. DEK's Platinum line will include the entire MicroStencil product portfolio.

Correction.(Correction notice)
November 1, 2006... In October, we misidentified Cookson's Steve Brown as Valor's Howard Rupprecht (Industry News, pg. 9). CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY regrets the error.

Jabil to take $120M in restructuring charges.(Industry NEWS)
November 1, 2006... ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- Top tier EMS provider Jabil Circuit (jabil.com) will take a $120.2 million fourth-quarter restructuring charge as it prepares to close certain plants, according to a company SEC filing. While industry speculation has...

Study: U.S. maintains lead in electronic design, China gaining.(Industry NEWS)
November 1, 2006... EL SEGUNDO, CA -- The U.S. in 2006 is expected to maintain its lead in the worldwide electronics equipment design with the nation's activities in this area, driving the most semiconductor purchasing of any country, according to new data from...

LaBarge Inc.(In Brief)
November 1, 2006... LaBarge Inc. (labarge.com) won $8 million in contracts from Raytheon Missile Systems (raytheon.com) to provide cable assemblies and an integrated firing unit assembly for the Tactical Tomahawk cruise missile. The company anticipates follow-on...

Dell Computer.(In Brief)
November 1, 2006... Dell Computer (dell.com) launched a no-charge recycling program for U.S. customers, which includes home pickup of used Dell-branded computers and peripheral equipment. The service is not tied to a replacement purchase. Separately, Dell said it...

Blackfox Training Institute.(In Brief)
November 1, 2006... Blackfox Training Institute (blackfox.com) has opened an office in Guadalajara, Mexico, where it will teach IPC soldering and rework certification classes and Pb-free and custom skills training.

Seagate Technology.(In Brief)
November 1, 2006... Seagate Technology (seagate.com) is setting up its third media plant in Singapore to expand its recording media manufacturing operations. Production is expected to start by mid 2008 and create up to 3,000 jobs when the plant is fully...

SchmartBoard.(In Brief)
November 1, 2006... SchmartBoard (schmartboard.com) named Straight Road Electronics (straightroadelectronics.com), Marvac Electronics (marvac.com) and Electronic School Supply (esssales.com) to market its line of prototyping boards.

Philips Consumer Electronics group.(In Brief)
November 1, 2006... Philips Consumer Electronics group (philips.com) has approved Cookson Electronics' (alphametals.com) Alpha Vaculoy SACX Pb-free wave solder alloy, following an 18-month evaluation.

Hatteras Networks.(People)
November 1, 2006... Hatteras Networks named Barry Shapiro vice president of operations, responsible for global manufacturing and operations. He was previously general manager of Celestica in North Carolina and director of manufacturing at EMC Data General Corp.

BenQ halts funding of German handset unit.(Industry NEWS)
November 1, 2006... TAIPEI -- BenQ Corp.'s (benq.com) German handset unit is considering filing for insolvency after its board decided to halt funding to the division. BenQ's cellphone units in Brazil and elsewhere are also reviewing their financial positions,...

Plexus buys 3d plant in Malaysia.(Industry NEWS)
November 1, 2006... NEENAH, WI -- Plexus Corp. (plexus.com) has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase a manufacturing facility in Penang, Malaysia, bringing its total there to three. Production is expected to begin late in the second quarter of fiscal...

Report: inventories climbing but not out of control.(Industry NEWS)
November 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- It's becoming a mantra: Inventory levels at EMS providers are rising. Deutsche Bank (db.com) in September became the latest to make that assessment, issuing a research note that claimed roughly $3 billion of excess inventory in...

Morey Corp. expanding in Illinois.(Industry NEWS)
November 1, 2006... WOODRIDGE, IL -- Morey Corp. (moreycorp.com) will build a state-of-the-art technical research and design facility next year near the EMS company's headquarters in Woodridge. The site will assist Morey's telematics, controller and display...

Beyond the whales: Greenpeace looking at lead in PCs.(Industry NEWS)
November 1, 2006... AMSTERDAM -- A just-released Greenpeace study investigating the presence of certain hazardous substances in five popular laptop computers found only one--an H-P model--contained lead. The study also looked at testing methodologies for...

Transition Automation Inc.(People)
November 1, 2006... Transition Automation Inc. named Alden D. Lewis vice president of sales. He has 20 years' experience in executive sales positions with Vitronics, Conceptronics and MPM Corp. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Elcoteq Americas.(People)
November 1, 2006... Elcoteq Americas promoted Phil Brown to president. He joined the EMS company as director, human resources in February 2005. The company also named Rick Appleby director, Americas operations. He was formerly vice president of North America...

Best.(People)
November 1, 2006... BEST hired Kris Roberson as an IPC Master Instructor. He was previously an electronics and process engineer at Motorola, U.S. Robotics and Bose.

Universal Instruments Corp.(People)
November 1, 2006... Karen Moore-Watts has been named global marcom director at DEK, where she will oversee global brand development, marketing and communications. She was previously director, global marketing at Universal Instruments Corp. [ILLUSTRATION...

Winland Electronics Inc.(People)
November 1, 2006... EMS provider Winland Electronics Inc. named Glenn Kermes chief financial officer, replacing interim CFO Brian Lawrence, who remains company controller.

Lean Stream.(People)
November 1, 2006... Lean Stream named Alex Malek vice president of business development. He was previously senior global commodity manager at Sanmina-SCI Corp.

Nortec Inc.(People)
November 1, 2006... Nortec Inc. (nortecid.com), the first North American division of Nortec AMI, named Rick Howe president.

Sony Corp.(People)
November 1, 2006... Sony Corp. realigned its semiconductor and component device businesses, naming Dr. Yutaka Nakagawa executive deputy president, responsible for R&D and new business functions. Keiichiro Shimada was promoted to president of the technology...

Growth in storage.(Market WATCH)
November 1, 2006... Growth in Storage Trends in the U.S. electronics equipment market (shipments only). % Change June July (r) August * YTD Computers and...

ISM: manufacturing sector slowing.(Market WATCH)
November 1, 2006... TEMPE, AZ -- September brought little sequential change in new orders and production for North American manufacturers, but the clouds are darkening a bit after a sunny first half, reported the Institute for Supply Management (ism.ws). The...

Industry market snapshot.(Market WATCH)
November 1, 2006... Industry Market Snapshot Book-to-bills of various components/equipment. April May June July Aug. Semiconductor 1.11 1.11 1.14 1.06 1.00 p equipment (1) Semiconductors (2) 8.1%...

Indian auto electronics in fast lane.(Market WATCH)
November 1, 2006... EL SEGUNDO, CA -- Technological developments in engine management and the incorporation of safety systems in cars will drive a 21.8% CAGR in the Indian automotive electronics market, says research firm iSuppli Corp. (isuppli.com). [TEXT...

Inventories climbing, not out of control.(Market WATCH)
November 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- EMS providers have roughly $3 billion of excess inventory in stock, said Deutsche Bank (db.com) in a September research note. However, overall the supply chain is in fairly good shape, DB found, and will rid itself of most of...

Market watch.
November 1, 2006... METAL INDEX Price per Price per Price per lb. Price per lb. lb. lb. Date 7/3/06 8/7/06 9/5/06 10/10/06 LME Cash Seller and ...

'A history of longevity and quality'.(Talking Heads)(Interview)
November 1, 2006... At Juki Automation Systems (jas-smt.com), the $180 million SMT equipment division of Juki Group, sales in Europe and the Americas are up 41% over the past two years, and the parent company forecasts a 13% jump in overall SMT sales this year....

Maintaining mindshare in EMS: does your firm have a formal program for sharing customer information?(Focus on Business)
November 1, 2006... Is miscommunication or lack of visibility among your OEM prospects costing you business? Have any of these situations occurred in your company? [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] * A potential account says it isn't seeking additional EMS...

For consumer products, thin is in: but the ideal package solution is up for debate.(On the Forefront)
November 1, 2006... While the fashion industry may have a ban on thin models for its runways, in consumer electronics, thin is in. But how does one make a thin portable product and at the same time include the greater functionality consumers demand? [TEXT NOT...

Automated stencil inspection: miniaturization changes the rules for stencil manufacture.(Screen Printing)
November 1, 2006... The days of setting up a stencil production facility with mesh, a roll of stainless steel and a laser are over. When the smallest components were 0402s, the average aperture count was 1200, and the average pitch was 0.65 mm. A basic stencil...

Getting what you ordered: user requirement specifications help ensure what you buy is what you want.(Better Manufacturing)
November 1, 2006... There is an art to specifying. Most of us take great care when specifying and qualifying items such as solder paste or components. High standards are achievable, but doing so is best accomplished via a properly documented requirement...

'Re-sourcing' outsourced electronics: why U.S. production options may still represent the lowest total cost for some projects.(Procurement)
November 1, 2006... A data collection equipment manufacturer noticed that a technology shift was poised to dramatically increase demand for a new generation of product. Realizing that Asia would represent the lowest cost volume production source, the company...

What your field service representative wants you to know: stories and suggestions for a happier customer.(Customer Service)
November 1, 2006... Field service representatives are like fire-fighters. When you need them, you need them NOW. The urge for immediate help often creates panic or even anger if the phone isn't picked up on the first ring. The ensuing interaction can be tense,...

Understanding outsourced PCB layout: the key components include corporate standards and OEM-EMS collaboration.(PCB Design Trends)
November 1, 2006... The process of designing a printed circuit board is key to the overall product lifecycle. This process not only impacts product development, it influences the speed and success with which a company is able to bring products to market. Here are...

Maintaining customer satisfaction during EMS acquisition integration: implementation must be fast, with quantitative measures of performance.(Cover Story)(Company overview)
November 1, 2006... Acquisition integration is a challenge for any company. The EMS industry poses specific challenges because customers aren't buying an end-product; they are buying the capabilities, systems, processes and internal culture used to manufacture...

In the hot zone: how a novel material solved an electronics assembly dilemma deep in the Indian Ocean.(Case Study: Preforms)
November 1, 2006... Ed. note: For the complete article, please visit circuitsassembly.com/cms/content/view/4026. [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] In the competitive oil and gas drilling industry, a project's success--and a company's reputation--can hinge...

Troubleshooting wire bonding: eight ways to lower defect rates below 100 ppm.(Tech Tips)
November 1, 2006... With so many variables, troubleshooting wire bond programs can be tricky. These tips will make the process a bit easier. [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] Tip 1. Confirm the wire bonder's setup is correct. 1. Install a new wire...

The role of eutectics in solder joint appearance: a mix of liquids and solids solidifying at different stages gives joints a dull look.(Wave Soldering)
November 1, 2006... Solder is an alloy mix consisting of two or more metals. Melting and solidification behavior is much dependent on the formation of areas in the solder where different eutectics might solidify. This can be the case if solder contains elements...

PTH solder joint inspection: automated x-ray laminography ensures through-hole joints meet barrel fill specs.(Test and Inspection)
November 1, 2006... Although plated through-hole package production is a mature process, it still results in unreliable and poor quality solder joints. IPC-A-610 specifies that an acceptable criterion for through-hole solder joints is that at least 75% of the...

Investigating dendritic growth: getting to the root of capacitor shorts.(Process Doctor)
November 1, 2006... A recent failure analysis presented with a clear failure mechanism of a dendrite shorting along the surface of the component. Our job was to determine what happened. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] A simple...

Inovaxe's inventory control tools.(Equipment Advances)
November 1, 2006... Inovaxe's supply-chain management and inventory control tools consist of three related products: the INOCART handling system, INOKIT kitting software and INOSOURCE procurement program. They combine business intelligence software with material...

DfM-supporting PLM tool.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
November 1, 2006... VShare product lifecycle management toolset supports DfM collaboration between PCB design and engineering by means of a centralized, scalable platform that offers secure access to important design information and DfM issues. The tool's...

Auto-vision alignment batch printer.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
November 1, 2006... SemiTouch batch stencil printer is a semiautomatic stencil/screen printer with full auto-vision alignment. Has a maximum print area of 16 x 20", and handles stencil frame up to 29 x 29" and board sizes from 2 x 2" to 16 x 23" with...

Label printer and attachment.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
November 1, 2006... The ELC-200 Label Print and Attach system applies labels on PCBs or end-products, and can print barcode and 1- and 2-D onto PCBs. PC-operated controls, with an extruded aluminum frame with painted vanity panels and a transparent cover. Standard...

ESD-Safe bar code imager.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
November 1, 2006... Quadrus MINI ESD Safe miniature fixed-mount imager can be integrated into ESD-sensitive assembly processes. Reads codes on sensitive components without discharging static. Nickel coating and ESD-resistant labels permit integration without...

Handset device programmer.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
November 1, 2006... FlashCORE family of manual and automated programming solutions has been adapted and optimized to program mDOC H3 devices at very high speeds. Enables mass adoption of mDOC H3 in mobile handsets and consumer electronics devices. mDOC H3 is the...

Rapid cooling process.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
November 1, 2006... Accelerated cooling process uses flip-chip-in-package nonconductive paste underfill to heat devices while secured by the flip-chip bonder head, then rapidly cools them during compression onto the NCP-coated substrate. Enables assembly...

High-speed flexible mounter.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
November 1, 2006... KE-2080 high-speed flexible mounter has six nozzles with laser alignment and an additional IC head for fine-pitch components. IPC-9850 speed is reportedly 15,400 cph. Handles devices from 01005 to 33.5 mm sq. LNC60 laser align sensor, which...

Pallet Rotator.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
November 1, 2006... The PalletPal Rotator can be used to rotate fully loaded pallets, replace broken pallets, and switch to or from in-house/shipping pallets, transfer loads to slip sheets, and replace damaged goods at the bottom of a load without the need for...

Device programmer with tray input.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
November 1, 2006... Helix desktop automated device programmer now comes standard with two precision-designed tray input and output handling systems with a reject location, capable of the same dph performance. Tray version uses the same core programming technology...

Lead removal kits.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
November 1, 2006... Lead Eliminator, Lead Test Kit and Lead Remediation Kits find and remove lead and other heavy metals from workbenches and manufacturing areas, tools, machinery and a variety of surfaces. Come separately or as part of a kit. [ILLUSTRATION...

Selective soldering preheater.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
November 1, 2006... PH4 preheater has an IR radiation area of 300 x 300 mm, is a standalone unit and can be used with any SSM 4A selective soldering or SSM 9 desoldering stations. Reduces copper separation on PCBs by means of shorter contact time with solder....

In case you missed it; cleaning.(Technical Abstracts)
November 1, 2006... "A New Environmentally Benign Method for Lead-Free Solder Defluxing" Authors: Albert J. Mastrangelo, Susan Chute, Jay Soma, Robert Sell and Christine Fouts Abstract: Recent testing of multiple cleaning technologies has indicated that...

In case you missed it; reliability.(Technical Abstracts)
November 1, 2006... "Reliability of Copper Wire Bonding in Plastic Packages at High Temperature (200[degrees]C) and High Current" Author: Michael Hundt Abstract: Operating temperatures of plastic packages for automotive uses must increase up to...

In case you missed it; packaging.(Technical Abstracts)
November 1, 2006... "Flip Chip Integration of a Large Format Array of MOEMs Devices for Space Infrared Astronomy" Authors: Christine A. Allen, John Abrahams, Nick Costen, Larry Hess, Mary Li, Timothy Miller, S. Harvey Moseley, James Pontius, David Puckett,...