Circuits Assembly articles from November 2008

Circuits Assembly archives from November 2008

Fakes out.(Caveat Lector)
November 1, 2008... For some time, we've been writing about problems related to counterfeit components, Mainly, the issue was one of gray market parts, whereby obsolete assemblies were shipped as e-waste to third-world or emerging nations that were more than happy...

Digi-Key corp.(In Brief)
November 1, 2008... Digi-Key Corp. (digikey.com) will distribute Altium's (altium.com) Desktop NanoBoard, including a 12-month timed Altium Designer License. Digi-Key also plans to carry Altium's NanoBoard plug-in peripheral and FPGA daughter boards. Also,...

Key Tronic corp.(In Brief)
November 1, 2008... Key Tronic Corp. (keytronicems.com) expects to begin a new EMS program with Kaz Inc. (kaz.com) that could be worth more than $25 million in annual revenue. The program, which wasn't disclosed, should begin in December and could lead to other...

MTI Electronics'.(In Brief)
November 1, 2008... MTI Electronics' (mtielectronics.com) Menomonee Falls, WI, EMS facility recently received ISO13485 (medical) and AS9100 (aerospace) quality certifications.

Asymtek.(In Brief)
November 1, 2008... Asymtek (asymtek.com) expanded its facility in Singapore to include a modern lab with a full range of dispensing and coating equipment. The company is colocated in the facility with parent Nordson and fellow subsidiary EFD (efd-inc.com)....

DKL metals.(In Brief)
November 1, 2008... DKL Metals (dklmetals.co.uk), the UK's largest solder manufacturer, announced its products are now available for purchase in smaller quantities via the Surclean (surclean.co.uk) Web shop.

Circuit Technology Center.(In Brief)
November 1, 2008... Circuit Technology Center (circuitrework.com) acquired a Dage (dage.com) XD7600 XiDat X-ray system.

Reed exhibitions.(In Brief)
November 1, 2008... Reed Exhibitions reported a record 25,912 attendees for its 14th annual Nepcon/EMT South China trade show (nepconchina.com) held in September. Next year's show takes place Aug. 31-Sept. 2 at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Eagle test systems.(In Brief)
November 1, 2008... Eagle Test Systems (eagletest.com) has begun using Camstar Systems' (camstar.com) Electronics Suite for visibility and traceability in manufacturing.

TTI Inc.(In Brief)
November 1, 2008... TTI Inc. (tti-inc.com) acquired the Mateleco Group, a connector distributor with six European locations.

YESTech.(In Brief)
November 1, 2008... YESTech (yestech.com) will provide F1 series AOI, and YTX-3000 and X3 AXI to Catalyst Manufacturing Services (catalystems.com) at its three North American plants.

Dot Hill Systems.(In Brief)
November 1, 2008... Dot Hill Systems (dothill.com) will outsource manufacturing, assembly and test to Foxconn Technology Group (fihfoxconn.com) in China.

Trace laboratories.(In Brief)
November 1, 2008... Trace Laboratories (tracelabs.com) has opened a testing laboratory in Shanghai. The lab supports material analysis, functionality, design validation, dimensional measurements and process validation testing. Trace sees the new facility as an...

Reach update: 300 Chemicals on SIN list.(Industry NEWS)
November 1, 2008... BRUSSELS-The EU environmental NGOs, via The International Chemical Secretariat (chemsec.org) has introduced a list of some 300 chemical substances considered of "very high concern" and suitable for disclosing, says Design Chain Associates...

IPC rebuts proposed RoHS revisions.(Industry NEWS)
November 1, 2008... BANNOCKBURN, IL--Calling certain proposed recommendations to the RoHS Directive "arbitrary and lack(ing) a sound scientific basis," IPC (ipc.org) in September issued a point-by-point rebuttal to the German non-profit firm that devised them. ...

WKK opening factory in Ganzhou.(Industry NEWS)
November 1, 2008... SHENZHEN--Wong's Kong King International's (wkkintl.com) EMS division, WKK Technology, is building a factory in Ganzhou, Jiangxi, about five hours north of Shenzhen, a move designed to mitigate lower profits. Chairman Senta Wong said wage...

Circuits assembly's NPI Award registration now open.(Industry NEWS)
November 1, 2008... SMYRNA, GA-CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY will accept entries for its 2009 New Product Introduction Award for electronics assembly equipment, materials and software suppliers beginning Nov. 3. The 2d annual NPI Award recognizes the leading new products...

Assembleon to cut 29% of workforce.(Industry NEWS)
November 1, 2008... EINDHOVEN, NETHERLANDS-Assembleon (assembleon.com) will reduce its worldwide headcount by 210 positions, or 29%, in response to the downturn in the global economy and the placement equipment market, the company said in October. The...

Delphi tax abatement could save 3,000 jobs.(Industry NEWS)
November 1, 2008... KOKOMO, IN-In hopes of enticing Delphi Electronics & Safety (delphi.com) to keep some 3,000 jobs here, city councilors have reportedly approved a $160 million tax abatement for the company. The Common Council will hold a public hearing on the...

Economy the talk at IPC Midwest.(Industry NEWS)
November 1, 2008... SCHAUMBURG, IL-The IPC Midwest trade show played to modest attendance and plenty of concern over the economy. The second-year event attracted modest traffic, aided by the ongoing technical conference and standards writing meetings. ...

Stadium captures fox.(Industry NEWS)
November 1, 2008... HARTLEPOOL, ENGLAND-The Stadium Group (thestadiumgroup.com) has acquired Fox Industries for [pounds sterling]100,000, the electronics manufacturer said in October. Fox, which designs and sells power supplies and other components for...

Essemtec opens suzhou demo center.(Industry NEWS)
November 1, 2008... SUZHOU-SMT equipment OEM Essemtec (essemtec.com) has opened a customer training and demo center here. The site, which opened earlier this year, is equipped with multiple lines of production equipment and is operated by Essemtec's local...

More expansion for Morey Corp.(Industry NEWS)
November 1, 2008... WOODRIDGE, IL-The Morey Corp. (moreycorp.com) has broken ground on a major expansion of manufacturing capacity at its headquarters, with completion projected for next June. The expansion will nearly double the existing facility's manufacturing...

Rick Ertmann.(People)
November 1, 2008... Cookson Electronics' Assembly Materials Group promoted Rick Ertmann to president, responsible for its Alpha and Semiconductor Packaging units. Ertmann has been with Cook-son's AMG unit since 1987, and has run its Americas, European and Asian...

Brian A. Lutes.(People)
November 1, 2008... Sypris Solutions appointed Brian A. Lutes vice president and chief financial officer. He was previously with General Electric and MAG Industrial Automation Systems.

Semis tank: trends in the U.S. electronics equipment market (shipments only).(Market WATCH)
November 1, 2008... % Change June July (r) Aug * YTD Computers and electronics -3.6 6.0 -5.1 0.7 products Computers -3.3 -2.5 ...

September fall for production.(Market WATCH)
November 1, 2008... TEMPE, AZ--The manufacturing sector in September dropped to its lowest level since October 2001-the month following the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington--the Institute for Supply Management (ism.ws) reported. Computer and...

Industry market snapshot.(Market WATCH)
November 1, 2008... Book-to-bills of various components/equipment Apr. May June July Aug. Semiconductor equipment (1) 0.82 0.79 0.81 0.83 (r) 0.83 (p) Semiconductors (2) 3.82% 4.18% 5.91%...

US tech exports down 3% imports up 3% in 2007.(P>Market WATCH)
November 1, 2008... WASHINGTON, DC--US high-tech exports totaled $214billion in 2007, down 3% compared to 2006, according to AeA (aeanet.org). High tech is the single largest merchandise export sector in the Us, or 18% of all US exports, says the association. ...

2008 semi forecast downgraded.(Market WATCH)
November 1, 2008... SCOTTSDALE, AZ--C Insights (icinghts.com) slashed its 2008 semiconductor revenue forecast by $6 billion and revised its yearly growth outlook to 4% this year. In June, the firm predicted 2008 growth of 7% to $250.3 billion. The firm attributed...

PC market refuses to sputter.(Market WATCH)
November 1, 2008... EL SEGUNDO, CA--Second-quarter worldwide PC unit shipments grew 14.5% year-over-year to reach 70.2 million units. No changes occurred sequentially among the top five OEM rankings, says iSup-pli Corp. (isuppli.com).Overall PC shipments came in...

Metals index.(Market WATCH)
November 1, 2008... Metals index Price Per Lb. Date 10/8/07 7/7/08 8/4/08 9/2/08 10/6/08 LME Cash Seller and $6.37 $10.60 $9.84 $8.82 $7.69 Settlement for...

Celestica gets personal.(Talking Heads)(Interview)
November 1, 2008... When one thinks of Celestica, hands-on prototyping and lab research with one-man startups doesn't leap to mind. But according to Dave Ellison, business development manager of the EMS company's new Performance Innovation group, that's precisely...

Service packages and EMS companies; branding the service package is less important than defining it.(Focus on Business)(Company overview)
November 1, 2008... Electronics manufacturing services is both a commodity purchase and a strategic supplier relationship. Those two facets may seem at odds, but the reality is, within a given class of EMS provider, the equipment and processes are almost...

The future of R&D: in the area of basic research, who will play? and who will pay?(On the Forefront)
November 1, 2008... As decisions are made for the future of the historic Bell Labs building in Holmdel, NJ, one must ponder where the next major semiconductor R&D breakthroughs will be made. Does basic research matter? Who will step up and fill the gap?...

The 'other' mixed technology; miniature parts placed adjacent to "castles" are no printing picnic.(Screen Printing)
November 1, 2008... The surface mount industry has encountered many challenges since its introduction in the 1980s. One recent challenge, of course, has been Pb-free assembly. And just as the industry is getting a good handle on Pb-free assembly, another...

Personnel stability? We in the know must leverage the tools available to use change to our advantage.(Better Manufacturing)
November 1, 2008... One is tempted to assume the slowdown in housing starts means all construction industries are afflicted. While those builders that concentrate on homes are, indeed, having a horrible time, others either avoid the housing market altogether or...

RoHS conversion for medical devices: risks, considerations and impacts, plus several BoM analysis case studies.
November 1, 2008... The European Union's Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive was adopted in Febuary 2003 and took effect in July 2006. Exemption categories defined in the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive under Annex IA and IE...

Supporting full-service customer requirements at the regional EMS level; Greater traceability and complex builds means more staff. Or does it?(Value-Add Service)
November 1, 2008... OEMs increasingly want to see greater levels of value-added support from their EMS providers, regardless of size. This is particularly true of highly regulated industries such as medical, automotive, avionics, homeland security and defense...

Speed thrills; a touch of midwestern pragmatism and a large dose of lean go a long way at MEC.(Milwaukee Electronics)
November 1, 2008... As the US economic situation yo-yos wildly, the pressure is on companies to seek financial Stability and be selective of their suppliers-and their customers. For Milwaukee Electronics Co. (meccompanies. com), that's no sweat. The...

The benefits of good 'PR': teaching the wirebonder pattern recognition.(Tech Tips)
November 1, 2008... Wire bonders have pattern recognition capabilities essential to modern electronics manufacturing. Pattern recognition refers to computer identification of substrate or die features important for precise position of bond wires. A PR system will...

Nothing to hide: shrink holes in Pb-free boards are effects, not defects.(Wave Soldering)
November 1, 2008... One problem we have begun to see more of with Pb-free soldering is the phenomenon known as shrink holes, or hot tears on Pb-free solder joints. We have little understanding about why shrink holes form or how they affect field reliability....

Electronics residues testing methods; an analysis of four common methods starts with FTIR.(Process Doctor)
November 1, 2008... Beginning this month, we will discuss the applications of four typical analysis techniques and their pros and cons in regard to understanding electronics residues. The techniques include FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), SEM/ EDX...

Pb-free lemons? don't be suckered; today's consumer electronics assemblers are competent in Pb-free soldering.(Pb-Free Lessons Learned)
November 1, 2008... I purchased a new tablet PC the other day. I ordered it online for pickup at the local bricks and mortar store, and planned to retrieve it while running errands around town. I was sitting in a sandwich shop eating lunch and checking email when...

Defect Detection Goes online: Our newest column is not just informative, it's interactive.(Column)
November 1, 2008... The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has created an interactive assembly and soldering defect database (http://defectsdatabase.npl.co.uk/), allowing searches through a range of defects covering components, printed circuit boards and...

Leaning the line: how a high-mix EMS firm "waved" goodbye to one soldering machine.(Getting Lean)
November 1, 2008... A factor in EPIC Technologies' adoption of Lean manufacturing principles is to ensure aspects such as floor space and utilization are considered. Eliminating work-in-process (WIP) translates to faster throughput and enhanced scheduling...

Inline 3-D SPI.
November 1, 2008... VP5000 is said to have 12 [micro]m resolution with a 23 x 31 mm field of view. Includes warning thresholds to the pass/fail outputs. Interfaces with Qup-Navi software for height calculations and volumetric inspection. Uses color stripe phase...

Vacuum interrupter for hand tools.
November 1, 2008... V3025-B assists in precision placement of small parts. The interrupter block controls the vacuum. Permits part positioning with a vacuum tweezer pen with one hand, while the other controls the interrupter block to release the part. Virtual...

Stencil printer with integrated vision.
November 1, 2008... SP003-ML-V is for small and medium volumes. Has an integrated vision system. Consists of two quick-fix cameras that look directly through the stencil apertures down to the PCB. Images are simultaneously displayed on two 8" monitors to check...

Automatic wire bond AOI.
November 1, 2008... S6053BO-V is for small wire bond analysis. Comes with universal, high-resolution VHR camera module; camera and transport reportedly can be adapted to varying production demands. Is said to inspect to 2 to 5 [micro]m per pixel. Camera module can...

In case you missed it.(Technical Abstracts)
November 1, 2008... Component Packaging "Reliability Testing of Advanced Semiconductors Using Embedded Chip Build-Up (ECBU) Packaging Technology" Authors: Shane Lewis, Tan Zhang, Richard J. Saia, Paul A. McConneke, Kishor V. Desai, Krishnaswami Srihari,...