Circuits Assembly articles from October 2006

Circuits Assembly archives from October 2006

Stock answers.(Caveat Lector)
October 1, 2006... Investment bank Bear Stearns is reporting that inventories among EMS players are on the upswing, reaching their highest point in four and a half years. This is cause for concern as the buildup of stocks to tremendous levels created a tremendous...

Quatech.(In Brief)
October 1, 2006... Quatech (quatech.com) signed a distribution agreement with Digi-Key (digikey.com). Products distributed by Digi-Key include wireless modules and external device servers. Digi-Key will also stock Fox Electronic's (foxon-line.com) range of...

Cookson Electronics Assembly Materials.(In Brief)
October 1, 2006... Cookson Electronics Assembly Materials (cooksonelectronics.com) has established a Global Applications Technology and Engineering group, to join its global R & D group. The new group, headed by Steve Brown, aims to help customers solve assembly...

Henkel.(In Brief)
October 1, 2006... Henkel (henkel.com/electronics) will expand its India sales force through direct sales and distribution channels, additional technical applications staff, product manufacturing and refined logistics operations. Also, Blue Thunder Technologies...

Triton Electronik.(In Brief)
October 1, 2006... Triton Electronik's (triton-electronik.com) Montreal plant became the first EMS site in Canada to achieve IECQ QC 080000 certification for RoHS compliance. The company's facilities in Quebec and Ontario are expected be certified within the next...

Promation.(In Brief)
October 1, 2006... Promation (pro-mation-inc.com) named Hattas and Associates and Technology Plus as representatives for Illinois and Wisconsin.

Qualitek International.(In Brief)
October 1, 2006... Qualitek International (qualitek.com) appointed Electronic Technology Corp. (etcfab.com) to represent its JT wave soldering equipment in Wisconsin and Illinois.

Lord Corp.(In Brief)
October 1, 2006... Products manufactured and distributed through Metech will now be marketed under the Lord Corp. (lord.com) label. Lord, a supplier of electronic and microelectronic adhesives, coatings, encapsulants and sealants, purchased Metech in 2000.

Zestron America.(In Brief)
October 1, 2006... Zestron America (zestron.com) named Tool Technology (tooltechnology.net) as sales rep for Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska. Zestron's Asia-Pacific office has relocated, and its China headquarters has a technical center with up to 10 cleaning...

Qualcon.(In Brief)
October 1, 2006... EMS provider Qualcon (qualconl.com) was recently registered to the ISO 13485:2003 standard for medical device manufacturing.

RVSI Inspection.(In Brief)
October 1, 2006... RVSI Inspection (rvsi.com) in September opened a customer training, applications and demonstration center in Hsin Chu, Taiwan. The facility is colocated and operated in cooperation with Kromax International Corp., RVSI's Taiwan representative.

Transition Automation.(In Brief)
October 1, 2006... Transition Automation (transitionautoma-tion.com) was awarded patent no. 5,887,312 for its Universal Holder System. Its unique pin and open circular window permits users to quickly change blades, and know that they are referenced properly in...

Polyonics.(In Brief)
October 1, 2006... Polyonics (polyonics.com) opened an office in Shenzhen, China. The company also has locations in the U.S., Singapore and Shanghai.

Inovaxe Corp.(In Brief)
October 1, 2006... Inovaxe Corp. (inovaxe.com) appointed Technical Resources Corp. (trcflorida.com) to represent its supply-chain management tools in Florida, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

Active-Tech Electronics.(In Brief)
October 1, 2006... Canadian distributor Active-Tech Electronics (active123.com) will distribute Schmart-Board's (schmartboard.com) SchmartBoard|ez from its nine retail centers.

Synchronized Manufacturing Technologies.(In Brief)
October 1, 2006... Synchronized Manufacturing Technologies (synchmfg.com) has installed an MVT inline AOI system from Agilent (agilent.com).

IPTE.(In Brief)
October 1, 2006... IPTE signed a letter of intent to acquire the EMS operations of Barco Manufacturing Services in Belgium and the Czech Republic including its 400 employees. The group generated 60 million euros in sales last year.

Flextronics to buy International DisplayWorks.(Industry NEWS)
October 1, 2006... SAN JOSE -- Flextronics (flextronics.com) will acquire International DisplayWorks (idwlcd.com), a designer and manufacturer of LCDs and other components for handheld and industrial products, in an all-stock deal valued at $300 million. The...

GEIA publishes Tin Whiskers spec, 2 others.(Industry NEWS)
October 1, 2006... ARLINGTON, VA -- The Government Electronics and Information Technology Association (geia.org) in August released three industry consensus documents to help aerospace, defense and other sectors comply with the RoHS and WEEE Directives. Although...

Back to school: Universal pact brings SMT to Chinese students.(Industry NEWS)
October 1, 2006... BEIJING -- Universal Instruments (uic.com) and Tsinghua University (tsinghua.edu.cn/eng/) will cooperate on a variety of educational and training initiatives aimed at upping the level of SMT reengineering and research skills in China. Initial...

Datalink buys MSS.(Industry NEWS)
October 1, 2006... LOUGHBOROUGH, ENGLAND -- The U.K. contract electronics group Datalink has acquired Manufacturing Support Services (MSS), an Arizona EMS firm, and its associated electronics assembly company Servicios de Fabricacion based in Nogales, Mexico. ...

Flextronics licenses Tessera's wafer-level assembly technology.(Industry NEWS)
October 1, 2006... SAN JOSE -- Flextronics will license Tessera's wafer-level assembly platform under a just-signed deal, the companies said in September. No financial terms were announced. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Under the terms of the agreement,...

iNEMI developing medical electronics specs.(Industry NEWS)
October 1, 2006... HERNDON, VA -- iNEMI is launching a project to develop testing and use condition guidelines for electronic components used in medical applications. The Medical Components Reliability Specifications Project, the first organized under the...

Henkel expands India operations.(Industry NEWS)
October 1, 2006... IRVINE, CA -- Henkel (henkel.com/electronics) plans to broaden its scope in India, with several of its top customers setting up production centers in the region. Development plans include the expansion of the local sales force through direct...

Electronics OEMS have Greenpeace seeing red.(Industry NEWS)
October 1, 2006... AMSTERDAM -- Greenpeace wants electronics companies to clean up their acts. The activist environmental protection organization has released its study of the "green credentials" of the top electronics OEMs. Ranked on their use of toxic chemicals...

Innov-X offering XRF rentals.(Industry NEWS)
October 1, 2006... WOBURN, MA -- To help manufacturers meet the RoHS Directive, Innov-X Systems (innov-xsys.com) has launched a rental program for its line of portable XRF analyzers. The program permits companies to rent at reduced rates over a short period of...

Report: Foxconn Shenzhen site ordered to form union.(Industry NEWS)
October 1, 2006... BEIJING -- The Chinese government has ordered Foxconn's Shenzhen EMS site to create a union for workers this year, according to the Beijing News. Shenzhen officials have reportedly told Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry, the local name of the...

Henkel.(People)
October 1, 2006... Henkel named Bhavesh Muni global director of business development for India. Muni has spent the past four years with Henkel in various sales and product management roles. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Valor Computerized Systems.(People)
October 1, 2006... Valor Computerized Systems promoted Dan Weitzman to vice president of sales, North America, and named Howard Rupprecht (at right) director of marketing. Weitzman has been with the company for seven years, most recently as senior account...

YESTech Inc.(People)
October 1, 2006... Kevin Garcia has been promoted to applications manager at YESTech Inc. He was previously an applications engineer.

I & J Fisnar Inc.(People)
October 1, 2006... I & J Fisnar Inc., manufacturer of automatic fluid dispensing equipment, named Dan Andrei vice president. He joined the company in 2000 as an electronic engineer and became a director in 2004. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Synchronized Manufacturing Technologies.(People)
October 1, 2006... Synchronized Manufacturing Technologies appointed AI Mucci as sales representative for New England. Mucci has been in the electronics industry since 1986. The company also hired Steve Markos as director of business development. Markos has over...

Colonial Electronic Manufacturers.(People)
October 1, 2006... Colonial Electronic Manufacturers appointed Armand J. Beliveau Jr. as business development manager.

Proxy Manufacturing Inc.(People)
October 1, 2006... Steve Cahalane was named operations manager at Proxy Manufacturing Inc.

DesignAdvance Systems.(People)
October 1, 2006... DesignAdvance Systems named Edward Pupa chief executive. He succeeds cofounder and former CEO, Randy Eager, who remains a director.

Hot for PCs.(Market WATCH)
October 1, 2006... Trends in the U.S. electronics equipment market (shipments only). % Change May June (r) July* YTD Computers and electronics products...

New orders downtick yet remain solid.(Market WATCH)
October 1, 2006... TEMPE, AZ -- New orders and production at North American manufacturers were off slightly in August, reported the Institute for Supply Management (ism.ws). In its monthly survey of manufacturing executives, ISM found that the PMI indicator...

Industry market snapshot.(Market WATCH)
October 1, 2006... Book-to-bills of various components/equipment. March April May June July Semiconductor equipment (1) 1.03 1.11 1.11 1.14 1.06 Semiconductors (2) 2.3% 8.1% 9.4%...

Will 2007 be a turning point for IC sales?(Market WATCH)
October 1, 2006... SAN JOSE -- A top forecaster of the turning points in the IC industry is predicting a mild slowdown in semiconductor sales in mid 2007. Speaking at an industry forum in August, Moshe Handelsman, founder of Advanced Forecasting Inc....

Automotive telematics to see 25% CAGR to 2011.(Market WATCH)
October 1, 2006... NEW YORK -- Automotive telematics and navigation--including hardware and services--will experience strong growth in several world regions, generating total revenues of $38.3 billion in 2011, according to a new study by ABI Research...

Consumer electronics sales staying strong in '06.(Market WATCH)
October 1, 2006... ARLINGTON, VA -- Sales of factory-to-dealer consumer electronics will reach $140 billion in 2006, up 8% over 2005, the Consumer Electronics Association (ce.org) forecasts. That's on top of 11% growth in 2005, the trade group said. Display...

The pre-NPI model.(Talking Heads)(Interview)
October 1, 2006... When a prominent analyst suddenly jumps to one of the companies he follows, it's bound to turn some heads. Eric Miscoll recently did just that, departing as COO of Technology Forecasters (techforecasters.com) for a job as vice president of...

Preventive and predictive maintenance tools: or why not to fix the degreaser's filters with a thread and needle.(Focus on Business)
October 1, 2006... Over the past two decades there have been clear advances in the management of the maintenance of production equipment. Maintenance is no longer considered just another cost of doing business. First, let's look at fundamental reasons why...

Machine versatility: aspects to evaluate when considering customization.(Screen Printing)
October 1, 2006... Versatility, or the ability to address different requirements with the same method or hardware, is a critical differentiator for most production facilities. When purchasing screen-printing equipment, consider the process requirements that...

Anorexic manufacturing: when it banishes in-line inspection, lean has gone too far.(Better Manufacturing)
October 1, 2006... "Look for the ridiculous in everything and you will find it."--Jules Renard (1860) There are a lot of annoying things in this world. People who think they can drive and carry on a phone conversation at the same time; airport security...

Evaluating ROI of AXI vs. AOI: a model for calculating savings from reduced DPMO against equipment investment costs.(Test and Inspection)
October 1, 2006... Ed: For the complete article, please visit circuitsassembly.com/cms/content/view/3914. Automated x-ray inspection (AXI) and automated optical inspection (AOI) have the potential to provide substantial savings by reducing downstream...

Prototype vs. production outsourcing: what to look for may vary by geography. Tips on what, and who, to audit.(Supplier Sourcing)
October 1, 2006... Ed.: For the complete article, please visit circuitsassembly.com/cms/content/view/3913. When it comes to outsourcing PCBs, OEM procurement staff must fully understand the differences and nuances associated with prototype and production...

Pb-free hot air leveled solder coatings: is HAL viable for Pb-free assemblies?(Board Finishes)
October 1, 2006... Ed: For the complete article, please visit circuitsassembly.com/cms/content/view/3912. Until recently more than 80% of all PCBs produced worldwide were hot air leveled. Today, still more than 60% of all PCBs undergo HAL. Yet most studies...

Simulating Pb-free reflow: predicting temperature gradients prior to prototyping makes it easy to optimize oven settings and thermocouple attachment points.
October 1, 2006... As the PCB passes through reflow, components are heated at different rates, resulting in a temperature gradient over the board. All components must reach a temperature high enough to melt the solder while not exceeding the maximum component...

'Confusion and clarity': why Francisco Partners saw fit to invest in Universal, Vitronics and Unovis.(The Dover Deals)
October 1, 2006... Ed.: For the complete article, please visit circuitsassembly.com/cms/content/view/3911. Sometimes, clarity is hard to see. On Aug. 30, the news came down that private equity firm Francisco Partners would purchase Universal Instruments,...

Flip-chip assembly.(Soldering Tips)
October 1, 2006... Flip chip is a method of chip attachment to a substrate with essentially no conventional package. Here are the methods used by the EMPF--to assemble and validate flip-chip technology. 1. Decide if flip chip is warranted for the design....

Fine tuning: wave configurations for soldering conveyor angles.(Wave Soldering)
October 1, 2006... The 1960s saw the rise of wave soldering systems with horizontal conveyors as well as angled conveyors. Ultimately, the angled conveyor provided the best soldering results. From a process point of view, issues such as conveyor angle, contact...

Assembleon's A-Series multifunctional placement platform.(Equipment Advances)
October 1, 2006... The A-Series of pick-and-place machines features three modules based on a single multifunctional platform. The modules, AX-201, AX-301 and AX-501, share a common user interface and the same range of feeders, trolleys and placement heads....

Pb-free, no-clean paste.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
October 1, 2006... This improved no-clean solder paste product family is specifically formulated for SAC305. Pb-free formulations are known to leave dull, matte finishes, but this new clear, colorless no-clean flux residue improves solder joint appearance. Eases...

Real-time SPC.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
October 1, 2006... Process Insight statistical process control software offers comprehensive SPC charting capabilities, is a common interface for SE 300 Ultra and Flex Ultra for data analysis and correlation. Features chart-specific alarms to signal...

AOI and monitoring.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
October 1, 2006... YTV F1-Series AOI system delivers fast, automated PCB inspection and an intuitive interface, for high-volume manufacturing environments. Offline programming maximizes machine utilization with real-time SPC monitoring, and provides easy...

Large format selective soldering.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
October 1, 2006... KISS 103 "Stretch" large-format selective soldering system handles larger PCBs and panelized boards. Has a 26 x 19" work area, which permits additional boards in the work area and step-and-repeat option. The 3" nozzle option is designed to...

Stencil cleaner spray.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
October 1, 2006... 440-R SMT detergent comes in a ready-to-use spray bottle for safe, effective, manual cleaning of SMT stencils and related tooling. Stencil-cleaning chemistry is verified for specific parameters of environmental safety, user safety and cleaning...

Offline depaneling and laser marking.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
October 1, 2006... ADS 02M offline depaneling system is designed with an x-y-z gantry and features a rotary table that permits an operator to load a panel while the system cuts the next one, reducing cycle time. ALS 03 high-speed laser marking system features...

Thermal process monitoring.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
October 1, 2006... KIC 24/7 thermal process monitoring system version 2.3.0.0 is for jobs requiring automatic, continuous monitoring of reflow processes. Includes bug fixes, improved printing capabilities, communication with Seho reflow ovens, improved alarm...

RoHS compliance tracking.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
October 1, 2006... SigmaQuest software tracks quality and performance of RoHS-compliant products. SigmaSure on-demand, Web-based software features several modules to check the impact of moving to RoHS compliance. Manufacturing and Test Insight software...

Surface chemical characterization.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
October 1, 2006... K-Alpha materials characterization instrument uses x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to quantitatively determine the surface chemical composition of the top few nanometers of solid materials. Insulators, semiconductors and metals can be analyzed...

Pallet strengthening material.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
October 1, 2006... WaveMax 7000 is a thermoset composite material that enhances durability of pallets used in wave soldering. Is made from an epoxy resin and random mat glass substrate. The ratio of glass-to-epoxy is high, to maximize flexural strength and...

3-D imaging.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
October 1, 2006... Revolution microfocus system now has computerized tomography, a 3-D imaging capability. Features true concentric imaging, high degree of off-axis tilt and NanoTech open tube technology for resolution and magnification. CT produces high-res 3-D...

Placement rate improvement.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
October 1, 2006... Advantage X enhancement package is said to boost placement rates by 15%. Retrofittable upgrade combines hardware and software advances and is suitable for all Mimot pick-and-place machines. Beneficial for high-mix pick-and-place systems,...

Bare board unstacker.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
October 1, 2006... J210-50 bare board unstacker automatically feeds boards onto a production line and has a pass-through length of 19.7". Track height is adjustable from 29.5 to 39.4", while a support mechanism relieves the load on the boards at the bottom of the...

2-Camera semiautomatic printer.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
October 1, 2006... SP003-V semiautomatic stencil printer comes with vision for faster control and alignment correction. Features new trans-stencil vision, a motorized print head and vertical stencil separation. Accommodate stencils or screens up to 29 x 29"....

Inline 3-D SPI.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
October 1, 2006... PARMI SPI HS30 3-D in-line solder paste inspection system is said to provide 100% inspection at high speeds. Measures height, area and volume, to detect printing faults (volume, height, area, registration, bridge) and monitor the printing...

In case you missed it.(Technical Abstracts)
October 1, 2006... This month's abstracts come from the SMTA International conference in September (smta.org). Component Placement "Process Window Research on 0201 And 01005 Chip Component Assembly" Author: Syber Chen; hwcsb@huawei.com. ...