Circuits Assembly articles from September 2005

Circuits Assembly archives from September 2005

Charting new waters.(Caveat Lector)
September 1, 2005... Nestled in a tidy industrial park just off the Philadelphia International Airport, so close its parking lot could serve as a runway for a small plane, lies the American Competitiveness Institute. [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] It is...

Henkel.(In Brief)
September 1, 2005... Henkel (electronics.henkel.com) relocated its mold compound development, application engineering and technical service capabilities from Olean, NY, to a recently opened R&D center in Irvine, CA (pictured). The facility hosts an analytical and...

Hover-Davis Inc.(In Brief)
September 1, 2005... Hover-Davis Inc. (hoverdavis.com) appointed Sincotron Finland Oy (sincotron.fi) as distributor in Finland and the Baltic States.

Kyzen Corp.(In Brief)
September 1, 2005... Kyzen Corp. (kyzen.com) has named Elnitec AB (elnitec.se) as its distributor for the Nordic region.

Christopher Associates Inc.(In Brief)
September 1, 2005... Christopher Associates Inc. (christopherweb.com) installed a number of KY 3030VAL 3-D solder paste inspection systems at a major EMS manufacturer. A major automotive electronics manufacturer also ordered multiple systems.

ConProTec.(In Brief)
September 1, 2005... ConProTec (conprotec.com), the North American distributor for Mixpac Systems AG, opened a Mixpac Dispenser Repair Division in Salem, NH.

Mouser Electronics.(In Brief)
September 1, 2005... Mouser Electronics (mouser.com) will be the first catalog distributor to market Oki Semiconductor's (okisemi.com) ICs.

Comet.(In Brief)
September 1, 2005... Comet (comet.ch) opened a technical resource center in San Jose, doubling the space (5,200 ft[..sup.2]) of its previous West Coast facility. It features three inspection service laboratories for product demonstrations and quality assurance...

IBM smooths bumping process.(Industry NEWS)
September 1, 2005... San Francisco -- IBM's fabled C4 flip chip concept has been updated and was a popular attraction at a major semiconductor manufacturing expo in July. IBM's Peter Gruber has conceived a new solder bumping method that builds on the controlled...

Atland Inc.(In Brief)
September 1, 2005... Atland Inc. will represent BP Microsystems' (bpmicro.com) device programmers in the Caribbean and Central America. Red-back Test Services will do the same in Australia and New Zealand.

Datalight (datalight.com) and Data I/O Corp.(In Brief)
September 1, 2005... Datalight (datalight.com) and Data I/O Corp. (data-io.com) will partner to bring NAND flash products to market. The joint effort aims to enable NAND flash users to leverage performance capabilities.

Kulicke & Soffa Industries.(In Brief)
September 1, 2005... Kulicke & Soffa Industries (kns.com) will align its Maxum series wire bonders with Microbonds Inc. (microbonds.com) X-Wire Technology insulated gold wire bonding products and processes.

Artesyn Technologies.(In Brief)
September 1, 2005... Artesyn Technologies (artesyn.com), a maker of power conversion and embedded boards, is closing its manufacturing facility in Tatabanya, Hungary, and will award European manufacturing services work to Celestica (celestrica.com). Production will...

Intel Corp.(In Brief)
September 1, 2005... Intel Corp. (intel.com) will build a state-of-the-art $3 billion semiconductor production plant in Chandler, AZ. Operations at the 300-mm silicon wafer fab are expected within two years.

Hansatech Ltd.(In Brief)
September 1, 2005... Hansatech Ltd. (hansatech.co.uk), a UK contract manufacturer, selected XJTAG Ltd (xjtag.com) to supply boundary scan test solutions. Systems will be implemented initially at UK facilities at King's Lynn and Cambridge

Camtek Ltd.(In Brief)
September 1, 2005... Camtek Ltd. (camteck.co.il) filed suit against Orbotech Ltd. (orbotech.com) to recover about $4 million in damages allegedly brought on by Orbotech's request for a preliminary injunction given ex parte. August Technology Corp. (augusttech.com)...

Libra Industries.(In Brief)
September 1, 2005... Libra Industries (libraind.com) will market Engent's (engentaat.com) line of flip chip, wire bonding, SIP and MEMS packaging.

Henkel-Huawei JV fits the mold.(Industry NEWS)
September 1, 2005... Lianyungang, China -- Henkel and Huawei Electronics in July signed a pact to form a joint venture for mold compound development and sales. The deal is subject to China government approvals. The deal to form Henkel Huawei Electronics Co....

New AOI spec nearly ready.(Industry NEWS)
September 1, 2005... Loveland, CO -- After 24 months of writing, the final draft of a new standard for automated optical inspection was completed in late July, a spokesperson for the committee said. The document is said to provide a set of critical guidelines for...

Speedline blog shares tips, observations.(Industry NEWS)
September 1, 2005... Franklin, MA -- Speedline Technologies has launched a new Web log (aka "blog") where company leaders comment on pressing issues in semiconductor manufacturing and PCB assembly. At the site (speedlinetech.com/blog), company experts share...

NSAI gets OK to certify Pb-free processes.(Industry NEWS)
September 1, 2005... Nashua, NH -- National Standards Authority of Ireland is the first registrar to receive authorization to provide registration under the new EIA/ECCB-954 specification adopted by IECQ. The move permits NSAI to certify hazardous substance...

Universal Instruments.(People)
September 1, 2005... Universal Instruments appointed Eric Kan as vice president for Asia, based in Shekou. He also joins the company's executive committee. He was managing director for the Asian operations of Welding Services Inc.

Dynatech Technology.(People)
September 1, 2005... Joseph Cumbey joined Dynatech Technology as central regional sales manager, in charge of the Midwest and eastern Mexico. He held sales management positions with General Electric Advanced Materials and Cookson Electronics. [ILLUSTRATION...

Mouser Electronics.(People)
September 1, 2005... Mouser Electronics added Tim Sanghera as vice president of sales. He recently served as VP of semiconductor products for Digi-key Corp.

YesTech.(People)
September 1, 2005... Joshua Petras has been promoted to international sales manager for YesTech. Petras helped open regional offices in China, Singapore and the U.K. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ESD Association.(People)
September 1, 2005... Dale Parkin of IBM was appointed vice president of the ESD Association.

Nu-Way Electronics.(People)
September 1, 2005... Nu-Way Electronics appointed Jim Delaney as outside sales representative. Delaney has 26 years of experience in the electronic components industry.

Indium Corp.(People)
September 1, 2005... Indium Corp. promoted Brian Craig to managing director: European operations. With Indium since 1987, Craig helped launch the European facility, then moved to the U.S. and became director of interconnect business. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

VJ Electronix.(People)
September 1, 2005... Al Cabral joined VJ Electronix to lead product management and applications. Cabral has been involved with advanced manufacturing, NPI and product development at Vitronics Corp. and BTU International.

SIA, NAM, EIA applaud CAFTA passage.(Industry NEWS)
September 1, 2005... San Jose -- The Semiconductor Industry Association in July applauded passage of the U.S.-Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, known as CAFTA, by the U.S. House of Representatives. [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] ...

Reptron facility receives med. device certification.(Industry NEWS)
September 1, 2005... Gaylord, MI -- Reptron Electronics' contract manufacturing facility here has received ISO 13485:2003 certification. The company's Tampa facility was certified in June 2004. "This is an important milestone in our commitment to serving the...

As EU clock ticks, arrow expands RoHS data.(Industry NEWS)
September 1, 2005... Melville, NY -- Arrow Electronics (arrow.com) has expanded its Component Information Services, an online toolset that provides engineering, procurement and supply chain professionals with data to research and select electronic components. The...

Talking defense.(Market WATCH)
September 1, 2005... Talking Defense Trends in the U.S. electronics equipment market (shipments only). % Change April May * June * YTD Computers...

Manufacturing heated up in July.(Market WATCH)
September 1, 2005... Tempe, AZ -- The manufacturing sector grew for the 26th straight month in July as the slowdown in May is looking more like a blip than a trend. New orders and production both saw higher rates of growth, according to the latest Institute for...

Tablet PCs a mixed bag.(Market WATCH)
September 1, 2005... Scottsdale, AZ -- The tablet PC market is seeing higher shipments but overall success has been mixed, says In-Stat (in-stat.com). The research firm forecasts worldwide sales rising from $1.2 billion in 2004 to $5.4 billion in 2009. Corporate...

Industry market snapshot.(Market WATCH)
September 1, 2005... Industry Market Snapshot Book-to-bills of various components/equipment. March April May June Semiconductor equipment (1) 0.78 0.81 0.84 0.93 Semiconductors (2) ...

India chasing China in electronics.(Market WATCH)
September 1, 2005... Scottsdale, AZ -- India will be the fastest-growing electronics market the next few years, In-Stat said last month, with domestic sales growing at a compounded annual growth rate of 23% to US$40 billion by 2010. That's a huge gain from the...

Europe's EMS firms see gains.(Market WATCH)
September 1, 2005... Boston -- Revenues of Europe-based electronics manufacturing services firms are in recovery, according to a recent report. Reed Electronics Research (rer.co.uk) says the European EMS market will reach [euro]47.1 billion by 2009, up 139% from...

'Gaining traction' in automation.(Talking Heads)(Interview)
September 1, 2005... A valuable byproduct of the acquisition frenzy of the late 1990s was the influx of thousands of talented engineers and managers who were thrust onto the electronics scene. Some came from disparate industries; others, like George Szekely, were...

Selling ideas: resources for the most overworked personnel in EMS: program managers.(Focus on Business)
September 1, 2005... Within the EMS industry, program management is arguably the most overworked function. Reasons include: * The low overhead focus of the EMS business tends to create significant workload for all employees; * Most PMs carry the duel load...

Good as used: tips for sourcing preowned electronics assembly and test equipment.(Global Sourcing)
September 1, 2005... Remarketed assembly and test equipment, available for as little as 30 cents on the dollar compared to new equipment, will often satisfy or exceed the requirements of electronics manufacturers. However, there is more to consider when buying used...

Front-end and back-end boundary blurs: SemiCon West shows an increasing number of devices packaged at the wafer level.(On the Forefront)
September 1, 2005... More than 40,000 people gathered in San Francisco at SemiCon West in July. Why so many? This year, SEMI combined the front-end and back-end shows. Combining the show was partly a matter of convenience for exhibitors, but it is also symptomatic...

Maximizing mixed-technology applications: how pin-in-paste cuts wave soldering time and costs.(Screen Printing)
September 1, 2005... Manufacturers are faced with the competitive challenges of reduced labor costs, faster time-to-market and the need to fully utilize existing manufacturing resources. While there are countless examples of how this can be accomplished, one...

Design for dismantling: inspired by WEEE, the newest trend is to design products to be taken apart.(Better Manufacturing)
September 1, 2005... The current crop of OEMs and CEMs use close monitoring and control to achieve efficient manufacturing and are also conscious that good design gives good results. Everyone demands that yields and first-time-pass rates and throughputs be...

Flextronics gets dialed in: in an exclusive interview, the world's largest ODM/EMS takes aim at BoM costs.(Cover Story)
September 1, 2005... When we spoke last to Flextronics chief technology officer Nic Brathwaite, in April 2003, he mentioned the company's development of camera modules as complementary components for its booming cellphone manufacturing business. Today, the company...

How offline programming speeds NPI: new tools debug and verify at placement, before releasing product to the floor.(Software Enhancements)
September 1, 2005... NPI anyone? Don't answer too quickly. NPI, or new product introduction, is a necessary evil. For an OEM it is an opportunity to release new products. For a contract manufacturer, it means good revenue. But for the lowly process engineer who...

Spray fluxing for Pb-free wave soldering: refined spray application and deposits are musts for next-generation processes.(Fluxing)
September 1, 2005... Spray fluxing applications are not immune from problems during Pb-free solder processing. In fact, good flux chemistry and flux deposition control are critical to successful Pb-free wave soldering. [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] ...

Lead-Free new problems--new solutions.(Advertisement)
September 1, 2005... Over the past several decades the electronics assembly industry has perfected efficient and high quality manufacturing of leaded assemblies. Today we are faced with disruptive changes required by the production of Lead-Free electronics....

Practical Pb-free implementation: a review of six major considerations, from equipment choice to process validation.(Process Changes)
September 1, 2005... Ed.: For the full article, please see circuitsassembly.com/cms/content/view/1952/ [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] Numerous scientific studies have been published regarding Pb-free concerns: equipment capability, solder alloy types,...

Guidelines for Pb-free hand soldering: how to grapple with material, board and component preparation.(Soldering Tips)
September 1, 2005... Most Pb-free electronics efforts have concentrated on mass or automated assembly and rework processes, and the assorted concerns of transitioning production lines to Pb-free solders. Despite scant attention, good hand soldering techniques are...

Assembly insider.(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
September 1, 2005... PCB TAKE-OUT With MSG * FREE DELIVERY. * Manufacturing Services Guaranteed [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] www.bareboard.com 727-549-2200 Check out the new Message Board at circuitsassembly.com. But you gotta...

Why a 2-D soldering pass won't (usually) improve hole-fill: optimized thermal design lies in board layout and placement.(Wave Soldering)
September 1, 2005... To achieve good hole-fill on through-hole solder joints with protruding leads, surface and thermal solderability--and the specific soldering distance--must be within process specifications. [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] Board design...

Pb-free PCB finishes for ICT: new solders can mean new finishes. How to decide which is best.(Test and Inspection)
September 1, 2005... Reliable in-circuit test (ICT) depends on good electrical contact between the fixture probe and the solder-coated via or pad. When a sharp probe strikes, solder will initially yield because the contact pressure of the probe is significantly...

Pb-free standards update: several specs have already been updated, and others are undergoing revisions.(LEAD-FREE WATCH)
September 1, 2005... Ed.: For the full article, please see circuitsassembly.com/cms/content/view/1948/ The European Union's RoHS Directive restricting use of six hazardous substances in electrical and electronics equipment will be upon us in 10 months. Lead,...

On a flat note: the flat, leadless PQFN package traps flux from no-clean paste, leaving a gooey, conductive residue.(Process Doctor)
September 1, 2005... Flux volatilization is a critical factor in maintaining ionic cleanliness levels that lend to reliable performance. In a no-clean process, when the flux is activated and fully volatilized, it leaves a benign residue carrier or solvent that will...

Driving toward static-free electronics: a new roadmap highlights electrostatic discharge trends and needs.(ESD Basics)
September 1, 2005... To help the industry cope with electrostatic discharge (ESD) sensitivity, the ESD Association developed and made available through its Web site the "Electrostatic Discharge Technology Roadmap." The Roadmap, which became available in March 2005,...

Assembleon's MG-1: high-speed chipshooting plus ICs, with quick changeovers.(Equipment Advances)
September 1, 2005... The MG-1 combines chipshooting speed with fine-pitch capability and accuracy. It has an IPC-9850 speed rating of 17,700 on chips and over 10,000 on ICs. The machine handles component package sizes from 01005s to 45 mm square up to 15 mm tall....

Versatile placement machine.(Product PREVIEW)
September 1, 2005... SM320 achieves placement rates up to 18,500 cph with [+ or -]50 [micro]m accuracy and up to 5,500 cph at [+ or -]30[micro]m for QFPs and BGAs. Robust frame and gantry system features twin-servo motor design to provide stability for accurate...

Tabletop PCB AOI.(Product PREVIEW)
September 1, 2005... Thin Camera YTV-1000 AOI inspects for solder and lead defects, component presence and position, correct part, polarity and through-hole parts for improved quality and throughput. Tabletop sized, and can be used offline. [ILLUSTRATION...

Jet dispensing.(Product PREVIEW)
September 1, 2005... Spectrum S-820 series is a precision dispenser with jetting capabilities and high-end process controls for batch production, R&D and laboratories. Closed-loop system reportedly provides high accuracy and repeatability for packaging and...

Manufacturing software.(Product PREVIEW)
September 1, 2005... TraceXpert manufacturing execution system (MES) provides real-time production monitoring, machine-performance level enhancement and traceability to the single-component level. Standard, enterprise-wide solution can be applied to assembly lines...

Pb-free materials.(Product PREVIEW)
September 1, 2005... Pb-free suite of materials includes no-clean and water-wash solder pastes, solder preforms in tape and reel packaging, wave solder flux, reworkable no-flow underfill, and rework and repair materials. Indium Corp., indium.com Booth 608

Pb-free wave soldering.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2005... WS330 compact wave soldering machine is for small- and midsize volumes in standard and Pb-free technology. Width up to 330 mm and universal pallet transport system handle a variety of PCBs. Dual-wave technology for PTH and SMD components....

Insertion system.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2005... Model 9700 XY terminal insertion system features modular tooling to reduce downtime between terminal changeovers and during preventive maintenance. High-speed, servo-driven x, y platform is fully automated. Has computer-programmed self-teach...

In case you missed it: components.
September 1, 2005... "Assembly and Reliability of High CTE Ceramic Land Grid Array" [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] Abstract: This paper outlines a high CTE ceramic LGA SMT assembly process and reliability study that was carried out using water soluble...

In case you missed it: inspection.
September 1, 2005... "Measurement Variation in the Fill of Intrusively Reflowed Lead-Free Solder Joints with Different Board Finishes by X-ray Inspection" Abstract: This paper reports the results from percentage-fill measurements of intrusively reflowed...

In case you missed it: inspection.
September 1, 2005... "Crack Growth Rate Measurement and Analysis for WLCSP SnAgCu Solder Joints" Abstract: This paper describes the measurement of crack growth rates in SnAgCu solder joints subjected to thermal cycling with dye penetration tests and crack area...

In case you missed it: rework.
September 1, 2005... "Hand Solder Rework of Lead-Free Through-hole Components and Leaded Surface Mount Packages" Abstract: This paper focuses on hand solder rework of Pb-free, two-pin through-hole components, leaded surface mount packages and small passive...

In case you missed it: soldering.
September 1, 2005... "Report on JCAA/JGPP Consortia Pb-Free Solder Project" Abstract: Three Pb-free solder alloys (stabilized SnCu+Ni, SnAgCu and SnAgCuBi) were selected for testing to critical performance requirements identified by the project stakeholders....