Circuits Assembly articles from September 2006

Circuits Assembly archives from September 2006

Dover: buy and fold?(Caveat Lector)
September 1, 2006... Employees of Dover Corp.'s many technology businesses will long remember July 25. It was the day that the holding company whose informal motto was "we buy and keep companies forever" shifted its stance, opting to put five of its Dover...

IPC should lead Pb-free repeal.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... I am writing to ask for your assistance in addressing a grievous wrong that is having a major impact on our industry; the ill-considered legislation and directives of the European Community banning lead in most electronics products. A...

Same old Reed.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... I just read the August issue of CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY. It is really a good issue with great balance. I wanted to comment on the letter from Andy Kellard. He is right on track. This is the same old Reed that through its usury policies caused me...

Correction.(Correction notice)
September 1, 2006... Correction. Due to an editing error, the photos for Figures 3 and 5 on page 33 of the August issue were inadvertently switched. CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY regrets the error.

Flextronics.(In Brief)
September 1, 2006... Flextronics (flextronics.com) will hire more than 1,000 workers at its plant in northeast Hungary starting this month. The number may include rehires from a workforce reduction in February. The plant currently has 1,100 employees.

YESTech.(In Brief)
September 1, 2006... YESTech (yestechinc.com) has opened YESTech Europe (yestech-europe.com) in Alton, Hampshire, U.K. The new division will work with local representatives in most European countries, as well as the Middle East and South Africa.

Solectron.(In Brief)
September 1, 2006... Solectron (solectron.com) received ISO 13485:2003 medical certification for its Fremont NPI facility, which operates under the name FinePitch. The ISO 13485 standard specifies requirements for a quality management system for the manufacture of...

BP Microsystems.(In Brief)
September 1, 2006... BP Microsystems (bpmicro.com) has shipped the first two units of its Helix Integrated Programming System, an automated device programmer.

Cookson Electronics Assembly Materials'.(In Brief)
September 1, 2006... Cookson Electronics Assembly Materials' (cooksonelectronics.com) Alpha Vaculoy SACX Pb-free wave solder alloy has been approved for use by LG Electronics DS Division (CD-ROM).

3M.(In Brief)
September 1, 2006... 3M (3m.com) acquired SCC Products and JJ Converting, both in Sanford, NC. SCC Products, a sister company of Static Control Components, provides static control packaging and workstation products. JJ Converting produces film to make static...

Northtouch/Comtree.(In Brief)
September 1, 2006... Northtouch/Comtree will represent Siemens Electronic Assembly Systems (ea.automation.siemens.com) in Canada.

Dage Precision Industries.(In Brief)
September 1, 2006... Dage Precision Industries (dageinc.com) has moved its U.S. sales and support operations to a new facility in Fremont, CA. The facility expands product demonstration and application lab capabilities and will accommodate additional personnel. The...

Specialty Coating Systems.(In Brief)
September 1, 2006... Specialty Coating Systems (scscoatings.com) has opened an 8,000-sq. ft. conformal coating facility in Heredia, Costa Rica, its tenth location worldwide. The facility is managed by Max Montero.

Aegis Industrial Software.(In Brief)
September 1, 2006... Aegis Industrial Software (aiscorp.com) added online credit-card ordering to its Customer Gateway Website. Customers can purchase items online, setup monthly payment plans, choose auto-charge options and review online quotes.

Zestron America.(In Brief)
September 1, 2006... Zestron America (zestron.com) named Automation Supply (automationsupply) its sales rep in Colorado, Utah and South Idaho.

OS-Tech.(In Brief)
September 1, 2006... P. Kay (pkaymetal.com) named as distributors OS-Tech (Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oregon, Washington); Electri-Rep (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and southern Illinois); B & L Technologies (New York state); Phoenix United...

Hover-Davis.(In Brief)
September 1, 2006... Hover-Davis (hoverdavis.com) recently appointed Jeren as sales representative for its component delivery systems in Argentina.

Promation.(In Brief)
September 1, 2006... Promation (pro-mation-inc.com) appointed Jim Gurly of PFI of Florida as a sales rep of its PCB handling and robotic assembly solutions in Florida.

Arrow Electronics and China Great Wall Computer Group.(In Brief)
September 1, 2006... The North American Components unit of Arrow Electronics (arrow.com) and China Great Wall Computer Group (greatwall.com) have signed an agreement permitting Arrow's OEM clients to have products assembled at GWG's facility in Shenzhen.

Printed Circuits, Inc.(In Brief)
September 1, 2006... Printed Circuits, Inc. (printedcircuits.com) received UL 94V0 and UL 796 approval for rigid-flex PWBs.

Bantam Electronics.(In Brief)
September 1, 2006... EMS provider Bantam Electronics signed a deal with Acequia L.P. (acequia.com) to build hardware for the Aquador line irrigation control units. Bantam (bantamelectronics.com) will provide parts and finished product inventory management, shipping...

TXP Corp.(In Brief)
September 1, 2006... TXP Corp., a provider of pre-manufacturing services for the electronics industry, has changed its official corporate name to TXP Corp. (texasprototypes.com) and its common stock will begin trading under the new ticker symbol TXPO, effective...

Vermont Electro-Mechanical Assembly Services.(In Brief)
September 1, 2006... EMS provider Vermont Electro-Mechanical Assembly Services (vemas.com) will move its manufacturing operations by next year, helped by a $600,000 loan from the Vermont Economic Development Authority. The funds will go toward renovating an old...

Dover to sell most electronics businesses.(Industry NEWS)
September 1, 2006... NEW YORK -- Dover Corp. (dover.com) has discontinued seven businesses during its just-ended quarter, including five from Dover Technologies and one from Dover Electronics. The discontinued businesses include Universal Instruments (uic.com),...

Plexus adding 60k sq. ft. in China.(Industry NEWS)
September 1, 2006... NEENAH, WI -- Plexus Corp. (plexus.com) will add about 60,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space in China, bringing its total in the Xiamen Xiangyu Free Trade Zone to 120,000 sq. ft. The company will use the space for high-mix, mid-to-low volume...

Anchor your reputation: 2007 Service Excellence Awards now open.(Industry NEWS)
September 1, 2006... ATLANTA -- CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY is seeking participants for its 15th annual Service Excellence Awards (SEAs) for EMS providers and Electronics Assembly Equipment, Material and Software suppliers. The SEAs honor companies in electronics...

ITW buys Kester.(Industry NEWS)
September 1, 2006... GLENVIEW, IL -- The worst-kept secret in the industry was made official as Illinois Tool Works (itw.com) finalized its acquisition of solder paste supplier Kester Inc. (kester.com). Terms of the transaction, which was signed July 19, were not...

VJ Electronix expands to new state-of-the-art facility.(Industry NEWS)
September 1, 2006... LITTLETON, MA -- VJ Electronix (vjelectronix.com) has relocated to a new state-of-the-art facility in Littleton that is close to double the size of its old plant in Shirley, MA. The new factory is two stories and features 30,000 sq. ft. of...

UK DTI issues WEEE Consultation Document.(Industry NEWS)
September 1, 2006... LONDON -- The UK Department of Trade and Industry in July issued a timetable for implementing the WEEE Directive and "takeback" of electronics products by producers and distributors. In a so-called Consultation Document...

EU reviewing comments for possible CE mark revisions.(Industry NEWS)
September 1, 2006... BRUSSELS -- The EU is reviewing comments on its New Approach Consultation paper (http://eceuropa.eu/enterprise/newapproach/review_en.htm), which covers CE mark requirements, among other things. The U.S. Department of Commerce is among those...

Chinese electronics firm opens 1st European plant.(Industry NEWS)
September 1, 2006... VELIKO TURNOVO, BULGARIA -- SVA Group (sva-usa.com), a top Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer, opened its first plant in Europe. The factory will build televisions and has capacity to produce over 100,000 sets per year. The company...

In a flash: rash of memory chip thefts hit Valley.(Industry NEWS)
September 1, 2006... FREMONT, CA -- At least 18 Silicon Valley high-tech firms have been hit by a gang of robbers this year and hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment stolen. The thieves are targeting chips, flash memory cards and electronic devices, say...

SEMI issues 'best IP practices' paper.(Industry News)
September 1, 2006... SAN JOSE -- SEMI (semi.org) has formed a working group of member company volunteers to provide expertise and guidance on intellectual property issues. Most of the activities are centered on education and government relations. The group...

Duty call: Senate bill would waive import taxes.(Industry News)
September 1, 2006... WASHINGTON, DC -- A bill introduced in late July by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) calls for a suspension of duties on certain PCB assembly imports. S. 3750, proposed on July 26, aims "to suspend temporarily the duty on certain printed circuit...

Ekra posts record six, 12-month results.(Industry News)
September 1, 2006... MARLBOROUGH, MA -- Ekra America (ekra-america.com) reported its best six-month and rolling 12-month revenues in company history. The printer maker also reported shipping its 500th machine in the Americas during June. "We are very proud of...

Asymtek.(People)
September 1, 2006... Asymtek promoted John Byers to president, superseding Robert L. Ciardella, who becomes an advisor to the company. Byers, who was business unit director for Asymtek's Spectrum Business Group, has also managed Asymtek's worldwide technical...

Henkel.(People)
September 1, 2006... Henkel promoted Dr. Larry Crane to vice president, product development and engineering, responsible for semiconductor materials management, overseeing operations at sites in Irvine, CA, Seoul, Japan, Singapore, the U.K., and China, including...

Solectron Corp.(People)
September 1, 2006... Solectron Corp. promoted Marty Neese to executive VP of operations from executive VP, program management. He was formerly responsible for customer relationships at San-mina-SCI and in manufacturing and business development roles at Jabil...

Inspiring Life Stories of Prominent Researchers.(People)
September 1, 2006... Noted industry speaker, inventor and author Dr. Jennie Hwang is one of 10 researchers featured in a new book, The Road to Scientific Success--Inspiring Life Stories of Prominent Researchers.

Alphasem AG.(People)
September 1, 2006... Walter Gisler was named country manager Americas for Alphasem AG. Gisler has over 10 years of semiconductor market and application experience. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Inovaxe Corp.(People)
September 1, 2006... Inovaxe Corp. named Bob Douglas president. He has held management positions at Vertical Communications, Speedcom Wireless Corp., and Teradyne Connection Systems. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

IEEE Components.(People)
September 1, 2006... Dr. Ning-Cheng Lee, VP of technology at Indium Corp., was appointed to the IEEE Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology (CPMT) Society Board of Governors. Dr. Lee also received the 2006 CPMT Exceptional Technical Achievement Award....

2006 Charles Hutchins Educational Grant.(People)
September 1, 2006... Sungchul Joo, a graduate student in mechanical engineering at Georgia Tech, has received the 2006 Charles Hutchins Educational Grant for his project, Rapid Prototyping of Micro-Systems Packaging by Data-Driven Chip-First Approach Using...

A/V sounds good.(Market WATCH)
September 1, 2006... Trends in the U.S. electronics equipment market (shipments only). % Change April May (r) June* YTD Computers and electronics products...

PMI up, new orders down in July.(Market WATCH)
September 1, 2006... TEMPE, AZ -- Backlogs at North American manufacturers slipped 3.5 points in July, new orders were down 1.8 points and inventories rose 3.6 points sequentially. Yet it wasn't enough to stop the sector from turning in its 38th straight month of...

Industry market snapshot.(Market WATCH)
September 1, 2006... Book-to-bills of various components/equipment. Feb. March April May June Semiconductor equipment (1) 1.01 1.03 1.11 1.12 1.14 Semiconductors (2) -2.2% 2.3% 8.1%...

IPTV a pretty picture.(Market WATCH)
September 1, 2006... EL SEGUNDO, CA -- The worldwide subscriber base for Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) services is expected to expand by a factor of more than 26 from 2005 to 2010, spurring a competitive battle between video providers both old and new,...

Study: SMT printers to show 25% AAGR through 2012.(Market WATCH)
September 1, 2006... NEW YORK -- The world market for SMT screen printers will grow from $190.2 million in 2005 to $366.4 million in 2012, according to Frost & Sullivan (frost.com). The firm predicts sales of glue dispensers will grow from $26.3 million in 2005 to...

ODMs solidify domination of mobile-PC manufacturing.(Market WATCH)
September 1, 2006... EL SEGUNDO, CA -- Illustrating the increasing domination of Asian producers in the global mobile-PC market, a whopping 82.6% of notebook computers in 2005 were manufactured by contract manufacturers mainly in the Greater Shanghai area,...

RTLS market taking off.(Market WATCH)
September 1, 2006... CAMBRIDGE, UK -- The number of companies offering Real-Time Locating Systems has tripled in the past year, according to a new report from analysts IDTechEx (idtechex.com). New portability and affordability is sharply increasing its use. RTLS is...

'A vast production capability'.(Talking Heads)(Interview)
September 1, 2006... Amid the many changes around Dover Technologies these days (see News, page 10) is the merging of several business units related to component assembly and placement into a new group called Unovis Solutions. Roland Heitmann, the former general...

Customer revenue dominance in mid-tier EMS: three EMS providers discuss the unwritten rules of percentages.(Focus on Business)(Company overview)
September 1, 2006... Look back in the history of most major Tier One EMS companies and you'll find that their acceleration from a regional player to a multinational, leading EMS company was driven by one or two key customers, followed by further growth driven by a...

Don't miss the trade show boat: better timing and more attention to detail will ensure a top-notch experience.(Global Sourcing)
September 1, 2006... I am deviating from my traditional focus on bare board procurement to touch on a less talked about but critical aspect of procurement: trade shows. Trade shows are great for our business, providing valuable contacts and building industry...

The new Era: how IC packaging and assembly houses have refined their business model.(On the Forefront)
September 1, 2006... Semiconductor analysts and industry participants agree that on balance business will be positive in 2006. Demand remains strong for mobile phone handsets and many consumer products. While PCs still drive dollar volumes, the former two segments...

Die attach goes mainstream: for IC deposition, printer platforms are supplanting dispensers on die bonders.(Screen Printing)
September 1, 2006... I have previously talked about the inherent advantages of mass imaging techniques when applied to semiconductor packaging. The same efficiencies--speed, accuracy, limitless deposit volumes--that have been realized in the surface-mount market...

Waste opportunities: the world's high volumes of trash are the real mandate for RoHS and WEEE.(Better Manufacturing)
September 1, 2006... Many eminent scholars and authors have written detailed analyses about the RoHS and WEEE legislation encircling the globe. The theme is the same, even if the content varies slightly from place to place. We have all become environmentally aware....

One-stop shopping: a turnkey line can simplify purchasing, machine compatability and service.(Equipment Procurement)
September 1, 2006... Many companies spend thousands of dollars each year simply to determine general strategic directions for SMT production equipment requirements. Large companies typically identify individuals, or groups of individuals, who are responsible for...

A primer on AOI and AOT: capabilities vary, but programming time is the general differentiator.(PCB Inspection)
September 1, 2006... Inspection is not the same as electrical testing. Rather, it is performed via optical means during PCB assembly and directed at ferreting out defects. Integrated with assembly equipment, automatic optical inspection (AOI) and automatic optical...

Manufacturing in Vietnam: why the nation is an ideal spot for high-mix/low-volume production.(Vietnam)
September 1, 2006... For OEMs, the number of potential locations for outsourcing has expanded as emerging regions compete for high-value electronics business. OEMs can choose among more than 20 geographies. Of those regions, Vietnam is currently showing the lowest...

'Choosing to lead': how Guenter Lauber and Siemens A & D plan to achieve "sustainable value far into the future.".(Interview)
September 1, 2006... It is no secret that the placement equipment market is brutally competitive. It is characterized by at least seven major players, not to mention many smaller ones, and pricing for high-end machines has been under extreme pressure since the last...

Environmental and mechanical stress testing of Pb-free and SnPb solder: Pb-free beats SnPb on lead pull, but not shear force.(Solder Testing)
September 1, 2006... An RoHS-compliant assembly must meet the same rigid performance and reliability standards and specifications of leaded-solder assemblies. Because Pb-free solder pastes and solders are typically used and processed in a different manner (higher...

Programming and the problem of yield: optimized sockets should combine the durability and signal integrity of test sockets and the standardization (and cost) of burn-in versions.(Device Programming)
September 1, 2006... The majority of programmable ICs worldwide are programmed as close to end-product assembly as possible. Semiconductor companies still perform sample programming for testing purposes, and may even offer programming services, but programming as a...

Cleaning flux residue in hand solder rework and the effects on SIR: SIR endpoint readings tend to be higher following IPA cleaning.(Rework Cleaning)
September 1, 2006... This study investigated the hand rework cleaning process using SIR (surface insulation resistance) via the IPC B-24 coupon test. The final IPA clean was compared to "no final IPA clean." The weak organic flux pen is used on all test coupons as...

High-reliability manufacturing: tips on design for manufacturing and BGA reballing.(Soldering Tips)
September 1, 2006... Acustomer requested the development and documentation of a robust manufacturing process for a high-reliability PCB assembly. We also conducted a design for manufacturability review of the assembly, noting any issues affecting its producibility....

Causes of solder ball formation: outgassing is the main culprit, but does not explain them all.(Wave Soldering)
September 1, 2006... Many articles written about post-wave-soldering solder ball formation cite as the culprit outgassing, or vapor escaping. Generally this is true, but it does not explain the small solder balls often found between leads of wave-soldered...

What's my risk? Determining the root cause of a field failure.(Process Doctor)
September 1, 2006... Many quality control engineers seek to determine their product performance risk, depending on factors that include: * Process uses fluxes that passes J-STD-004. * Process uses solder paste that pass J-STD-004. * Process passed the...

Speedline MPM's new inspection tool.(Equipment Advances)
September 1, 2006... The MPM Accela printer's SpeedVision inspection method is said to dramatically increase the performance of the patented texture-based inspection methods used in the BridgeVision and StencilVision inspection options released at launch of the...

Selective solder pallet.(Product PREVIEW)
September 1, 2006... Titanium selective solder pallets aid with difficult wave soldering applications, including PCBs with PTH components in close proximity to bottomside SMDs. Machining titanium vs. composites can achieve "seal walls" 0.020" thick standard and...

Adjustable workstation.(Product PREVIEW)
September 1, 2006... Arlink 8000 modular workstation is ergonomically designed and can accommodate changing needs. Can be assembled and reconfigured quickly. Offered in a variety of heights and lengths. Available in five standard widths and three heights up to 84"....

Horizontal depaneler.(Product PREVIEW)
September 1, 2006... The VPD-5 depaneler is said to permit stress-free board separation with components (including ceramic capacitors) as close as 0.5 mm from the score line. Reportedly handles boards as thin as 0.32", and can separate boards with tall components...

Highly flexible placement platform.(Product PREVIEW)
September 1, 2006... Siplace D-Series placement platform comes with one to four gantries, for high-performance or high-mix production. Digital vision system with component recognition and programming via digital data collection reduces placement errors. New station...

Data Matrix scanner.(Product PREVIEW)
September 1, 2006... Quadrus Verifier is a fully integrated, factory floor ready verifier that analyzes, measures and reports the quality of Data Matrix symbols. Is fully contained and compact. Has preset focus and lighting for consistent results. Illumination...

Assembly robots.(Product PREVIEW)
September 1, 2006... A range of compact four-, five- and six-axis robots handle payloads up to 20 kg, with reaches from 350 to 1,300 mm. Repeatability is to within [+ or -]0.015 mm. Standard, cleanroom and dust- and mist-proof (IP65) models available. Options...

Microstructure characterization.(Product PREVIEW)
September 1, 2006... Noran System SIX characterizes samples in terms of phases, not just elemental concentrations, enabling compositionally unique features to be identified and mapped during the analysis. Direct-to-Phase software performs energy dispersive...

Two-lane dispenser.(Product PREVIEW)
September 1, 2006... Axiom X-1022 dual-lane dispenser increases units per hour in high-volume applications such as flip chip and CSP underfill. Permits parallel processing on two lanes for continuous dispensing. Conveyors are independently controlled. Programmable...

Gentle aqueous cleaner.(Product PREVIEW)
September 1, 2006... VIGON A 200+ is for low and medium pressure spray-in-air processes with long exposure times. Mild formula is gentle on materials and solder joints, especially in batch cleaning applications. Aqueous-based, said to have excellent material...

High power x-ray.(Product PREVIEW)
September 1, 2006... Nanomex 180kV high-power nanofocus x-ray tube has an advanced 4 Mp digital detector. Can inspect dense, shielded components such as CSPs, [mu]BGAs, flip chips etc. Has magnification of 13X. Useful for 3-D computed tomography and 2-D inspection...

Laser marking.(Product PREVIEW)
September 1, 2006... LMS6000 closed loop, ytterbium-doped fiber laser system can mark flat label materials and direct mark specific metallic and plastic substrates. Includes in-line mark grading system with error detection. Features reel-to-reel transportation with...

Composite material for solder pallets.(Product PREVIEW)
September 1, 2006... Selective solder pallets come in finished solder pallets or in cut-to-order blanks. Cutting tolerances of the blanks are +0.125/ -0.0". Special ECP Pro and ECP Plus composite material is well-suited to Pb-free applications, runs cool, mills and...

Long-life carrier tapes.(Product PREVIEW)
September 1, 2006... TACSIL F20, a flexible PCB carrier tape, reportedly outperforms standard polyimide tapes and double-sided tapes. Has been test ed to exceed 500 cycles in a normal SMT process. Aids in precise surface mounting, and does not damage the flex board...

UV curable conformal coating.(Product PREVIEW)
September 1, 2006... UV40 UV curable conformal coating offers rapid cure of UV products, with the processing ease of their current coatings. Maintains the speed of cure and environment-friendly chemistry for electronic fabrication. Adheres to common soldermasks,...

Pb-free solder.(Product PREVIEW)
September 1, 2006... UltraPure K100LD Pb-free bar solder alloy reportedly offers the lowest copper dissolution of any Pb-free bar. Is silver-free (for lower cost), and anti-drossing. Is said to offer bright, smooth solder joints with no visible shrinkage effects,...

Dross elimination.(Product PREVIEW)
September 1, 2006... MS2 Molten Solder Surfactant eliminates dross when soldering with SnPb or Pb-free alloys. When applied to the surface of molten solder it does not mix with the alloy, but stays on the surface as a surfactant. Gathers metal oxides and releases...

Flexible screen printing.(Product PREVIEW)
September 1, 2006... Horizon 01i screen printer offers high-speed performance for high-mix to high-volume advanced assemblies, including 0201s and CSPs. Has Instinctiv user interface, ISCAN control area network and an optimized frame for mechanical and thermal...