Printed Circuit Design & Manufacture articles from January 2004

Printed Circuit Design & Manufacture archives from January 2004

IC a recovery.(Market Watch)
January 1, 2004... IC A RECOVERY Trends in the U.S. electronics equipment market (shipments only). % CHANGE AUG. SEPT. OCT. * YTD Computers/electronics ...

U.S. production reaches 20-year high.(Market Watch)
January 1, 2004... TEMPE, AZ -- Orders and production at U.S. manufacturers reached a 20-year high in November, according to a monthly survey taken by the Institute for Supply Management (ism.ws). The employment index grew to 51.0, ending a streak of job...

SIA sees higher chip sales.(Market Watch)
January 1, 2004... SAN JOSE -- The Semiconductor Industry Association (sia-online.org) in November forecast global sales of semiconductors to increase 15.8% in 2003 and an aggregate 35% from 2004-2006. Revenues are forecast to rise 19.4% to $194.6 billion in...

40% growth for wireless base stations.(Market Watch)
January 1, 2004... OYSTER BAY, NY -- A leading tech research firm in November projected revenues from 3G UMTS (universal mobile telecommunications systems) base stations will rise 40% over the $17 billion tallied in 2003. The market topped $20 billion in 2000,...

POC 'pushing' handset sales.(Market Watch)
January 1, 2004... OYSTER BAY, NY -- Having launched, in late 2003, the world's first GSM-based push-to-talk-over-cellular (POC) enabled handset, Nokia plans to provide POC in all 2.5G and 3G handsets by 2005. As a standard feature in handsets, POC may finally...

Industry market snapshot.(Market Watch)
January 1, 2004... INDUSTRY MARKET SNAPSHOT Book-to-bills/growth rates of various components/equipment. JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. Semiconductor equipment (1) 0.90 0.92 0.96 1.0 Semiconductors (2) ...

The end of the PCB is nigh (again!).(by Design)
January 1, 2004... The circuit board is dead. At least that's what the The New York Times proclaimed. In a Sept. 22 article, "New Sun Microsystems Chip May Unseat the Circuit Board," the paper described Sun research that would permit bare die to be placed...

Cadence rolls up SI, PCB tools.(SI Analysis Added to PCB Front End)
January 1, 2004... SAN JOSE -- Cadence Design Systems (cadence.com) in November rolled out a tool for managing signal integrity analysis on high-speed PCBs. The company is aiming SPECCTRAQuest EE at front-end PCB engineers, loading the methodology with many of...

Zuken, Siemens Ink design tool pact.(Design)
January 1, 2004... WESTFORD, MA -- Zuken (zuken.com) inked a multiyear, $3 million contract to optimize the electronic design processes of Siemens Automation and Drives Group (ad.siemens.de). The complete front-to-back hardware-design flow will be based on...

'No license required'.(Free Viewer for Pantheon)
January 1, 2004... ATLANTA -- Intercept Technology (intercept.com) has released a free database and artwork viewer said to enable design reviews without a corporate license server and without tying up licenses. Pantheon PreView, a functional read-only...

Cali 'cleans' up.
January 1, 2004... California has ratified the Electronics Waste Recycling Act, covering electronics that use CRTs, flat panel screens, or other video displays larger than 4" and deemed hazardous by the state EPA. Starting July 1, state retailers will collect a...

Board funds.
January 1, 2004... Congress has allocated $3.5 million for PCB research for military needs, specifically liquid crystal polymers, embedded passives and embedded optics. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane, will conduct the research.

Pads's pads outsourced.
January 1, 2004... Mentor Graphics (mentor.com) will offer a starter library of PCB component shapes based on industry standards available to users of its Pads software line. PCBstandards.com Inc., a supplier of CAD libraries and tools, will jointly market the...

Good to be ALIVH.
January 1, 2004... IMAPS (imaps.org) named Dr. Masahide Tsukamoto one of three recipients of its 2003 Society Awards. He invented the ALIVH buildup process.

ISO newbies.
January 1, 2004... Among the plants recently registered to ISO9001:2000 are Westwind Air Bearings Suzhou (China) Co., CCMP Inc., Electrotek, the Bare Board Group, and all North American sites of Enthone. Polyclad Laminates in Kuching, Malaysia, was certified to...

For rent: humans.
January 1, 2004... EIMC-Advanced Plating Technologies (smartcatshield.com) has added consulting and engineering services for electroplating process improvement as an alternative to its software licensing.

UIC, OMG maintain relationship.
January 1, 2004... The sale of OMG-Galvanotechnik to Umicore-Galvanotechnik finished, Uyemura-USA will continue to represent Galvanotechnik's Auruna electrolytic gold processes and other plating technologies in North America. Galvanotechnik will also represent...

Up and running.
January 1, 2004... AT&S says its PCB ops in China should reach $72.5 million in sales in the next fiscal year. The company has invested $133 million in the project.

Mentor, Cadence expand tool interoperability.(Expedition Now Reads, Writes Allegro)
January 1, 2004... WILSONVILLE, OR -- Interoperability among key PCB design software tools just became a little easier as Mentor Graphics' (mentor.com) Expedition design suite has been integrated with the Allegro layout tool. Expedition, a layout and routing...

'Spicing' up high speed.(Mentor Offers Design Kits for 10-Gb/s FPGAs)
January 1, 2004... WILSONVILLE, OR -- Mentor Graphics (mentor.com) is offering a new class of design kits for Xilinx's (xilinx.com) line of 10-Gb/s FPGAs. The Mentor kit provides high-speed verification models written in ICX-SPICE, for use with the company's ICX...

Price hike.
January 1, 2004... DuPont Printed Circuit Materials announced on Nov. 26 a 7 to 11% price increase for its dry film products in Europe. The decision affects Riston dry-film photoresists and Vacrel dry-film soldermasks and is effective immediately, subject to...

Coming back.
January 1, 2004... A federal bankruptcy court in New York in December approved DDi Corp.'s reorganization plan. Reorganization could go into effect within 10 days after the court enters its order. Some shareholders have balked at the plan.

Good to the finish.
January 1, 2004... HMS Hollmuller and Ormecon GmbH will cooperate on immersion tin process technology. HMS is a leading supplier of horizontal immersion tin lines, while Ormecon is said to have the largest customer base.

New rep.
January 1, 2004... M-tron Industries named A4S to represent its line of frequency control products in Belgium and Luxemburg. M-tron makes crystals, oscillators and other components.

Sold out.(Congress Kills 'Buy America' Act)
January 1, 2004... WASHINGTON, DC -- President Bush in November signed a defense budget authorizing $401.3 billion in funding for fiscal 2004, thus bringing to a close attempts to insert a "Buy America" provision requiring "essential" military equipment to be...

PowerPCB interface added to GerbTool.(Now Maintains Intelligent Data)
January 1, 2004... NEWBERG, OR -- Wise Software Solutions (wssi.com) has released a PowerPCB ASCII database interface for its GerbTool v. 13 CAM tool. The interface is said to streamline data flow and permits PowerPCB users to import ASCII design data directly...

Mixed results: revenue reports.(Manufacturing)
January 1, 2004... MIXED RESULTS Revenue Reports REVENUES (1) COMPANY Q3 2003 Q3 2002 Agilent 1.7b 1.7b Altium A9.0 A9.4 Ansoft 12.3 10.6 Camtek 8.5 6.4 Celestica C1.6b...

Current carrying capacity tool debuted.(Manufacturing)
January 1, 2004... LITTLETON, CO -- Thermal Man Inc. (thermalman.com), a supplier of software design tools, has debuted a series of conductor sizing charts for complex thermal calculations. The new tool consists of a series of 17 curves for determining...

End of an era.(Manufacturing)
January 1, 2004... Gene Weiner, Shipley employee no. 4, at left, and Bob Ferguson, PWB general manager, North America, at the company's Productronica booth in November. The Shipley name, along with that of Rodel, are being changed to Rohm and Haas Electronic...

Events.(Happenings)(Calendar)
January 1, 2004... JANUARY 6-8 Electronics West Anaheim, CA. Contact: canontradeshowa.com 15-16 Electronic Thermal Design and Analysis Seminar Boston. Contact: sensorprod.com/heatsink 19-23 Practical RF/Microwave Design ...

Cadence Design Systems.(Faces)
January 1, 2004... Cadence Design Systems named Jan Willis senior vice president, industry marketing. She was vice president of strategic third-party programs, which she will continue to oversee. Willis, a former vice president of business development at Simplex...

Westwind Air Bearings Ltd.(Faces)
January 1, 2004... Westwind Air Bearings Ltd. promoted Alex Norris (at left) to divisional manager--special air bearings, responsible for market development. He was general manager, responsible for spare parts and repairs in the U.S. Darren Robinson (above, at...

Trace Laboratories East.(Faces)
January 1, 2004... Trace Laboratories East named Roger Landolt technical services manager, responsible for new business and customer liaisons. He was previously product manager, imaging technologies for Enthone.

Oak-Mitsui.(Faces)
January 1, 2004... Oak-Mitsui promoted Jeffrey Gray to president. Gray was VP of operations for Oak-Mitsui Technologies, Mitsui's U.S. R&D group, and was previously plant manager of its Hoosick Falls, NY, plant.

Enthone Inc.(Faces)
January 1, 2004... Enthone Inc. named Raymond Fong vice president and managing director, Asia-Pacific, responsible for sales, new products and operations. He was Asia-Pacific general manager for Avery Dennison Ltd. He has a bachelor's in electrical engineering...

Onstatic Technology Ltd. (otc@otcink.com.tw) named Vantage Circuit Products (vantage.co.uk) as European distributor for photoimageable.(It's A Deal)
January 1, 2004... Onstatic Technology Ltd. (otc@otcink.com.tw) named Vantage Circuit Products (vantage.co.uk) as European distributor for photoimageable and screened-defined solder masks, marking inks and etch resists.

Electro Scientific Industries (esi.com) named Multiline.(It's A Deal)
January 1, 2004... Electro Scientific Industries (esi.com) named Multiline (mie.de) as European distributor for laser drills.

Dyconex (dyconex.com) installed a 5330 UV laser drill.(It's A Deal)
January 1, 2004... Dyconex (dyconex.com) installed a 5330 UV laser drill from ESI (esi.com).

LPKF Laser & Electronics (Ipkf.com) and Ticona (ticonaeu.com) entered an agreement under which Ticona will modify its LCP material.(It's A Deal)
January 1, 2004... LPKF Laser & Electronics (Ipkf.com) and Ticona (ticonaeu.com) entered an agreement under which Ticona will modify its LCP material for the LPKF Laser Direct Structuring process to produce 3D-MID circuits.

Ramaer Printed Circuits (ramaer.com) has installed i-Quote.(It's A Deal)
January 1, 2004... Ramaer Printed Circuits (ramaer.com) has installed i-Quote, a Web quoting tool from Cimnet Systems (cim-sys.com).

Fein-Line Associates (feinline.com) will represent Boeing Intellectual Property Business.(It's A Deal)
January 1, 2004... Fein-Line Associates (feinline.com) will represent Boeing Intellectual Property Business (boeing.com) in the licensing of specific intellectual properties.

Lloyd Doyle (lloyd-doyle.com) installed a Redline X2 automatic optical taster.(It's A Deal)
January 1, 2004... Lloyd Doyle (lloyd-doyle.com) installed a Redline X2 automatic optical taster at Eprinta NV (elprinta.com).

Fox Technologies (foxtechnologies.it) will install an MCA-101.(It's A Deal)
January 1, 2004... Fox Technologies (foxtechnologies.it) will install an MCA-101 automated press at Lares Cozzi (larescozzi.com).

Orbotech (orbotech.com) sold LDI systems.(It's A Deal)
January 1, 2004... Orbotech (orbotech.com) sold LDI systems to Synergie CAD (synergie-cad.com) and Hi-Tech Corp., in Macedonia.

How successful people stay successful: take chances, and look for the opportunities wherever they may arise.(Power Selling)
January 1, 2004... HERE'S A PROFOUND thought: Things are always going to change. Here's another: People hate change. And another: Those who embrace change will thrive. Using today's conventional wisdom, one could look at the PCB business of the past few...

2003: a blueprint for collaboration: thoughts on how last year brought out the worst--and the best--in us.(Roi)
January 1, 2004... I FOR ONE am pretty darned glad 2003 is over! I cannot remember a time in my working career that was as challenging. This is a fine time to look at what we have done--as companies and collectively as an industry--to see what we can learn. ...

Resolving component polarity problems: knowing the rotations for each component type can compensate for inconsistencies in orientation between library geometries and component reels.(Component Polarity)
January 1, 2004... I have heard complaints about "backwards" parts on assemblies and unclear drawings, and the response from Engineering has been "Use the data." This is not a thoughtless solution, because when software has been debugged properly computers don't...

Has the copper interconnect hits its speed limit? Data rates are reaching the unlikely speed of 40 Gbps, yet copper runs on.(Cover Story)
January 1, 2004... Let's get something straight. It's the silicon that does all the work. It's the silicon where the information is processed and stored, and the signals generated. Packaging and interconnects increase the product's size, weight, cost and...

What designers should know about LDI: not just a tool for fine lines, laser direct imaging eliminates phototools and tightens design tolerances. Aspects to consider when designing for LDI.(Design Rules For LDI)
January 1, 2004... "My customers do not care how the board is made. They just want me to meet the specifications, the quality and, above all, the price requirements." That's the common refrain I hear from PCB manufacturers. The thinking from buyers seems to be...

UAL flight 896, seat 16G: how a flight from Hong Kong tripped my logic in last month's column.(Getting Embedded)
January 1, 2004... IT WAS A terrible mistake. I hate mistakes, particularly mine. Here's what happened. Last month's column was on embedded passive costs. It included, among other things, a cost example. I wanted this example to be as factual as possible, of...

Methodology for high aspect ratio pulse plating: periodic reverse pulse tanks were once seen as a current density capacity enhancement for "standard thickness" boards. Now they churn out PCBs with aspect ratios of 15:1.(Pulse Plating)
January 1, 2004... The potential of periodic reversed pulse (PRP) copper plating couldn't be ignored in 1999, when IBM Endicott began its design of a new copper plating line for manufacturing. It was decided that the line should incorporate pulse plating, but it...

'Used to' doesn't live here anymore: you're never too old to get an education.(Career Care)
January 1, 2004... LAST WEEK I was listening to someone in a networking group complain that he can't earn the money he used to make. I discovered he graduated from high school in the late 1970s and went to work in the steel mills around Pittsburgh. His wages...

2004 buyer's guide: suppliers.
January 1, 2004... # 3M PO Box 33223 St. Paul, MN 55133 tel: 800 407-0410 www.3m.com 4th Dimension PCB Inc. 3041 Greenmount Rd. Orlando, FL 32806 tel: 877 484-8463 www.4thDpcb.com A Abba Rubber...

2004 buyers' guide: products.
January 1, 2004... Air Driers American Circuit Technology Conversion Factors Inc. Global Communications Multiline Technology Inc. Air Knives Spraying Systems Co. Analytical Replenishment Systems Technic Inc. ...

2004 buyers' guide: services.
January 1, 2004... Services--CAM Tooling Artnet Pro Inc. CMR Summit Technologies Janus Technologies Corp. Tri-C Design Inc. Services--Consultants 4th Dimension PCB Inc. American Computer Aided Engineering Custer Consulting...

'1 [micro]m-thick' ink coater.(Off the Shelf)
January 1, 2004... Prism Ultra-Coat programmable spray coster is for conductive inks, fluxes and conformal coatings. Features nozzle-less sprayer with integrated liquid delivery system, for selective coating. Is said to apply coatings as thin as 1 [micro]m....

12.5 Gb/s BP connector.(Off the Shelf)
January 1, 2004... AirMax VS two-piece connector is scaleable and can be used for differential pair or single-ended signals, or power, all within the same leadframe assembly. Reportedly has low insertion loss and low crosstalk, for speeds from 2.5 to 12.5 Gb/s....

Resistor trimmer.(Off the Shelf)
January 1, 2004... TrimSmart LT2100 is a platform for thick- and thin-film laser trimming. Trims and tests thick film applications, PCBs, thin-film resistors, resistor networks, and other thin-film applications. Has a stiff frame for stability, air-bearing stage...

3.38 Dk PTFE.(Others Of Note)
January 1, 2004... N9000-13 RF PTFE blended laminate has a Dk of 3.38 and a UL 94 V-0 designation. Reportedly has the mechanical stability of FR-4 and Iha electrical propolties of FTFE. Also comes in Dk of 3,0, 3,2 and 3,5 and a variety of core thicknesses. ...

Layout/route software.(Others Of Note)
January 1, 2004... Ultiboard 7 layout software features push-and-shove traces and components, real-time DRC, follow-me trace placement, cross-probing with schematics, constraint-driven layout from capture, highspeed design rules and more. Ultiroute 7, for...

'No touch' PCB transport.(Others Of Note)
January 1, 2004... Single-drive shaft transaort uses bevelled aligned rolls with 15 mm borders to move innerlayers and flex circuits of thicknesses to 35 [micro]m core min. with 12 [micro]m copper cladding. Can be usecl for all chemical spraying processes...

Design changes reporting.(Others Of Note)
January 1, 2004... Doctor version 2.30 compares two PCB design files and reports changes. Features input file support for Exaedition, OrCad and Protel design tools, plus a streamlined user-interface. HTML reporting format and reports etch length changes. For...

0.127 mm ZIF connector.(Others Of Note)
January 1, 2004... Gold STAX elastomerie connectors come in 0.t27 mm pitch and are for portable and handheld products. ZIF-style, with alternating layers of conductive ano nonconductive silicone rubber that reauire no solder. ing, and are said to provide lower...

Front-end design SI.(Others Of Note)
January 1, 2004... SpecctraQuest EE includes high-speed design one analysis tools, enabling electrical engineers to analyze signal integrity. Features graphical topology tools, and is integrated with schematic layout, autorouting ann constraint management tools....

The great data race.(Our Line)
January 1, 2004... The great data rate race is on, and leading the pack is that wonderful conductor we call copper. A few years ago, some suggested copper wouldn't be with us very much longer. Copper's death, to perpetuate an overused phrase, was greatly...