CircuiTree articles from June 2002

CircuiTree archives from June 2002

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2002... Infrared Curing Article Missing Some Facts While definitely informative, Dave Corey's article [CircuiTree, April 2002, p. 94] fails to give your readers a complete picture of the advantages and disadvantages of IR curing versus hot air...

Protectionism is not the answer. (The Way We See It).(Column)
June 1, 2002... "We need tariffs." "The industry needs protection from unfair trade practices." "The Chinese and Taiwanese are killing us with their pricing. They're dumping boards." "We need to get rid of NAFTA. The only thing it does is help...

Embedded passives technology implementation in RF applications.
June 1, 2002... Embedding resistors, inductors, and capacitors in HDI boards is the talk of the industry. This article, designated IPC Expo's best of show, demonstrates the performance trade-offs and design considerations that must be taken into account when...

Doctor, save me! (Fein-Lines).(Column)
June 1, 2002... Doctor, please save me! I know I never gave up smoking, and am still grossly overweight. Sure, I could exercise, but since the heart transplant bought me extra time, I wasn't motivated to change my habits. But now that I need another heart, I...

Topsearch Printed Circuits. (People).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Hong Kong--Greg Lucas has been named the Technical Director of Topsearch Printed Circuits (HK) Ltd. As a venerated figure in the PCB industry, his expertise stretches from buried capacitance and resistors, to via reliability, conductor analysis...

Coherent. (People).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Santa Clara, CA--Coherent Inc. announced that effective October 1, 2002, John Ambroseo, currently Coherent's COO, will be appointed President and CEO. He will succeed Bernard Couillaud, who will assume the position of Chairman of Coherent's...

IPC Designers Council. (People).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Northbrook, IL--The IPC Designers Council's Education Committee recently appointed two individuals as IPC Designers Council Certified Master Instructors (CMIs). Glenn Wells, manager of hardware development at Integrated Device Technology, and...

OM Group. (People).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Cleveland, OH--OM Group Inc. appointed Thomas R. Miklich as chief financial officer. He succeeds James M. Materna, who will retire this month after ten years in that position. Miklich has been a member of OM Group's board of directors since its...

Park Electrochemical Corp. (People).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Lake Success, NY--Park Electrochemical Corp. promoted Steve Schaefer to Senior Director of Product Technology. Schaefer is now responsible for the leadership, coordination and management of worldwide new product development efforts throughout...

Viasystems Group. (People).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... St. Louis, MO--Viasystems Group Inc. announced Dr. William H. Cunningham joined the company's board of directors. Cunningham currently holds the James L. Bayless Chair for Free Enterprise in the Red McCombs School of Business at The University...

TAB vs flexible circuits: which is the best solution for high density 3-D wiring?
June 1, 2002... Historically, TAB and flexible circuits have had different features and application areas, but progress in high density technologies as thrown them into competition. Who's winning? Introduction In the past, the differences between...

Clyde has done it again!(Printed Circuits Handbook, Fifth Edition)
June 1, 2002... Coombs' Printed Circuits Handbook, Fifth Edition, (2001, McGraw-Hill) just made it to my office where it is taking up considerable desk space. The two-inch thick tome dwarfs my Forth Edition Handbook (copyright [c]1996) that is only one and 3/4...

CMK acquires equity in Photocircuits. (Fabrication).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Glen Cove, NY--CMK Corp. has taken an equity stake in Photocircuits. Though the terms of the transaction were not disclosed, CMK will purchase Photocircuits' debt with the expectation of converting it into equity stock in privately held...

Circuit Source International acquires Circuit Technologies. (Fabrication).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Atlanta, GA--Circuit Source International Inc. acquired Circuit Technologies Inc. (Atlanta, GA), a 30,000 square foot multilayer printed circuit manufacturing facility. The company also has two other facilities, Circuit Source Inc. and Avanti...

Elcoteq, Aspocomp establish joint venture. (Fabrication).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Helsinki, Finland--Elcoteq Network Corp. and Aspocomp Group Oyj founded a joint venture that will focus on the development and commercialization of IMB (Integrated Module Board) technology. The ownership of the new company, Imbera Electronics...

Christopher Group, EPC form alliances. (Fabrication).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Santa Ana, CA--EPC Corp. (Dallas, TX) and Christopher Group Inc. (Santa Ana, CA) announced a broad-based distribution and technical support agreement covering North America, Japan, Taiwan, China, and Singapore. EPC is a manufacturer of...

Mills forms Electronic Component Group. (Fabrication).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... St. Louis, MO--Robert J. Mills, former president of Viasystems, formed the Electronic Components Marketing Group, focused on the sale and marketing of PCBs. The group represents Ellington Electronics (China), SKE Circuits and Dae Duck GDS...

M-Wave, Spectrian ink deal. (Fabrication).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Bensenville, IL--M-Wave Inc. announced it will supply Spectrian Corp. with PCBs under a three-year contract worth $5 million to $7 million annually. Using its virtual manufacturing concept, M-Wave agreed to manage the complete procurement...

Advanced Interconnect Technologies' awarded ISO 9002. (Fabrication).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Pleasanton, CA--Advanced Interconnect Technologies announced its Austin, Texas test facility has earned the ISO 9002:1994 Quality Management Systems Standard. AIT received this certification from Bureau Veritas Quality International Inc....

Microcosm Technology to build new flex factory. (Fabrication).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Tapei, Taiwan--Taiwanese PCB maker Microcosm Technology Co. announced it plans to build a second PCB plant in the country's Science Industrial Park. The fabricator will invest $5.43 million for its construction. The new factory's mass...

Taconic, Teradyne to co-manufacture TacPreg. (Fabrication).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Long Beach, CA--Taconic and Teradyne Inc. Connection Systems Division (TCS) announced their agreement to co-manufacture and market Taconic's patent-pending TacPreg material for large format PWB applications at both Teradyne's La Verne,...

Look ma, no wires: a look at wireless solutions for electronic interconnection. (Flexible Thinking).
June 1, 2002... Flexible circuit technology is, in the opinion of this writer, the undisputed champion and most versatile of electronic interconnection technologies. Flexible circuit technology offers a long list of benefits that have been exploited to create...

Flexible vision: preparing for the high-volume flex market; OEMs are looking for alternatives to rigid boards for high-tech gadgetry. A small Silicon Valley flexible circuits start-up believes it has a volume-ready answer.(Flex2Chip)
June 1, 2002... As you make your way around to Flex2Chip's main entrance--inconspicuously located on the side of a building it shares with its former parent company--you know you're walking into a start-up operation. Flex2Chip's headquarters don't look much...

Fine lines in high yield (Part LXXXI): exotic z-axis interconnect options. (Tech Talk).
June 1, 2002... Ever since the evolution from single-sided printed circuit boards to double-sided through-hole plated boards and multilayers, one of the most challenging fabrication tasks has been the formation of reliable z-axis interconnections. After...

3M receives supplier award from Lexmark. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Austin, TX--3M Microinterconnect Systems Division has been awarded the Prestige Supplier Certification from the Consumer Printer Division of Lexmark International Inc. 3M is a long-time supplier of Microflex circuits for Lexmark's inkjet...

Circuit Foil completes North American facility. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Quebec, Canada--Circuit Foil completed its Circuit Foil America facility (CFA), the latest addition to the Circuit Foil Group's manufacturing facilities (Quebec, Canada). The operation was started as the final phase of the expansion plans...

Microtek Labs takes delivery of Auto-SIR. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Anaheim, CA--Concoat Systems Inc. sold its Automatic Surface Insulation Resistance (Auto-SIR) test system to Microtek Labs. The Auto-Sir brings new standards to Microtek by providing frequent monitoring trend analysis measurement technology in...

DuPont reveals embedded passive solution. (Suppliers).(Interra HK4)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2002... Research Triangle Park, NC--DuPont Electronic Technologies revealed its latest developments in embedded passive materials at IPC Expo. The company introduced the first element of the embedded passives line with its Interra[R] HK4, a planar...

Eidschun announces deliveries. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... North Andover, MA--Amitron Inc. acquired an Eidschun/ASI model TT24. The new TT24 system will enhance the company's ability to provide product using DuPont's Fodel Develop Process. The TT24 is a self-contained, compact table-top unit which can...

Frontline, Oracle team up. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Yavne, Israel--Frontline PCB Solutions integrated its newly developed engineering solution with the Supply Chain Management (SCM) capabilities of the Oracle E-Business Suite. By integrating product costing and work order information, Frontline...

ACS Technologies delivers HASL equipment. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Farmington, AR--ACS Technologies Corp. delivered three Lantronic Hot Air Solder Levelers. Circuitronics (Irving, TX), American PCB (Dallas, TX), and Network Circuits (Irving, TX) have all taken delivery of the Lantronic model TT3O, which...

Courts reverse JJA/RES dispute. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Lodi, CA--The U.S. Federal Court of Appeals, by a majority of 12 to 1, has reversed the JJA Copper/Aluminum/Copper (CAC) patent infringement decision against RES and its CEO Mark Frater. The court concluded that RES as a matter of law, could...

Resco highlights new installations. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Milan, Italy--Resco recently installed several pieces of equipment worldwide. Yessa & Co. took delivery of the first Resco "TFS" fine line etcher at ECS (Fox Lake, WI). The E1000 Alkaline system has an etching capacity of 150, 1-ounce Copper...

Gould unveils redesigned web site. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Eastlake, OH--Gould Electronics Inc. unveiled its redesigned web site, (www.gould.com), providing users with detailed information about the company and its products. The new site features improved navigation and design, a library of technical...

DDi selects PROMS' ProCIM Enterprise. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Anaheim, CA--Dynamic Details Inc. selected the ProCIM Enterprise System (by PROMS) to be used as the company's corporate information system which will be deployed in all PCB plants worldwide.

GSI Lumonics to consolidate businesses. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Kanata, Ontario--GSI Lumonics Inc. will consolidate the Systems Business and the Laser Components Business by the end of the fiscal year consistent with previously announced cost reduction and profit improvement plans. As a result, the Systems...

ManiaBarco launches new web site. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Ghent, Beligum--ManiaBarco launched its news web site (www.maniabarco.com). The project was split up in two phases. First ManiaBarco developed the public content of the site, including new ftp download and upload areas.

IEC Electronics reduces work force. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Newark, NY--IEC Electronics Corp. reduced its workforce by 25%. IEC's President and CEO Thomas Lovelock said, "IEC, like other companies, has experienced the pressures resulting from the collapse of the telecommunications industry and the rapid...

Aztec circuits installs flying probe tester. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Emsworth, UK--Aztec Circuits Ltd. installed the latest ELX6146 Emma flying probe test machine from Viking Test Services. Aztec chose the Emma for its unrivaled test speeds and performance. The Emma also offers easy operation and minimal...

Westwind Air Bearings opens China subsidiary. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Suzhou, China--Westwind Air Bearings will open the company's first spindle service centres in China. Westwind China will operate from two locations, Suzhou and Guandong, providing service support for the growing installed base of Westwind PCB...

Park Electrochemical to make RF/microwave material in U.S. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Lake Success, NY--Park Electrochemical Corp. is now manufacturing BY/microwave materials at its Neltec high performance materials facility (Tempe, AZ). Neltec completed the installation of the first large platen 50 x 80' PTFE press, and now has...

Polyclad Laminates France receives ISO 14001 certification. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Londonderry, NH-Polyclad Laminates received certification to the ISO 14001 for its operation located in Nantes, France. The company received its independent, third party certification by the AFAQ Group, Bagneux, France. In other news,...

Insulectro named Gould's exclusive distributor in Midwest. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Eastlake, OH-Gould Electronics Inc. named Insulectro as the exclusive distributor to PCB manufacturers for its CAC[R] (Copper-Aluminum-Copper) foil and related products in the upper Midwestern U.S. The products affected by this decision are...

Zero Defects installs fixtureless test system. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Santa Clara, CA--Zero Defects Inc. installed a Seica BPT 24 backplane flying probe electrical test system. This tester serves as a demo system at Zero Defects, enabling manufacturers to test prototype quantities of backplanes without investing...

Lloyd Doyle provides new option; announces delivery. (Suppliers).(new option for its Excalibur and phasor AOI systems)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Walton-on-Thames, UK-Lloyd Doyle announced a new option for its Excalibur and phasor AOI systems. According to the company, remote diagnostics save time and expense for the customer in both service and maintenance costs. The package, comprising...

Siemens Dematic presents Microbeam 3500 at CPCA 2002. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Shanghai, China--Following the establishment of its Application Centre in Shanghai, Siemens Dematic revealed its high beam power laser machine, Microbeam 3500, at the CPCA Show. By using a different laser source, the Microbeam 3500 enables...

Excellon, FASTechnologies announce partnership. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Torrance, CA--Excellon Automation has agreed to function as the primary North American representative for FASTechnologies Products and Services. Ofer Ton, COO of FASTechnologies stated, "The combination of FASTechnologies with Excellon...

Test Technology announces four new installation. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Carson City, NV--Test Technology International Inc. announced four new equipment sales to the PCB community. Both H&T Electronics Co. Ltd. and Kintech Electronics Co., Ltd. (Taoyuan, Taiwan) recently purchased the TTI Model 5800 70-Mil dual...

Cemco sells roller tinning line. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Waterlooville, UK--Cemco FSL announced the sale of a double-coat roller tinning line, comprising flux coater, roller tinner, flux coater, roller tinner and wash/dry to Sifelmet (France). The system replaces an existing roller tinning line, and...

Inventory replenishment cycle begins: future IT spending plans support a second half recovery. (Market Outlook).
June 1, 2002... Our "bumpy road to recovery" developed a few more pot-holes following the release of the March factory orders data by the U.S. Department of Commerce in early May. Per Chart 1 March electronic equipment orders dropped after a continuous...

Hard-man-uscript: an eye on automation; inclined totes--what's your angle?
June 1, 2002... This industry needs coordination and standardization. The absence of coordinated OEM designs across all equipment most certainly causes a loss of yield and revenue, as fabricators deal with these differences. I call on OEMs and fabricators to...

Backplane basics: a discussion of process and equipment selection to meet customers' demands for the design and manufacture of large, complex backplanes.
June 1, 2002... Three years ago, APW Hedge End, a specialist backplane manufacturer, carried out a market survey to review customer requirements for backplanes over the next ten years. Backplanes have always been a specialized subset within the PCB fabrication...

Embedded resistor trimming. (Seeing the Light).
June 1, 2002... Previous articles in CircuiTree have noted the growing demand for a higher number of circuit components to be contained in still smaller circuit areas, and that some of the passive components (resistors, capacitors, etc.) are now embedded...

ESI introduces embedded passive laser trimming system. (Products).(Electro Scientific Industries 4700)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2002... Portland, OR--Electro Scientific Industries Inc. introduced a large platform, embedded passive laser trimming system. ESI's Model 4700 allows fabricators to achieve tighter tolerances and increase functionality by trimming embedding passive...

Isola announces low loss epoxy: IS620. (Products).
June 1, 2002... Long Beach, CA--Isola Laminate Systems introduced IS620, the first material in the digital-products class built upon existing technologies, yet offering the advantage needed for circuitry designs in today's digital world. The modified epoxy...

M+B Plating Racks granted new patents, increases services. (Products).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Montreal, Canada--M+B Plating Rack's latest patent (US 6,325,903 B1) increases the clamp gripping power by up to 40% at the contact points when the clamp is vibrated at the correct frequency. This prevents the panel from being inadvertently...

Polyclad introduces Turbo[TM] CAF resistant laminates, prepregs. (Products).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Londonderry, NH--Polyclad Laminates Inc. introduced Turbo[TM] CAF resistant laminate and prepreg systems. The advanced epoxy resin technology provides enhanced thermal performance and reliability versus all other high Tg FR-4 materials....