CircuiTree articles from June 2007

CircuiTree archives from June 2007

What happens in LA moves to Vegas: IPC to relocate Expo to Las Vegas in 2008.(Data Transfer)
June 1, 2007... IPC announced it is moving its international trade show, IPC Printed Circuits Expo, APEX and the Designers Summit, to the Mandalay Bay Resort and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev., in 2008. The conference and exhibition will take place April 1...

Core shell rubber.(Supplier Spotlight News)
June 1, 2007... The recently released standard IPC-4101B--Specification for Base Materials for Rigid and Multilayer Printed Boards contains new specification sheets describing FR-4 base materials compatible with lead-free assembly. These specification sheets...

The 20/20 approach.(The Way We See It)(Viewpoint essay)
June 1, 2007... Ah, 20 years ago.... I was still in high school, hadn't yet gotten my driver's license, spent most of my days that summer following the Memphis Chicks--not the opposite sex of that town, but rather the then-farm team for the Kansas City Royals,...

Unveiling the next generation in integrated circuit substrate circuit formation.
June 1, 2007... The electronic packaging industry has been crippled by the incremental technology advancement produced by substrate manufacturers over the past decade. While semiconductors and related packaging technologies progress at alarming rates,...

SIA reports global chip sales up.(Data Transfer)
June 1, 2007... The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) reported that global semiconductor sales for March resulted in a year-over-year increase of 3.2 percent at USD 20.3 billion. Sales also increased 1.0 percent between February and March 2007. While Q1...

On the subject of the bird flu and PCB delamination.(From the Lab)
June 1, 2007... When I travel to our China facility, I am invariably asked if I am concerned about the bird flu. My response is that the bird flu worries me no more than any other disease would and less than some. Why is that? Well, it has to do with the fact...

Counterfeit electronic component threat looms large.
June 1, 2007... Counterfeiting has always been a problem. Counterfeiting of currency has become an issue of increasing concern because of high-definition scanners and printers. Governments around the world have had to improve their anti-counterfeiting measures...

Elcoteq lowers full-year estimate, reduces holdings in Imbera.(Fab Focus News)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Espoo, Finland -- Elcoteq SE estimates its first quarter operating income to be a loss of approximately EUR 23 million, with net sales approximately EUR 950 million. Elcoteq cites the loss due to low manufacturing volumes, price pressure in the...

Titan reports record growth for Q2 FY 07.(Fab Focus News)(Titan Global Holdings Inc.)(Financial report)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Richardson, Tex. -- Titan Global Holdings, Inc., reported record growth in revenues at USD 36 million, which is a 38 percent year-over-year increase; net operating income is USD 1.5 million, or USD 0.03 earnings per share. Titan reported USD...

Sierra Proto opens east coast office, acquires PC Boards Inc.(Fab Focus News)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Sunnyvale, Calif. -- Sierra Proto Express has opened an office in Atlanta, which will house a newly hired team consisting of former Photocircuits technical sales and front-end people to service Photocircuits accounts. According to...

Innovex announces Q2 FY 07 results.(Fab Focus News)(Financial report)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Maple Plain, Minn. -- Innovex has released its Q2 FY 07 results, reporting revenue of USD 21.9 million and revenue, excluding pass-through material, of USD 11.7 million. Innovex's net loss was USD 7.4 million (USD 0.38 per share) in Q2 FY 07...

Hon Hai releases March sales report.(Fab Focus News)
June 1, 2007... Taipei -- Hon Hai released its non-consolidated sales results for March, reporting a year-over-year increase of NTD 87.69 billion (up 53.91 percent). For the first three months of 2007, Hon Hai reported an accumulated year-over-year increase of...

Aspocomp acquires share in ACP, publishes 2006 financials.(Fab Focus News)(ACP Electronics Ltd.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Helsinki, Finland -- Aspocomp Group Oyj Company has acquired the minority share in its Chinese joint venture ACP Electronics Ltd from Chin Poon holdings. After purchasing the 49 percent minority share, Aspocomp now holds 100 percent. ...

Northrop Grumman wins Nunn-Perry award.(Fab Focus News)
June 1, 2007... Reston, Va. -- Northrop Grumman Corporation won a 2007 Nunn-Perry award for mentoring Hi-Tech Electronic Manufacturing, Inc., in the U.S. Department of Defense Mentor-Protege Program. This award recognizes out standing efforts by defense...

EMMTECH to rep DYCONEX.(Fab Focus News)
June 1, 2007... Bassersdorf, Switzerland -- DYCONEX has appointed EMMTECH as its new sales representative. In this role, EMMTECH will promote DYCONEX's high-density PCBs in Israel. Mark Gans will lead the EMMTECH PCB sales team.

AT & S releases financial results.(Fab Focus News)(Financial report)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Vienna, Austria -- For the first nine months of FY 06/07, AT & S reported a net income increase of 32 percent at EUR 26.5 million. For Q3 FY 07, net income increased 69 percent to EUR 8.2 million. Earnings per share for the first nine months of...

Merix releases financial results.(Fab Focus News)
June 1, 2007... Forest Grove, Ore. -- Merix Corporation released its financial results for Q3 FY 07, reporting net income from continuing operations of USD 1.8 million, or USD 0.09 per share, on revenue of USD 100.3 million. This compares to a net income of...

Elcoteq moves to Luxembourg.(Fab Focus News)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Espoo, Finland -- Elcoteq SE will relocate to Luxembourg as part of Elcoteq's globalization strategy, aiming to create an effective structural basis to ensure the company's continuous improvement. The move, scheduled for January 1, 2008, will...

M-Flex expects sales decline in Q2 FY 07.(Fab Focus News)(Financial report)
June 1, 2007... Anaheim, Calif. -- Multi-Fineline Elextronix, Inc., does not expect to grow sequentially between Q1 and Q2 FY 07, despite previous predictions for growth. M-Flex attributes the company's performance primarily on less-than-anticipated sales to...

RJR circuits earns gold award.(Fab Focus News)
June 1, 2007... Denver, Colo. -- RJR Circuits, Inc., has earned a 2006 Gold Award from the Metro Wastewater Reclamation District for its 100 percent compliance with industrial pretreatment requirements and a dedicated commitment to environmental excellence....

Jabil to restate financial statements.(Fab Focus News)
June 1, 2007... St. Petersburg, Fla. -- After reviewing its historical stock option grant practices, Jabil Circuit, Inc., has concluded that the company needs to restate its 2005 financial statements and they can not be relied upon. Jabil also concluded that...

Elktek income increases for 10th consecutive year.(Fab Focus News)(Financial report)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Petach-Tikva, Israel -- Elktek Ltd. reported an 83 percent growth in net income for 2006, up to USD 2.3 million from USD 1.2 million in 2005. This marks the 10th consecutive year-over-year revenue increase for Elktek. For Q4 FY 06, the company...

Convergence in the mobile world: a snapshot of technologies driving the convergence trend today and ones that are expected to accelerate convergence in the future.(Cover story)
June 1, 2007... It's difficult to believe that it has been less than 25 years since the introduction of the world's first mobile phone. Back then, the mobile phone was a large, expensive, single-purpose device with few subscribers and limited coverage. Today,...

Flexible circuit design--concept to connection Part 2.
June 1, 2007... The first article in this series covered the steps involved in generating the mechanical layout of a flex circuit. With the mechanical layout completed, it is time to start routing the conductors. Because a flexible printed circuit is as...

IDC reports slowdown of mobile phone shipments.(Data Transfer)
June 1, 2007... According to IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, vendors shipped 256.4 million units for Q1 FY 07. At a year-over-year increase of 10 percent, shipments were 13.8 percent lower than the previous quarter's record shipments. The...

India is a trillion-dollar economy--how does this affect the PCB industry?(India Perspective)(Report)
June 1, 2007... India just became a trillion-dollar economy, entering the elite club of 11 economic powerhouses that enjoy this distinction. Considering that as recently as 2000/2001, Indian gross domestic product was under USD 500 billion; this means it has...

Technic releases new analytical tool and electroplating process.(Technology Today News)
June 1, 2007... Cranston, R.I. -- Technic released the Technic EBA (electrochemical bath analyzer), available for all the company's acid copper plating chemistries. This instrument combines AC and DC voltammetry to provide accurate measurements of copper...

Tessera releases MicroPILR interconnect platform.(Technology Today News)
June 1, 2007... San Jose, Calif. -- Tessera Technologies, Inc., released the MicroPILR[TM] Interconnect platform, an innovative technology family designed to revolutionize interconnects within semiconductor packages, substrates, PCBs, and other electronic...

Air products develops high-k semiconductor chips.(Technology Today News)
June 1, 2007... Lehigh Valley, Pa. -- Air Products has produced a variety of 45 nm semiconductor chips using high-k materials in the gate dielectric. The chips are used to deposit defect-free gate dielectrics through chemical vapor deposition or atomic layer...

Zuken offers data download for Cyclone III FPGA family.(Technology Today News)
June 1, 2007... Westford, Mass., and Munich -- Zuken has released free footprint data for Altera Corporation's Cyclone III FPGA family. Users of Zuken's CR-5000 design solution can download the Cyclone III footprint design templates, which eliminate the need...

Endicott develops thin core flip chip package.(Endicott Interconnect Technologies Inc. develops CoreEz[TM] semiconductor )(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Endicott, N.Y. -- Endicott Interconnect Technologies has developed the CoreEz[TM] semiconductor package, which uses an organic, thin core build-up flip chip technology to combine electrical performance, wireablilty, and reliability with a...

New Mentor products support Altera Cyclone III and Xilinx Spartan-DSP series.(Technology Today News)
June 1, 2007... Wilsonville, Ore. -- Mentor Graphics Corporation's suite of advanced synthesis products supports the newly introduced Cyclone[R] III field programmable gate arrays from Altera Corporation. The two companies have collaborated since last year to...

Hunter produces PCB using STABLCOR as drop-in replacement for Thermount.(Technology Today News)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Santa Clara, Calif. -- Hunter Technology Corporation has fabricated, assembled, tested, and delivered its first PCB using STABLCOR[R] as a drop-in replacement for Thermount. STABLCOR is an excellent replacement for the discontinued Thermount...

Speeding Edge releases volume two of high-speed PCB Handbook.(Technology Today News)
June 1, 2007... Glen Ellen, Calif. -- Speeding Edge has released Right the First Time: A Practical Handbook on High Speed PCB and System Design, Volume 2, a detailed explanation of the steps necessary to design and manufacture high-speed PCBs. Visit:...

Taconic releases low-loss and high-reliability products.(Technology Today News)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Petersburgh, N.Y. -- Taconic's advanced dielectric division released a variety of low-loss and high-reliability products for conventional and multilayer RF and high-speed digital board fabrication. Products include TacPreg prepregs that offer...

Samsung develops first all-DRAM TSV technology.(Data Transfer)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Samsung Electronics developed the first all-DRAM stacked memory package using through silicon via (TSV) technology, resulting in faster and smaller memory packages that consume less power. This wafer-level-processed stacked package (WSP)...

Fine lines in high yield (Part CXLI): wafer-level processing equipment: how does it compare to PWB processing?(Tech Talk)
June 1, 2007... Responding to industry trends, changes in the product mix of high-end fabricators, and readership interest, CircuiTree has been offering more and more articles that cover IC packaging topics. Wafer-level packaging (WLP) is a step even closer to...

Flex circuits: blurring the line between chip and package.(Flexible Thinking)
June 1, 2007... The ancient philosopher Heraclitus observed that all things are in motion and nothing remains still. His unprecedented commentary on change could not believably have anticipated electronics some 2,500 years ago when he first described this...

Toward greener printed circuit board production.
June 1, 2007... Introduction There is a growing awareness of the need for the industry to operate in a more sustainable manner and to minimize its impacts both on people and the environment. This is particularly true in the PCB sector, where some of the...

What will the next 50 years bring?(IPC Issues and Answers)
June 1, 2007... 2007 marks IPC's 50th anniversary. Those of us who attended IPC Printed Circuits Expo[R], APEX[R] and the Designers Summit in February had several opportunities to reflect on the history of our trade association and the evolution of our...

Convergence of IC and package interconnects.(Inside the Package)
June 1, 2007... In this month's column, I want to discuss the key emerging packaging technology of embedding active ICs in substrates, which is establishing itself as a mainstream solution and will continue to grow into many product applications in the coming...

Sierra Proto names national sales manager.(Power People News)
June 1, 2007... Sunnyvale, Calif. - Sierra Proto Express has appointed Robert Zippo to national sales manager in charge of representatives. Zippo will be instrumental in the finding, signing, and partnering with independent sales reps nationwide, as well as...

Ansen makes VP/sales director moves.(Power People News)
June 1, 2007... Ogdensburg, N.Y., and Las Vegas -- Ansen Corporation appointed Richard Gila to vice president of global operations, where he will have global responsibility for manufacturing and process technology operations. Gila spent five years at Plexus...

Valor names president and accounts manager.(Power People News)(appointments of Dan Weitzman and Ken Horgan at Valor Computerized Systems Ltd.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. -- Dan Weitzman has been appointed president of Valor Computerized Systems Ltd.'s Americas operations. Weitzman joined Valor in 1999 and has been responsible for the Americas operations for the past six months,...

Millennia names new materials manager.(Power People News)(appointment of Pat Sims at Millennia Technology Inc.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Pittsburgh -- Millennia Technology Inc. (MTI) named Pat Sims materials manager. Sims will play a key role in driving the organization to achieve an appropriate balance between product quality, inventory turns, manufacturing costs, and delivery...

Global Laminates names technical manager.(Power People News)(promotion of Mark Nemecek )(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Amesbury, Mass. -- Global Laminates, Inc., has promoted Mark Nemecek to technical manager for the Ventec product line in North America. Joining Global in April 2006, Nemecek developed Ventec high-performance and lead-free thin core and prepreg...

Endicott appoints new director of engineering.(Power People News)
June 1, 2007... Endicott, N.Y. -- Robert Whitehouse has joined Endicott Interconnect Technolgies, Inc., as director of engineering. Whitehouse will optimize manufacturing of products that leverage Endicott's core competencies and play a key role in building...

Prototron brings on new production manager.(Power People News)
June 1, 2007... Redmond, Wash. -- Ronald S. Snartland has been appointed to production manager of Prototron Circuits' Tucson facility. Snartland has held top management positions with Viasystems, Tri-Star, and Continental Circuits.

Merix names new president, CEO.(Power People News)
June 1, 2007... Forest Grove, Ore. -- Michael D. Burger has been named the new president and CEO of Merix Corporation. He will also serve as a member of the board of directors. Currently, Burger is president of the components business unit of Flextronics and...

Celestica appoints new VP.(Power People News)
June 1, 2007... Toronto -- Tony Rakoczy has been appointed vice president, global commodity management, for Celestica Inc. Based in Hong Kong, Rakoczy will lead his team to deliver a global commodity structure that ensures Celestica's customers are provided...

Global Innovation appoints VP, director of technology.(Power People News)
June 1, 2007... Wylie, Tex. -- Douglas McBride has been appointed to VP and director of technology for Global Innovation Corp. McBride brings Global more than 24 years of experience in the PCB industry, most recently serving as general manager for Atlan Dyess....

Global Innovation designers earn CIDs.(Power People News)
June 1, 2007... Wylie, Tex. -- Global Innovation Corp PCB designers Larry Gibbs and Rick Pierson have earned the title of Certified Interconnect Designer (CID). The IPC Designers Council grants this certification to designers who have successfully completed...

Jan Lipton new Mania CEO.(Power People News)
June 1, 2007... Dr. Jan Lipton has been named CEO of Mania Technologie. Lipton previously served as group executive vice president of Forbo SA, COO of Laufen Group, and executive vice president of the industrial division of Schindler AG. He has 10 years of...

Freedom CAD names operations manger and western operations director.(Power People News)
June 1, 2007... Nashua, N.H. -- Deborah Johnston has been appointed Ottawa operations manager with Freedom CAD Services. A former senior manager of Solectron's Ecad Design Center, Johnston has 23 years of experience in the industry, having held design and...

Topsearch appoints non-executive director.(Power People News)(appointment of Ng Kee Sin at Topsearch International (Holdings) Limited )(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Hong Kong -- Topsearch International (Holdings) Limited has appointed Ng Kee Sin as independent non-executive director and member of the audit committee. Ng has more than 20 years of senior management experience in Asia Pacific countries and...

Merix names new European director.(Power People News)
June 1, 2007... Forest Grove, Ore. -- Allan Clark has been named director of European sales for Merix Corporation, where he will be responsible for managing all of Merix's sales in the European region. Prior to Merix, Clark was the director of European sales...

Uyemura names controller.(Power People News)
June 1, 2007... Ontario -- Alona Reyes has been appointed controller for U.S. operations for Uyemura Int'l Corp. Reyes has been with UIC since 1988, serving as senior accountant then accounting manager. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Survival in the U.S. PCB manufacturers' world.(Guest Editorial)(Editorial)
June 1, 2007... When I was first invited to write this guest editorial, I was excited to explain how RJR Circuits, Inc., has managed to survive in this crazy industry of PCB manufacturing. I could simply say that RJR Circuits, Inc., has been successful because...

Invotec to install Burkle roller coater.(Supply Line News)(Robert Burkle GmbH)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Freudenstadt, Germany -- Robert Burkle GmbH sold its DRC 3000 model roller coating system for installation at Invotec's Blackburn site for the application of liquid results; this system enables Invotec to deploy LDI inks for fineline...

EMA TimingDesigner first international VAR sale.(Supply Line News)
June 1, 2007... Rochester, N.Y. -- EMA Design Automation[TM] contracted with ALS Design, France, to be the first international VAR to sell EMA TimingDesigner[R]; the contract with ALS will allow EMA to sell its product through a network of VARs...

MacDermid, matrix complete merger.(Supply Line News)
June 1, 2007... New York -- The previously announced merger between MacDermid Incorporated and Matrix Acquisition Corp. was approved by MacDermid's shareholders, and the companies filed a certificate of merger to consummate the merger. MacDermid's shares of...

ICI and JCAP form intercontinental alliance.(Supply Line News)(IC Interconnect)(Jiangyin Changdian Advanced Packaging)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Colorado Springs, Colo. -- IC Interconnect (ICI) and Jiangyin Changdian Advanced Packaging (JCAP) have formed an intercontinental alliance, bringing ICI's electroless Ni UBM processing technology to Asia and JCAP's bumping technologies to North...

Rohm and Haas receives supplier excellence award.(Supply Line News)(Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Phoenix -- Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, CMP Technologies, received a 2007 Excellence Award from its customer Hitachi Semiconductor Singapore Pte. Ltd. (HNS). HNS annually awards vendors in recognition of their commitments and efforts...

Sierra Proto and CadParts & Consulting align.(Supply Line News)
June 1, 2007... Sunnyvale, Calif., and Morganville, N.J. -- Sierra Proto Express and CadParts & Consulting have aligned to sell a complete PCB design, fabrication, and assembly solution from one source. A design service bureau was expected to open in April,...

PerfecTest Corp. installs new system at Unicircuit.(Supply Line News)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Bothell, Wash. -- PerfecTest Corp. has installed its latest Version 4 system in Unicircuit Corp.'s facility in Littleton, Colo. The new system manages innerlayer registration and is part of a process improvement system for controlling...

Global Innovation upgrades capital equipment.(Supply Line News)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Wylie, Tex. -- Global Innovation Corp. announced capital equipment upgrades, which focus on increasing layer counts and the miniaturization of feature size. Equipment purchases include multilayer press systems and related automation and...

Viking named Excellon sales and service distributor.(Supply Line News)
June 1, 2007... Rancho Dominguez, Calif. -- Excellon Automation appointed Viking, Ltd., to sales and service distributor for the U.K. and Europe. Excellon cites this as the perfect partnership for focusing on the European market, as Viking is a...

Park Electrochemical starts prepreg and laminate production in Singapore.(Supply Line News)
June 1, 2007... Melville, N.Y. -- Nelco Products Pte. Ltd., Park Electrochemical Corp.'s subsidiary in Singapore, has completed several equipment upgrades allowing the local production of Nelco[R] N5000 BT prepreg and laminate materials. This new capability...

Christopher Associates appoints Hamlet & Smith.(Supply Line News)
June 1, 2007... Santa Ana, Calif. -- Christopher Associates has appointed Hamlet & Smith as its sales representative for bare board fabrication equipment in Minn., Wis., Ill., Iowa, Ind., Ohio, Mich., N.Dak., and S.Dak.

U.S. Circuits installs Excellon Drill and system.(Supply Line News)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Ranco Dominguez, Calif. -- U.S. Circuits has installed an Excellon Concept 129 Intelli-Drill[R] and an Excellon 689 six-station drilling system at its Escondido, Calif., location. The Intelli-Drill allows for the inspection and correction of...

Today's movie--stacking silicon: the race to TSV, in 3D!(Circuits Unusual)
June 1, 2007... Semiconductor memory modules and other solid-state products, especially sensors, have used 3D chip stacking for more than a decade. A few optical products used piggybacked chips more than 20 years ago (e.g., Motorola Optobus). Although flip...

Unbalanced world of electronic components.(Market Outlook)(Industry overview)
June 1, 2007... On top of the normal three- to five-year electronic industry business cycles are the seemingly unending and very disruptive large fluctuations in component demand. In expansionary times, we double order and build inventories only to then...

Events.(Calendar)
June 1, 2007... IPC International Conference on Flexible Circuits June 12-13, 2007 Minneapolis www.ipc.org CircuiTree LIVE India August 22-23, 2007 Bangalore, India www.circuitreelive.com Submit your abstract to...