CircuiTree articles from May 2002

CircuiTree archives from May 2002

Letters.
May 1, 2002... Invest Now, or Lose Further Ground to Asia I'm in agreement with Rolf Funer's letter ("Don't Whine: We are Responsible for the Effects of Globalizaton," January 2002). We must ask what our customers need today (and in the future), and...

Talking trade shows. (The Way We See It).(IPC Printed Circuits Expo )
May 1, 2002... I recently caught up with Ernie Exhibitor, and we talked shop at IPC Printed Circuits Expo in Long Beach. "Hey Mr. Rose-Colored Glasses," Ernie shouted from across the bar. "When are you going to change that driver's license photo above your...

Understanding whisker phenomenon: the driving force for whisker formation; a new study shows internal stress causes whisker formation. Discover what PCB manufacturers and assemblers can do to avoid this problem.(electronics industry is currently moving to lead-free components)
May 1, 2002... The electronics industry is currently moving to lead-free under environmental and competitive/marketing pressure [1-3]. Several alternatives including Ni/Au, Ni/Pd/Au, electroplated Sn, Sn-alloys, OSPs, immersion Sn and Ag are gaining momentum...

Fine lines in high yield (part LXXX): problems with residual, excess copper in pint/etch and tent/etch processes (part C). (Tech Talk).
May 1, 2002... This column is the third and last of three columns on the subject of excess copper and deals with defect causes related to underdevelopment, overdevelopment, and insufficient etching. Underdevelopment of Resist Underdevelopment of...

Embracing Statistical Process Control. (View From the Middle).
May 1, 2002... When preparing for a qualification audit, PCB suppliers frequently ask "Where do most companies score the lowest on the audit?" If you ask anyone on our PCB commodity team, they will all give you the same answer: Statistical Process Control...

Excellon Automation releases Excellon 689.(multi-spindle drilling machine)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
May 1, 2002... Torrance, CA--Excellon Automation announced the release of the Excellon 689 multi-spindle drilling machine. Outfitted with new low energy 150,000-rpm spindles, the Excellon 689 is targeted at shops desiring high tech drilling flexibility for...

Innoveda. (People).(announces promotions of Richard G. Lucier and Joseph E. Dalton)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Marlboro, MA--Innoveda Inc. announced the promotions of Richard G. (Rick) Lucier to president, reporting to William J. (Will) Herman, chairman and CEO; and Joseph E. (Joe) Dalton to vice president, chief marketing officer, reporting to Lucier....

Capri. (People).(Capri Corp. announces new members of board of directors)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Downers Grove, IL--Capri Corp. announced that David L. Harris, a vice president of Cimnet Systems Inc., Thomas F. Leahy, Chairman of Help/System Inc., and former CEO of Advance Circuits, Inc., and Richard P. Kiphart, Principal and Managing...

Isola laminates. (People).
May 1, 2002... La Crosse, WI--Tim McCloskey has been promoted to the position of vice president, International Sales and Marketing for Isola AG (Dueren, Germany). McCloskey is now responsible for the coordination of Isola's worldwide sales and marketing...

Merrimac Industries. (People).(David B. Miller appointed to board of directors)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... West Caldwell, NJ--Merrimac Industries Inc. announced the appointment of David B. Miller to its board of directors. Miller is vice president and general manager of DuPont Electronic Technologies, responsible for High Performance Materials,...

Electro Scientific Industries. (People).(Donald R. VanLuvanee returns to work as full-time CEO and president)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Portland, OR--Electro Scientific Industries Inc. announced Donald R. VanLuvanee has returned to work, and is back in the role of full-time CEO and president.

Solectron. (People).(executive appointments, U.S.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Milpitas, CA--Solectron Corp. appointed three people to senior leadership positions in the company's Technology Solutions business unit. The changes are related to the transition of Ajay Shah, executive vice president of Solectron and president...

IPC. (People).(appointment, U.S.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Northbrook, IL--IPC announced that Paul Engstrom has been named its director of communications. In his position, Engstrom is responsible for all IPC communications, including the monthly IPC Review newsletter, several on-line newsletters, IPC...

LPKF Laser and Electronics. (People).(appointment, U.S.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Stephan H. Schmidt, general manager, has recently been elected to LPKF Laser & Electronics USA board of directors. He has also been named vice president as well as secretary. Schmidt began at LPKF's German headquarters, and then joined LPKF USA...

Taiyo America. (People).(appointments, U.S.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Carson City, NV--Taiyo Ink Mfg. Co. Ltd. announced that David Rund, Taiyo America, Inc., Ben Magnante, Taiyo America, Inc., Akio Sekimoto, Taiyo America, Inc., Haruomi Yoshimoto, Taiyo Ink Mfg. Co., Ltd., and Yukio Ito, Taiyo Ink Mfg. Co., Ltd....

[PCQR.sup.2] industry statistics: an introduction. (Between the Conductors).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... The IPC D-36 Subcommittee, titled "Printed Board Process Capability, Quality, and Relative Reliability ([PCQR.sup.2]) Benchmark Test Standard and Database" was formed in September 2000 to develop an industry standard for process capability test...

The ISO Dilemma: what does ISO have to do with improving one's manufacturing processes?
May 1, 2002... My biggest customer just told me that if I don't get ISO (International Standards Association) certified by the end of the year, I can forget about little things like purchase orders. For someone like myself, who has never held a job on the...

Keeping the interview legal. (Kay Rations).
May 1, 2002... If the economic prognosticators are correct, by the time you are reading this column, we should be on our way to economic recovery-not a booming economy, but an improvement over last year. You're looking to add to your staff, and your managers...

Shipley increases prices for PWB materials and processes by 7%. (Suppliers).(U.S.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Marlborough, MA--Shipley Company announced it would raise prices by 7 percent on its entire line of materials and processes used to fabricate PWBs, The increase will be effective April 1, 2002. Patrice Barthelmes, president of Shipley's PWB...

Lloyd Doyle announces latest innovation. (Suppliers).(applications software, U.K.)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
May 1, 2002... Walton-on-Thames, UK--Lloyd Doyle announced the availability of new application software. The Statistical Process Control and Fault Plotting package enables the bare board PCB manufacturer to analyze in detail faults found during the AOT...

Eidschun announces sales. (Suppliers).(Proto Circuits, Bay Area Circuits, Amitron Inc. buy machines)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... North Andover, MA--Eidschun announced that Amitron Inc. purchased 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...

Speedline Technologies selects Italian distribution partner. (Suppliers).(Laser Optronic S.p.A.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Dreieich, Germany--Speedline Technologies Inc. expanded and reinforced its network of European distributors by naming Laser Optronic S.P.A. as the designated distributor for the Italian market. Effective immediately, Laser Optronic will begin...

Cemco FSL wins Chinese order. (Suppliers).(Nan-Ya Printed Circuit Board)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Waterlooville, UK--Cemco FSL announced the sale of an Alchemy C system to Nan-Ya Printed Circuit Board (Kunshan), China. The fourth system to Nan-Ya comprises fluxing module, Alchemy C Leveling, air support, re-alignment and high-speed transfer...

Grace Electron opens Irvine facility. (Suppliers).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Irvine, CA--Grace Electron Corp. announced the opening of its new facility in Irvine, Calif. John Wang, vice president, and Dr. James Briguglio, director of technology, will lead operations. The two men bring more than 20 years of electronics...

atg, Everett Charles, and WKK expand Chinese service. (Suppliers).(Everett Charles Technologies, WKK Holding Ltd., atg test systems)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Pomona, CA--Everett Charles Technologies and atg test systems, along with WKK Holding Ltd. of Hong Kong have recommitted to their current relationship in China. The decision was based on projected market demands, and optimizes all entities...

Viking Test Services reveals U.K. deliveries. (Suppliers).
May 1, 2002... Viking Test Services, a U.K. bare board test service and supplier of MicroCraft flying probe test machines, announced the sales of more Emma flying prober systems in the U.K. P.R Circuits (Brighton, UK) took delivery of the Emma ELX6146 test...

Strip that solder mask, save those boards! (Seeing the Light).
May 1, 2002... I love solder mask because lasers love solder mask! We have several different lasers, all of which interact very well with the chemical structure of solder mask, and will therefore remove that mask quite easily. Apparently this is difficult to...

Shanghai surprise: the Chinese Printed Circuit Association (CPCA) show thrives even during hard times.
May 1, 2002... The China Printed Circuit Association (CPCA) show is over. I'm sitting here with my laptop in one of Shanghai's eighteen Starbucks coffee shops, drinking a 25 rmb ($3) decaf mocha. The only thing that reminds me I am in China are the hundreds...

Tick-tock! Tick-tock! (News From Northbrook).
May 1, 2002... The seconds are counting down. Tick-tock! Tick-tock! Will your organization meet the approaching deadlines for lead-free electronics? The European Union is expected to finalize its lead-free legislation in November. This may require lead...

Back to the Beach: Expo attendance ebbs but optimism flows: although overall attendance was down from last year, most attendees and exhibitors expressed optimism that the summer will bring better business.
May 1, 2002... When it comes to trade shows what do attendance figures really mean? IPC Printed Circuits Expo returned to Long Beach during the last week in March, and though there were 25% fewer exhibitors vying for the attention of fewer attendees than ever...

Specifying automation. (Hard-Man-Uscript: An Eye on Automation).
May 1, 2002... Before sunrise on February 6, 2002, my family and I watched in wonder as the Olympic Torch passed through our community in an inspiring scene of celebration. Two days before opening ceremonies in Salt Lake City, I witnessed a well-orchestrated...

U.S. Government agrees on depreciation bill for PCB equipment.(printed circuit board)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Northbrook, IL--The IPC announced a victory in its efforts to pass a realistic depreciation bill for the electronics assembly and printed circuit board industries. The U.S. Congress and the Bush Administration recently reached an agreement to...

TUC kicks off CAF resistant material. (Products).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... Taiwan--Taiwan Union Technology Corp. (TUC) has successfully implemented mass production of its TU622-CR, TU-622-5, and TU-722-7 anti-CAF materials for high performance PCB applications. Conductive Anodic Filament (CAF) is formed by...

Mask Technology introduces ecospheres[TM]. (Products).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... Santa Ana, CA--Mask Technology Inc. introduced ecospheres (TM). Manufactured for BGA and CSP applications, ecopheres (TM) are produced using the companies patented process and specially formulated solder paste. Spheres are formed between 0,006"...

Siemens Dematic presents Microbeam 3500 laser machine. (Products).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... Shanghai, China--After establishing its Application Center in Shanghai, Siemens Dematic revealed Microbeam 3500, its latest high beam power laser machine, at the CPCA Show 2002. As HDI designs are increasingly employed to meet fabricators'...

Deuthitt introduces DMZ screenmaker. (Products).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... Douthitt introduced its ergonomical, self-contained Model DMZ Screenmaker to accommodate large size screens. According to the company, this unit is simple and easy to use. Simply load at the loading position and close the frame. No locks, no...

3M reveals Moisture Barrier Bag, TAB-100 tape. (Products).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... Austin, TX--3M announced its new 3370 Moisture Barrier Bag has been designed to meet the demanding moisture protection needs of the electronics market. This bag has improved cleanliness over other bags, while maintaining the required moisture...

Shipley announces Circubond 2200. (Products).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... UK--Shipley Company announced the latest inner layer bonding process: Circubond 2200. According to the company, the material is capable of achieving a performance equivalent to conventional oxide, but without the inherent deficiencies of first...

ManiaBarco introduces SilverWriter Eagle. (Products).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... Ghent, Belgium--ManiaBarco introduced a new top-end model in its successful SilverWriter family: the SilverWriter Eagle. According to ManiaBarco, the machine has the highest resolution in the industry: up to 40,000 DPI. Apart from the higher...

New Web site available to help PCB makers. (Products).(Eb2bCo)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Orange County, CA-Eb2bCo launched a new Internet supply chain management service, and it is now available to PCB manufacturers. The site provides manufacturers with an opportunity to buy, sell, or exchange inventory or equipment. This new...

DownStream Technologies announces new version of CAM35O. (Products).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... Bolton, MA--DownStream Technologies LLC announced CAM350 V.7.5, the latest version of its mainstream PCB Fabrication Flow solution. PCB designers use CAM350 to correct fabrication errors early in the design process, and PCB fabricators use it...

Enthone releases PWB Fabrication product selection guide. (Products).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... West Haven, CT--Enthone Inc. released the product selection guide, Enthone(R) PWB Fabrication Chemical Processes and Products. The guide provides an overview of Enthone processes and products used and specified by PWB fabricators, assemblers...

Embedded resistors. (Flexible Thinking).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... While the concept of integral or embedded passive devices is not new, much effort has gone into the development of new materials and processes to improve the ability of the manufacturer to embed or bury passive components such as resistors,...

Honeywell launches new service bureau. (Fabrication).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Minneapolis, MN-The Advanced Circuits business of Honeywell introduced the FulFill[TM] Hole Fill Process used to fill high aspect vias. The patent-pending process is designed to fill, high aspect ratio PCB vias. Honeywell Advanced Circuits...

Teradyne Connection Systems achieves ISO 14001 certifications. (Fabrication).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Nashua, NH--Teradyne's Connection Systems Division (TCS) announced that its Nashua, New Hampshire and Cavan, Ireland facilities have been certified to the ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standard. The National Standards Authority of Ireland...

Merix reports third quarter results. (Fabrication).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Forest Grove, OR--Merix Corp. reported results for the third quarter of fiscal 2002. Sales for the quarter were $18.5 million, compared to $44.4 million reported for the third quarter of fiscal 2001. The company had a net loss this quarter of...

World Wiser, Kunshan Circuitech merge. (Fabrication).(World Wiser Electronics Inc., Kunshan Circuitech Electronics)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Kunshan, China--According to sources who wish to remain anonymous, World Wiser Electronics Inc. (WWEI) has just merged with another PCB maker "Kunshan Circuitech Electronics," located in Kushan, China. With this merger, WWEI's ranking among...

Aspocomp files for bankruptcy. (Fabrication).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Evreux, France--The difficult conditions in the PWB industry have brought another fabricator to its knees. French board maker Aspocomp SAS (Evreux, France) announced it filed for bankruptcy on March 6, 2002. Net sales of Aspocomp SAS in 2001...

Vitech International opens Shanghai subsidiary.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Shanghai, China--Vitech International announced it has opened a Shanghai subsidiary that will sell used equipment, while also providing installation, training and field service. Vitech Marketing Director Leon Moreau explained, "It is necessary...

What was old is new once again. (Fein-Lines).(printed wiring board image transfer)
May 1, 2002... In the late 1950s and early 1950s, PWB image transfer was accomplished primarily by screening a thermally curable material to provide the image on the copper surface. Photosensitive materials were used sparingly, usually for short runs and fine...

NEMI Convergence Project closes in on single standard for CAD/CAM Data Exchange.
May 1, 2002... San Diego, CA--Recommendations for a single standard to be used in the exchange of CAD/CAM data for PCB fabrication and assembly were presented publicly for the first time at the APEX conference. The proposed solution uses Valor Computerized...

Application methods and their influence on soldermask processing.
May 1, 2002... Although a single application method cannot satisfy all of the demands placed on a liquid photoimageable soldermask and its processing, careful selection of the appropriate coating technology can open the process window, improve quality, and...

Chip-on-Flex: a revived technology? (Asian Aspects).
May 1, 2002... It was more than fifteen years ago. A customer was searching for someone who could develop a new accessory to the computer: an ink jet printer. The customer was planning to mount a semiconductor chip directly on a flexible circuit designed for...

Optoelectronics packaging workshop focuses on cost reduction.
May 1, 2002... Austin, TX-TechSearch International's third optoelectronics packaging workshop, held recently in Austin, Texas, focused on one of the most important issues in the optoelectronics industry today-reducing costs. Representatives from companies in...

Some 'fearless forecasts' and why book/bill data does not tell the whole story. (Market Outlook).
May 1, 2002... In my April column, I highlighted the many signs of a coming recovery. Based upon leading indicators, I predicted a gradual business improvement through the early summer, and then accelerating growth later this year and into 2003. I still...

CTS wins major contract. (EMS Report).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Elkhart, IN--CTS Corporation announced that CT S Interconnect Systems, a global manufacturer of backplane systems and integration, will supply next generation disk array assemblies to one of the world's leading disk storage providers. Total...

Ciena, Umachines select SCI-Sanmina for services. (EMS Report).(Ciena Corp.)(Umachines Inc.)(electronic assembly services)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... San Jose, CA--Sanmina-SCI Corp. has been selected by Ciena Corp. to manage electronic assembly-related New Product Introduction (NPI) services for Ciena's long-haul, and metropolitan transport and switching products. Under the terms of the...

Celestica, NEC sign $2.5 billion outsourcing pact. (EMS Report).(Celestica Inc.)(NEC Corp.)(supply agreement)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Toronto, Canada--NEC Corporation and Celestica Inc. entered into an agreement regarding a strategic outsourcing relationship under which the companies will, on closing, commence a five-year supply agreement, with total estimated revenue of...

Solectron tapped by Pace Micro. (EMS Report).
May 1, 2002... Milpitas, CA--Solectron Corp. has been selected as the primary provider of electronic manufacturing services for Pace Micro Technology's global product range. Pace Micro Technology is a developer of digital set-top boxes and home gateways to...

Plexus Signs Technology agreement with Tessera; builds platform for TI. (EMS Report).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Neenhah, WI--Plexus Corp. and Tessera Technologies Inc. announced they have signed a licensing and services agreement. The licensing agreement enables Plexus to use Tessera's CSP and Multi-Chip Packaging (MCP) solutions to develop and...