CircuiTree articles from May 2003

CircuiTree archives from May 2003

Letters.
May 1, 2003... China Shouldn't Have it Both Ways The low price of PWB imports from China is influenced by many facets, primarily the cost of labour. Yes, Mr. S.S. Lai ["Don't Blame China for U.S. Woes" March Letters, page 3] is correct that the standard...

Addressing trade show overcapacity. (The Way We See It).
May 1, 2003... The CPCA Show. HDI Expo. IPC Printed Circuits Expo. APEX. Four prominent exhibitions (each hosting educational conferences) held within three weeks, spanning 6,000 miles. All four events attempted to lure attendees from around the world in the...

Surface finishes: an OEM perspective; before choosing a surface finish, PCB manufacturers must assess the chemistries needed for high-technology applications.
May 1, 2003... With myriad surface finishes on the market today, determining the best fit for your company's product can be bewildering. It is essential to have a detailed understanding of your system's attributes, needs, and requirements before any correct...

A very short essay on erbium-doped fiber amplifiers. (Seeing the Light).
May 1, 2003... In the 1970s, the first generation fiber optic communication transmission systems were made possible with the development of low loss, single mode fibers and highly efficient, double heterostructure, single mode injection lasers. Nevertheless,...

Avoiding the "I" word. (Fein-Lines).
May 1, 2003... For the last few months we have heard the word "irrelevant" used frequently, mostly in conjunction with the United Nations, and lately often associated with the French. By the time you read this let us hope that the geopolitical crisis that has...

Spin-ins are spinning out. (Moving Down Stream).(acquisitions, history)
May 1, 2003... Ah, the vagaries of life. For years, big EDA companies have been eating smaller ones in hopes of becoming vast giants who could corner the market by offering an integrated cradle-to-grave product line. It seemed that consolidation was the...

The flex files...tracking flex circuit innovation. (Flexible Thinking).
May 1, 2003... Innovation is the life blood of a dynamic growth industry. Without innovation most industries will generally either be overtaken by competitive solutions or be relegated to eddies on the fringe of the main stream to languish. Flex circuit...

The impact of conductor width on controlled impedance. (Between the Conductors).
May 1, 2003... As higher bandwidth becomes commonplace in communication, computer, test and measurement, and other applications, the need for controlled impedance traces will become more frequent, with designs requiring [+ or -]10 percent, [+ or -]7.5...

Post pads: a new technology in chip packaging beyond BGA: a new and exciting method of interfacing a silicon die with printed circuit boards.
May 1, 2003... As the size and complexity of today's silicon chips increases, the packaging and printed circuit technology has not kept pace. Present problems exist with I/O count, thermal dissipation, capacitance and lead length, high current voltage drop...

M~Wave, CEE sign three-year deal. (Fabrication).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... West Chicago, IL -- M-Wave Inc. announced that CE Electronics (Bryan, OH) signed a three-year Supply Chain Management agreement with M-Wave utilizing its Virtual Manufacturing business unit. CEE provides contract manufacturing services for OEMs...

Hua Hong NEC Electronics to expand. (Fabrication).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Shanghai, China -- Hua Hong NEC Electronics Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of NEC, plans to expand IC capacity in 2003 to meet the demand for integrated circuits. NEC holds 28% of stock shares of Hua Hong NEC. Hua Hong NEC plans to invest JPY 10...

Toppan Electronics closes San Diego PCB plant. (Fabrication).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... San Diego, CA -- Toppan Electronics Inc. closed its San Diego, Calif., plant at the end of March, releasing 260 employees. A subsidiary of Japan's Toppan Printing Co. Ltd., the 108,000 sf plant was forced to close due to lack of demand, and...

Teradyne announces 'deep microvia technology'. (Fabrication).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Nashua, NH -- Teradyne Inc. Connection Systems Division (TCS) announced capabilities to provide deep microvia technology for customers of high performance printed circuits (HPC). As package density and technology drive the need for greater...

Meiko Electronics, Circuit-Wise to merge. (Fabrication).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Kanagawa, Japan -- Meiko Electronics Co. Ltd. and Circuit-Wise (North Haven, CT) announced they have merged their operations. As a result, Circuit-Wise customers will have access to Meiko's volume production in China, and their advanced...

Shipley sells dry film photoresist business to Taiwan company. (Fabrication).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Marlborough, MA -- Shipley Company LLC, a subsidiary of Rohm and Haas, sold its dry film photoresist business used in PWBs to Eternal Chemical Company, Taiwan. Shipley will close its North American and European PWB dry film photoresist...

Electropac companies host Vendor Night. (Fabrication).
May 1, 2003... Manchester, NH -- In early February, Electropac's companies hosted "Vendor Night" at the Manchester Country Club. Electropac invited two vendors from each sector of the industry. Presentations were done by 14 of the industries leading vendors,...

Lenthor Engineering acquires PCB Engineering. (Fabrication).
May 1, 2003... Milpitas, CA -- Lenthor Engineering acquired P.C.B. Engineering Inc., a California manufacturer of advanced technology PCBs. Both companies have enjoyed a shared resources relationship. According to Mark Lencioni, president and CEO, the newly...

Actions speak louder than words. (Asian Aspects).(Lead free legislation not appreciated by circuit board makers)
May 1, 2003... I have been listening to the debates about lead-free finishes, and the fight against lead-free legislation. I am not sure I like what 1 hear from the industry in the U.S. and Europe these days. Here in Japan, even some of the small- and...

Trade show overcapacity: a review of the PCB industry's 'March madness'; two major PCB shows on two continents in three weeks. After attending CPCA Show and IPC Expo, can exhibitors and attendees keep up?(Industry Overview)
May 1, 2003... Although most PCB industry analysts differ when it comes to predicting the long-awaited recovery, there is uniform agreement as to what caused--or at least worsened--the downturn: overcapacity. In the crazy days of the late 1990s, when the...

Start International. (Products).
May 1, 2003... Start International introduced its new Coppertron copper thickness tester. The tester provides instant and precise measurement of copper foil thickness. Weighing in at 5.3 oz (150 g) and operating off one 9-volt battery, it is completely...

Park Electrochemical unveils N7000-2 V0 system. (Products).
May 1, 2003... Lake Success, NY--Park Electrochemical Corp. introduced its new N7000-2 VO toughened polyimide substrate system. This new product line is now available globally and will be manufactured by Park's Neltec business unit (Tempe, AZ). The N7000-2 VO...

Excellon offers spindle upgrade kits. (Products).
May 1, 2003... Torrance, CA--Excellon announced it is offering high-speed spindle upgrade kits for their multi-spindle machines with four, five, and six spindles. The upgraded machines will then be capable of running spindle speeds up to 150k RPM thus...

Translastic RTV Silicones. (Products).
May 1, 2003... Danvers, MA--Transene Co. introduced Translastic RTV Silicones, elastomers designed to stabilize and insulate elec-tronic components and circuit modules. Available in a range of viscosities, Translastic RTV Silicones impart protection against...

DownStream Technologies releases CAM350 8.0. (Products).
May 1, 2003... Bolton, MA--DownStream Technologies, LLC announced CAM350[TM] Release 8, the first major release of the product since purchasing it from Innoveda (now Mentor Graphics). CAM350 Release 8 features a new, yet uncomplicated Graphical User Interface...

Shipley integrates spin-on, porous, low-k dielectric processing. (Products).
May 1, 2003... Marlborough, MA--Shipley Company LLC announced a breakthrough in the integration of its ZIRKON[TM] low-k dielectric materials. The new processing scheme allows for the solid phase processing of its spin-on porous low-k materials, overcoming the...

Coherent introduces 10W, diode-pumped, industrial UV laser. (Products).
May 1, 2003... Santa Clara, CA--Coherent Inc. introduced the latest addition to its AVIA product family, the AVIA 355-X. It's a Q-switched, diode-pumped, solid-state industrial UV laser that delivers 10W of 355-nm light at 60 kHz. It is ideal for microvia...

Fine lines in high yield (part XCII): etchant recycling and copper recovery options. (Tech Talk).
May 1, 2003... In-Situ regeneration of etchant and onsite recovery of copper or copper salts is environmentally appealing (see Ref. 1) and may also make economic sense, given a certain scale of operation (Ref. 5). The regeneration of [Cu.sup.2+] (cupric ions)...

Taiyo America, Schenectady Int'l form alliance. (Tech Talk).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Carson City, NV--Taiyo America Inc. announced an alliance agreement with Schenectady International (Schenectady, NY) to develop, manufacture, and sell waterborne photoimageable etch resist and solder mask in the North American printed circuit...

M. E. Baker acquires Advanced Chemill Systems (ACS) parts business. (Suppliers).
May 1, 2003... Cambridge, MA -- M. E. Baker Company purchased the inventory and rights to ACS's parts business and will support over 200 machines in the field. All inventory has been moved to its Cambridge headquarters. In other news, the company reports...

Taconic expands manufacturing to Asia. (Suppliers).
May 1, 2003... Petersburgh, NY -- Taconic will begin manufacturing in Cheonan, Korea. This facility will offer Taconic's full line of PTFE coated fabric, belting, and adhesive backed tape. "Taconic is pleased to begin manufacturing on a third continent, with...

Viking Test Services announces sales. (Suppliers).
May 1, 2003... Viking Test Services sold another Emma ELX6146 high speed test system to Her Majesties Government Communications Center. HMGCC chose the Emma for its versatility and ability to handle thin cores and inner layers and also perform buried passive...

Parelec gets Duraswitch approval. (Suppliers).
May 1, 2003... Rocky Hill, NJ -- Parelec Inc. announced that Parmod VLT has been approved by Duraswitch Industries Inc. for use in the manufacture of Duraswitch's patented PushGate[R] push button membrane switch. "We source and pre-approve high-quality...

MatrixOne selects OHIO-DA's InterComm. (Suppliers).
May 1, 2003... Nashua, NH -- OHIO Design Automation Inc. announced that MatrixOne, Inc. will market and sell licenses of OHIO's InterComm[TM] ECAD visualization and collaboration solution as an integral part of its PLM solution strategy.

March Plasma Systems announces new sales representation. (Suppliers).
May 1, 2003... Concord, CA -- March Plasma Systems added five representative firms to support its PCB plasma product lines. The company's new PCB sales representatives are: Allen Woods & Associates (Arlington Heights, IL), Atlan-Dyess Corp. (Fort Worth, TX),...

WISE Software Solutions reaches out to the Asia-Pacific region. (Suppliers).
May 1, 2003... Newberg, OR -- WISE Software Solutions Inc. reached an agreement with Benchmark Systems Pte. Ltd. (Singapore) and Emerald Systems Sdn. Bhd. (Malaysia), for the distribution of the GerbTool product line. These appointments, along with other...

Chemcut launches PCB development lab. (Suppliers).
May 1, 2003... State College, PA -- Chemcut Corp. started up a new development lab in their State College headquarters location. The lab is equipped to conduct research and development for copper reduction, develop, etch, strip, chemical cleaning, plating...

Avecia, New System launch U.S. ink jet printable fluids for PCB industry. (Suppliers).
May 1, 2003... Long Beach, CA -- With the U.S. launch in March of their etch resist and soldermask ink jet printers and fluids, New System and Avecia are leading the adoption of ink jet technology into North America's PCB industry. Avecia's JETRACK[TM]...

North American electronics outlook: double-dip recession, flat 2003 or hockey stick recovery? (Market Outlook).
May 1, 2003... As I write this column in early April, the Iraqi war and the SARS virus have clouded most forecasters' crystal balls. Consumer confidence (Chart 1) is at its lowest level since 1993 and, in spite of low inventories, purchasing managers are...

Supply chain management. (View from the Middle).
May 1, 2003... While traveling on my current expedition to China, I was trying to come up with the topic for this latest column. I think it was during one of the numerous two-hour train, ferry or bus rides across South East China that it occurred to me to...

Agilent expands into Malaysia. (Board Buyers).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Penang, Malaysia -- Agilent Technologies Inc. opened two new facilities in Penang, Malaysia that will include a research and development center, design and metrology labs, and manufacturing lines of Agilent's latest test and measurement...

Jabil Circuit, NEC sign supply agreement. (Board Buyers).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Tokyo, Japan -- Jabil Circuit Inc. (US) and NEC Corp. announced a multi-year manufacturing supply agreement and transfer of NEC Gotemba Ltd. manufacturing facility in Japan to Jabil. Under the terms of the Share Purchase Agreement, Jabil will...

Sanmina, Fujitsu Microelectronics establish alliance. (Board Buyers).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... San Jose, CA -- Sanmina-SCI Corp. and Fujitsu Microelectronics America Inc. (FMA) have established an alliance to co-market products using Fujitsu's fingerprint sensor technology. According to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the two...

Solectron, IBM close deal. (Board Buyers).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Milpitas, CA -- Solectron Corp. completed its acquisition of IBM's Global Asset Recovery operations in Raleigh, NC. The transaction expands Solectron's long-time relationship with IBM through a three-year supply agreement, and strengthens...

Sparton to make sonobuoys for Navy. (Board Buyers).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Jackson, MI -- Sparton Corp. announced it has been awarded two contracts for the manufacture of sonobuoys for the United States Navy. The U.S. Navy contracts are for the procurement of 6,303 Q-62E active sonobuoys ($7.2 million) and 30,636...

Events.
May 1, 2003... May 14-16, 2003 PROTEC Japan Makuhari Messe (Nippon Convention Center) Email protec@jesa.or.jp May 15-16, 2003 EIPC Spring Conference Top Hotel (Prague, Czech Republic) Email spring@eipc.org June...

Oxford Instrument Measurement Systems. (People).
May 1, 2003... Elk Grove Village, IL--Sam House was appointed Product Manager for the Contact Coating Thickness Product Line within Oxford Instrument Measurement Systems. With over 20 years of experience in manufacturing, customer service and engineering, he...

Chemcut Corporation. (People).
May 1, 2003... State College, PA--Chemcut Corp. named Dr. Juming Wang its Technical Sales Manager for Asia, responsible for sales and technical service in Asia. Juming has fifteen years of industrial experience with emphasis on development of laminate and wet...

DDi Corp. (People).
May 1, 2003... Anaheim, CA--DDi Corp. appointed John Stumpf to CEO. Joe Gisch, the company's current CFO, will become Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning and Business Development and lead the company's financial restructuring initiatives. Stumpf brings...

Enthone Inc. (People).
May 1, 2003... West Haven, CT--Dr. Yun Zhang was appointed Research Director by Enthone Inc., a Cookson Electronics PWB Materials & Chemistry business. Dr. Zhang now leads the global R&D and product formulation activities of the company's tin, tin alloy and...

Park Electrochemical Corp. (People).
May 1, 2003... Lake Success, NY--Park Electrochemical Corp. appointed Steven P. Schaefer Vice President of Business Development. Schaefer will be responsible for developing and implementing the company's strategy for new business ventures. He will focus on...

Electro Scientific Industries. (People).
May 1, 2003... Portland, OR--Electro Scientific Industries Inc. named Richard Okumoto vice president of administration and CFO. Okumoto will oversee finance and accounting as well as other administrative functions for the company. He has broad financial and...

Lloyd Doyle. (People).
May 1, 2003... Walton-on-Thames, UK--Lloyd Doyle appointed Andreas Neuhaeuser as its sales agent for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. He brings over fifteen years of PCB manufacturing experience to the task of promoting the Lloyd Doyle's range of AOT...

Burkle. (People).
May 1, 2003... Ralf Spindler has been appointed Managing Director at Burkle and has joined Hans-Jo a c him Bender and Werner Krautt on the Board of Robert Burkle GmbH. He now has overall responsibility for sales and marketing throughout the company. Spindler...

Nam Tai Electronics. (People).
May 1, 2003... Vancouver, Ganada--Nam Tai Electronics Inc. appointed Guy Bindels as its R&D Director. In his new job, he will be responsible for formulating R&D strategies and spearheading the company to keep abreast of the latest development in global...

Asia growth rate outpaces rest of industry in 2002.
May 1, 2003... Singapore -- The Asia/Pacific PC market's growth rate outpaced the worldwide industry in 2002. PC shipments in Asia/Pacific reached 21.7 million units in 2002, a' 8:6 percent increase from 2001, according to Dataquest Inc., a unit of Gartner,...

Nashua, Parlex sign agreement.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Nashua, NH -- Nashua Corp. and Parlex Corp. jointly announced they have signed a strategic agreement to cooperate in the development of flexible circuit technology incorporating proprietary printing and plating technologies. "This...