CircuiTree articles from May 2004

CircuiTree archives from May 2004

For legislative change, industry leaders must lead the way.(Letters)(IPC California Circuits Association's "Sacramento Day")(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... This was my second year attending the IPC California Circuits Association's "Sacramento Day" on February 3-4, 2004. The climate in Sacramento this year was much more encouraging for business than last year. This can be attributed to Arnold...

Off-shore manufacturing leaves many questions unanswered.(The Way we See it)(off-shore electronics manufacturing)
May 1, 2004... Who'd have thought current events would become so consumed with electronics manufacturing? Now that everybody's rushed into China to capitalize on the world's fastest-growing electronics market, people are starting to recognize both the...

AT&S China: waking the giant; Willi Doerflinger, chairman of Europe's largest PWB fabricator, talks of reaching sales of 1 billion euro in the next five to ten years--and hopes China will help the company get there.(printed wiring boards fabricator)
May 1, 2004... Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik AG (AT&S) has big plans. Encouraged by 2003-04 profits, which essentially doubled from last year, the company is leveraging its technology know-how and strong telecom relationships to create one of the...

The Management Review: riding ahead of the herd.(View from the Middle)(printed circuit boards industry)
May 1, 2004... So, you have developed a solid quality system, collected good data, and are seeing signs that it is actually making a positive impact on the organization's performance. But there are enough IMS companies that don't effectively tie it all...

Making your brand work for you in the marketplace.(Marketing Matters, electronics)(Column)
May 1, 2004... My first column discussed the challenges a new company faces, and introduced the concept of branding. The initial steps in this process involve defining the values of the firm, developing a creative design and deploying the brand throughout the...

InteliCoat.(People)(Oblong Technology will provide sales and technical support for distribution of Tecnilith APF Artwork Protect Film across China)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Matthews, NC -- InteliCoat Technologies is turning to an old friend to serve as its new distributor for the company's Tecnilith APF Artwork Protect Film across China. Ricky Wu and Taipei-based Oblong Technology have provided sales and technical...

Polyclad Laminates.(People)(Curt Mitchell)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Londonderry, NH -- Polyclad Laminates named Curt Mitchell Applications Engineer, GETEK[R] Products. Mitchell will be responsible for providing technical assistance and field application support to all Polyclad sales divisions, particularly in...

Atotech Canada.(People)(Eugene P. Torcoletti to replace retiring Erich Knebel)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Atotech Canada Ltd. announced that Erich Knebel, current president of the company, formally notified staff and associates of his intention to retire effective December 31st, 2004. Eugene P. Torcoletti, the company's technical director, will...

AT&S.(People)(Willi Dorflinger, Harald Sommerer, Steen Hansen)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Vienna, Austria -- AT&S CEO Willi Dorflinger announced that he will, at his own request, only continue to serve as the chairman of the board of management for the rest of his current period of office, and will leave the management board on June...

Process Electronics Corp.(People)(Christopher Smith)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Gastonia, NC -- Process Electronics Corp. hired Christopher Smith as Senior Sales Engineer. Smith will perform sales and marketing functions supporting PEC's domestic and international business. His responsibilities include marketing and field...

Photocircuits.(People)(Mike Fuggini and Steve Graves)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Glen Cove, NY -- Photocircuits promoted Mike Fuggini to the newly created position of Director of Operations. Fuggini has been with Photocircuits for more than twenty years, most recently responsible for managing the company's process...

Asia Connections Ltd.(People)(Frank N. Haigh)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Hong Kong -- Asia Connections Ltd. appointed Frank N. Haigh as Vice President of Sales and Marketing USA. Asia Connections works with U.S. manufacturers to select the product or product line best suited to the Asian outsourcing model, and using...

GSPK.(People)(Kevin Heath)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Knaresborough, UK -- GSPK Electronics Ltd appointed Kevin Heath to work alongside Jane Johnson as a New Business Manager, complementing new initiatives. Heath, a sales professional with over 30 years experience in high tech, started his career...

Rutgers sells Isola AG to Texas Pacific Group.(People)
May 1, 2004... Essen, Germany -- Rutgers AG, a subsidiary of RAG Aktiengesellschaft, signed an agreement for the sale and purchase of the business of its subsidiary, Isola AG (Duren, Germany), to a consortium of Texas Pacific Group, a U.S. private equity fund...

Rohm and Haas names Grandmake Technology distributor.(People)(Alliances and Patnerships)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials (formerly known as Shipley Company) announced an agreement with Grandmake Technology Ltd. (GMT), a Hong Kong-based company. GMT will become a distributor of Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials Circuit Board...

Moving toward standards for Embedded Passives.(Embedded Passives Update)(printed circuits)
May 1, 2004... If one asks PWB managers why they aren't using embedded passives right now, one gets a variety of answers. Lack of suppliers, lack of costing models, lack of infrastructure, lack of design software, lack of this, lack of that. But one important...

Fragile: handle with care! In these days of tight profit margins, why put up with unnecessary damage to partly processed PCB panels? Not only will you be losing revenue, you also risk losing credibility in the eyes of the customer.(printed circuit boards)
May 1, 2004... We all know how robust a PCB can be, especially when it is assembled into its completed unit. Take the ubiquitous mobile phone for instance. The chances are that somewhere in the world someone will drop theirs while you are reading this--and...

Flex Files ... tracking flexible circuit innovations.(Flexible Circuits)
May 1, 2004... Innovation in the realm of flexible circuits continues unabated. The range of application and variety of methods used by flexible circuits are expanding at an amazing rate. It is impossible to keep track of all of these innovations as both...

Century Circuits, Yoo Hyun invest in Lloyd Doyle.(Suppliers)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Lloyd Doyle announced that it recently installed an automatic optical system, redline, in Century Circuits (St Paul, MN). In other news, Lloyd Doyle announced a major order at Yoo Hyun (Incheon City, Korea). The installation consists of two...

Lamination Technology launches E-Commerce Web Site.(Suppliers)(Lamination Technology LLC; www.lamtechpcb.com)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Lamination Technology LLC launched its new E-Commerce Web site (www.lamtechpcb.com) in March with an easy-to-use updated design. Any PCB customer can now order lamination area accessories directly on line using a credit card or company purchase...

Automa-Tech: orders up.(has increased)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Automa-Tech received approximately $3.7 million worth of orders in February, originating from Asia, Germany, and the U.S. The number of orders coming from Europe and North America has increased, after months of weak demand.

Bassi Trading delivers second Top Cure Systems to ITL Circuits.(Suppliers)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... San Juan Capistrano, CA -- Bassi Trading, Inc. delivered the second Top Cure 5.0 Overhead Conveyorized Curing System to ITL Circuits (Markham, Canada). The Top Cure 5.0 can automatically load, cure, and unload PWBs from 12 X 12" to 27 X 27" in...

Plasma Etch announces expansion.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Carson City, NV -- Due to strong demand, Plasma Etch Inc. expanded its production facility and contract plasma service. Plasma etch technology is an environmentally friendly surface preparation process and alternative to chemical processes,...

Gould Electronics makes improvements in TCR.(Suppliers)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Eastlake, OH -- Gould Electronics positioned its TCR[R] resistor foil for the mainstream PWB market by making it more affordable and widely available for manufacturers and laminators. Improvements to TCR include an extension of the line for...

Park Electrochemical establishes new Chinese facility.(Suppliers)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Lake Success, NY -- Park Electrochemical Corp. will establish a new manufacturing facility in China to support the growing customer demand for advanced multilayer printed circuitry materials there. The facility will operate under the name Nelco...

Orbotech receives major order from Samsung.(Samsung Electro-Mechanics Company Ltd.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Yavne, Israel -- Orbotech received a major order from Samsung Electro-Mechanics (SEM) Co. Ltd. for multiple DP-100SL[TM] direct imaging systems with solid state laser used at SEM's mass production plant in Korea. "This is the largest single...

Intelicoat names Thailand distributor.(Suppliers)(Bestrade Limited)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Matthews, NC -- Bestrade Limited, a Bangkok-based supplier to the PWB industry, is the new Thailand distributor for Tecnilith APF Artwork Protect Film manufactured by InteliCoat Technologies. Bestrade will distribute the full line of InteliCoat...

Sovereign Circuits receives HMS Hollmuller line.(Suppliers)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... HMS Hollmuller installed its PTH Speedline at Sovereign Circuits, combining deburr, desmear and electroless processes in a single horizontal line. The key feature of this line is the HDF-Tsunami flooding technology. The combination of low...

Lighting Technologies raises $5 million.(Suppliers)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Baldwin Park, CA -- Lighting Technologies International (LTI), a specialty discharge lighting company that designs, manufactures and markets specialty discharge light sources, has raised $5 million in Series B Preferred Stock. "I am pleased to...

Counterfeit electronics from China and related challenges.(Finance & Forecast)
May 1, 2004... The Quality Brands Protection Committee (QBPC), a group of more than 80 multinationals doing business in China, offers a startling perspective, as of late 2003: "Counterfeiting has reached critical levels and the size and severity of...

Improved organic solderability preservatives (OSPs) for mixed metal finishes; a discussion of an OSP that selectively bonds to the copper without adversely affecting other metals such as gold or solder.
May 1, 2004... The trend toward alternatives to hot air solder leveling has been well defined The Asian Rim, led by Japan, has pushed OSP to a leadership position as a final finish. Reasons include environmental and safety concerns over lead, the need for a...

Polyclad Laminates manufacturing expansion completed.(Cookson Electronics)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Londonderry, NH -- Cookson Electronics celebrated the expansion of its Polyclad Laminates electronics material manufacturing facility in Elk Grove, California, in March. A sun-soaked ribbon-cutting ceremony was followed by tours of the new...

Onward and upward: all indicators point North.(Market Outlook - Electronics)(Industry Overview)
May 1, 2004... After a late-2003 communications equipment induced scare, we now seem to be back on track for a good year. U.S. electronic equipment orders tallied back-to-back growth in January and February (Chart 1) and most leading indicators now point to...

Advanced UV curing system.(Products)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Ashland, VA -- Anton Paar USA introduced a new accessory module for characterizing UV curable inks and coatings on their MCR series of rheometers. The Physica Advanced UV System features Peltier temperature control to ensure quick and accurate...

Plasma Etch announces new, High-Production HP Series.(Products)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Carson City, NV -- Plasma Etch Inc. introduced a new plasma system design. Dubbed "High Production, HP Series," the new systems are designed for the high-production needs of the electronics industry. The High Production, HP 32 features a...

Intercept Technology releases Pantheon v5.0.(Products)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Atlanta, GA -- Intercept Technology Inc. released Pantheon v5.0. Addressing advancements in the areas of hybrid, HDI and RF technologies, the new version features improved area fill performance, automatic ink resistor generation, parametric...

New method of moisture removal from cores and inner layers.(Products)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Phoenix, AZ -- Technical Products Co. added a single chamber deep vacuum system, the MCS-1-FS-C, to its product line. The 58 f[t.sup.3] chamber completely dries cores and inner layers at room temperature in approximately 60 minutes or less....

Polyclad Laminates introduces 370HR lead-free laminate and prepreg systems.(Products)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Londonderry, NH -- Polyclad Laminates, Inc. introduced Polyclad[R] 370HR CAF resistant, lead-free assembly compatible laminate and prepreg systems. Ideal for high-density designs requiring multiple soldering steps, 370HR materials contain a...

ACS Technologies reveals new TruCure model.(Products)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Farmington, AR -- ACS Technologies Inc. announced a new TruCure system, model TCC241. The TCC241 is designed to cure conductive coatings and silver paste used for via hole plugging in just two minutes. The unit is compact and simple to use....

DownStream Technologies announces CAM350 Release 8.5.(Products)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Bolton, MA -- DownStream Technologies LLC announced CAM350 Release 8.5, the latest version of its industry-leading PCB CAM solution. This release is a direct result of extensive input from customers who expressed a desire for enhancements to be...

Ormecon International introduces Immersion Tin process solutions.(Products)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Ammersbek, Germany -- Ormecon International, a worldwide operating group of companies focused on the area of Immersion Tin as solderable surface finish for PWBs, introduced two new Immersion Tin products: Ormecon CSN FF and Ormecon CSN FF-W....

HMS ComPlate attracts interest.(Products)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Recently, HMS-Hollmuller introduced its latest development, the electroplating module ComPlate (compact and plater). The unit's design features for new technologies include via filling, along with a low maintenance plating concept. The first...

Intelicoat develops 'virtually indestructible' phototool.(Products)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... South Hadley, MA -- According to InteliCoat Technologies, its newest Tecnilith[R] phototool film (Duratool[R] Eclipse[TM]) is also the toughest ever produced. With its exceptional stability, high resolution and chemical resistance, the new film...

Electronics Assembly Technology releases 2nd edition.(Products)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Electronics Assembly Technology released the English translation of its German-language work on the same subject: "Baugruppen-Technologie der Elektronik" originally published by Verlag Technik. Under the leadership of Professor Wolfgang Scheel...

Walchem reveals WDS new sensors.(Products)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Holliston, MA -- Walchem Corp. introduced its WDS Series differential pH and ORP sensors. Designed for long-lasting and reliable industrial applications, the WDS has a replaceable salt bridge for long life and transmits signals up to 3,000 feet...

Cemco hosts specification/procurement requirement workshop & factory tour.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... In February, SMART Group organized a workshop for process/quality engineers, purchasing staff and development engineers to help them define the key issues for modern PWB manufacture and procurement. The workshop revealed practical issues,...

Fine lines in high yield (Part CIV): power & circuitry on one metal layer (Part B).(Tech Talk)(printed wiring board manufacture)
May 1, 2004... To reduce layer count and cost as well as for improved electrical performance, designers and fabricators have looked for ways to put power (high current capacity grids or tracks) on the same metal layer as control (logic) circuits (and ground...

California Assemblyman Ken Maddox visits Pro-Tech.(Tech Talk)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... On April 1st Assemblyman Ken Maddox of California's Sixty-Eighth district visited Pro-Tech and helped present Pro-Tech's Bob Walker with an award from the California Circuits Association for being the Co-Chair of the CCA's recently held and...

CPCA Show: double-digit China growth continues; it is now the year of the monkey in China. Most analysts say the country's "monkey business" is going well.(Chinese Printed Circuit Association show)(printed wiring boards industry)
May 1, 2004... Shanghai, China--The thirteenth annual Chinese Printed Circuit Association (CPCA) Show opened in mid-March to strong interest and attendance. "CPCA continues to grow," said the association's director, Wang Longji at the opening ceremony, "and...

TTM Technologies expands Chippewa Falls capacity.(Fabrication)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Santa Ana, CA -- TTM Technologies Inc. has increased production capacity at its Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin facility. The two-phase expansion, when complete, will represent an 85% increase in production capacity over current levels. In the first...

Motorola licenses EMC Technology to Compeq.(Embedded Mezzanine Capacitor)(Motorola Labs, Compeq Manufacturing Co. Ltd.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Schaumburg, IL -- Motorola Labs and Compeq Manufacturing Co. Ltd. of Taiwan announced that Motorola Labs has licensed its patented Embedded Mezzanine Capacitor PWB technology to Compeq. Utilizing the EMC PWB technology, Compeq will fabricate...

Merix starts Wood Village production.(Fabrication)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Forest Grove, OR -- Merix Corp. commenced production at its Wood Village facility, with capabilities consisting of innerlayer processing through drilling. Product from the Wood Village facility is currently being delivered to Forest Grove and...

Dynaco qualified by DSCC.(Fabrication)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Tempe, AZ -- Dynaco Corp, a manufacturer of high reliability flex, rigid flex and rigid PWBs, has been has been qualified by DSCC and is now listed on the QPL for Polyimide Thermount (Type3, BI).

Photocircuits realigns tooling, manufacturing Ops.(operations for rapid growth of the company)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Glen Cove, NY -- Photocircuits Corp. realigned its tooling and manufacturing operations in order to accommodate rapid growth. The company said sales are expected to increase from $50 million in 2002 to $100 million this year. To facilitate this...

Advanced Circuits posts growth.(Fabrication)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Aurora, CO -- Although the U.S. PWB industry shrank an estimated 40 percent during 2001 through 2003, Advanced Circuits grew more than 15 percent each year during that time. Exceeding all of their goals for 2003, the company ended the year with...

Circuit World to sell aerospace division.(Fabrication)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Toronto -- Circuit World Corp. signed a nonbinding Letter of Intent (LOI) to sell the assets of its aerospace division, FTG Aerospace, to Astronics Corp. "With more than 85% of revenues being derived from our core circuit board business and the...

Compeq International continues investment.(Fabrication)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... In an effort to meet growing market demands, Compeq International has made recent equipment additions. A new plasma etch process has been added to complement the production of high-performance materials. An additional AOI fulfills the need for...

M-Wave: orders increasing.(Fabrication)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... West Chicago, IL -- M-Wave Inc. announced that orders gained recently from new and existing customers are expected to total $2.5-$3.0 million annually, a 17-21 percent increase over previous annual levels. This includes manufacturing contracted...

Schweizer Electronic struggles against strong Euro.(Fabrication)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... For Schweizer Electronic AG, the 2003 business year was characterized by an ongoing weak demand, tough price competition, and a strong revaluation of the euro. As a consequence, prices for PCBs continued to drop, and the weak dollar caused an...