Quality Control
Eliminating Board Defects
Quality product starts with DfA and the master drawing. But fabricators and assemblers have their place, too.
By Zulki Khan
SEA and NPI Awards
‘Inspiration to Innovate’
The 2008 edition of Circuits Assembly’s Service Excellence Awards was notable for the continuing dominance of Aegis as it was for the ascent of several previously under-the-radar EMS companies who made their mark for the first time. Plus: The NPI Award makes its debut.
By Chelsey Drysdale
Cover Story
Evaluating Manufacturability and Operational Costs for New Conformal Coating Processes
Higher density components and smaller footprint layouts make the conformal coating process more challenging in terms of achieving acceptable first-pass process yields and cost-effective cycle times. This study of seven assembly process variables identified the three most critical variables and their impacts.
By Jason Keeping
Caveat Lector
Connecting the bumps.
Mike Buetow
Talking Heads
DEK's John Hartner.
Mike Buetow
Focus on Business
The longer, the better?
Susan Mucha
Global Sourcing
Slapped by the “invisible hand.”
Jennifer Read
Screen Printing
A 55° squeegee angle enhances print quality.
Clive Ashmore
Reflow Soldering
Yield improvement, one defect at a time.
Ursula Marquez de Tino
Test and Inspection
No test points? No problem.
Chris Jacobsen
Process Doctor
Brush cleaning, clarified.
Terry Munson
Pb-Free Lessons Learned
When prevention isn’t an option.
Chrys Shea
Getting Lean
View to a thrill.
Robert Hemmant
Materials World
RoHS compliance versus Pb-free capability.
Dr. Renzhe Zhao
Technical Abstracts
Industry News
Market Watch
Product Spotlight
Assembly Insider
Ad Index
On the cover: Novel test procedures and processes demonstrate that comparisons among various cleaning agents, masking materials, coating materials and application equipment can be made. (Photo courtesy Asymtek)