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FEATURES

RETROSPECTIVE
In Memoriam
A look back at friends and colleagues who left us in 2010.
by Mike Buetow

COVER STORY
Asteel the One
Foxconn’s topline growth is enviable, but at least one Tier 2 EMS firm has been expanding almost as quickly, as AsteelFlash is the only Tier 2 (revenues between $500 million and $1 billion) to see sales double over the past decade. CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY goes behind the Asteel curtain to get a glimpse of our EMS Company of the Year.
by Mike Buetow

STATIC CONTROL
ESD Best Practices
In the case of ESD control, proper practices not only entail high yields, but also no hard or latent defects in parts shipped to customers. Essential features of robust ESD control programs per ANSI/ESD S20.20.
by Carl Newberg

SMTAI RECAP
Good Times in Orlando
In the technical sessions and on the show floor, SMTAI was a success.
by Mike Buetow

FIRST PERSON

• Caveat Lector
  No holdbacks.
  Mike Buetow
  
  
• Talking Heads
  Kyzen’s Mike Bixenman.
  Mike Buetow

MONEY MATTERS

• ROI
  Thin all around.
  Peter Bigelow
  

• Focus on Business
  EMS marketing today.
  Susan Mucha
  
  

TECH TALK

• Screen Printing
  Stencil quality.
  Clive Ashmore
  

• Selective Soldering
  Barrel fill.
  Alan Cable
  

• Tech Tips
  Microscopy in failure analysis..
  ACI Technologies Inc.

• Test and Inspection
  Boundary scan development.
  Jun Balangue

• Defects Database
  Dip pastes may elevate solder ball levels.
  Dr. Davide Di Maio
  

• Getting Lean
  Tailoring the program.
  Steve Fraser
  
  
• Technical Abstracts
  In Case You Missed It.

 

 

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FEATURES

PCB WEST RECAP
Hot in the Valley
Something isn’t getting through, as signal integrity classes were packed even though most designers say they don’t perform the critical analysis.
by Mike Buetow


POPCORN PREVENTION
MSD Protection Steps Per J-STD-033B.1
ICs can act like a sponge. If they have semi-permeable membranes, moisture from the ambient air can get into those devices. When they get rapidly heated during reflow or rework, the result is rapid outgassing. In some cases, this excessive outgassing causes popcorning, which can damage the internal structures of a component. This how-to helps prevent and rid moisture from components.
by Don Shell

 

FIRST PERSON

• Caveat Lector
  Tough choices call for single voice.
  Mike Buetow

MONEY MATTERS

• Sherman’s Market
  OEMs: Still in charge.
  Randall Sherman

• ROI
  Our new stability.
  Peter Bigelow
  
  

TECH TALK

• On the Forefront
  Flex’s new twists.
  E. Jan Vardaman
  

• Defects Database
  Low solids, no coverage?
  Dr. Davide Di Maio
  

• Tech Tips
  BGA voids.
  ACI Technologies Inc.

• Process Doctor
  Lower-concentration cleaning agents.
  Dr. Harald Wack

• Technical Abstracts
  In Case You Missed It.

 

 

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FEATURES

Perfect Paperwork
Best Practices for Preparing Documentation
Electronics assembly documentation includes files such as design schematics, assembly drawings, test procedures, BoMs and more. Problems or omissions in this documentation result in delays and, in extreme cases, may lead to product deficiencies and quality issues. How to ensure documentation for the EMS company is accurate. 
by George Henning

Pick-and-Place
Ensuring Accurate Placement
Placement must undergo various checks to ensure components are the correct ones and to locate potential problems. Matching pad and package sizes is one of the many ways to reduce errors during component assembly.
by Simon Ilustre

FIRST PERSON

• Caveat Lector
  Still like Ike?
  Mike Buetow

MONEY MATTERS

• Global Sourcing
  What DoD cuts mean for the US
  PCB industry.
  Matthew Holzmann

• ROI
  Do customers know what they want?
  Peter Bigelow

• Focus on Business
  Program management certification.
  Susan Mucha

TECH TALK

• Screen Printing
  Throw out the area ratio rules.
  Clive Ashmore
  

• Selective Soldering
  Fixturing applications.
  Alan Cable

• Test and Inspection
  ICT for speed.
  Wee-Sheng Yong
  

• Defects Database
  Inspecting flux prior to reflow.
  Dr. Davide Di Maio
  

• SMT Troubleshooting
  Paste problems.
  Paul Lotosky

• Tech Tips
  Digital pre-distortion.
  ACI Technologies Inc.

• Getting Lean
  Dealing with shortages.
  Todd Baggett

• Technical Abstracts
  In Case You Missed It.