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FEATURES

• Productronica Recap
  Trading Up
  For the first time in 10 years, we saw the sun in Munich. Is it a sign of a new dawn for the industry? OK, no, but amid tepid expectations, Productronica turned out stronger than expected, again defying gravity and the pundits to remain the mother of all trade shows.
  by Mike Buetow
  

• CAM
  Improving Fabrication Yields
  A large portion of manufacturing yield is tied up in the CAM process, and these "fabrication planners" can make the difference between profits and losses. Plus: The designer's role.
  by Zulki Khan
  

• X-Ray Inspection
  X-Ray Imaging of Pb-Free Solder Joints
  Inspecting Pb-free solder joints requires consideration be given to the implications of the material differences exhibited by the elements present to ensure that optimal image quality is maintained. When optimizing the tube, the actual adjustments are highly dependent on the thickness and mass of the solder joint for various components.
  by Dr. Evstatin Krastev
  

FIRST PERSON

• Caveat Lector
  "Conflict metals" fight deepens.
  Mike Buetow

• Talking Heads
  CyberOptics' Kitty Iverson.
  Mike Buetow

MONEY MATTERS

• Focus on Business
  Hiring's golden age.
  Susan Mucha

TECH TALK

• On the Forefront
  Potential derailments.
  E. Jan Vardaman

• Better Manufacturing
  Improving test coverage by design.
  Andrew Murrietta

• Screen Printing
  Embedded passives: nothing but a win.
  Clive Ashmore

• Selective Soldering
  Defect-free selective soldering.
  Ursula Marquez de Tino, Ph.D.

• Wave Soldering Troubleshooting
  Solder on the mask.
  Paul Lotosky

• The Defects Database
  Plating-related opens.
  Dr. Davide Di Maio, Ph.D.

• Process Doctor
  Debunking subjective cleanliness assessments.
  Harald Wack, Ph.D.

• Materials World
  Type 4 solder standards.
  Jie Bai

• Solar Technologies
  Solar Power International was a return to the past.
  Chrys Shea

• Tech Tips
  Boundary scan extends its use.
  ACI Technologies Inc.

• Technical Abstracts
  In case you missed it.

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