News
In a drawing held during APEX 2004, Betatron Inc. (San Jose, CA), a contract assembler specializing in high-end prototype assembly, won the free use of Dage Precision Industries' (Fremont, CA) XD6500 digital x-ray system.
The winning entry was one of the more than 400 applications received during Dage's pre-APEX and APEX show promotion. Said winner, Mike Young, "I feel like the luckiest guy at the show! We've just received the latest and greatest x-ray inspection technology available today."
Dage Precision's managing director, Paul Walter, said, "With over 400 entries in this year's drawing and the sheer number of system demonstrations performed here at APEX, we're really pleased. Congratulations to Mike and to Betatron."
The integrated digital image acquisition technology, XiDAT, on the system's platform offers improved digital data processing, enhanced resolution, extensive grayscale definition and the Image Wizard software operating system. The x-ray system achieves high resolution and magnification levels through use of Dage's proprietary x-ray tube technology, focusing lens and optimized image chain.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Kester (Des Plaines, IL), Metcal (Menlo Park, CA) and KIC (San Diego, CA) will present a series of Lead-free Technology Seminars scheduled to take place throughout 2004. The next seminar will take place April 6-7 in the San Jose, CA area.
Kester, a supplier of solder and related materials and services to the electronics assembly, micro-component and industrial soldering industries, Metcal, a lead-free soldering solutions provider, and KIC, a provider of lead-free thermal process solutions, understand the challenges associated with the implementation of lead-free assembly. This implementation is rapidly progressing in Asia and throughout the WEEE Directive in Europe, mandating the elimination of lead in many electronics goods by 2006.
The conversion from a leaded process to a lead-free process is not a simple transition. A solid understanding of the alloys, fluxes, board and component finishes, and how they impact the process will be required. Another critical aspect of converting to lead free is the shrinking process window caused by the higher solder melting temperatures butting against the temperature tolerances of the most sensitive components. Learning how to manage this shrinking thermal process window will be an important topic discussed in the seminars.
From combined experiences, the companies have developed this series of seminars to assist North American assemblers with the implementation of lead-free technology. These non-commercial seminars include surface-mount technology, ball grid array (BGA), inspection and documentation. They also offer attendees the technical ability to switch to lead-free reliably, effectively and in time to meet their customers' expectations.
The upcoming seminar will take place at the Four Points Sheraton, 1250 Lakeside Dr., Sunnyvale, CA, 94085; (408) 738-4888, and will explain how to implement lead-free reliably. Additional topics will include alloy selection, flux selection, wave process, surface-mount assembly, inspection and documentation, BGA profiling and rework, reflow optimization and issues and answers. Attendees are encouraged to bring their boards for rework solutions.
To register for the Lead-free Solutions seminar, visit www.metcal.com.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Auburn University (Auburn, AL) is one of only three institutions to share in an $12 million grant from the Vodafone-US Foundation as part of an effort to advance education in wireless engineering technology.
In recognition of its quality programs in wireless engineering, the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering received $3 million of the foundation's first multi-million dollar competitive grant program. In support of scholarships, fellowships and facilities, the grant is intended to enhance the pool of highly qualified students at the University's wireless engineering program.
The foundation's program¾which funds the Auburn scholarships over a five-year period¾provides both tuition and full support for undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships in wireless engineering. The grant also supports curriculum and research development in wireless engineering and provides for a pool of funds for interscholastic seminars, webcasts and symposiums.
The other universities selected by the foundation are the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
"The competition for this award was very tough," said Engineering Dean Larry Benefield. "It included 14 of the nation's top 25 engineering schools. To be one of the three programs selected is testament to the strength of our wireless efforts."
Fifteen Auburn students have been named recipients of the grants. Vodafone scholars are involved in areas that address society's most critical needs through wireless technologies, including energy, transportation, health care, environment, disaster response, homeland security and education. Research is also being aimed at ways to help third world countries implement wireless solutions to their communication infrastructure needs.
The Auburn Engineering Vodafone-US Foundation 2003-2004 scholars include Mohamed Abdulmagid, Brian Holland, Michael Newlin and Victor Rundquist, seniors in electrical and computer engineering; Rachael Achorn, David Boyd and Ryan Northington, sophomores in computer science and software engineering; Jeremy Arnold, Kendra Cole and Brian Ginn, sophomores in electrical and computer engineering; and John Jansen, a junior in electrical and computer engineering.
The college's Vodafone fellows include Yawen Dai Barowski, a doctoral candidate in computer science and software engineering; Jun Pan and Xin Wang, doctoral candidates in electrical and computer engineering; and Ying Yang, a master's degree candidate in computer science and software engineering.
For more information on the grant program, visit www.eng.auburn.edu/center/wireless/vodafone/index.htm.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
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