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Press Releases

NEWMAN LAKE, WA – Hentec Industries/RPS Automation, a leading manufacturer of selective soldering, lead tinning and solderability test equipment, is pleased to announce that APCT Corporation has purchased a Pulsar solderability testing system.

The Pulsar utilizes the highly proven dip-and-look test method that is a qualitative type test performed by comparative analysis after specimens are dipped in a bath of flux and molten solder. An advantage of the dip-and-look method is since it is based on comparative analysis it can be performed rapidly by shop floor personnel with minimal training as well as requiring significantly lower capital investment then a wetting balance test system. The Pulsar solderability testing system complies with all applicable solderability test standards including MIL-STD-883 Method 2003, IPC J-STD-002 and MIL-STD-202 Method 208.

NEW BRITAIN, CT – MicroCare today announced the promotion of Ernesto Pollano to General Sales Manager, Mexico / LATAM. The promotion speaks to the company’s strategy to continue to build upon its global expansion.

Pollano who joined MicroCare 2018 as Regional Sales Manager, Western Mexico, immediately distinguished himself for his keen problem-solving sales approach and customer relationship building abilities. His contributions to the success of MicroCare in the competitive Mexico market were recognized – and rewarded with today’s announcement.

In his new role, Pollano will lead MicroCare sales and marketing in Mexico and Latin America. He will develop and grow the sales organization, strengthen relationships with distributors and manufacturers representatives, develop key new partnerships to increase revenue across all MicroCare product platforms, and identify strategic opportunities to increase sales in Mexico. Pollano will also play a key part in developing the MicroCare strategy specifically for Costa Rica and Dominican Republic.

Vince Libercci, Electronics Commercial Sales Manager says, “Ernesto has successfully increased the MicroCare market share in Mexico in the four years he has been with the company. He has demonstrated leadership, team building and strategic business development skills and is deserving of this appointment. We will lean on Ernesto to be our point person in an area that has been a key pillar to our growth and will be an important part of our future success.”

“I’m excited to lead the way on our growth plan for Mexico / LATAM,” says Pollano, an alumnus of the Universidad Panamericana, Guadalajara. “MicroCare is well positioned to grow in the critical cleaning market that it has called home for 40 years. Our unique offerings, including cleaning fluids and proprietary cleaning tools along with our strategic distributor partnerships worldwide, provide our clients with a value proposition that is unmatched in the industry.”

With more than 60 years of history, Kitron is an industrial partner supplying electronics manufacturing services. We also provide design and development, end-of-life, redesign, overhaul, and field services. The services we provide enable customers to focus on product development, market expansion, and product introduction. This is an attractive proposition for a growing number of customers.

In early 2022, we completed an acquisition of BB Electronics, another EMS company. This resulted in over 100 new customers and strong revenues in the field of residential energy solutions, fleet management, and other tracking applications, as well as supplying e-mobility components.

In addition, our existing business is strong, including new generations introduced by our customers and new program wins in the Connectivity and Electrification sectors. This has led to record revenue and order backlog.

Looking into the coming years, Kitron will continue to invest 2-3% of revenue in capacity and capability expansion. So far, in 2023, 6 new SMT lines will be up and running in 4 factories. In addition, new equipment will be added to existing lines to improve speed, efficiency, and cost.

By adding new machinery for coating, soldering, and installing a powerful and intelligent THT insertion machine, we will be able to handle more complex product lines. We also continue our journey toward automation. Significant steps have been taken over the past five years, and we’re ready to roll out industry-leading practices across more factories, like automated through-hole insertion lines, fully automated high-level assembly lines and utilization of additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, rapidly adapting machines to various end products. For every type of product, we will utilize a highly flexible, expandable, and efficient machine that can make quick changes and deliver a strong return on investment.

“As a company, we look forward to further growth in the future," says Stian Haugen, CTO of Kitron Group. “Our goal is to support the demand of our customers and meet their capacity needs."

Kitron currently operates in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Lithuania, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, India, China, and the United States. More than 2800 employees work in these facilities, which include 32+ fully automated production lines for electronics, and 3 lines for high-level assembly of end-customer products in more than 100 000 sq. m. of manufacturing area.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – The SMTA is excited to introduce a new event for manufacturers in the high reliability sector which takes place on April 18, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. The High Reliability: Strategic Technology Advancement Research Forum will be held at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown.

Registration for the High Reliability: Strategic Technology Advancement Research (STAR) Forum is open. This event aims to share information on how manufacturing professionals deliver resilient products that tolerate extreme environments. The program will focus on all aspects of high reliability manufacturing including design, manufacturing, testing, assembly of box build, and how the customer uses the high reliability technology for future projects. The SMTA is still accepting abstracts for this event.

The newly renovated Kansas City Marriott Downtown provides an environment for attendees to learn and network while enjoying the historic charm of Kansas City. Discounted hotel rates are available when booking through the event website by March 27, 2023.

Sponsorship and Exhibiting opportunities are available for this event. View more details online.

If there are any questions, please call +1-952-920-7682 or email karlie@smta.org. For more information, visit https://smta.org/mpage/star/

PLYMOUTH, UK – Bentec is pleased to announce that Incap Electronics UK Ltd. purchased a Mirtec MV- 3XL OMNI with increased maximum PCB load size, angled cameras and Z-axis.

“Incap is one of Europe’s top EMS companies. As such we are delighted that Incap have decided to continue with their long-established partnership with Mirtec over the last decade,” said David Bennett Managing Director Bentec Ltd. “By deploying Mirtec’s leading 3D Inspection technology, the company can continue to offer their recognised high-quality service to customers.”

Incap Corporation is a trusted partner and full-service electronics manufacturing services provider. As a global EMS company, Incap supports customers ranging from large multinationals and mid-sized companies to small start-ups in their complete manufacturing value chain. Incap offers state-of-the-art technology backed by entrepreneurial culture and highly qualified personnel. The company has operations in Finland, Estonia, India, Slovakia, UK and Hong Kong. Employing approximately 2,500 people across the group.

“We decided to make this investment in our machinery to better meet customer demand and to support our company’s growth. Technology is changing rapidly, and we see that investing in a new Mirtec AOI machine allows us to provide the highest quality capability and standards,” said Dave Elms, Technical Director.

The MV-3XL OMNI Desktop 3D AOI machine is configured with the same hardware and software as Mirtec’s inline OMNI-VISION ® 3D inspection systems, providing 100% compatibility across Mirtec’s 3D AOI product line. The MV-3XL OMNI is a variant of the MV-3 OMNI for customers such as Incap that require a larger maximum PCB load size of 660 x 510 mm (as opposed to 450 x 400 mm). The system features OMNI-VISION ® 3D inspection technology that combines 15-megapixel CoaXPress camera technology with the company’s revolutionary digital tri-frequency Moiré 3D system in a cost-effective platform. The 15-megapixel CoaXPress vision system is a proprietary camera system designed for use with its complete product range of 3D inspection systems. Mirtec’s 12 projection digital tri- frequency Moiré technology provides true 3D inspection to yield precise height measurement data used to detect lifted component and lifted lead defects as well as solder volume post-reflow. Fully configured, the Mirtec MV-3 OMNI machine features four 10-megapixel sideview cameras in addition to the 15-megapixel top-down camera and multifunction AOI/SPI inspection capability.

To find out more about Incap Electronics UK Ltd., visit the company at www.incapcorp.com. For further information about Mirtec, visit www.bentec-int.com/mirtec-aoi-systems/

FARNBOROUGH, UK – Gen3, Global leader in SIR, CAF, Solderability, Ionic Contamination & process optimisation equipment, will exhibit at Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2023, scheduled to take place Feb. 7-9, 2023 at the Farnborough International Exhibition Centre. The company will showcase the AutoSIR2+™ Surface Insulation Resistance Testing System and a new CM+ Series demo unit in Stand L90. Additionally, AOI systems from MEK Europe BV will be on display.

Gen3’s AutoSIR2+™ system represents a dramatic improvement over existing SIR test alternatives, and its shielded precision electronics allows state- of-the-art accuracy resistance measurements to be made up to 10¹⁴ Ω.

One AutoSIR2+ chassis can hold between 1 to 16 measurement cards and can monitor up to 256 x 2- point test patterns or 78 x 5-point test patterns, or 32 x 9-point test patterns at selectable intervals from minutes to days. Each channel is current limited (1 M Ω), which encourages growth of dendrites for failure analysis. The frequent monitoring capability provides a full picture of the electrochemical reactions taking place on a circuit assembly, and provides early trend analysis enabling tests to be curtailed, thus saving considerable test time and money.

Also on display the 6 Sigma verified CM+ Series is the world’s first combined ROSE and Process Ionic Contamination Tester (PICT). The industry-leading system, also a Global award winner, measures the amount of ionic contamination in accordance with all existing test methods, often referred to as ROSE testing, as well as Process Ionic Contamination Testing (PICT) test.

The CM+ series is available in five different models and tank sizes – when selecting a Test System, it is important to use the smallest possible tank size for the circuit under test. For the first time ever Gen3 will be demonstrating how the CM works, providing an inside tutorial to ionic contamination. Don’t miss this unique, show stopping, piece of equipment, stop by stand L90.

Gen3 recently launched the new Objective Evidence website. This site details the requirements from the latest J Std 001 Rev H which can be met by the combination of the AutoSIR and PICT test. The AutoSIR can perform the initial qualification, and then the PICT test can be used to demonstrate ongoing conformity to the primary setup using the SIR technique.

For more information about Objective Evidence, visit www.objectiveevidence.org

For more information about Gen3, visit www.gen3systems.com