Press Releases
LAKEVILLE, MN – ITW EAE was selected as the winner of the best paper of TC1 Technology Conference by SMTA China East. The paper, “Selective Soldering with High-Performance Lead-Free Solders” was presented at Nepcon China 2023 by Khoh Kar Heong, ITW EAE Sales Engineering Manager.
The paper investigates three commercially available high-performance lead-free solders designed for circuit assemblies that are located under the hood of automobiles or other harsh environments. These solders were compared to the standard lead-free alloy, Sn3.0Ag0.5Cu, for four different through-hole assemblies.
The paper concludes that the major parameters in selective soldering that contribute to good hole filling are all related to wetting. Once the solder temperature and drag speed are optimized, all other factors: flux type, nozzle type, and solder alloy are less critical for hole filling. Solder composition is an issue in selective soldering. This experiment concluded that the Ni and Cu content can be a critical factor for formation of (Cu, Ni)6Sn5 and or Cu6Sn5 needles.
The paper is available to view on the ITW EAE website.
LAGUNA, PHILIPPINES – Integrated Micro-Electronics Inc. (IMI), a global electronics manufacturing expert and Zero Motorcycles, a California-based manufacturer of 100% electric motorcycles, yesterday inaugurated the first high powered e-motorcycle manufacturing assembly line at the Laguna Technopark facility of IMI.
The historic ribbon-cutting ceremony was led by Arthur Tan, CEO of IMI; Sam Paschel, CEO of Zero Motorcycles; Heather Variava, Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Embassy in the Philippines; Gov. Marjorie Ramos-Samaniego, Department of Trade & Industry – Board of Investments, Corieh Dichosa, Executive Director of the Philippine Board of Investments; Gen. James Andres Melad (Ret.), Assistant Secretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure of DOTr; and Vivian Santos, Deputy Director General for Operations of PEZA.
The strategic manufacturing collaboration between the two companies will help address the global demand for high-powered motorcycles and will increase access to the world’s full-sized all-e-motorcycles, with a projection of about 16 thousand bikes per year in 2025.
Showcased during the inauguration was the full electric motorcycle assembly, the battery assembly set-up (modules and electronics) as well as the first units that were assembled in the country.
“The partnership will further strengthen our firm commitment in carrying out the development of EV ecosystem in the Philippines while securing a greener future for the Filipinos,” asserted Tan. IMI is uniquely positioned to have both the competency of electronics manufacturing as well as e-bike assembly under one roof,” he added.
“For us, IMI is a perfect partner to expand our manufacturing in the region, a good place to build a global base,” said Paschel. This complements IMI's manufacturing and supply of EV chargers which are currently integrated and installed by Greenstrum in more than 50 sites across the country.
"With Zero and IMI together, there is no partnership or set of brands in the world that is in better position to take advantage of this transformation and to lead and reshape how two-wheel transportation is going to happen," Paschel said.
"The IMI team and the Ayala group have exceeded every expectation I could ever have as the CEO of a leading global EV company, and I am more firm in my convictions today that the decision we made about the Philippines and more specifically IMI was 100% the right decision for this brand at this moment of history," he added.
Earlier this year, the signing of the memorandum of agreement between the two companies was witnessed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last May in Washington, D.C. The cooperation agreement has a projected amount of USD65 million annually to support the Philippines’ development of its electric vehicle ecosystem.
IMI continues to strengthen its presence in the ecosystem through its partnership with Greenstrum while powering these charging systems and ensuring a sustainable and reliable operations.
ATLANTA – With expected attendance at record levels, the ECIA Executive Conference Committee urges attendees to make reservations now to ensure a seat at the conference. This year Cliff Waldman’s very popular Global Economic Update, will be on Tuesday morning at 10:00 am.
A highly rated speaker at past ECIA conferences, Cliff Waldman is a rising voice in the D.C. policy research community. Cliff has made appearances at events on Capitol Hill and in major think tanks. He is the host of Manufacturing Talk Radio’s “Cliff Notes on the Global Manufacturing Picture." Cliff has served two years as Chairman of the Board of the National Economists Club. In 2019, he served as co-chair of the National Association for Business Economics (NABE) manufacturing roundtable. In 2018, he was awarded the Certified Business Economist (CBE) designation by NABE. He received his M.A. in economics from Rutgers University.
“October is just around the corner, and our attendance numbers are already exceeding last year’s,” cautioned Stephanie Tierney, ECIA Director Marketing Communications and Member Engagement. “Book your hotel and register before it’s too late and don't miss this engaging session!”
The ECIA Executive Conference is a senior management level conference for the electronics industry’s leading companies, representing the entire component supply chain. The dates for the 2023 Executive Conference are October 22-24 at the Lowe’s Chicago O’Hare Hotel.
Registration is now open. View the conference website.
DALLAS – CalcuQuote, a supply chain solution provider for the electronics industry, is pleased to announce its upcoming webinar in collaboration with DigiKey, a global electronic components distributor. The webinar entitled "Enhancing Efficiency: Leveraging Order APIs for the Electronic Supply Chain," will take place Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, at 11 AM Central Time. The webinar will be hosted by Kaitlyn Dotson, COO at CalcuQuote.
In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, electronic manufacturing companies are constantly seeking innovative solutions to streamline their operations and improve efficiency. One of the most promising approaches is the integration of Order APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) into their systems. By leveraging these APIs, manufacturers can establish seamless communication and synchronization between their internal processes and external partners, leading to enhanced workflow optimization and improved supply chain management.
During the webinar, attendees will have the opportunity to learn firsthand from industry experts about the benefits and practical applications of Order APIs in the electronic supply chain. The event will feature speakers from both CalcuQuote and DigiKey, who will share their insights and experiences on how this integration can drive efficiency and transform supply chain processes.
Chintan Sutaria, CEO of CalcuQuote, will provide an overview of the importance of Order APIs in the context of electronic manufacturing and discuss how this technology can revolutionize the way companies operate. Nathan Pray, Manager, Digital Technology Office – B2B from DigiKey, will share DigiKey's experience of partnering with CalcuQuote to improve their supply chain processes.
"We are excited to collaborate with DigiKey for this informative webinar," said Chintan Sutaria, CEO of CalcuQuote. "By leveraging Order APIs, manufacturers can streamline their supply chain processes and achieve greater efficiency, ultimately driving growth and success in the industry. This webinar aims to educate participants about the possibilities and benefits of this integration and empower them to take their operations to the next level."
To secure a spot in this enlightening webinar and gain valuable insights into optimizing the electronic supply chain through Order APIs, sign up at the following link: https://hubs.li/Q01Y2qXS0
MORRISVILLE, PA – Today, Gelest, Inc., a Mitsubishi Chemical Group company, marks a new milestone with the groundbreaking of its latest production facility. This new 50,000 square-foot building is located at Gelest's global headquarters in Morrisville, PA, and is slated for completion by September 2024. During the first phase of production, Gelest plans to hire more than 25 employees, with additional recruitment phases to follow as the operation scales to match increasing customer demand.
Jonathan Goff, Vice President of the Custom Synthesis Division for Mitsubishi Chemical Group and President of Gelest, shared, “We are leveraging the technical expertise of the local workforce and recruiting from local universities. In addition, we are supporting the trend towards on-shoring business, thereby fortifying the U.S. supply chain for crucial materials for advanced manufacturing.” The new facility will enhance Gelest's production capabilities, supporting a diverse range of customer applications, from microelectronics and medical devices to advanced thermal coatings and mobility.
As part of a strategic collaboration with Lam Research Corp., Fremont, Calif., Gelest will develop and manufacture precursor chemicals for use in Lam’s breakthrough dry photoresist technology for EUV lithography. Dry resist EUV technology is an advanced semiconductor manufacturing technique poised to propel the next generation of logic and DRAM technologies for the semiconductor market. This precursor production will be a key technology operated at a commercial scale in the new building, ensuring a robust supply.
Gelest’s Senior Vice President of Operations, Neville Lockwood, adds, "We're installing state-of- the-art equipment designed for development, analysis, packaging, and large scale manufacturing of highly specialized chemistries to support advanced technology markets. The quality and process control systems for this facility will meet the rigorous requirements of today's and tomorrow's customers and markets.” To assure quality and chemical purity, the production facility incorporates a 3,000 square-foot, ISO 7 clean room featuring advanced analytical instrumentation.
The addition of the new production facility underpins Gelest’s ongoing expansion in Morrisville. The company established its headquarters there in 2001, which now comprises production, R&D, and administration facilities. In 2011, Gelest opened a 154,000 square-foot warehouse, followed by a state-of-the-art R&D center in 2015. With the new production facility, Gelest's footprint extends to nine buildings in Morrisville, eight on-site, and will augment its Morrisville employee count to as many as 50.
The new production facility will occupy a revitalized U.S. EPA Brownfield site, thanks to US Steel and the support of specialty chemicals.
As the research excellence center of parent company Mitsubishi Chemical Group, Gelest contributes new products and technologies to fundamental materials and five primary markets, including microelectronics. Mitsubishi Chemical, with its network of 295 group companies, maintains a prominent global presence, including multiple sites in Pennsylvania. Two of these sites, Morrisville and Glen Rock, host operations for Gelest.
REDDITCH, UK – Altus Group, the leading distributor of capital equipment for electronics assembly in the UK and Ireland, recently partnered with SKALARKI electronics Ltd, specialists in flight simulator design and manufacturing, to further enhance its production capabilities. The collaboration aims to elevate SKALARKI’s manufacturing capabilities by providing state-of-the-art equipment from Essemtec.
Recognising the market need for flight simulators, Skalarki’s operations expanded over the years, and last year the company moved to its own state-of-the-art 900m² facility, providing a solid foundation for its ongoing growth.
In order to develop their production processes and meet the advanced requirements SKALARKI consulted with Altus Group to add to their assembly technology. The company invested in equipment from Essemtec, an industry leader in SMT pick-and-place equipment and intelligent production storage and logistic systems.
Joe Booth, CEO of Altus Group, said: "SKALARKI’s commitment to delivering top-quality flight simulators and their drive to continuously improve production aligns perfectly with our mission to provide cutting-edge solutions to our customers.
“When we assessed SKALARKI’s requirements, it became evident that Essemtec's innovative equipment was the obvious choice. The Essemtec Fox SMT Pick and Place unit, with its remarkable versatility and compact size, along with The Lizard Convection Reflow Oven, offer SKALARKI the perfect combination of flexibility, efficiency, and precision.
“We are confident that these state-of-the-art machines will enhance SKALARKI’s manufacturing capabilities, enabling them to deliver quality products quickly and efficiently."
Marcin Kapera, SKALARKI Company Director, added: “Manual assembly has its limitations. As we expand to a commercial market, our products face advanced requirements and must meet higher expectations. Implementing automated assembly processes will allow us to meet quality standards quickly and efficiently.”
The acquisition of Essemtec equipment, including the Fox SMT Pick and Place unit and The Lizard Convection Reflow Oven, was driven by their commitment to delivering exceptional products and increasing production efficiency of more complex microcontroller-based designs which include BGA chips and SOM modules.
The Essemtec Fox stands out for its remarkable versatility and compact size. Occupying only 1m² of floor space, the system offers SKALARKI the flexibility to adapt and grow its manufacturing capabilities as required. With up to 200 lanes on a single standalone system, the Fox meets high-mix production requirements. The machine's multi-flexible feeder and multi-lane cassette options further enhance its adaptability, ensuring the smooth handling of various components and assemblies.
The automated assembly processes provided by the Fox system will enable SKALARKI to meet quality standards quickly and efficiently and achieve precise and accurate placement of components, resulting in high-quality products and superior results.
SKALARKI plans to maximise its investment in Essemtec equipment over the next 18 months, utilising the machines to ensure a seamless transition into full-scale production. Altus Group looks forward to seeing the impact of the Essemtec machinery on SKALARKI’ S production of PCBAs.
To find out more visit www.altusgroup.co.uk
