SAN DIEGO – KIC, a renowned pioneer in thermal process and temperature measurement solutions for electronics manufacturing, will exhibit its latest breakthrough technology, Contact-less Thermal Analysis TM , at the SMTA Dallas Expo and Tech Forum. The event will take place on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at the Plano Event Center.

In response to the ever-evolving challenges faced by today's manufacturing industry, KIC is proud to introduce Contact-less Thermal Analysis TM , a revolutionary advancement in electronics manufacturing. This groundbreaking technology directly measures board temperatures during production, enabling real-time monitoring of temperature and convection changes.

KIC's Contact-less Thermal Analysis TM is designed to redefine precision in reflow profiles by directly measuring board temperature at the end of the heated section of the reflow oven during production. This innovative capability ensures unparalleled accuracy and quality in monitoring the oven's influence on production boards, marking a monumental leap in reflow process inspection technology.

Furthermore KIC will be introducing its new profiling software platform, Thermal Analysis System, with the addition of a new recipe optimization search mode called Common Recipe Finder TM . The Thermal Analysis System software offers a state of the art User Interface, allowing complete flexibility in reflow and wave recipe setup with a “browser-like” user experience. Common Recipe Finder TM allows you to find a single recipe for multiple assemblies, streamlining your changeover time, and improving equipment utilization and OEE.

Visit KIC at the SMTA Dallas Expo & Tech Forum to engage with thermal process experts, learn more about Contact-less Thermal Analysis TM , and explore solutions for soldering and curing processes in electronics manufacturing and semiconductor advanced packaging. Learn more about KIC's Contact-less Thermal Analysis TM and Convection Detection at www.kicthermal.com/reflowheattransfer 

For more information about KIC and its revolutionary solutions, please visit www.kicthermal.com 

WASHINGTON – The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) today released the following statement from SIA President and CEO John Neuffer commending the administration’s launch of over $5 billion in semiconductor R&D investments through the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC), as well as funding for vital semiconductor workforce initiatives and other programs. The NSTC is a critically important entity established by the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 to promote U.S. semiconductor R&D. SIA represents 99% of the U.S. semiconductor industry by revenue and nearly two-thirds of non-U.S. chip firms.

“Today’s announcement ushers in the next phase of implementing the landmark semiconductor R&D and workforce initiatives in the CHIPS and Science Act and fulfilling its tremendous promise to reinforce America’s economy, national security, and technological leadership. We applaud leaders in Washington for advancing funding for the NSTC and other vital semiconductor programs. I was honored to attend today’s announcement at the White House, and we look forward to continuing to work with the administration to ensure effective and expeditious implementation of these initiatives, which will strengthen U.S. semiconductor innovation, production, and the domestic chip workforce for many years to come.”

Semiconductor R&D fuels America’s economic growth, national security, and technological competitiveness. The NSTC was established to invigorate semiconductor innovation in the U.S. and drive workforce development opportunities to meet the needs of our rapidly growing industry.

SIA and the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in October 2022 released a report identifying five key areas of the semiconductor R&D ecosystem that should be strengthened by the CHIPS Act’s R&D funding. The report, titled “American Semiconductor Research: Leadership Through Innovation,” highlights the importance of government-industry collaboration on the NSTC and the National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program (NAPMP). The study also calls for CHIPS funding to be used to bridge key gaps in the current semiconductor R&D ecosystem to help pave the way for sustained U.S. chip innovation leadership.

The CHIPS Act’s manufacturing incentives have already sparked substantial investments in the U.S. In fact, companies in the semiconductor ecosystem have announced dozens of new projects across America—totaling more than $220 billion in private investments—since the CHIPS Act was introduced. These announced projects will create more than 40,000 jobs in the semiconductor ecosystem and support hundreds of thousands of additional U.S. jobs throughout this economy.

CRANSTON, RI – AIM Solder, a leading global manufacturer of solder assembly materials for the electronics industry, is pleased to announce its participation in the upcoming IPC APEX EXPO 2024 taking place April 9-11 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. Among other great products, AIM will be highlighting its recently released NC259FPA Ultrafine No Clean Solder Paste.

NC259FPA is a zero-halogen paste engineered for precise print definition with type 6 and smaller alloy powders through stencil apertures less than 150 µm in diameter. Ideal for miniLED, microLED, die attach, micro BGA, and HDI boards, this innovative new product features excellent wetting, high transfer efficiency, high reliability, and high tack force for mass transfer.

AIM’s Timothy O’Neill and Gayle Towell will also be presenting a paper titled “Advancing the Understanding of Low-Temperature Solder in Electronics Rework and Assembly.” This presentation will outline the current low-temperature solder landscape, unveil new research and the case for low temperature rework, and discuss use cases and the future prospects of low-temperature solder more broadly.

Timothy O'Neill is the Director of Product Management for AIM Solder. Mr. O’Neill has over 25 years of industry experience and is a Certified IPC Specialist. He is a technical writer and presenter for industry trade publications and events and has been recognized as a Speaker of Distinction by the SMTA. Gayle Towell is AIM Solder’s Content Specialist. Holding master’s degrees in both mathematics and physics from the University of Oregon, Mrs. Towell facilitates communications, develops presentations, and ensures AIM's technical papers and documentations meet the highest scientific standards.

To learn more about NC259FPA and to discover all of AIM’s products and services, visit the company at the IPC APEX EXPO, booth 1623 April 9-11, or visit www.aimsolder.com. To catch the presentation on low temperature solder, attend Assembly Materials Session 1 on Wednesday, April 10 from 1:30-3:00PM.

SILICON VALLEY – Zero Defects International [ZDI] has announced the acquisition by Altest Corporation of a state of the art XRay inspection system for utilization in their printed circuit board assembly [PCBA] manufacturing facility located in San Jose, California. This X8011-III – 2D and 3D X-ray will enable high quality inspection usage and will further assure continued outstanding product performance as delivered to Altest customers.

Brian Seng, CEO, mentioned several selection factors including technical capabilities and equipment reliability as well as the importance of both Viscom and ZDI's well known reputations for technical service and support. The system is equipped with computer tomography to do failure analysis. This trend-setting, three dimensional inspection technique opens completely novel glimpses into the inner structure of an object that until now were not possible without destroying it. Additionally, the X8011-III X-ray system can be integrated into the production line and intelligently networked with other systems to optimize the manufacturing process. ZDI President, Michaela Brody, expressed appreciation for Altest’s selection in the context of a highly competitive environment for this type of equipment.