REDDITCH, UK – Altus Group, a leading supplier of capital equipment and services to the electronics manufacturing industry, has signed an agreement with SMT Thermal Discoveries to distribute its advanced reflow soldering and thermal technology solutions in Ireland.

With over 30 years of expertise in thermal engineering for electronics manufacturing, SMT Thermal Discoveries offers cutting-edge convection reflow, curing, and thermal testing equipment. Their innovative product portfolio will significantly expand and strengthen Altus’ solutions for Irish customers across various electronics sectors.

Altus has recently celebrated significant milestones and growth of its Irish division, including welcoming three new pivotal team members, inaugurating a state-of-the-art demonstration facility, and enhancing its portfolio by adding leading brands, including Essemtec and PVA. The partnership with SMT Thermal Discoveries demonstrates Altus’ continued commitment to expanding its offerings and service capabilities for customers in the region.

"We are pleased to partner with such a well-respected and established industry leader like SMT Thermal Discoveries," said Gareth Fenton, Sales Manager of Altus Group Ireland.

"It seems as though good news is coming thick and fast for the Irish team, and partnering with SMT Thermal Discoveries is a great new addition to the Irish team brand portfolio, complementing our turnkey offering across the SMT assembly process."

Daniel Hamann, European Sales Manager at SMT Thermal Discoveries, said: "Altus Group's technical expertise, customer focus, and passion for growth make them an ideal partner. We are delighted to agree on a new partnership with Altus to be our local partner in the Irish region.

"We are confident this partnership will be very successful and look forward to leveraging our combined strengths to bring innovations, solutions, and service capabilities to Altus’ customers in Ireland."

"SMT Thermal Discoveries offers an extensive range of solutions tailored to the specific needs of our customers in Ireland,” said Gareth. “With a strong local customer base already in place, the groundwork has been laid, and I am enthusiastic about the possibilities that lie ahead. With Daniel and the SMT technical team's support, we aim to further enhance our success by providing our customers with comprehensive turnkey SMT assembly capabilities."

This partnership is set to provide Irish electronics manufacturers with advanced yet accessible production solutions to help streamline processes, improve quality control, enhance efficiency, and increase productivity. By distributing SMT Thermal Discoveries' innovative portfolio Altus is providing their customers with state-of-the-art, automated tools to optimise manufacturing output while controlling costs effectively.

To find out more about Altus Group’s advanced equipment visit www.altusgroup.co.uk

CLINTON, NY – Indium Corporation® will proudly feature an array of innovative materials solutions for thermal management and advanced packaging applications at the IMAPS International Symposium on Microelectronics, October 3-4, in San Diego, California.

As an industry leader in heterogeneous integration and assembly (HIA) and fine-pitch system-in-package (SiP) applications, Indium Corporation will feature its proven SiPaste® series, specifically designed for fine feature printing with fine powders ranging from Type 5 to Type 8. They help Avoid the Void®, reduce slumping, and demonstrate consistent superior printing performance. The newly released, award-winning SiPaste® C201HF offers the same superior printing performance with the benefit of having a cleanable chemistry with semi-aqueous-based solutions.

Indium Corporation will also feature NC-809, the first low-residue, no-clean, ball-attach flux on the market. NC-809 is a dual-purpose flux, engineered with high-tack characteristics for flip-chip applications and with superior wetting power for ball-attach applications. This material is designed to hold die or solder spheres in place without risk of die shift or solder sphere movement during the assembly process.

NC-809 is designed to leave minimal residue after reflow at the level of Indium Corporation’s proven ultra-low residue (ULR) flip-chip fluxes, such as NC-26S and NC-699. NC-809 is the first ULR flux qualified for ball grid array ball-attach applications for packages that are sensitive to traditional water cleaning processes. NC-809 also improves production yields by eliminating costly cleaning steps that can increase substrate warpage, both after reflow and before the underfilling steps, creating the potential for die damage and cracked solder joints.

Indium12.8HF is an award-winning, no-clean, halogen-free solder paste formulated to be compatible with a wide range of microdispensing and jetting systems. It provides exceptional deposition performance, and its unique oxidation barrier promotes complete powder coalescence during reflow to eliminate graping and similar reflow issues.

Also on display will be QuickSinter®, a high metal content paste, redefining sinter technology. Available in pressure and pressureless formulations, this portfolio of sintering solutions delivers products engineered for customers’ specific application needs.

In addition to a diverse assembly of advanced packaging products, Indium Corporation will feature proven thermal management products at the show, as well. The company’s new line of innovative liquid metal pastes (LMP) has enabled a true liquid metal-based TIM solution capable of handling heat dissipation issues while maintaining long-term reliability. With higher viscosity than standard liquid metal, Indium Corporation’s next generation LMPs offer:

• Rth as low as 0.03kW
• Predictable spreading characteristics
• Lower risk of pump-out
• Lower total costs

Heat-Spring® solutions, ideal for TIM2 applications, are a compressible interface between a heat source and a heat-sink. These indium-containing TIMs offer superior thermal conductivity over non-metals—with pure indium metal delivering 86W/mK. They are available as pure indium, pure indium clad with aluminum to prevent sticking to the device under test (DUT), indium-silver alloys, and indium-tin alloys.

The GalliTHERM™ portfolio of gallium-based liquid metal solutions draws on the company's more than 60 years of experience in manufacturing gallium-based liquid metals. These liquid metal TIMs are designed for both TIM1 and TIM2 applications. Liquid metal TIMs offer:

• High thermal conductivity for end-product longevity and reliability
• Low interfacial resistance against most surfaces, ensuring rapid heat dissipation
• Extraordinary wetting ability to both metallic and non-metallic surfaces

To learn more about Indium Corporation’s thermal management and advanced packaging solutions, visit our experts at booth #229. If unable to attend the show, visit us online at www.indium.com/TIM or www.indium.com/HIA for more information.

PENANG, MALAYSIA – ViTrox, which aims to be the world’s most trusted technology company, is pleased to announce the addition of Hayden Dalton to our team as a Field Support Engineer who based in Milwaukee, WI, effective August 21, 2023.

Hayden holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Engineering from the renowned Milwaukee School of Engineering. He is now embarking on his career journey with ViTrox, and his valuable perspective and enthusiasm for the industry are invigorating.

Hayden's primary focus will be on providing dedicated support for our V810i Advanced 3D X-ray Inspection (AXI) solution. In this role, he will play a pivotal part in enhancing ViTrox's commitment to delivering top-tier technical support and service to our valued customers across the USA.

"We are excited to welcome Hayden to our team. His educational achievements and fresh energy will make him an invaluable resource to our team as we continue to innovate and deliver cutting-edge technology solutions to our customers," said Richard Osborne, Sr. General Manager of ViTrox Americas Inc.

Hayden is equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to ensure our customers' satisfaction. ViTrox is confident that Hayden's dedication and expertise will undoubtedly contribute to our ongoing success and unwavering commitment to exceeding customer expectations.

Oldham, UK – Solderstar, a leading supplier of temperature profiling equipment for reflow, wave, vapor, and selective soldering, is set to make significant strides in the industry at Productronica 2023 from 14-17 November. Located at Booth A4.246/4, the company will demonstrate its latest technological advancements and provide the first-ever reveal of a revolutionary new soldering process control technology poised to transform the measurements of advanced soldering applications.

At the forefront of Solderstar's showcase is the Reflow Shuttle, an innovative solution designed to transform reflow process verification. The Reflow Shuttle represents a significant leap forward in the electronics industry, offering precise measurement of critical reflow parameters and bringing unprecedented accuracy and insight into the soldering process.

The Reflow Shuttle boasts a comprehensive set of features to address the complexities of modern reflow environments. It utilises an array of independent sensors to measure top and bottom temperature profiles, providing a comprehensive view of the reflow oven's performance. This detailed data allows engineers to fine-tune and optimise soldering processes with unparalleled precision.

In addition to temperature profile verification, the Reflow Shuttle assesses zone heater uniformity, ensuring that heat is evenly distributed across the soldering environment, reducing the risk of defects and improving product quality. Understanding the impact of vibration is crucial in soldering processes, and the Reflow Shuttle captures process vibration in X, Y, and Z axes, allowing engineers to analyse and mitigate the effects of machine vibrations on product quality.

Furthermore, the Reflow Shuttle provides insights into conveyor performance by measuring line speed, helping manufacturers maintain consistent production rates and product quality. For processes that involve vacuum stages, the Reflow Shuttle offers an optional measurement module to verify vacuum levels down to 10 mbar. It automatically calculates hold time below the desired vacuum level and monitors pull-down and release rates, ensuring precise control over the soldering environment.

Mark Stansfield, CEO at Solderstar, said: "In today's intricate reflow environments, conventional temperature-based measurements are inadequate. The Reflow Shuttle provides an all-encompassing solution, offering temperature data and vital insights into heater uniformity, vibration, line speed, and vacuum levels. This gives engineers comprehensive insights into their soldering processes, enhancing product quality and efficiency.

“We are looking forward to welcoming visitors to our stand at Productronica, where we will showcase our latest cutting-edge technologies and introduce an exciting new product that promises to make a significant impact.”

The Reflow Shuttle is engineered for ease of use, enabling machine operators to collect data independently and reducing dependence on specialised engineering personnel. Seamless integration with Solderstar's Shuttle Central software streamlines data collection and analysis, optimising efficiency.

Also taking centre stage on the stand is Solderstar's zero set-up SLX thermal profiler. SLX is an accurate, robust, ultra-compact, battery-powered datalogger used for measuring and recording process parameters from any soldering process. The SLX unit can be docked onto any SMARTLink reflow heatshield or other process accessory, and the system will auto-configure itself for data capture.

Visitors to Productronica, taking place from 14-17 November, Munich, Germany, are invited to explore these ground-breaking solutions at Solderstar's Stand A4.246/4. Solderstar's team of experts will be on hand to provide detailed insights, live demonstrations, and answers to technical enquiries.