News
Cognex Corp. (Natick, MA), a supplier of machine vision systems, announced that Palomar Technologies (Vista, CA), a manufacturer of automated, high-precision assembly systems for the electronics, automotive, aerospace and medical industries, has integrated Cognex's MVS-8000(R) machine vision system into its new Model 8000 thermosonic wire bonder.
Wirebonders are automated, high-speed machines used during the manufacture of semiconductor chips to attach semiconductor die to lead frames and other substrates. The Cognex vision systems will be used to guide and monitor the bonding process by automatically determining where the connections between the die and lead frame are to be made. Using Cognex machine vision, the Palomar bonder is able to place eight tightly spaced wires per second, with a repeatability of better than five microns.
"Palomar has relied on Cognex as our primary vision supplier for the past 15 years," said Bruce Hueners, vice president of marketing for Palomar Technologies. "We consider the engineering staff at Cognex to be an extension of our own and we capitalize on their name recognition and position in the industry to help promote our products. Cognex machine vision has been one of the important features that differentiates our product, and it provides our customers with a strategic competitive advantage."
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Kester (Des Plaines, IL) and Metcal (Menlo Park, CA) will present a three-part lead-free assembly seminar at the Advanced Manufacturing Expo at The International Center in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, on March 24 and 25, 2004. Kester and Metcal will both be featured in the Innovations Stage, located on the show floor and in a seminar room adjacent to the show floor as part of the Flex Forum.
Lead-free Assembly - Part 1 is designed to assist electronics assembly manufacturers with a reliable and cost effective implementation of lead-free assembly operations. The seminar covers the main issues with lead-free soldering in surface-mount technology, wave soldering and its rework operations. It also offers technical and practical information on preventing process issues usually associated with lead-free soldering. Successful case studies are also discussed, showing solutions to issues typically encountered with lead-free assembly. The seminar will have speakers who will address specific issues such as rework, profiling and inspection. This part of the seminar is designed for process engineers who are or will be implementing lead-free assembly and its rework operations. It will be beneficial to line supervisors, group leaders and line operators wishing to understand these processes as to offer immediate and effective process solutions.
Lead-free Assembly - Part 2 is also designed to assist electronics assembly manufacturers with a reliable and cost effective implementation of lead-free assembly operations. Additionally, it covers the main issues with lead-free soldering in surface-mount technology, wave soldering and its rework operations. Hands-on demonstrations of the following will be available to attendees:
• thermal requirements for lead-free rework operations
• flux selection for lead-free hand assembly and rework
• maintaining production yields and reliability with lead-free rework.
Lead-free Assembly - Part 3 is part of the Flex Forum and will be presented in Seminar Room. The final part of the seminar details the "8 Steps to Lead-Free Assembly," in the implementation of a lead-free process. This seminar will be beneficial for those seeking to be in a position to implement lead-free soldering or in the process of drafting an implementation plan. For those who have or who are currently implementing a lead-free process, this seminar will help greatly in developing a solid understanding of the process variables. Monitoring of these variables will maintain excellent production yields and product reliability with lead-free operation. Topics covered include:
• lead-free alloy selection
• component and board finishes for reliable lead free
• selecting the flux chemistry for lead-free operations
• Optimizing lead-free surface-mount technology, wave and rework operations
• prevent soldering defects with lead free.
Assembly Canada is Canada's only tradeshow dedicated to the function of assembling discrete parts into finished products. Canadian High Technology Show (CHTS) is a forum for industry professionals to assess and compare the latest products and services for electronics manufacturing. These two events form the basis of Advanced Manufacturing Expo.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Foresite Inc. (Kokomo, IN)has recently earned ISO 9001:2000 certification, which assures its customers that the highest and most current quality standards are used. The certification is based on an audit by third party agency Quality Systems Registrars Inc (QSR) and indicates that Foresite has successfully revised its quality management systems to meet the updated criteria of ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management System standards.
The assessment by QSR certifies Foresite as a provider of laboratory testing and consulting services for its Kokomo facility. The facility services the electronics manufacturing industry.
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is the world's largest developer of standards. The non-governmental organization acts as a bridge to meet the needs of global businesses and societies. ISO's network includes 148 countries with a Central Secretariat in Switzerland that oversees the system. QSR is an international certification organization established in 1991, and located in Sterling, VA.
Foresite (formerly CSL Inc.) is a process consulting house and analytical laboratory dedicated to solving reliability issues for electronic assemblies. The company specializes in failure analysis, process qualification and investigative analysis.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
DEK (Flemington, NJ), a high accuracy, mass imaging solutions provider, has announced a new representative structure in support of its Canadian customer base. The expansion of DEK's Canadian presence aligns customers with DEK representatives who have specific expertise in capital equipment sales and consumables sales.
Representing DEK's line of capital equipment offerings will be Mektronix Systems Corp., a 15-year veteran in the electronics capital equipment market in Canada. With a specific focus on the equipment market, Mektronix can deliver superior customer service and technical knowledge to DEK equipment customers throughout Canada.
Mektronix will represent DEK's capital equipment line throughout Canada and can be reached via phone: (905) 791-9977 or email: sales@mektronix.com.
Focusing specifically on DEK's line of process support products, which includes tooling, stencils and consumables, will be Arbell International Corp.
"Arbell has done a great job representing DEK over the last 9 years," said Craig Brown, DEK vice-president and general manager. "They have tremendous expertise in the consumables market and we are confident that our customers will benefit greatly from their technical knowledge in this area."
Arbell will represent DEK Process Support Products in all of Canada. They can be contacted at (905) 332-7755.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Dow Corning Corp. (Midland, MI) has expanded its base of thermal management solutions for the electronics industry by introducing three new thermal interface materials (TIMs). Two of the new materials—TP-1600 film series and TP-2400 pad series—are the first fabricated TIMs to emerge from Dow Corning following its acquisition of Tyco Electronics' Raychem Power Materials Business Unit last year.
The thermally conductive films and pads help customers improve thermal dissipation in electronic components and assemblies and are designed for ease of use and process flexibility. Because they are pre-cured, the fabricated TIMs do not require special application tools, are re-workable and are available in a range of thicknesses. They are suited for electronics applications in the automotive, display, computer and power markets.
For similar heat management needs in high-powered CPU applications, the company has introduced TC-5021, a thermally conductive grease. As a wet-dispensed material, the grease enables customers to achieve thin bond lines and can be used in high-volume automated manufacturing environments.
Dow Corning's newest fabricated and wet-dispensed materials are part of the company's growth strategy in the TIMs market, which, according to electronics industry market research firm Prismark, is expected to more than double to $419 million by 2007, up from $170 million in 2002. The market expansion is driven by a growing need to control heat and electrical resistance in electronics devices. As these devices get smaller, faster and less expensive, electronics manufacturers need a broad selection of thermal management solutions to help them address a dynamic range of process needs.
www.dowcorning.com/electronics
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
The monthly order index compiled by the Electronic Components, Assemblies & Materials Association (ECA, Arlington, VA) continued its upward movement in February, extending an industry comeback that began last fall. ECA's 12-month moving index is up nearly 10 points in the last six months after being flat for much of the first half of last year.
"All signs continue to be positive," said Bob Willis, ECA president. "One of the trends ECA watches is participation in upcoming industry events. These are the forums where the industry should be actively exchanging information and taking advantage of business opportunities."
ECA has a full slate of industry conferences coming up where it can gauge industry momentum, beginning with CARTS 2004, the passive component technology conference and exposition, in San Antonio, TX. Other events in the ECA line-up include the International Relay Conference (IRC), the Electronic Distribution Show (EDS), the Electronic Components and Technology Conference (ECTC), CARTS Europe and the International Wire and Cable Symposium (IWCS).
The ECA represents manufacturers and producers of passive and active electronic components, component arrays and assemblies, and materials and support services. It is a sector of the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA), comprising more than 2,100 members that reportedly represent 80% of the $430 billion U.S. electronics industry.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Press Releases
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- PARMI USA, INC. Appoints Juan Arango as Head of Sales and Business Development to Drive U.S. Market Growth
- Naprotek Welcomes Aerospace and Defense Veteran to Board of Directors
- Variosystems Highlights Focus on Full-System Solutions with New Brand Identity