Siemens Dematic Electronics Assembly Systems (EAS, Norcross, GA) announced its intention to provide comprehensive surface-mount technology process training for the Americas in partnership with the Center for Electronics Manufacturing & Assembly (CEMA) at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT, Rochester, NY).

The training will take place at RIT's CEMA facility, which has a fully equipped surface- mount technology laboratory with screen printing, dispensing, pick-and-place, reflow, rework stations, optoelectronics workstations, wire bonding, test and inspection equipment.

The five-day hands-on course hopes to provide participants with a thorough understanding of surface-mount technology and advanced packaging principles needed for supporting and troubleshooting the surface-mount process. The course will offer extensive discussions on process parameters and process characteristics, as well as identifying and correcting defects.

Professor S. Manian Ramkumar, director of the CEMA at RIT said, "We are very pleased to offer these advanced technology courses in partnership with Siemens Dematic. We understand that these skills are imperative in today's manufacturing environment in order to improve the performance and quality of the manufacturing process."

To find out more about this course, visit www.siplace.com.

www.rit.edu/~smt/

www.siemens-dematic.us

Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.

Electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider Flextronics (Singapore) has announced results for its third fiscal quarter ended Dec.31, 2003. Net sales reached a record of $4.15 billion, an increase of 18.5% over the previous quarter, and up 7.8% from Q3 2002.

Pro forma net income was $93.9 million, or $0.17 per diluted share, a sequential increase of 97.6% and a year-on-year increase of 41.9%. Including after-tax amortization expense of $8.6 million, previously announced restructuring costs of $49.5 million and litigation settlement costs of $14.4 million, net income in the third quarter was $21.4 million. Last year, the company recorded a third quarter net loss of $6.5 million.

The quarterly results reflect a number of financial milestones, including record inventory turns of 13 times, a cash conversion cycle of 14 days and selling, general and administrative expense of 2.9% of sales. In addition, pro forma cash flow from operations was $356 million, which excludes approximately $68 million of payments for restructuring and other charges.

"As we begin to realize the earnings leverage imbedded in our business, our financial results will continue to improve," said Michael E. Marks, chief executive officer of Flextronics. "The improved operating results are what we expected to begin to see as we emerge from the technology downturn. While we are pleased that our margins, overall profitability, return on invested tangible capital, and many other financial metrics have improved this quarter, we continue to be completely focused on driving additional improvements in our operating performance."

Marks concluded, "Last week's announcement regarding our discussions with Nortel Networks has the potential to be a major transformational event for Flextronics in many ways. As currently being discussed, it has the potential to be the largest program award in the history of the EMS industry, with revenues exceeding $2 billion per year for Flextronics."

The company has increased its expectations for the March 2004 quarter by 10% for sales and 20% for pro forma earnings per share, to a range of $3.4 to $3.6 billion and $0.09 to $0.11, respectively.

www.flextronics.com

Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.

BP Microsystems (Houston, TX) has announced that they have surpassed the 19,000 device mark in the number of programmable integrated circuit devices their equipment is able to program. Additional support for devices is added three times per week through a software download available from the company's Web site. BP Microsystems' support for devices is a culmination of its 18 years experience in the programming equipment industry.

"We are proud to work closely with the semiconductor manufacturers to not only provide initial support for devices, but also to provide continued support for revisions of those devices," said Loc Ha, Device Support Manager.

New device support is released simultaneously for both engineering and production programmers, making the transition from design to manufacturing as easy as possible.

www.bpmicro.com

Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.

Dage Precision Industries (Fremont, CA) has announced a special opportunity for an APEX visitor to win the free use of a XiDAT x-ray system for one year. Dage will award an XD6500 digital x-ray system to one lucky company during the 2004 APEX exhibition and conference in Anaheim, CA.

Show attendees may enter the contest by completing an entry form on Dage's Website prior to the APEX show. Attendees may also visit Dage in booth 1263 during show hours to register before the drawing, which is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26.

The integrated digital image acquisition technology on the x-ray system's platform offers improved digital data processing, enhanced resolution, extensive grayscale definition and the Image Wizard software operating system.

The system offers magnification up to 5800x and feature recognition of less than two microns over the entire 16 x 18 in. inspection area. It achieves high resolution and magnification levels through use of proprietary x-ray tube technology, focusing lens and optimized image chain.

www.dageinc.com

Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.