CUPERTINO, CA -- Apple Computer has launched an audit of the plant that builds its iPods in response to published reports of the factory's poor working conditions.
The plant is located in Longhua, China and is owned by Foxconn, the world's largest EMS company.
Circuits Assembly reported on the problems last week.
The plant is located in Longhua, China and is owned by Foxconn, the world's largest EMS company.
Circuits Assembly reported on the problems last week.
Carpinteria, CA - NuSil Technology, a manufacturer of silicone-based materials, has opened its first technical support office in Asia.
The office, located in Penang, Malaysia, will specialize in optoelectronics and electronic packaging, served by the company’ s Lightspan products and its low-outgassing electronic packaging materials respectively.
T.Y. Lim is the application engineer heading the office.
According to a press release, the company has noticed recent growth in the Asian optoelectronics industry.
COPENHAGEN -- Lego, the maker of the ubiquitous
building blocks and other toys, will outsource most of its production to
Flextronics over the next three years, with the EMS
provider taking over some Lego plants. Other production will be moved to Flextronics’
plants in Eastern Europe and Mexico.
No financial terms were immediately disclosed.
The move breaks new ground for Flextronics. "It's not electronics, it's plastic molding," said Alexander Blanton, an analyst at Ingalls & Synder told TheStreet.com. "This is the first major piece of business that I have seen of that nature."
FRANKFURT -- Consolidation continued in the telecom space as Nokia and Siemens announced the combining of heir mobile-network operations to create a 50:50 joint venture with annual revenue of about $20 billion.
The new entity will be called Nokia Siemens Networks and is expected to be finalized by year-end, pending regulatory approval.
The new entity will be called Nokia Siemens Networks and is expected to be finalized by year-end, pending regulatory approval.
CeTaQ Americas has expanded machine performance verification services to include verifying placement of very tiny passive chip components to 01005 size. Such components, loaded from tape and reel, are difficult to place accurately and repeatably, and require that placement equipment operate within tight performance tolerances and accuracy to minimize defects.
General manager Mike Sivigny said, “These chips are so tiny that pad dimensions and geometries are measured in microns. If a placement machine is not operating fully within a manufacturer’s stated accuracies, there will be a higher rate of defects and reduced yields. These components are already responsible for higher defect levels than larger scale components, and are the focus of considerable process optimization efforts within the industry. Additionally, their tiny size makes manual rework difficult, compounding the negative impact of defects caused by inaccurate placement.”
The most common problems found on chip placement equipment, Sivigny adds, are systematic offsets, per head, per nozzle, per angle or simply a general offset. Offsets negatively affect chip shooter accuracy, resulting in PCB defects, lower yields, and costly manual rework. With growing demand for 01005 chip usage, placement accuracy is increasingly important.
General manager Mike Sivigny said, “These chips are so tiny that pad dimensions and geometries are measured in microns. If a placement machine is not operating fully within a manufacturer’s stated accuracies, there will be a higher rate of defects and reduced yields. These components are already responsible for higher defect levels than larger scale components, and are the focus of considerable process optimization efforts within the industry. Additionally, their tiny size makes manual rework difficult, compounding the negative impact of defects caused by inaccurate placement.”
The most common problems found on chip placement equipment, Sivigny adds, are systematic offsets, per head, per nozzle, per angle or simply a general offset. Offsets negatively affect chip shooter accuracy, resulting in PCB defects, lower yields, and costly manual rework. With growing demand for 01005 chip usage, placement accuracy is increasingly important.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – The SMTA is offering two more process certification workshops in 2006. Each SMTA Certification program, one for SMT Processes and one for Six Sigma Green Belt, is a three-day workshop consisting of refresher topics and examinations. The workshop assumes that the participant has at least 2-3 years of SMT experience and has an educational background equivalent to two years or more of college in a technical discipline.
SMTA Certification is not an entry-level program. Basic algebra and statistics will be used in the workshop and examination. The examination requires written answers and some calculations.
Remaining programs include:
SMT Processes Certification
August 22-24
Heraeus, Inc. - West Conshohocken, PA
SMT Processes & Six Sigma Certification
September 25-28
Donald Stephens Convention Center - Rosemount, IL
For full details, visit http://www.smta.org/certification/certification.cfm
SMTA Certification is not an entry-level program. Basic algebra and statistics will be used in the workshop and examination. The examination requires written answers and some calculations.
Remaining programs include:
SMT Processes Certification
August 22-24
Heraeus, Inc. - West Conshohocken, PA
SMT Processes & Six Sigma Certification
September 25-28
Donald Stephens Convention Center - Rosemount, IL
For full details, visit http://www.smta.org/certification/certification.cfm
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- The Assembly Show and SMTAI Announce Colocation in October
- SIA Applauds CHIPS Act Incentives for GlobalWafers Projects in Texas and Missouri