DES PLAINES, IL — Kester will host a lead-free seminar titled, "Project 2005: Achieving Lead-free RoHS Assembly" on May 10 in Orange County, CA and May 12 in Tijuana, Mexico. Guest speakers will present on behalf of KIC and Metcal.
The seminar claims to offer proven, practical information on both lead-free assembly and RoHS compliance. The seminar does not concentrate on specific consumer applications. It offers information and case studies to make reliable lead-free products that are RoHS compliant.
Presentations and discussions will include: lead-free and RoHS directive overview; supply changes and procurement issues; board/component requirements; lead-free alloy selection for SMT, wave and rework; lead-free wave and SMT process optimization; impact of dual systems; BGA rework practices; hand soldering process changes; lead-free RoHS reliability; field rework and training; and training and documentation.
Lunch and refreshments will be provided. Attendees will receive a lead-free assembly technical manual containing presentation materials; technical white papers; and a free subscription to the Lead-Free Connection Newsletter.
For more info, visit www.kester.com.
Minneapolis -- Sponsored by the SMTA, the Pan Pacific Microelectronics symposium focuses on the critical business markets and technologies of microelectronic packaging, interconnection, microsystems, nanotechnology,and assembly. The symposium is scheduled for January 17-19, 2006 at the Marriott Waikola Hotel, Hawaii.
The program committee seeking participants to present recent research results on the following topics:
Business:
Cross Cultural Management, Economics and Cost Analysis, Green Manufacturing (Energy Conservation, Pb- and Halogen-free, etc.), Manufacturing Management, Outsourcing Strategies, Roadmaps.
Packaging:
3-D and Stacked Packages, BGA, Chip Scale, Display Drivers, Embedded Devices, Flip Chip, Integrated Passive Devices (IPDs), MCM/SiP, RF and Microwave, Thermal Management, Wafer Level Assembly.
Interconnection:
Advanced PWBs, Co-Fired Ceramics, Flat Panel Displays, Flex / Flex Rigid, HDI, Microvias, Shaped Circuits, Thin and Thick Film Materials.
Characterizations, Penetration Strategies, Segmentation, Technology Drivers, Trends and Forecasts.
Assembly:
Automation Control, Component Placement, Direct Chip Attach, Materials and Processes, Repair and Rework, Test and Troubleshooting.
Actuators, DFX, MEMS/MOEMS, Nanomaterials, Nanosystems, Optoelectronics, Partitioning Strategies, Sensors.
Abstracts should be submitted online by July 15, 2005: smta.org/pan_pac.
OSTEC will provide customers with on-site equipment service, training, applications support and spare parts.
West Conshohocken, PA -- At the end of March, Heraeus Circuit Materials Division acquired the ultra-fine-pitch solder powder technology and business from Welco GmbH (Potsdam, Germany).
According to the companies, the continued miniaturization of electronics assemblies has resulted in a greater demand for solder pastes with very fine solder powder particles that can no longer be manufactured economically using conventional methods. Heraeus decided to acquire expertise by taking over the patented technology and production facilities for the manufacture of ultra-fine-pitch solder powders from Welco.WASHINGTON -- Manufacturing output edged down 0.1% in March, and the factory operating rate
fell to 78%, according to the latest data from the Federal Reserve. Durable goods declined 0.2%, reflecting a drop in
the output of motor vehicles and parts and in the production of nonmetallic mineral products.
Computer and
electronics products advanced 1.1% and rose at an annual rate of 22.6% in the first
quarter. Computer and peripheral
equipment rose at an annual rate of 12.7%, and the output of
semiconductors and related components advanced at an annual rate of 39%.
Although the production of communications equipment fell in March, the index increased at an
annual rate of more than 24%, the Federal Reserve said.
BANNOCKBURN, IL - The 90-day moving average shipments of all types of circuit boards fell 4.5% year-on-year in March, according to the latest poll of U.S. PCB fabricators. Bookings fell 10%, continuing their first-quarter slog.
A large percentage of the production includes boards built offshore and distributed by North American vendors. According to IPC, which takes the poll, 30% of the shipments reported were produced offshore, down three points from February.
The domestic book-to-bill ratio dropped 0.03 points to 1.05, remaining above 1.0 for the fourth month in a row. The ratio is based on data collected by IPC from rigid and flex producers and is calculated by dividing three months worth of orders by sales. A ratio over 1.0 is considered an indicator of rising demand.
The ratio for rigid PCBs was flat at 1.04, while that of flexible circuits dropped 0.16 points to 1.07.
Rigid board shipments, estimated by IPC to make up 75% of all domestic PCBs, were down 9% in March vs. a year ago. Bookings were down 2.7% for the month. Flex sales grew 21.3%, but bookings fell 35.9%. Value-added services made up 55% of the shipment value of flex circuits.
Year-to-date flex bookings are down 2.3% and shipments are up 29.5%. Rigid shipments are down 4.6% and bookings are off 4.8%. Shipments of all boards are up just 1% and bookings are down 4.3%.
Sequentially, combined shipments were up 7.1% over February, while bookings were up 8.3%. Rigid shipments were up 8.7% and bookings climbed 11.1% sequentially. Flex shipments were up 0.6% and bookings were down 4.8% against revised February numbers.
Seventy percent of PCB shipments reported were domestically produced. Domestic production accounted for 75% of rigid PCB and 47% of flexible circuit shipments in March, IPC said.
In a statement, IPC cautioned that month-to-month comparisons should be made with caution as they may reflect cyclical effects.
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