TOKYO - A massive earthquake that hit Kyushu Island Sunday temporarily disrupted several electronics companies located in the area. Various reports placed the estimated number of injured close to 700, with at least one person killed.

Although Japan is among the most earthquake-prone areas in the world, Kyushu, known as Silicon Island because of the number of electronics companies there, hasn't been struck in centuries.

The quake measured 7.0 on the Richter scale and has been followed by several aftershocks. A magnitude 7 quake can cause tremendous damage in populated areas, and can trigger tsunamis.

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AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Navman has finished a major expansion in Northcote that doubled the size of its electronics manufacturing space.

The company, which is owned by Brunswick Corp., a U.S. company, designs and builds marine, wireless data and personal and car navigation systems.

The company spent more than 12 months and NZ$4 million on the expansion. The company employs 450 staff in Auckland.

The 85,000 sq. ft. campus is more than twice the previous size.

In a statement, Brunswick chief executive and chairman George Buckley said Navman "is on track to achieve $400 million this year" and NZ$1 billion within three to five years.

 

Norcross, GA, March 23 -- The Electronics Assembly Systems Division of Siemens Logistics and Assembly Systems Inc. is providing SMT Process training on April 18-22, in partnership with the Center for Electronics Manufacturing & Assembly (CEMA) at Rochester Institute of Technology, (RIT).  
 
The training will take place at RIT's CEMA facility in New York. It features a fully equipped SMT Laboratory, which includes screen printing, dispensing, pick-and-place, reflow, rework stations, optoelectronics workstations, wire bonding, test and inspection equipment.
 
The hands-on course provides participants with a thorough understanding of SMT and advanced packaging principles needed for supporting and troubleshooting the SMT process. It will offer discussions on process parameters and process characteristics, paste qualification including lead-free solder compounds, as well as identifying and correcting defects.

The course is offered as a result of the Siemens Electronics Consortium for the Advancement of Electronics Manufacturing Education (CAEME).  
 

North Reading, MA, March 23 - Teradyne Inc. has announced a new 3-D x-ray imaging technology for detecting PCB solder and production defects. 
 
Using a patented off-center tomosynthesis imaging technique, ClearVue is suited for densely packed single- or double-sided boards that use BGA-style components, or when loss of electrical or optical access is problematic.
 
Compared to laminography and other 3-D x-ray  techniques, the technology reportedly provides superior image clarity, diagnostic capabilities and full board coverage to expose solder (including lead-free) flaws that are otherwise overlooked. 
 
Operates using a stationary x-ray source and detector and, unlike conventional systems, does not require complex or rotating mechanical parts. Said to result in lower false call rates (promising up to 40 times improvement over existing solutions), improved reliability, better repeatability and improved cycle times.   
 

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