Circuits Assembly Online Magazine - Features

OYSTER BAY, NY - Telematics remains a North American dominated technology, a new research report says.

"Telematics efforts outside North America have faltered for several reasons," says Frank Viquez, director of automotive research at ABI Research. "In Europe, for example, a main factor is that consumers have much less of a propensity to pay for the advanced safety capabilities common to North American telematics services, such as automatic crash notification. Additionally, the main features that most European motorists demand -- navigation and traffic -- are commonly available as standalone services."

Telematics weds computers and telecommunications systems on a car.

NEWTON, MA -- Outsourcing of electronics manufacturing will rise 113% over the next five years, to $294 billion in 2008, according to a new report.

ODMs (original design manufacturers) will outpace electronics manufacturing services providers (EMS), Reed Business said.

Overall, outsourced products will reach 23% of all electronics built by 2008, up eight points from 2003, Reed said.

ROCKLIN, CA -- International DisplayWorks has been approved for listing on the Nasdaq National Market System. The company is scheduled to begin trading on Feb. 8 under the ticker symbol IDWK.

IDW designs and builds LCDs, modules and assemblies for OEMs.

IDW operates 410,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing plants in China and employs more than 2,200 people.

SHIRLEY, MA -- V.J. Electronix Inc. has recently moved its x-ray production department to Shirley, MA, to join with its rework group for a more efficient operation.

The x-ray group offers manual and automated inspection systems; the rework group manufactures semiautomated and automated rework systems for microBGA, CSP and flip-chip component technologies, including lead-free processing.

The facility is located at 1000 Mount Laurel Circle, Shirley, MA 01464; (978) 425-9446.

PHOENIX -- FlipChip International and Kester will collaborate on SE-CURE 7501 low-void wafer bumping paste. Kester, a supplier of solder and related materials and services, has worked with FCI to introduce the solder paste formula designed for wafer bumping. Under the agreement, Kester will manufacture and sell the paste globally.

The paste reportedly features a stable performance down to 70 µm bump heights (corresponding to 135 µm bump pitches) for a consistent printing process. The stable printing provides consistency of bump height across the wafer as well as from wafer to wafer.

STAMFORD, CT- Feinfocus has opened a new office in Shanghai to sell its x-ray systems.

Located in the Zhangjiang Semiconductor Industry Park in Pudong, Feinfocus Asia/Pacific will provide sales and technical support to the growing Asian customer base.

It will operate as part of the newly-expanded COMET China office.

Friedhelm Maur, regional sales manager, and Zoran Zecevic, service engineer, have relocated to Shanghai from the global headquarters in Garbsen, Germany.