Circuits Assembly Online Magazine - Features

The National Electronics Manufacturing Initiative's (NEMI, Herndon, VA) Component and Board Marking Project has made recommendations for the identification of electronic components and board assemblies that have been modified for use in lead-free assembly processes. The team has also identified standard vocabulary terms to create a common terminology related to lead-free processing.

The conversion to lead-free products poses challenges as companies deal with the logistics of handling leaded and lead-free products for manufacturing, rework and field returns. Lead-free processing requires higher temperatures and tighter process windows, which necessitates segregation of leaded and lead-free parts. For the immediate future, manufacturing facilities will be running both leaded and lead-free processes, and rework facilities will be running both processes for an even longer time. Manufacturers must identify lead-free parts and keep them segregated to ensure legislative compliance.

"To prevent manufacturing errors and defects, the assembly shop floor and recyclers need to identify the materials contained in the solders used in the bill of materials (BOM) and the board assembly process," said Vivek Gupta, program manager, Lead-Halogen Free Development for Intel Corp. and chair of the NEMI Component and Board Marking Project.

The NEMI team provided input and supported the development of JEDEC standard JESD97: Marking, Symbols and Labels for Identification of Lead-Free Assemblies, Components and Devices, which was released in May of this year. NEMI considers the identification model in this standard comprehensive enough to meet the needs of manufacturing.

In addition to the guidelines in the JEDEC standard, NEMI is recommending the use of unique part numbers for lead-free materials, components and boards to distinguish them from tin-lead versions.

"Manufacturers' part numbers are critical data elements used to keep track of bill of materials and products during manufacturing, inventory and order fulfillment," said Alan Ater, supply chain manager for Sanmina-SCI Corp. and co-chair of the Component and Board Marking Project. "Unique part numbers for lead-free BOMs will help minimize the chances of mixing tin-lead and lead-free parts."

NEMI has also developed three standard vocabulary terms in an effort to establish a common language for communication of lead-free transition status. The terms defined by NEMI are: Lead-free second level interconnect, Lead free and RoHS compliant. However, the project team decided not to develop a guideline for identification of RoHS compliance or the various phases of lead-free implementation.

The definitions have already been included in the RosettaNet dictionary of terms RNTD version 4.0 and have been proposed to IPC and JEDEC for inclusion in their dictionary of terms.

The recommendations are available at: http://www.nemi.org/projects/ese/Component_BoardMarking.html.

The Surface Mount Technology Association (SMTA, Minneapolis, MN) is again co-locating its annual conference, SMTA International, with the Assembly Tech Expo (ATExpo) show on Sept. 26-30 in Rosemont, Illinois.

For industry professionals who have an interest in contract manufacturing, the SMTA has organized the Contract Manufacturing Symposium to provide information necessary to form profitable relationships for the contract manufacturer, customer and investor. Organized by Lisa Hamburg Bastin, editor in chief of Circuits Assembly (a UP Media Group publication), the symposium will feature two paper sessions.

The first session, Managing the Business of EMS, will profile the type of manufacturing that will likely stay in North America, examine defense manufacturing outsourcing and the strategies contractors can employ to show significant productivity improvements, and debunk the myth that North American manufacturers must keep high margin, complex assemblies in North America. The second session, Supplier Engineering, will focus on elements of supplier engineering such as purchasing, lean manufacturing and supply chain management.

Papers presented during the symposium will include: Study Determines Types of Electronics Manufacturing Services to Remain in North America; Defense Electronics Manufacturing Outsourcing—Realities and Trends; Managing the Outsourcing of Complex Assemblies; What are the Challenges Involved in Migrating From Internal to External Engineering and What are Some of the Ways to Address These Challenges? Lean Culture Strategy Drives Cost Savings for OEMs; and When Global Sourcing Isn't World Class—Overcoming Sourcing Challenges in Emerging Markets.

http://www.smta.org/smtai/symposium.cfm

Teradyne Inc. (Boston, MA) announced that Harman Music Group (Salt Lake City, UT), a manufacturer of audio products, has selected a Teradyne Assembly Test Division test system as their transmission x-ray tester of choice. Harman Music Group has chosen to use the Teradyne XStation HS automatic x-ray inspection system exclusively for all manufacturing test in their Sandy, UT, facility.

Harman began using the system two years ago. Fast test times, averaging 20-30 seconds, enable the test system to keep pace with the manufacturing line which runs two shifts, seven days a week. Using only automated optical inspection (AOI) for component polarityand value checking up front and functional test before shipment, Harman relies solely on Teradyne's system to verify the integrity of their manufacturing process.

Harman was selected to beta test the new Xframe product, an integrated software development environment for the inspection system. The PC-based software program allows all programming to be performed off-line. The software provides flexibility by giving the user the ability to set thresholds rather than hard-coding them into the software. It deploys a new graphical user interface (GUI) and ensures data quality using an industry-standard Oracle database.

According to Paul Marconi, director of manufacturing for Harman, "We test 10,000 boards a month and are constantly seeking process improvements—the x-ray product is a major contributor to our success. Now, we will be able to quickly develop new test programs off-line whenever we bring new products into manufacturing."

The software provides fast program development time via built-in, GUI-driven inspection wizards based on the Red Hat Linux operating system. Employing D2B and Alchemist for CAD preparation, the software automatically generates measurement windows and thresholds. It uses built-in machine simulator software so that users can perform all inspection program debugging off-line, instead of on the system used in production. A centralized Oracle database is used to store and manage program data, ensuring consistent and fault-free data.

Harman Music Group designs, manufactures and markets signal-processing equipment for professional musicians, recording studios and sound system engineers. It markets its products under the brand names dbx, DigiTech, DOD and Lexicon Pro. The company is a subsidiary of Harman International Industries.

www.teradyne.com

www.harmanmusicgroup.com

Eoplex Technologies (San Francisco, CA), a manufacturer of miniature electronic components and subassemblies, announced that it has closed a $4.3 million Series B funding round led by Labrador Ventures with investments from Draper Fischer Jurvetson and Draper-Richards. Part of the funding will be used to build the first automated prototype facility utilizing the company's HVPF print-forming process.

The company's proprietary process can build hybrid devices from metals and ceramics in the same structure with true 3-D designs at production rates high enough and costs low enough for applications like cell phones and consumer products.

President and chief executive officer, Arthur L. Chait, said, "EoPlex has partnered with Pro-Mation to build and integrate the new prototype line. We chose Pro-mation based on their willingness to put in the time to fully understand our new technology, their excellent engineering skills and their competitive cost. The new automated prototype facility will allow EoPlex to expand our offerings and qualify in a number of markets."

PRO-MATION is a global provider of printed circuit board (PCB) handling solutions, selective laser soldering cells and automated work cell solutions.

www.Pro-mation-Inc.com

www.EoPlex.com

Christopher Associates Inc. (Santa Ana, CA) has announced the introduction of the SynPower line width measurement tool. The tool uses a personal computer connected to a precision optics package for measurement of pads, line widths (base and top), arcs and circles. The software includes the ability to log and chart results, format them in Excel and export for statistical process control (SPC) purposes. Accuracy is NBS traceable.

www.christopherweb.com

Two long-term industry experts have founded a merger and acquisition business focused on the buying and selling of printed circuit board (PCB) fabricators.

Paul Emello, with over twenty years of PCB industry experience, including a role as president and chief executive officer of Capitol Circuits, and Dan Beaulieu, co-founder of D.B. Management Group—a sales and marketing consulting firm, have joined forces in a new company, Capitol Technologies L.L.C. The Boston, MA-based company will specialize in helping smaller (under $20 million dollars) PCB shops who want to sell or buy board shops.

"We feel that there is real need out there for a company who is willing to work with the smaller board shops, the shops that the big guys, the big investment companies are not really interested in," said Emello.

Beaulieu added, "With our years of expertise and our strong industry connections we can offer our client s a very focused and strategic merger plan. Chances are, if you have a board shop to sell we know the right company to buy it."

For more information contact Paul Emello: (617) 254-2588; paul@cappcb.com.

www.cappcb.com