Foresite Inc. (Kokomo, IN)has recently earned ISO 9001:2000 certification, which assures its customers that the highest and most current quality standards are used. The certification is based on an audit by third party agency Quality Systems Registrars Inc (QSR) and indicates that Foresite has successfully revised its quality management systems to meet the updated criteria of ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management System standards.
The assessment by QSR certifies Foresite as a provider of laboratory testing and consulting services for its Kokomo facility. The facility services the electronics manufacturing industry.
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is the world's largest developer of standards. The non-governmental organization acts as a bridge to meet the needs of global businesses and societies. ISO's network includes 148 countries with a Central Secretariat in Switzerland that oversees the system. QSR is an international certification organization established in 1991, and located in Sterling, VA.
Foresite (formerly CSL Inc.) is a process consulting house and analytical laboratory dedicated to solving reliability issues for electronic assemblies. The company specializes in failure analysis, process qualification and investigative analysis.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
DEK (Flemington, NJ), a high accuracy, mass imaging solutions provider, has announced a new representative structure in support of its Canadian customer base. The expansion of DEK's Canadian presence aligns customers with DEK representatives who have specific expertise in capital equipment sales and consumables sales.
Representing DEK's line of capital equipment offerings will be Mektronix Systems Corp., a 15-year veteran in the electronics capital equipment market in Canada. With a specific focus on the equipment market, Mektronix can deliver superior customer service and technical knowledge to DEK equipment customers throughout Canada.
Mektronix will represent DEK's capital equipment line throughout Canada and can be reached via phone: (905) 791-9977 or email: sales@mektronix.com.
Focusing specifically on DEK's line of process support products, which includes tooling, stencils and consumables, will be Arbell International Corp.
"Arbell has done a great job representing DEK over the last 9 years," said Craig Brown, DEK vice-president and general manager. "They have tremendous expertise in the consumables market and we are confident that our customers will benefit greatly from their technical knowledge in this area."
Arbell will represent DEK Process Support Products in all of Canada. They can be contacted at (905) 332-7755.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Dow Corning Corp. (Midland, MI) has expanded its base of thermal management solutions for the electronics industry by introducing three new thermal interface materials (TIMs). Two of the new materials—TP-1600 film series and TP-2400 pad series—are the first fabricated TIMs to emerge from Dow Corning following its acquisition of Tyco Electronics' Raychem Power Materials Business Unit last year.
The thermally conductive films and pads help customers improve thermal dissipation in electronic components and assemblies and are designed for ease of use and process flexibility. Because they are pre-cured, the fabricated TIMs do not require special application tools, are re-workable and are available in a range of thicknesses. They are suited for electronics applications in the automotive, display, computer and power markets.
For similar heat management needs in high-powered CPU applications, the company has introduced TC-5021, a thermally conductive grease. As a wet-dispensed material, the grease enables customers to achieve thin bond lines and can be used in high-volume automated manufacturing environments.
Dow Corning's newest fabricated and wet-dispensed materials are part of the company's growth strategy in the TIMs market, which, according to electronics industry market research firm Prismark, is expected to more than double to $419 million by 2007, up from $170 million in 2002. The market expansion is driven by a growing need to control heat and electrical resistance in electronics devices. As these devices get smaller, faster and less expensive, electronics manufacturers need a broad selection of thermal management solutions to help them address a dynamic range of process needs.
www.dowcorning.com/electronics
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
The monthly order index compiled by the Electronic Components, Assemblies & Materials Association (ECA, Arlington, VA) continued its upward movement in February, extending an industry comeback that began last fall. ECA's 12-month moving index is up nearly 10 points in the last six months after being flat for much of the first half of last year.
"All signs continue to be positive," said Bob Willis, ECA president. "One of the trends ECA watches is participation in upcoming industry events. These are the forums where the industry should be actively exchanging information and taking advantage of business opportunities."
ECA has a full slate of industry conferences coming up where it can gauge industry momentum, beginning with CARTS 2004, the passive component technology conference and exposition, in San Antonio, TX. Other events in the ECA line-up include the International Relay Conference (IRC), the Electronic Distribution Show (EDS), the Electronic Components and Technology Conference (ECTC), CARTS Europe and the International Wire and Cable Symposium (IWCS).
The ECA represents manufacturers and producers of passive and active electronic components, component arrays and assemblies, and materials and support services. It is a sector of the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA), comprising more than 2,100 members that reportedly represent 80% of the $430 billion U.S. electronics industry.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Celestica Inc. (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), an electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider, has completed its acquisition of Manufacturers' Services Limited (MSL, Concord, MA), a full-service global electronics manufacturing services and supply chain services company.
Pursuant to the merger agreement, in consideration for the acquisition, Celestica will issue to holders of MSL common stock and certain holders of MSL preferred stock approximately 14.3 million subordinate voting shares and will pay cash consideration to certain MSL preferred stock holders totaling approximately $50.6 million.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Agilent Technologies Inc. (Palo Alto, CA) has introduced a comprehensive purchasing approach for pre-owned test instruments. Agilent CertiPrime and Agilent Advantage Assurance are two programs that provide low-cost and low-risk options for purchasing pre-owned test equipment.
Bill Highstreet, vice president and general manager of Agilent's Financial Solutions Unit, said, "Previously, customers had to choose between purchasing new test equipment from Agilent or refurbished, as-is equipment of unknown quality from a third party. Now customers have multiple options to purchase high-quality, pre-owned Agilent test instruments with total confidence."
In the more comprehensive of the two programs, CertiPrime units are fully remanufactured by Agilent to Agilent standards. In addition, the equipment undergoes the same production-quality calibration as new units and it includes the latest compatible software and firmware updates. The instruments typically are demonstration and off-lease units less than three years old and represent the most popular models and configurations of Agilent's current test equipment.
The fully remanufactured products are ordered directly from Agilent and ship within five days of receipt of order. The products carry the same warranty as new instruments and the same 60-day return policy as new products. Free technical support is offered during the warranty period. The test equipment is expected to be available in volume starting in April 2004. Prices are reduced 30 to 50% from list prices.
The Advantage Assurance program consists of pre-owned instruments purchased through an approved channel partner. Instruments purchased through the program have been fully calibrated and come with one year of protection against all repair costs, along with one year of free technical support. The program is initially available through eBay.
Under the terms of the program, an eBay seller may ship a pre-owned instrument to Agilent, where it receives an initial evaluation and then is fully calibrated by Agilent technicians. Once Agilent determines the unit meets its specifications, the seller is allowed to post the unit for sale on the eBay Web site. At the end of the listing duration, the instrument is shipped directly from Agilent to the winning bidder within 24 hours. Buyers are fully insured against all repair costs for 12 months. Also, should the instrument require repair during the first 12 months, it will receive a free calibration to ensure it meets all published specifications.
The program is expected to be extended to additional U.S. channel partners by April 2004, and to channel partners in Europe and Asia Pacific later in 2004.
For more information, visit: www.agilent.com/find/used.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
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