Circuits Assembly Online Magazine - Features

AIM (Montreal, Canada) has announced an all day lead-free seminar to take place in Sydney, Autralia, on March 23, 2004. Future workshops are being planned at various locations worldwide.

To successfully achieve lead-free electronics assembly, each participant in the manufacturing process, from purchasing to engineering to maintenance to quality, must have a solid understanding of the changes required of them.

While there are many theoretical workshops on lead-free assembly, this seminar focuses on the practical considerations for achieving successful lead-free assembly at a factory. Each step of the manufacturing cycle is addressed, from purchasing parts to inspecting assembled board.

Some of the lead-free assembly topics to be presented include: the status of lead-free legislation, marketing and implementation worldwide; reasons for hesitating to move towards lead-free soldering; design, component flux and solder alloy considerations; lead-free alloy requirements and materials management issues.

The instructor of the workshop is Karl Seelig, vice president of technology of AIM. In his 25 years of industry experience, Seelig has authored over 20 published articles on topics including lead-free electronics assembly, no-clean flux technology, assembly and process optimization, inspection and metallurgical studies. Seelig has numerous awards and patents in soldering technology—including four for lead-free solder alloys—and has been one of the key developers of no-clean technology.

To participate, contact AIM Products Australia: (02) 47356775, or email: tweber@aimsolder.com.au.

www.aimsolder.com

A supplier of electronic assembly machinery, Panasonic Factory Automation (PFA, Elgin, IL) has introduced a new offering—Solutions. The primary goal of the program is to demonstrate the benefits of customers partnering with their original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

"Solutions was developed to globally share methods to increase customer's profit, performance and possibilities," said John Worthylake, PFA solutions and development manager. "Insight from customer suggestions and challenges—coupled with Matsushita's own manufacturing experience—has successfully provided solutions that simultaneously increase throughput, decrease costs and maximize the full potential of PFA's products."

Specifically, Solutions offerings include enhancements (a white L.E.D. Fiducial Light kit and a wide angle PCB detection sensor upgrade); equipment maintenance; spare parts options (cost-saving reversible tape cutter blades, remanufactured placement head assemblies); tools and jigs and training.

www.panasonicfa.com

Tamura F.A. System Corp. (Beaverton, OR), a company that develops and supplies the materials, components and products demanded by electronics markets, has announced the availability of a new lead-free system featuring solder bath technology designed for the electronics assembly industry.

FLIP Solder Bath for Lead-free Wave Soldering Solutions features linear induction pumping technology in which three phases of AC currents flow through induction coils to induce horizontal magnetic fields inside solder bath. The magnetic fields generate vertical force, per Fleming's left hand law. The force moves molten solder upward through nozzles and flow down by gravity. Two induction coils generate magnetic field and propelling force as the alternating AC current flows in induction coils.

Additionally, the solder bath features advantages over other solder bath systems, including the use of less solder (300 kg, instead of 450 kg) and less solder dross (7 kg, instead of 15 kg) after 8 hours of operation. It also offers open space to access the inside side bath and easier nozzle cleaning and maintenance. It also features a quieter and more stable solder wave than impeller motor types. Acid oxidization around the motor spindle is eliminated.

www.tamura-ha.com

Genesis Electronics Manufacturing Inc. (GEM, Tampa, FL) has transitioned its operations to a Tampa, FL, facility acquired in July 2003 from Jabil Global Services. GEM is a medium-volume, high-response electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider.

In addition to nearly doubling GEM's physical space, the 50,000 sq. ft. facility expands the company's customer service offerings in the areas of equipment repair and service, specifically in the rebuilding of monitors, keyboards and telecommunications equipment. Test, repair and refurbishment equipment were acquired along with the facility and GEM added 15 new employees to cover its new areas of service.

"By growing our team, our physical space and our equipment, GEM has the ability to fulfill the demands of this service contract and extend like services to existing and new accounts," said GEM president Robert Stoller.

The expanded offerings bring GEM closer to its goal of providing services similar to those provided by tier-one suppliers. "While our customer base is generally not considered to be the market of the tier-one suppliers, we want to offer our customers the gamut of services they need to market their products, and equipment repair and service is considered the last stage of product life management," Stoller said. "GEM looks forward to providing a domestic option to customers who desire to have their product built in the USA."

The company can now be reached at:
14201 McCormick Drive
Tampa, FL 33626
(813) 854-1661

www.genesismfg.com

BTU International Inc. (North Billerica, MA), a supplier of advanced thermal processing equipment for semiconductor packaging, surface-mount and advanced materials processing, has announced the appointment of Tom Nash as vice president of marketing.

Nash joins the company as a member of the senior management team, reporting directly to Mark R. Rosenzweig, president and chief executive of BTU International. Nash will oversee all facets of corporate marketing, working closely with the executive team on corporate strategy as the company continues to expand its product and customer base.

"We are extremely pleased that Tom has joined our team," said Rosenzweig. "He brings a wealth of international business experience in the electronics and process control industries as well as valuable experience in strategic planning, acquisition analysis and new business development. Tom will utilize his skills and experience to guide our new product development program, implement strategies to increase our global market share and support our worldwide sales organization."

Nash has previously held positions in general management, executive sales and marketing management, as well as product development, during his career at the Black & Decker Corp., Vitronics Corp. and most recently as president of CIMCIS Ltd.

www.btu.com

SEICA Inc. (Methuen, MA), a provider of electronics testing and production solutions, will further enhance its support network in North America with the opening of a sales and support office in Santa Clara, CA. At a time when many of its competitors are dedicating their resources to the Asian market, Seica plans to provide a high level of support in any geography where it has customers needing services.

Having set up an office near Boston in 2003 to serve the East coast, the new West coast office will provide local support for new and existing customers and have sales and demonstration capabilities for the company's S24 Backplane, S40 Pilot, ICT and Functional test products.

Seica was the first European company to develop and manufacture a flying probe tester for loaded boards, a platform that has been sold globally by Teradyne (and previously by GenRad). With its latest flying probe and other test technologies, Seica has emerged as a supplier of test technologies and is now backing its products with the support expected of a global player in the electronics industry.

www.seica.com