BANNOCKBURN, IL – A new benchmark study compares financial and production data of electronics manufacturing services companies.

“IPC Study of Quality Benchmarks for the Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) Industry for 2010” baselines 2010 operating variables among EMS providers by net sales and type of product. 

The survey-based study covers financial and production data, assembly attributes, yields, defect rates, customer returns, supplier performance, customer satisfaction and certification data.

The data are based on an IPC survey of 29 EMS companies from North America with total sales revenue of $7.05 billion. Participants provided point-of-reference data for sales growth, expenses on R&D and capital equipment as a percentage of net sales, average collection and payable periods, and the number of printed circuit boards completed in 2010.

Respondents also reported internal yields for surface mounting, wave soldering and selective soldering. All of the respondents included relevant customer satisfaction metrics regarding returns and on-time customer deliveries.

For more information, visit www.ipc.org/Benchmark-10.

COLUMBIA, MD -- Researchers at the University of Maryland’s Center for Advanced Life Cycle Engineering have independently found tin whiskers in Toyota vehicles with potentiometer type accelerator pedal position sensors (APPSs).

TAIPEI -- Steve Jobs' abrupt retirement will bring no change to Apple's day-to-day dealings with Foxconn Technology Group, the latter said today.

CUPERTINO, CA — Apple chief executive/tech icon Steve Jobs has resigned, effective immediately.