GÖPEL has developed a new option in its System Cascon software suite to support Altera’s USB-Blaster download cable. The driver integration of download cable in the software suite enables the USB Blaster download cable to be used as a native JTAG/boundary scan controller throughout the entire product life cycle.
 
USB-Blaster can also be used to program Flash devices in-system and configure Altera FPGAs via the Jam Standard Test and Programming Language, JEDEC standard JESD-71, Simple Vector Format specification or IEEE-Std.1532 specification. Additional software support for boundary scan chain designs with multi-drop devices is automatic, including all scan router devices by Firecron, National Semiconductor and Texas Instruments.
 
All test and in system programming procedures generated with the download cable are cross-compatible with other JTAG/boundary scan controllers by GÖPEL, including the hardware platform SCANFLEX.
 
Support is included for no additional charge beginning with release 4.3. Customers can purchase the USB-Blaster download cable through Altera distributors.
 
GÖPEL electronic, www.goepel.com

Scapa C401 is a glass cloth, single coated with a silicone adhesive for high-temperature masking and protection. On PCBs, the non-flammable adhesive tape masks and protects circuitry during wave solder processes.
 
Withstands temperatures up to 500ºF.  Glass cloth backing provides dimensional stability and strength, allowing the product to retain its physical properties at elevated temperatures. Offers excellent adhesion to a variety of surfaces, yet removes easily without leaving adhesive residue. 
 
Scapa Industrial. www.scapaindustrial.com

SinguLign enables the high accuracy mass imaging of multiple materials such as solder paste, solder spheres, flux and adhesive onto singulated substrates or components directly from the carrier, allowing the accurate processing of known good parts down to 20 mm in size.
 
With an accurate printing platform, specialized tooling, a carrier and a miniaturized print or ball placement head, repeatable and precise deposits can be applied to parts individually. The carrier, which can hold multiple substrates, is transported into the printer where a vacuum tower raises the first substrate or component to print height, secures it in place and aligns the substrate. The substrate is then imaged with the appropriate material for the specific application and is gently lowered back into the carrier. This sequence is repeated for all of the parts and then the carrier is transported to the next process step. 
 
The tooling and parts handling mechanisms allow for maximum print support and enable high-speed processing times for individual parts – as little as 20 sec. for ball placement and less time for other print processes. Said to deliver increased accuracy through the ability to align to substrate features (not package edges); enables ultra fine pitch imaging, providing yield improvement driven by the capability to process only known good parts and supports multiple processes, depositing paste, flux, solder spheres or adhesive. Allows for imaging onto substrates or pre-packaged, 3-D components; permits easy re-deployment for other packaging processes.
 
Gives packaging specialists the ability to align and image multiple substrates and components at ultra-fine pitch individually.
 
DEK, www.dek.com

Disposable Flextac stencils are an easy, reliable method for stencil printing solder paste on individual BGA component sites for rework. An adhesive side attaches temporarily to the PCB, preventing misalignment and solder paste smearing. Are inexpensive and disposable, help users keep Pb-bearing and Pb-free soldering materials separate, preventing cross-contamination. Are RoHS compliant.
 
Are part of a complete BGA stencil kit that includes 20 different sizes of BGA rework stencils, a spatula handle and three sizes of spatula blades.
 
Are laser cut for correct aperture size from high quality, anti-static polymer film with a residue-free adhesive backing. No tape or fixturing is needed. The adhesive seals around each BGA pad to prevent solder paste from bleeding under the stencil when solder paste is applied. Easy to use and leave no residue on the board surface.

Can be repositioned. The side tabs also serve as solder dams preventing solder paste overspill. Since the residue-free adhesive seals around each BGA pad, one may make as many passes with the squeege as needed to ensure proper aperture filling. The stencil is then peeled off, leaving a perfect deposit of solder on each pad. Disposable, but can be used several times.
 
CircuitMedic, CircuitMedic.com