Protocase Designer version 113 is now available for download at protocase.com/www/designer.

Upgrades inclulde:
Flat panel: a simple flat panel template compliments standard enclosure templates.
Exclusion zone: eliminates any user concern from placing cutouts or components in inappropriate areas.
Flanges: appropriate flanges result in realistic template models
Information bar:  more information regarding origins, exclusion zones, library component nomenclature, etc.
Coordinate origin:  more detail regarding face editor origins.
Open/Save functions:  cleaned up issues related to opening and saving files.

A new tutorial emphasizes proper enclosure design for mounting your PCBs; it can be found at protocase.com/www/designer/tutorial/.

LeadCheck swabs (2515-N) are a fast method of testing components and solder joints for lead solder. Incoming components and boards, in addition to existing inventories, can be checked for RoHS compliance. This avoids mixed lead and Pb-free inventories, lead contamination in RoHS compliant work areas and potential penalties for shipping noncompliant products. Swab kits are packaged in eight-packs so every station can be equipped to prevent lead contamination from incoming and in-stock boards and components.


All Techspray branded products are RoHS compliant.

Promation has developed a small footprint line loading station that incorporates a bare PCB loader and a magazine line loader into the same work cell.

Gary Goldberg, president, said, “This new design has been developed to serve customer with limited floor space. By incorporating the two machines together, the customer also sees cost savings from shared controls without sacrificing features.”

The station may be built to handle the four most common sizes of magazine (CAB 601/701, CAB 704, CAB 706 and CAB 707). Is also compatible with NIKKO style magazines of the same dimension. The four-magazine buffer station measures 48 x 43" and the five-magazine buffer station is 64 x 43" in SL size (CAB 701).

With “One Touch” control panel, operators are offered independent control over most features of the system by depressing a button. A PCB counter is also included.

Practical Components now supplies the AIM print test board and kit designed to include printing challenges commonly encountered on manufacturers’ assemblies. In addition to BGA and microBGA pads, both have circular and square pad designs to test paste release. AIM has included the standard IPC slump test pattern to further challenge the properties of any product tested. This print pattern is more “real life” and can more accurately predict slump since individual pads are used as opposed to one pad that is common in the “thermometer” method. A number on the board indicates the distances between pads.
 
Common pad sizes were incorporated into the layout including 1206, 0805, 0402 and 0201 rectangular pads for discrete components. These pads have varying distances between them, allowing users to determine paste solder beading. Four 250 x 250 mil pads are available for use with various aperture styles to allow for wetting tests. There are also several fine-pitch QFP pads designed to check for the propensity of any given product to cause bridging, and to confirm the existence of torn prints, peaking (dog ears) or bridging.
 
Board material is FR4 170Tg with a standard ImAg finish. Digitized Gerber files are provided by Aegis Software. Available with lead-free components.