BINGHAMTON, NY – The Unovis Solutions Area Array Consortium gathered in June for a detailed review of this year’s research tracks.

Progress reports were presented on efforts to understand the complex microstructures of Pb-free solder joints and their impact on reliability. Issues pertaining to the reliability of printed circuit materials and designs, as well as QFN and FCBGA assembly and underfilling, were also discussed.

More than 80 attendees from 30 member companies and institutions joined in the two-day workshop.

Led by Dr. Peter Borgesen, the advanced electronic assembly research consortium, formerly run under Universal Instruments, tackles materials and microstructure-related reliability issues critical to high-quality electronics assembly.
 
Members can join the consortium any time and have access to the body of knowledge amassed through its efforts during the past 15 years.

SAN JOSE – EMS provider Sanmina-SCI Corp. today named former Symbol Technologies executive Walt Hussey president of its technology components group.
 
Hussey, who was vice president of global manufacturing and distribution for Symbol, will be responsible for PCB fabrication, backplane and cable assembly, and enclosures.
 
He has 25 years of manufacturing experience with OEMs and EMS firms.
 
Sanmina-SCI was once the world’s largest supplier of PCBs, but since 2000, sales have dropped from more than $1 billion to about $420 million, according to PCD&M consulting editor Hayao Nakahara’s annual NTI 100 ranking of PWB fabricators.
 
The company recently announced it would close its Phoenix PWB fabrication site and relocate much of the work to Owego, NY.

CORRECTION: We previously incorrectly reported Hussey would be replacing Steve Bruton. Bruton remains president and general manager of PCB fabrication at Sanmina-SCI. We regret the error.

HIGH WYCOMBE, UK – A SMART Group meeting held July 2 resulted in the formation of SMART Group SA.

SMART Group will aim to promote the advancement of the South African electronics industry through education and training in surface mount and related assembly technologies.

Held at Avnet Kopp offices, representatives from component supply, electronics design, manufacturing, education, media, equipment and consumables supply industries attended.

Keith Bryant, a director of the SMART Group, headquartered in the UK, chaired the meeting.

Last year, the trade association presented a series of Pb-free seminars in South Africa.

IRVINE, CA – Henkel Corp. today announced Patrick Trippel as president for the company’s aerospace group. Trippel will maintain his current duties as president of the electronics group of Henkel.

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