Latest News
CHARLOTTE, NC – The North Carolina Economic Investment Committee voted today to award a Job Development Investment Grant to Tessera Technologies.
The grant will support Tessera’s consumer optics plans, enabling the company to add 185 jobs and invest approximately $30 million in its Charlotte-based wafer-level optics facilities during the next five years, the company said in a press statement.
The grant calls for the state to provide funds equal to 65% of the state personal income withholding taxes derived from the creation of new jobs, provided Tessera meets set performance targets. Should the company create the jobs called for under the agreement and sustain them for nine years, the agreement could yield as much as $2.64 million in benefits.
The grant will support Tessera’s consumer optics plans, enabling the company to add 185 jobs and invest approximately $30 million in its Charlotte-based wafer-level optics facilities during the next five years, the company said in a press statement.
The grant calls for the state to provide funds equal to 65% of the state personal income withholding taxes derived from the creation of new jobs, provided Tessera meets set performance targets. Should the company create the jobs called for under the agreement and sustain them for nine years, the agreement could yield as much as $2.64 million in benefits.
EINDHOVEN, NETHERLANDS – Assembléon B.V. and Valor Computerized Systems have established a partnership under which Assembléon’s pick-and-place machine interfaces will be integrated into Valor’s software.
Enhanced machine interfaces are available for Valor’s vPlan on Assembléon’s A-Series, M-Series and X-Series machines. Now, vPlan provides an API to generate manufacturing process definitions for Assembléon machines.
Enhanced machine interfaces are available for Valor’s vPlan on Assembléon’s A-Series, M-Series and X-Series machines. Now, vPlan provides an API to generate manufacturing process definitions for Assembléon machines.
LOWELL, MA – Tyco Electronics today announced it intends to sell its Radio Frequency Components and Subsystem business.
The segment represented about $500 million of total the business unit’s $887 million in sales in 2007, but is considered a non-strategic business.
Headquartered in Lowell, MA, the unit employs about 2,000 people at 11 locations throughout the U.S. and Europe.
Tyco has no current plans to sell its Public Safety/Land Mobile Radio Systems and Products businesses, which are also part of the Tyco Electronics unit.
The segment represented about $500 million of total the business unit’s $887 million in sales in 2007, but is considered a non-strategic business.
Headquartered in Lowell, MA, the unit employs about 2,000 people at 11 locations throughout the U.S. and Europe.
Tyco has no current plans to sell its Public Safety/Land Mobile Radio Systems and Products businesses, which are also part of the Tyco Electronics unit.
SAN JOSE – The MicroElectronics Packaging and Test Engineering Council will hold its 6th Annual MEMS packaging symposium on May 22.
The one-day event will take place at the Wyndham Hotel in San Jose, and will explore new applications, market opportunities, and enabling technologies for MEMS, including emerging biomedical and consumer sectors.
The program will include talks on MEMS and the consumer, automotive and biomedicine markets, and on the impact of wafer-level packaging and 3-D ICs on foundries and the industry.
Fore more information, visit www.meptec.org.
The one-day event will take place at the Wyndham Hotel in San Jose, and will explore new applications, market opportunities, and enabling technologies for MEMS, including emerging biomedical and consumer sectors.
The program will include talks on MEMS and the consumer, automotive and biomedicine markets, and on the impact of wafer-level packaging and 3-D ICs on foundries and the industry.
Fore more information, visit www.meptec.org.
EL SEGUNDO, CA – Global shipments of LCD-TVs will nearly double from 2008 to 2012, driven mainly by falling prices and consumer demand for flat screens and HD format, according to iSuppli Corp.
Worldwide shipments will rise to 193.9 million units by 2012, a CAGR of 67%.
Regionally, Europe and North America continue to be the largest markets for LCD-TVs; shipments in those regions will grow at 13% and 10% CAGRs between 2008 and 2012, respectively. Japanese shipments will remain flat, but sales in China will rise because of the huge uptake in interest spurred by the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games, says iSuppli.
Riddhi Patel, principal analyst for television systems at iSuppli, said consumers are trending toward “space-efficient sets that can support the full-HD 1080p pixel format.”
Affordability is also a factor, he said. “LCD-TVs in the 42" size range in the first quarter of 2006 were priced at $2,000 and above, but now can be purchased for less than $1,000, making them affordable for a wider range of consumers.”
Another factor promoting greater consumer acceptance is aggressive promotion of LCD-TV technology by leading brands. This is attracting consumers that may not have been familiar with the technology, but now have an interest in 1080p after reading or hearing about it, Patel noted.
As consumers begin to embrace larger LCD-TVs sized 50" and more, support for full-HD is becoming critical. An increasing number of brands are adopting a full-HD lineup for sets 37" and larger to differentiate their products from the competition and be able to charge premium pricing, according to the research firm.
Furthermore, more content in the form of Blu-ray DVDs, game consoles and other devices is raising consumer incentives to buy a full-HD set that can support the best viewing experience. Shipments of full-HD sets will grow at a 45% CAGR between 2008 and 2012 to reach 104 million units or 54% of the market by 2012. In 2007, these sets accounted for a mere 14% of LCD-TV shipments, but will grow to 23% of the 100-million-unit market in 2008.
Worldwide shipments will rise to 193.9 million units by 2012, a CAGR of 67%.
Regionally, Europe and North America continue to be the largest markets for LCD-TVs; shipments in those regions will grow at 13% and 10% CAGRs between 2008 and 2012, respectively. Japanese shipments will remain flat, but sales in China will rise because of the huge uptake in interest spurred by the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games, says iSuppli.
Riddhi Patel, principal analyst for television systems at iSuppli, said consumers are trending toward “space-efficient sets that can support the full-HD 1080p pixel format.”
Affordability is also a factor, he said. “LCD-TVs in the 42" size range in the first quarter of 2006 were priced at $2,000 and above, but now can be purchased for less than $1,000, making them affordable for a wider range of consumers.”
Another factor promoting greater consumer acceptance is aggressive promotion of LCD-TV technology by leading brands. This is attracting consumers that may not have been familiar with the technology, but now have an interest in 1080p after reading or hearing about it, Patel noted.
As consumers begin to embrace larger LCD-TVs sized 50" and more, support for full-HD is becoming critical. An increasing number of brands are adopting a full-HD lineup for sets 37" and larger to differentiate their products from the competition and be able to charge premium pricing, according to the research firm.
Furthermore, more content in the form of Blu-ray DVDs, game consoles and other devices is raising consumer incentives to buy a full-HD set that can support the best viewing experience. Shipments of full-HD sets will grow at a 45% CAGR between 2008 and 2012 to reach 104 million units or 54% of the market by 2012. In 2007, these sets accounted for a mere 14% of LCD-TV shipments, but will grow to 23% of the 100-million-unit market in 2008.
Trends are emerging in the LCD-TV market that will further promote demand and profitability of companies competing in this sector, including the rising use of desktop PC monitor panels for TVs—specifically for smaller sizes of 15-, 19- and 22"; increased emphasis on 120Hz panels; the availability of thin-bezel TVs that make the sets look larger and more attractive, and connectivity options like wireless, Ethernet, USB and SmartMedia becoming increasingly available.
SAN JOSE – An email forum for discussing tin whisker issues and research has been created and is up and running.
The forum, also known as a listserv, came from discussions among numerous engineers interested in mitigating potential risks to high reliability products.
To subscribe to the list, sending an email to tinwhiskers-request@freelists.org with “subscribe” in the subject field.
The forum, also known as a listserv, came from discussions among numerous engineers interested in mitigating potential risks to high reliability products.
To subscribe to the list, sending an email to tinwhiskers-request@freelists.org with “subscribe” in the subject field.
SAN JOSE – Sales of SMT process and inspection equipment could top $5.6 billion by the end of 2010, says a report out this month.
STOCKHOLM – EMS firm NOTE has acquired a mechanical engineering company that employees about 20 people in Järfälla, outside Stockholm. The name of the firm and financial arrangements were not disclosed.
BANNOCKBURN, IL – IPC announced products to be featured in the Innovative Technology Center for emerging interconnect technologies at the Apex trade show next month.
Among the assembly products on display will be BEST Inc.’s EZReball; DEK’s Reel-to-Reel printer; EKRA’s iPAG Integrated Paste and Glue Dispenser; Electronic Control Design’s Megam.o.l.e. 20 thermal profiler; Henkel’s PowerstrateXtreme Dispensable (PSX-D) thermal interface material; Hesse & Knipps’s PiQC Process Integrated Quality Control for thin and heavy wire bonders, and Mydata Automation’s MY500 printer.
In the area of test, Agilent Technologies will show its Powered Vectorless Limited Access Solution for in-circuit test; Phoenix X-ray Systems its Microme x with xact, and Seica its Pilot V8.
In the area of PCB fabrication, American Plating Power will show its Reverse Pulse Plating Rectifier AxD G3, and Printar will show GreenJet.
The selections were made by a panel of industry experts.
Among the assembly products on display will be BEST Inc.’s EZReball; DEK’s Reel-to-Reel printer; EKRA’s iPAG Integrated Paste and Glue Dispenser; Electronic Control Design’s Megam.o.l.e. 20 thermal profiler; Henkel’s PowerstrateXtreme Dispensable (PSX-D) thermal interface material; Hesse & Knipps’s PiQC Process Integrated Quality Control for thin and heavy wire bonders, and Mydata Automation’s MY500 printer.
In the area of test, Agilent Technologies will show its Powered Vectorless Limited Access Solution for in-circuit test; Phoenix X-ray Systems its Microme x with xact, and Seica its Pilot V8.
In the area of PCB fabrication, American Plating Power will show its Reverse Pulse Plating Rectifier AxD G3, and Printar will show GreenJet.
The selections were made by a panel of industry experts.
NORTH BILLERICA, MA – BTU International, a supplier of advanced thermal processing equipment, has received a nearly $3 million order for its Pyramax reflow ovens, the largest for the machine in company history.
Shipments are expected to begin in the second quarter.
In a press release, BTU declined to identify the customer, saying that it was a leading semiconductor assembly and test subcontractor.
The order is for multiple machines and will be used to upgrade the customer’s existing installed base of semiconductor packaging equipment.
Shipments are expected to begin in the second quarter.
In a press release, BTU declined to identify the customer, saying that it was a leading semiconductor assembly and test subcontractor.
The order is for multiple machines and will be used to upgrade the customer’s existing installed base of semiconductor packaging equipment.
ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL – SigmaTron International today reported third-quarter revenues fell 7.8% to $41.1 million, from the same quarter in the prior year. Net income rose about 300% during the quarter, which ended Jan. 31.
FRANKLIN, MA – Christopher Associates today issued an updated statement that Speedline Technologies has purchased a Koh Young KY-3020T solder paste inspection system for use in its manufacturing operation.
In a statement, the companies said Speedline and Koh Young will also cooperate on projects in the future.
Press Releases
- Indium Corporation to Showcase Sustainable Solutions for Power Electronics at PCIM
- Kubler US Corp. Expands to Texas and Surrounding States with FHP Reps
- Indium Corporation Experts to Present on High-Temperature, Lead-Free Solder Paste and High Reliability Liquid Metal Alloys Poster at ECTC
- Altus Adds PVA's Game Changing PathMaster X Software to Portfolio