ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Contract electronics firm Jabil Circuit reported fiscal second-quarter earnings up 76%, according to reports. Profit was $97.7 million.

PASADENA, CA – The Cassini plasma spectrometer instrument aboard NASA's Cassini spacecraft at Saturn has resumed operations.

FRAMINGHAM, MA – While the first half of 2012 is expected to see only modest shipment growth, the launch of Windows 8 and the excitement generated by ultrabooks and other ultra-thin notebooks should drive second half sales in a much stronger way, according to International Data Corp.

ORLANDO – API Technologies has completed its acquisition of RTI Electronics for $2.3 million in cash.

Based in Anaheim, CA, RTI manufactures passive electronic components, including thermistors, film capacitors, magnetic transformers and inductors, and audio power conditioning units.

RTI had revenues in 2011 of approximately $4 million.

With the move, API continues to broaden its scope, which primarily involves the design, development and manufacturing of electronic systems, subsystems, RF and secure solutions for defense, aerospace and commercial applications.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – IPC has revised its Assembly and Joining Handbook, updating the age-old tome on of electronics assembly and soldering techniques.

ATLANTA -- EMS marketing and management expert Susan Mucha will moderate a chat on EMS program management and strategies for growing accounts next week, UP Media Group announced today.

KWIDZYN, POLAND -- Jabil reportedly will lay off hundreds of workers here and ask for wage concessions from remaining staff.

EL SEGUNDO, CA -- With the second-generation iPad, Apple has held the line on the bill of materials, maintaining virtually the same costs as the first version of the device, an IHS iSuppli teardown analysis of the product has revealed.

HONG KONG – ASM's Siplace unit reported 2011 sales of $626.3 million, good for 37.8% of its new parent company's sales last year.

HERNDON, VA – The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative said it is driving two collaborative efforts related to microelectromechanical systems technology.

Efforts are now underway to develop the following R&D efforts: MEMS test methods and capabilities and MEMS reliability methodologies.   

“These first two R&D initiatives will focus on issues relating to reliability and test. These are areas that are common across the MEMS manufacturing supply chain, and it makes sense to take a collaborative approach to developing industry-wide solutions,” said iNEMI CEO Bill Bader.

Bader notes that the 2011 iNEMI Roadmap was the first edition of the consortium's roadmap to feature a separate chapter on MEMS. It examined the technology and business directions for MEMS technology over the next 10 years. Using this information, coupled with gap analysis and industry input, iNEMI said it has identified and prioritized several issues that must be addressed for the MEMS industry to continue moving forward. 

A one-day workshop is scheduled in Pittsburgh on May 10. Meeting objectives include: leveraging the iNEMI Roadmap and outcomes of the prior MEMS workshop to refine the areas identified for collaboration; identifying and evaluating additional opportunities that would benefit from industry collaboration related to MEMS manufacturing and deployment; forming action groups to define and execute the required collaborative programs, and defining research and development needs to support these programs.   

STAMFORD, CT — Citing improvements in DRAMs, research firm Gartner today raised its worldwide semiconductor revenue outlook, projecting 4% year-over-year growth.

SAN JOSE – Worldwide sales of semiconductor manufacturing equipment totaled $43.5 billion in 2011, up 9% year-over-year.