DULUTH, GA – Texas Instruments said it would purchase National Semiconductor for about $6.5 billion cash.

ARLINGTON, VA -- The Electronic Components Industry Association has published status reports from electronics component manufacturers affected by the Japan earthquake and tsunami, and says there is little cause for concern over contamination of electronics goods.

LOS ANGELES -- In a surprise move, Ducommun Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all outstanding stock and debt of electronics manufacturing services firm LaBarge for $340 million, subject to approval by LaBarge shareholders and other closing conditions.

TAIPEI – Foxconn International Holdings, the cellphone manufacturing arm of the world’s largest electronics ODM, said it would sell assets to the parent company after reporting a steep drop in annual profits.

EL SEGUNDO, CA -- Japan's earthquake and resultant impact the global electronics supply chain will be the focus of an IHS iSuppli webinar this morning.

EL SEGUNDO, CA -- Semiconductor sales fell sequentially in the fourth quarter, the first sequential drop in 18 months.

SAN JOSE -- The heads of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the Semiconductor Industry Association sent a detailed letter to Congress yesterday advocating for immigration reform.

MILWAUKEE – Plexus Corp. was named a 2010 Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year.

The EMS firm was awarded the Customer Commitment Special Award.

Seven Wisconsin firms won awards, competing against 53 total nominees. Awards were selected by an independent panel of judges.

TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Foxconn International, Hon Hai’s cellphone manufacturing subsidiary, posted a full-year 2010 net loss of $218.3 million, compared with net income of $38.6 million in 2009.

Sales dropped 8% year-over-year to $6.63 billion.

The firm is selling its Taiyuan, China, unit to its parent to reduce costs.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – IPC has released IPC-9708, Test Methods for Characterization of PCB Pad Cratering.

The standard provides three standardized test methodologies that enable product developers to determine the best material for their application.

IPC-9708 provides test methods to evaluate the susceptibility of printed board assembly materials and designs to cohesive dielectric failure underneath surface mount technology attach pads. The test methods, including cold ball pull, ball shear and hard pin pull, can be used to rank order and compare different printed board materials and design parameters.

The standard can be used in the process of building test coupons and running tests on these coupons.

IPC says companies using IPC-9708 will see substantial cost reductions by reducing the burden of verification and qualification.

For more information, visit www.ipc.org/9708.

SCHAUMBURG, IL – Harry Moser, founder of the national Reshoring Initiative, will deliver a seminar at the Greater Chicago Design-2-Part Show on May 4.

His free presentation, Returning Manufacturing to America, will discuss the “true” costs of offshoring manufacturing, including why it may not always be the most cost-effective solution.

The Illinois Reshoring Initiative helps level the playing field for American Manufacturers competing against offshore suppliers, and intends to bring orders and jobs back to Illinois manufacturing companies.

Admission to the Illinois Reshoring Initiative session and the Greater Chicago Design-2-Part Show is free to qualified industry professionals.

For more information, visit www.reshoringd2p.com or http://news.d2p.com.

OXFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND – Smart Group has issued a call for papers for its Area Array Assembly & Reliability Conference – Table Top Exhibition. The event takes place here Oct. 5 and 6.

The event will focus on area array design, assembly, reliability, cleaning and conformal coating.

Suggested topics include industry trends on area array packaging; design and reliability of BGA and uBGA devices; advanced printed board design and fabrication techniques; component developments and future packaging; soldering and joint reliability of Pb-free and mixed alloys; overcoming pad cratering on laminates; coating and its impact of joint reliability, and tin whiskers and benefits from coating assemblies.

Email papers to technical@smartgroup.org. Include a title, abstract, speaker’s name and company.

The deadline for submitting abstracts is May.

For more information, email info@smartgroup.org.