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MUNICH -- Siemens Electronics Assembly says its October to February orders for placement machines matched those of the entire previous 12 months.

BEIJING – The value-added output of China's electronics manufacturing industry grew 26.3% year-over-year through February, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

CHICAGO – An upcoming conference in Chicago will focus on SCADA security and penetration techniques. The “open workshop” will include discussions, briefings of recent security incidents, and slide presentations on prevention against hacking of PLC, RTU, and other embedded instrumentation and controls, conference organizers say.

Attendees will participate in “red teaming” exercises and security countermeasure techniques. The organizers of the not-for-profit conference said attendees will be encouraged to develop policies and standard ethical positions.

“The reason we're doing this is because most of the R&D is not getting out in the open in any form. We're not eager to make anyone look bad, but at the same time, we need to figure where the fragile parts of common embedded systems are, how we can mitigate these problems, and what to tune our intrusion monitoring systems to,” said one of the organizers.

The group seeks embedded system developers, particularly software, and hardware developers willing to discuss broad-based issues with end-users, IT security professionals and others.

The event takes place May 14-15.

For more information, visit http://gathering.infracritical.com.

GAUTENG, SOUTH AFRICA – DEK has appointed Laser Stencil Technology as licensee for VectorGuard stencils in South Africa.

No financial terms were disclosed.

“Licensing our VectorGuard stencils to partners in various locations across the globe has effectively enabled us to expand our technology footprint, while allowing customers to manage their business locally,” said DEK global franchise and product manager Michael Zahn.

LOS ALTOS, CA -- World electronics equipment production will grow 7.5% this year on broad-based gains in demand and inventory replenishment, a leading analyst said today.

GARBSEN, GERMANY – LPKF Group posted 2009 earnings before interest and tax of $10.4 million, up 79.5% year-over-year.

Consolidated sales rose 12% to $75.4 million.

Incoming orders were $83.3 million, up 16.4% over the previous year. Orders in hand rose to $21.9 million, up 43% year-over-year. Growth was influenced by changed product mix and cost reductions, says the firm.

Compared to the same quarter the previous year, fourth-quarter earnings before tax and interest rose 67% to $3 million. Growth was attributed to the Cutting and Structuring Laser Segment.

LPKF expects 2010 growth in sales to exceed 10%, with growth potential in almost all divisions, particularly the LDS business.

SPARKS, MD – Danaher Corp. and Cooper Industries today said they have reached an agreement to combine their respective tool businesses: Danaher Tool Group and Cooper Tools.

Danaher Tool Group’s Steve Breitzka will lead the new firm as president and CEO.

Cooper and Danaher will each hold a 50% ownership stake in the new joint venture. No other financial terms were disclosed.

The company, yet to be named, will be headquartered here, and will market tool industry brands such as Allen, Apex, Armstrong Tools, Campbell, Cleco, Crescent, Erem, GearWrench, H.K. Porter, Jacobs Chuck, Jobox, K-D Tools, Lufkin, Nicholson, Plumb, Sata, Weller and Wiss.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – February PWB shipments by North American fabricators increased 8.5% year-over-year, while orders rose 29.1%.

TAMPA, FL -- Researchers from Sypris Electronics and Purdue University have formed a team to focus on the US government's cyber security.

SAN JOSE – Philippe Kahn, CEO of Fullpower Technologies, will keynote MEPTEC’s 8th annual MEMS Technology Symposium.

Kahn, known for his work in integrating cameras into phones, will discuss the art of motion sensing. He will reflect on how motion shapes lives and how hybrid sensors hold an opportunity for the next generation of mobile devices to integrate complex and advanced motion solutions and the necessary software technology.

The keynote takes place May 20.

For more information about the symposium, visit www.meptec.org.

ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- Jabil Circuit last night announced preliminary results indicate sales rose 4% year-over-year to $3 billion in its fiscal second quarter.

WASHINGTON – The US International Trade Commission has reversed a lower court’s ruling, determining instead that several semiconductor firms are violating no patents on ICs using tungsten metalization.