BANNOCKBURN, IL – October rigid PCB shipments were down 0.8% and bookings were down 1.7% year-over-year, IPC said today. Flexible circuit shipments were down 8.6% and bookings were up 0.2% year-over-year.

Read more ...

LOS ALTOS, CA – Third-quarter PC shipments were up 15.5% year-over-year, says research firm Henderson Ventures.

PC growth has rebounded with the help of low-cost shipments to the emerging economies, along with the slowly growing acceptance of Microsoft’s Vista operating system, and global PC shipments growth has been accelerating, reports Henderson.

For 2007, unit shipments are predicted to hit 264 million, a growth rate of 11.6%, says the firm.

The traditional two-year cycle is forecast to continue through 2009, but without a major dent in the expected growth rate for next year.

The introduction of WiMax is expected to have a positive impact on PC purchases in 2009; as WiMax becomes an accepted technology, laptop computer owners will increasingly want to acquire the capability via a new portable PC, much as PC owners traded up when WiFi became available, says Henderson.

Also, the impact of the Vista OS is likely to peak in 2009. However, global saturation, including many emerging markets, will tamp down the achievable growth rates for the foreseeable future. And even though a sizeable 10.2% increase is predicted for 2009, that pace is far below peak levels achieved in the past, including the 17.9% burst in 2005, reports the researcher.

 

SCHAUMBURG, IL – Motorola announced today that chief executive Ed Zander will step down, effective Jan. 1.

Read more ...

TEDDINGTON, UK – A National Physical Laboratory investigation into the suitability of XRF systems for screening electronics parts found PIN (semiconductor diode) and SiLi detector-based systems suitable for RoHS compliance measurements in plastics and solders, but proportional counter based systems are not.
 
All systems successfully detected lead at or above 1%, the group also revealed, easily beating the 4% threshold for determining tin whisker mitigation.
 
The group tested 15 systems with a range of 40 typical components and assemblies. Eleven different systems were evaluated at 12 different sites. Systems based on PIN, SiLi and proportional counter detectors were included. Eleven systems were benchtop instruments; four were portable. Forty different samples were included in the study, ranging from contaminated plastic components through bulk solder alloys, to solder joints and solder-terminated components, says NPL.
 
XRF systems using PIN or SiLi detectors generally proved efficient at distinguishing between noncompliant components (containing typically 2000+ ppm of restricted substances) and compliant components (typically <500 ppm of restricted substances). For levels between 500 ppm and 2000 ppm, the use of additional techniques may be required to provide discrimination, NPL says.
 
The PIN or SiLi detectors also proved efficient at distinguishing compliant and non-compliant systems containing >1000 ppm cadmium. Below this level, however, additional techniques may again be required to provide discrimination. The lower RoHS limit for cadmium of 100 ppm did result in a number of false detections for this element, the company reports.
 
Proportional counter-based systems were capable of registering the presence of RoHS-banned elements at levels >3%; e.g., such as found in some plastics. Below this level, however, their ability to detect any banned substances was questionable, and use for such applications is not recommended.
 
For tin whisker mitigation applications, lead levels in excess of 4% are required for solder samples. All systems successfully detected lead at or above this level, provided the sample size was large enough to fill the measurement window. Indeed, all systems proved capable of detecting/measuring lead levels above 1% in solder, according to NPL.
 
The use of these instruments for both the applications studied (RoHS compliance or tin whisker mitigation) requires operators have both a thorough knowledge of the instrument themselves, and a good understanding of the structure and materials involved in the test samples. These are required to prevent incorrect interpretation of the data provided. Recommendations on instrument practice to obtain meaningful, repeatable results are given.
 
In conclusion, XRF systems offer a viable method of screening for RoHS compliance and tin whisker mitigation, says NPL. Compared to chemical analysis, these systems offer lower unit and operating cost and faster results. Smaller sample sizes are also possible. However, use of these systems does require a semi-skilled operator.
 

 
 
 

EL SEGUNDO, CA – LCD is the dominant display technology for most electronic products; however, there is still a need for emerging display technologies, according to iSuppli Corp.
 
“Alternative technologies are still required because they can overcome some of the disadvantages of LCDs, and have some special capabilities that LCDs cannot match,” said Jennifer Colegrove, senior analyst for display technology and strategy for iSuppli. “These technologies include touchscreen, bi-stable, near-eye, Head-Up Display and miniature projection displays.”
 
Global shipment revenue for the leading touchscreen technologies will rise to $4.4 billion by 2012, up 45% from 2006, iSuppli predicts.
 
Shipments of bi-stable displays, i.e., electronic displays capable of presenting an image without using power, are expected to reach 350 million units by 2012, up from a mere 29 million units in 2007.
 
Near-eye display revenue is expected to grow to $724 million by 2012, rising 71% from 2007.
 
The global HUD module market is expected to reach $107 million in revenue by 2012, up nearly 76% from 2006.
 
Demand for touchscreen displays is being driven primarily by the cellphone and consumer-electronics industries—specifically portable game consoles, PDAs and PNDs, says iSuppli. However, as the market matures, the firm believes touchscreen displays will find a role in nearly every aspect of life, from planes, to automobiles, to machine-control systems, to home appliances.
 
After many years of uncertainty, a real market is beginning to take shape for bi-stable displays. Demand is rising for this technology as companies try to limit the power consumption of portable devices and always-on signage, according to the researcher.
 
Bi-stable displays’ capability to sustain images without electricity also makes them well suited for smart cards, removable flash storage devices and e-book/e-paper, says iSuppli. Other applications include electronic shelf labels, point of purchase/point of sale and cellphones.
 
Consumers love tiny handheld electronic devices, but don’t love diminutive displays. Because of this, makers of handhelds – including PMPs, DVD players and mobile TVs –hope to improve the viewing experience by offering products with pocket/embedded projectors and near-eye displays, also called head-mounted displays, says iSuppli.
 
As its name suggests, the near-eye display is designed to be placed on a helmet or visor close to the user’s eye, providing a virtual image that is larger than the physical dimensions of the display. HMDs can display a virtual image ranging in size from 20" to 100".
 
The pocket projector market is growing because of the demand for portable presentation equipment. Travelers prefer pocket projectors because they allow them to deliver presentations to small groups of people at any time, in any place, says iSuppli.
 
Commercially available pocket projectors mostly weigh between 1 and 2 lbs.; a pocket projector weighing less than 1 lb. is set to come to the market this quarter, according to the researcher.
 
Head-up displays enhance safety by keeping drivers’ eyes on the road. Currently, there are many vehicle manufacturers offering HUDs, including General Motors and BMW. The global HUD module market is expected to reach $107 million in revenue by 2012, up 76% from 2006.
 
There are big growth opportunities for miniature projectors. And with the rear-projection television market losing momentum, microdisplay manufacturers should view this market as an opportunity for growth, concludes iSuppli.

SAN DIEGO – Solder materials supplier Nihon Superior Co. Ltd. has opened an office in San Diego.  
 
Masato Nakamura, business development manager, has relocated from New Jersey to manage Nihon Superior USA and distribution of Nihon’s products in the Americas.
 
Keith Howell, formerly with Speedline Technologies and P. Kay Metal, joins Nihon as technical director.
 

Read more ...

TOKYO – Orders for Japanese-made semiconductor equipment fell in October, the eighth straight month of decline as chipmakers rein in spending, an industry group said.
 
Orders fell 10.9% year-over-year to 123.17 billion yen ($1.12 billion), with a fall in orders for wafer processing equipment overcoming higher demand for testers, the Semiconductor Equipment Association of Japan said.

Read more ...

HEMEL HEMPSTEAD, UK – Henkel has completed the expansion of its Electronics Group’s R&D and applications laboratory here, the site of the company’s European headquarters.
 
The recent investment in the 225-sq. meter facility permits additional development and testing capabilities and a complete remodel, Henkel says.
 
The lab has advanced conformal coating development tools, including various automated selective dispensing applicators, and is equipped with a full production line for PCB assembly and the latest testing equipment. Equipment includes screen printers, reflow ovens, solder paste deposition measurement systems, x-ray equipment, wave soldering systems, and analytical, microscopy and metallurgical tools. 

GLEN ALLEN, VA – The rise of thin-film, organic and printable electronics, and the trend toward endowing objects with as much electronic intelligence as possible with the goal of creating environments that enhance comfort, productivity and entertainment value, will create major business opportunities in the next few years, says research firm NanoMarkets.
 
The variety of names used for the second trend cover up the fact that there is nothing new about enhancing objects electronically, NanoMarkets says; inexpensive electronics have been used for decades in such applications as magnetic strips on credit cards and tickets, lights and audio effects for inexpensive toys and novelties, and certain security tags.
 
The latest developments in TOP electronics enable embedded electronics of this kind to move to the next level of complexity, the researcher notes. Thanks to TOP electronics, the magnetic credit card can be transfigured into a thin, wallet-size smartcard with its own display and an onboard printed processor, says the firm.
 
One of the major implications is that this intelligence can be in objects easily discarded with few consequences; hence the term disposable electronics. These products hold little essential value, so that disposing of them is not an issue. You may keep your credit card for several years, but cutting it up when it expires is not a big deal, NanoMarkets says.
 
Disposable electronics is characterized by high-cost sensitivity to materials, fabrication and components, and the need to create electronic functionality in products not especially durable.
 
TOP electronics addresses this by permitting creation of moderately complex electronics using printing/solution processing. Such fabrication processes are less expensive than the conventional deposition and patterning technologies. The direction of TOP electronics is toward fabrication on inexpensive flexible substrates, especially paper and plastic, says NanoMarkets.
 
Such substrates will facilitate the use of R2R fabrication and addresses the need to create electronics on paper/plastic substrates. Therefore, TOP electronics and disposable electronics go well together, says the research firm.
 
While TOP electronics could prove a key enabler for disposable electronics, it also presents challenges. Creating electronics on plastic and paper has yet to be perfected, for one. The printing technologies most widely used today for printed electronics - screen and inkjet - may not be easily scalable to high-volume production. And some of the materials used for printed and organic electronics may be expensive; silver is widely used and gold is common in R&D, explains NanoMarkets.
 
Printed electronics could reduce item-level RFID tags to just a few pennies, making wide-scale tagging possible. However, registration and resolution in high-speed printing may not be good enough; optimal materials have yet to be determined; inline printing along with graphics has not been established, and the result of competition with conventional chips created in depreciated fabs has not been determined. 
 
With regard to other smart packaging, opportunities include the addition of sensors and displays to show the condition of products in the package and how often the package has been opened, etc. Brand enhancement and advertising using electronics features are also possible. However, value is limited to niche applications and volume opportunity may be limited.
 
Low-cost, updateable pricing labels based on e-paper technology can be created for point-of-presence displays. These can improve retail efficiency and be operated under low power; volume potential is large. However, this concept is not well established, and printed/thin-film batteries are currently expensive. Also, e-paper does not offer color, although it soon will, NanoMarkets says.
 
On smartcards, electrochromic/e-paper displays can be added for additional security and other features. Printable transistors and memories may ultimately prove less costly than conventional chips. The small form factor of printable/thin-film batteries may make this kind of battery highly suitable in this application, and there is a large volume opportunity.
 
Although, not many TOP electronics companies focus on this opportunity at present, and organic/printed chips vs. conventional silicon is even less a settled issue than RFID. Powered chips are only just beginning to appear. Also, the high-temperature lamination may damage delicate organic transistors, says the researcher.
 
With this technology, features could be added to existing games/toys or could be used to create new ones. However, games and toys are notoriously subject to market failures, and volumes may be quite small, NanoMarkets says.
 
Finally, there is considerable potential for electronic enhancement of medical products through innovations such as smart bandages, low-cost diagnostic products and patches. But, the product approval process is much more difficult than in any other area. Few TOP electronics firms are looking at this area yet.
 

BAD OEYNHAUSEN, GERMANY –  Several leading EMS companies have approached Balda AG, a maker of cellphone parts, for a possible strategic partnership, a local German newspaper reported.

Flextronics International, Asustek Computer, Quanta Computer and Foxconn International Holdings are interested in Balda's production of touchscreen components, a technology used in Apple's iPhone, the newspaper reported.

Among the reported options is a complete takeover of Balda. As a first step, the potential Balda partner may acquire a 29% stake to avoid having to make a mandatory offer to all shareholders under German law, according to the report.