Circuits Assembly Online Magazine - News

News

IRVINE, CA – Henkel Corp. today announced Patrick Trippel as president for the company’s aerospace group. Trippel will maintain his current duties as president of the electronics group of Henkel.

REDMOND, WA — Microsoft Corp. Thursday said it will take a minimum $1.05 billion charge to fix Xbox 360 consoles suffering from widespread hardware failures.

CANBY, OR – In the assembly world, putting vias directly in surface mount pads is often not recommended. But for routing large or fine-pitch BGAs, bypass capacitors, thermal management, and grounding on high-frequency parts, via-in-pad can be an effective, if demanding, solution.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – May rigid PCB shipments at North American fabricators fell 14.8%, while bookings dropped 12.2% from last year, according to the latest data from IPC.

The combined book-to-bill ratio remained just above parity at 1.01.

TEMPE, AZ – "Following a weak first quarter, the manufacturing sector rebounded in a strong fashion during the second quarter.”

That’s according to Norbert J. Ore, chair of ISM’s Manufacturing Business Survey Committee. The trade group said June manufacturing expanded at its fastest pace since April 2006.

EL SEGUNDO, CA – A new hot spot has emerged in electronics manufacturing: Southeast Asia, namely Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and – most prominently –Vietnam, says iSuppli Corp.

The Southeast Asian contract-manufacturing market, consisting of EMS and ODM providers, will rise to $24.9 billion by 2011, a nearly $9 billion increase from $16.2 billion in 2006, according to iSuppli. By 2011, Southeast Asia will rise to account for 7% of global electronics contract-manufacturing revenue, up from 6.3% in 2006.

“iSuppli believes that several factors are triggering this resurgent growth among Southeast Asia contract manufacturers, including a backlash against China,” said Adam Pick, principal analyst for EMS and ODM at iSuppli.

Other factors include shifts in the competencies of EMS/ODM providers. Singapore is no longer a low-mix, high-volume manufacturing hub. Rather, EMS providers have migrated up the value chain to offer higher margin services and builds, said the firm.

Government incentives also are playing a role in encouraging the migration of manufacturing to Vietnam and other regions. Government initiatives are stimulating research and development activities by contract manufacturers in Thailand.

As for Vietnam, recent investments by leading OEMs, EMS and ODMs into its industrial parks suggest that Vietnam will ramp quickly as an emerging manufacturing market in Southeast Asia, said iSuppli.

TAIPEI – Is Acer about to embark on a spending spree? The company has raised about $640 million in capital through sales of real estate and holdings of bonds and shares in other companies during the past six months, and speculation is rising the funds will be used for acquisitions.

According to various reports, Acer has sold holdings in Wistron, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Foxconn and other companies. (Wistron is Acer's former EMS arm.)

Last spring, Acer chairman J.T. Wang said the company was in talks to buy a small company.

TAIWAN – Asustek Computer will split into three companies Jan. 1 to separate its branded product business from its contract manufacturing operations, the company said today.

SAN FRANCISCO – The latest poll of the nation’s CIOs says IT budgets will grow 7.2% during the next year, up from 5.1% in March, says Deutsche Bank. The June poll results rebounded strongly, reversing four consecutive down quarters.

Spending projections improved for all but the largest companies, which DB believes bodes well for improving corporate spending in the second half of the year.

Results for small (101-500) and very small firms (1-100) strengthened in June, with CIOs expecting 11% and 9% growth in the next 12 months (vs. 10% and 2% in March), respectively. Medium firms (501-1,000) were optimistic, expecting 7% growth (vs. 4% in March), while large firms (1,001-5,000) and very large firms (>5,000) were less optimistic, with CIOs expecting 5% growth (vs. 3% and 7% in March, respectively), says the report.

Storage Systems was the top spending priority in the June Poll, with 54.1% of respondents planning to increase spending (vs. 46.3% in March). Security Software took the second spot with 41.6% of respondents planning to increase spending (vs. 43.5% previously), followed by Computer Hardware at 40.8% (vs. 45.5% previously).

Medium-size companies led results for Storage and Computer Hardware for the third consecutive quarter, with 78.6% (vs. 62.5% previously) predicting increased Storage budgets. In addition, Computer Hardware was also a priority for medium-size firms, with 60.0% (vs. 56.3% in March) of CIOs expecting increased spending.

Of the respondents to DB questions, 54.4% said they had implemented server virtualization, while 21.6% cited they were seriously considering it; 7.1%, 15% and 21.3% cited they had reduced server spending by roughly 50%, 30% and 10%, respectively. However, 15% cited they had not reduced server spending through virtualization.

Universal Contacts, for SMT, provide an electrical connection between a device and a PCB. Come as a single piece stamped product, incorporating pre-load and anti-lift features, designed to replace traditional interfaces requiring customized contacts. For use to connect a number of device components in any direction and configuration using the same interface, reducing qualification time. Come in heights of 1.3, 1.8, 2.5, 3.5 and 4 mm. So-called "solderwells" are said to prevent solder wicking up the contact. Are WEEE and RoHS compliant.

ITT Electronic Components, www.ittcannon.com

BANGOR, ME -- The state of Maine has enacted legislation that permits continued use of the highly-effective flame retardant known as Deca in the utility, automobile and semiconductor industries, each of which is vital to the state’s economy.

Under the bill, the use of Deca in mattresses, mattress pads and textiles used in residential furniture would be prohibited beginning in 2008, and in the casings of televisions and computers beginning in 2010. Deca is not used in residential mattresses or furniture, and has never been used widely in computers, further limiting the practical impact of the prohibition.

MUNICH -- A conference pairing the fashion and high-tech industries takes place next week in Munich.

The first Wearable Technologies Congress takes place July 8 to 10, in the International Congress Centre Munich at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre.

According to conference organizers, the event aims to make possible the transfer of relevant know-how, the exchange of experiences among the participants of the involved industries and the exposition of visions for the next WT-product generations. The event is focused on future-oriented and marketable products, as well as new sales potentials for manufacturers of WT-products with emphasis in added value.

Attendees are expected to include experts in commerce, product development, production from the sports, fashion, electronics and consumer electronics sectors.

Among the topics presented: