Circuits Assembly Online Magazine - News

News

SPOKANE, WA – A.C.E. Production Technologies has expanded to an 18,000 sq. ft. office and manufacturing facility. The move was prompted by growth fueled by an increase in systems sales of more than 500% in 2006, according to president Al Cable. Located in Spokane, the facility previously housed a circuit board contract manufacturing company and is fully equipped for ESD protection of circuit assemblies. A.C.E. manufactures batch load and in-line lead-free-capable selective soldering machines and support modules for electronics assembly.

DUNFERMLINE, SCOTLAND -- The Simclar Group has closed a pair of manufacturing sites in Scotland due to slowing demand, according to several news reports. The EMS company said facilities in Irvine and Kilwinning would be shuttered and a total of 420 employees laid off.

SAN JOSE -- Sanmina-SCI today reported December quarter revenue of $2.78 billion, down 2.8% year-over-year and up 2.2% sequentially.

The results were in line with Sanmina's previous guidance of $2.70 billion to $2.85 billion.

IRONWOOD, MI -- Burton Industries has received ITM Process Certification and ITM Lead-Free Capability Certification for its Ironwood SMT assembly facility.

Based on audits of the company's operations, processes, materials and personnel, ITM Consulting
said the plant meets the standards set forth by ITM and represent best practices for manufacture and assembly.

ITM further determined and certified that Burton Industries’ Ironwood facility is capable of producing Pb-free assemblies in compliance with the requirements of the RoHS Directive.

As part of the certification process, ITM performs a patented SMT assembly process audit which includes Pb-free process capability. Materials, equipment, documentation, processes and methodologies are all scrutinized. When recommendations of the initial gap analysis audit are fulfilled, a second audit is performed and first Pb-free build is observed. Samples of the first build are sent to an independent analysis laboratory.

THIEF RIVER FALLS, MN – Digi-Key has signed an agreement to distribute Fotofab’s precision metal parts worldwide. The deal covers RF shields, crystal modular mask systems and electronic packaging lids.

Separately, Digi-Key also agreed to distribute China-based IRTOUCH Systems’ touch screens.

ATLANTA, GA – UP Media Group announced that Henry Potts, vice president and general manager of the Systems Design Division of Mentor Graphics Corp., will deliver the keynote at PCB Design Conference West on Mar. 27 in Santa Clara, CA.

Cross Currents: Where PCB Design Meets ICs and Hardware will focus on trends for company and market globalization, outsourcing, and manufacturing technologies. Potts will cite examples of how the EDA industry is developing technologies to meet these challenges, and specific examples of future development directions both within the PCB design space and extended to IC-to-PCB and electro-mechanical design team collaboration.

To register for PCB West, or find out more about the show, visit http://www.pcbwest.com.

MUNICH - Siemens will acquire industrial software supplier UGS for $3.5 billion from private equity investors Bain Capital, Silver Lake Partners and Warburg Pincus. The deal is subject to approval.

YAVNE, ISRAEL – Valor Computerized Systems has appointed Stephan Haefele president of European operations. Stephan Haefele joins Valor from simulation software company Sigma-C Software AG, where he was responsible for strategic accounts and European sales. Prior to this role, Stephan held positions at GSI Lumonics and Orbotech. He started his career as an independent sales representative for Valor, EIE Systems and ETEC in Central Europe. David Bengal, former president of Valor European operations, was named corporate vice president of marketing.

FRANKLIN, MA - Speedline Technologies announced that PKC Electronics Oy has purchased three Electrovert OmniFlex 10 reflow ovens, an MPM Accela printer, and an Electrovert VectraElite wave soldering system. The machines will be used in production lines in Raahe, Finland, and Kostomuksha, Russia. PKC and Speedline also jointly developed a center board support system for the ovens.

EL SEGUNDO, CA -- OEM semiconductor spending is expected to grow 8.6% in 2007, driven by consumer electronics, iSuppli said.

Citing spending habits of 181 OEMs, the research firm projected the U.S. would design products worth an estimated $68.7 billion of ICs in 2007, up 9% from $63.1 billion in 2006.

Second place Japan will design in ICs worth a total of $44.1 billion in 2007, up 4.7%, iSuppli said.

NEENAH, WI – Plexus Corp. reported first-quarter revenue of $381 million, in line with previous estimates. The company warned that previously expected military program ramps were not materializing as expected.

For the quarter ended Dec. 30, the company reported profits of $15 million and gross margins of 10.4%.

ROCHESTER, NY – EMA Design Automation announced that it has acquired the Chronology Division of Forte Design Systems. No terms were announced. As part of the deal, EMA acquired TimingDesigner, an interactive timing analysis tool.