News
Minneapolis, MN -- The Surface Mount Technology Association (SMTA) is seeking abstracts for its Pan Pacific Symposium. The conference will be held in Maui on Jan. 30 – Feb. 1, 2007.
Papers are sought in the following areas:
Packaging
Interconnection
Business Issues
Markets
Assembly
Microsystems Technology
The deadline to submit an abstract is July 17. The full call for papers can be found at: smta.org/pan_pac/call_for_papers.cfm
Papers are sought in the following areas:
Packaging
Interconnection
Business Issues
Markets
Assembly
Microsystems Technology
The deadline to submit an abstract is July 17. The full call for papers can be found at: smta.org/pan_pac/call_for_papers.cfm
Huntsville, AL – AGI Corp., a manufacturer of wave solder and SMT assembly pallets, wave solder profiling tools and feeder storage carts, has received its 10,000th order for PCB Assembly tooling. The milestone pallet was presented to Benchmark Electronics representatives on June 13.
AGI, which has been in business since 1994, produces products for North America and Mexico.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- Jabil Circuit sustained its first chink in the armor as the EMS firm announced plant closings and headcount reductions ahead.
On a quarterly conference call with analysts, Jabil said May quarter net income was $64.2 million, up 8.1% from compared to $59.4 million a year ago, on a 37% gain in revenue to $2.6 billion.
On a quarterly conference call with analysts, Jabil said May quarter net income was $64.2 million, up 8.1% from compared to $59.4 million a year ago, on a 37% gain in revenue to $2.6 billion.
PALO ALTO, CA -- New analysis from Frost & Sullivan reveals that the worldwide SMT cleaning equipment market generated revenues of $34.3 million in 2005 and is likely to reach $55 million in 2012.
"Lead-free manufacturing has caused process changes in the SMT line that have placed more emphasis on cleaning," notes F&S industry manager Keith Robinson. "With more residue left on the assembly during lead- free manufacturing, industries that did not historically clean are likely to do so between 2006 and 2010, thus creating new market opportunities."
Pb-free manufacturing requires higher preheating and heating temperatures, causing changes in the flux that make it more difficult to clean. It also calls for an increased amount of flux, which leads to more residues on the assembly. Defects can occur in products if the assembly is not thoroughly cleaned, thus creating increased demand for SMT cleaning equipment.
Pb-free assemblies more difficult to clean, causing concerns among electronic assemblers about the feasibility of becoming Pb-free compliant in 2006. Moreover, cleaning Pb-free materials is highly demanding and places increased stress on the entire cleaning process.
"Some companies have been very proactive in educating customers on how to clean lead-free assemblies effectively," says Robinson. "SMT vendors will need to be very aggressive in addressing customers' needs in 2006, because this is a critical year for the SMT cleaning equipment market."
"Lead-free manufacturing has caused process changes in the SMT line that have placed more emphasis on cleaning," notes F&S industry manager Keith Robinson. "With more residue left on the assembly during lead- free manufacturing, industries that did not historically clean are likely to do so between 2006 and 2010, thus creating new market opportunities."
Pb-free manufacturing requires higher preheating and heating temperatures, causing changes in the flux that make it more difficult to clean. It also calls for an increased amount of flux, which leads to more residues on the assembly. Defects can occur in products if the assembly is not thoroughly cleaned, thus creating increased demand for SMT cleaning equipment.
Pb-free assemblies more difficult to clean, causing concerns among electronic assemblers about the feasibility of becoming Pb-free compliant in 2006. Moreover, cleaning Pb-free materials is highly demanding and places increased stress on the entire cleaning process.
"Some companies have been very proactive in educating customers on how to clean lead-free assemblies effectively," says Robinson. "SMT vendors will need to be very aggressive in addressing customers' needs in 2006, because this is a critical year for the SMT cleaning equipment market."
Apart from electronics manufacturing, the medical device, aerospace and defense industries are likely to increase their demand for SMT cleaning equipment. F&S predicts that these industries will be the primary markets for SMT cleaning equipment in North America and Western Europe. In China, the expanding space program is likely to provide new opportunities to equipment vendors.
Taunton, MA – Following its acquisition last year by HumiSeal’s parent company Chase Corp., Concoat Ltd. has changed its name to HumiSeal Europe Ltd.
The UK conformal coatings supplier has been manufacturing HumiSeal products for the European marketplace for over 25 years.
David Greenman, managing director, noted in a press release: “By operating in the USA and Europe under the same name, we make it crystal clear that we can offer a seamless transition between our manufacturing, sales and technical support services, with products that are tested and certified independently to military and automotive standards throughout the world.”
The UK conformal coatings supplier has been manufacturing HumiSeal products for the European marketplace for over 25 years.
David Greenman, managing director, noted in a press release: “By operating in the USA and Europe under the same name, we make it crystal clear that we can offer a seamless transition between our manufacturing, sales and technical support services, with products that are tested and certified independently to military and automotive standards throughout the world.”
Greenman is enthusiastic about the company’s prospects, and about its new identity: “We expect to grow between 5 and 10% this year. We are winning new projects all the time, in a broad range of industries. With our new identity, we can build on our excellent market position and good name, and grow our global business still further. Our new name truly makes us part of the HumiSeal family and opens the door completely for real, in-depth co-operation."
GUADALAJARA -- Sanmina-SCI today announced the opening of a 347,000 sq. ft. foot enclosures facility here. The new factory brings the EMS company's enclosure manufacturing capacity to more than 500,000 sq. ft., the largest in North America.
ST. LOUIS -- LaBarge Inc. has received an initial $1.7 million contract to build assemblies for Northrop Grumman's Defensive Systems Division.
The assemblies will be used in Northrop's internally mounted radar countermeasures system, the AN/ALQ-135, for the F-15K fighter.
Production is expected to begin early this summer at LaBarge's Tulsa, OK, facility and is expected to continue through fall 2006. Additional orders are expected, LaBarge said in a statement.
The assemblies will be used in Northrop's internally mounted radar countermeasures system, the AN/ALQ-135, for the F-15K fighter.
Production is expected to begin early this summer at LaBarge's Tulsa, OK, facility and is expected to continue through fall 2006. Additional orders are expected, LaBarge said in a statement.
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. and European Union today announced they are ready to endorse a joint "action strategy" for the enforcement of intellectual property rights in Third World countries.
Representatives of the two regions are meeting this week in Vienna to nail down a variety of issues with implications to both sides of the Atlantic. The value of counterfeit goods seized at EU borders has grown more than 1000% since 1998, according to one published report.
Representatives of the two regions are meeting this week in Vienna to nail down a variety of issues with implications to both sides of the Atlantic. The value of counterfeit goods seized at EU borders has grown more than 1000% since 1998, according to one published report.
St. Charles, IL – Electra Polymers Ltd. has bought Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials’ inks business. The company will gain the Ronascreen inks and soldermask lines, as well as Durashield V42 thick copper technology filler products.
The acquisition, to be completed by the end of July, expands Electra’s portfolio of high-reliability coatings and gives it access to the heavy copper filler business.
Electra’s sales and marketing director, Shaun Tibbals, said in a release, “To remain competitive you have to put R&D effort behind your products. The Ronascreen product line has been developed over the years by leading, innovative companies such as Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, LeaRonal, Morton, Shipley, Hoechst and now, through this acquisition, we are acquiring extensive levels of technological know-how.”
The acquisition involves the transfer to Electra of IP, product formulations and the existing global customer base.
Tibbals added, “While this does not give us new geographical markets, and although we already have a range of world-class soldermasks and inks for the PCB industry, it does give us access into new sectors."
The acquisition, to be completed by the end of July, expands Electra’s portfolio of high-reliability coatings and gives it access to the heavy copper filler business.
Electra’s sales and marketing director, Shaun Tibbals, said in a release, “To remain competitive you have to put R&D effort behind your products. The Ronascreen product line has been developed over the years by leading, innovative companies such as Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, LeaRonal, Morton, Shipley, Hoechst and now, through this acquisition, we are acquiring extensive levels of technological know-how.”
The acquisition involves the transfer to Electra of IP, product formulations and the existing global customer base.
Tibbals added, “While this does not give us new geographical markets, and although we already have a range of world-class soldermasks and inks for the PCB industry, it does give us access into new sectors."
Thief River Falls, MN – Components distributor Digi-Key Corp. has added a series of 10 Product Training Modules (PTM) to its Website (digikey.com). The modules offer design engineers 24/7 access to product seminars that vary in length from 15 to 30 minutes.
Audio and non-audio versions of the modules require Macromedia Flash 6. They are also available as MP3 downloads.
The Web-based learning tools were developed and produced with the cooperation of several of Digi-Key’s supplier partners, including Altera Corp., Analog Devices, Fairchild Semiconductor, Freescale Semiconductor, Micrel Inc., Philips, Silicon Laboratories and STMicroelectronics.
Audio and non-audio versions of the modules require Macromedia Flash 6. They are also available as MP3 downloads.
The Web-based learning tools were developed and produced with the cooperation of several of Digi-Key’s supplier partners, including Altera Corp., Analog Devices, Fairchild Semiconductor, Freescale Semiconductor, Micrel Inc., Philips, Silicon Laboratories and STMicroelectronics.
Clinton, NY – Two Indium Corp. engineers have received the Surface Mount Technology Association’s designation as Certified Process Engineers. Mario Scalzo and Chris Anglin join nine other SMTA-certified engineers at the company.
Scalzo has been with Indium for six years and is a technical support engineer for the Southwest and Rocky Mountain regions. Anglin joined the company in 2004 and serves the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.
The other certified employees include: Ronald C. Lasky, PhD, PE, Tim Jensen, Dave Sbiroli, Karl Pfluke, Karthik Vijayamadhavan and Eric Bastow in the U.S.; Ivan Castellanos in Mexico; Adrian Low in Singapore; and Sehar Samiappan in Malaysia.
SMTA certification recognizes and certifies the entire SMT assembly process at an engineering level. Participants must have several years of SMT experience in addition to completing educational requirements in a technical discipline. The course includes a series of workshops and concludes with two days of competitive testing.
Scalzo has been with Indium for six years and is a technical support engineer for the Southwest and Rocky Mountain regions. Anglin joined the company in 2004 and serves the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.
The other certified employees include: Ronald C. Lasky, PhD, PE, Tim Jensen, Dave Sbiroli, Karl Pfluke, Karthik Vijayamadhavan and Eric Bastow in the U.S.; Ivan Castellanos in Mexico; Adrian Low in Singapore; and Sehar Samiappan in Malaysia.
SMTA certification recognizes and certifies the entire SMT assembly process at an engineering level. Participants must have several years of SMT experience in addition to completing educational requirements in a technical discipline. The course includes a series of workshops and concludes with two days of competitive testing.
SAN JOSE – North American-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted $1.65 billion in orders in May on a three-month average basis and a book-to-bill ratio of 1.12 according to the latest data from SEMI.
A book-to-bill of 1.12 means that $112 worth of orders were received for every $100 of product billed for the month.
A book-to-bill of 1.12 means that $112 worth of orders were received for every $100 of product billed for the month.
Press Releases
- Surf-Tech Manufacturing Corp. Ensures World-Class Quality with Advanced Conformal Coating Services
- Luminovo Partners with Sluicebox to Offer an Industry-First Instant Product Carbon Footprint for Electronics
- The Assembly Show and SMTAI Announce Colocation in October
- SIA Applauds CHIPS Act Incentives for GlobalWafers Projects in Texas and Missouri