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CUPERTINO, CA -- Apple Computer has launched an audit of the plant that builds its iPods in response to published reports of the factory's poor working conditions.

The plant is located in Longhua, China and is owned by Foxconn, the world's largest EMS company.

Circuits Assembly reported on the problems last week.

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Carpinteria, CA - NuSil Technology, a manufacturer of silicone-based materials, has opened its first technical support office in Asia.

 
The office, located in Penang, Malaysia, will specialize in optoelectronics and electronic packaging, served by the company’ s Lightspan products and its low-outgassing electronic packaging materials respectively.

 
T.Y. Lim is the application engineer heading the office.

 
According to a press release, the company has noticed recent growth in the Asian optoelectronics industry.

COPENHAGEN -- Lego, the maker of the ubiquitous building blocks and other toys, will outsource most of its production to Flextronics over the next three years, with the EMS provider taking over some Lego plants. Other production will be moved to Flextronics’ plants in Eastern Europe and Mexico. No financial terms were immediately disclosed.

The move breaks new ground for Flextronics. "It's not electronics, it's plastic molding," said Alexander Blanton, an analyst at Ingalls & Synder told TheStreet.com. "This is the first major piece of business that I have seen of that nature."

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FRANKFURT -- Consolidation continued in the telecom space as Nokia and Siemens announced the combining of heir mobile-network operations to create a 50:50 joint venture with annual revenue of about $20 billion.

The new entity will be called Nokia Siemens Networks and is expected to be finalized by year-end, pending regulatory approval.
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CeTaQ Americas has expanded machine performance verification services to include verifying placement of very tiny passive chip components to 01005 size. Such components, loaded from tape and reel, are difficult to place accurately and repeatably, and require that placement equipment operate within tight performance tolerances and accuracy to minimize defects.
 
General manager Mike Sivigny said, “These chips are so tiny that pad dimensions and geometries are measured in microns. If a placement machine is not operating fully within a manufacturer’s stated accuracies, there will be a higher rate of defects and reduced yields. These components are already responsible for higher defect levels than larger scale components, and are the focus of considerable process optimization efforts within the industry. Additionally, their tiny size makes manual rework difficult, compounding the negative impact of defects caused by inaccurate placement.”
 
The most common problems found on chip placement equipment, Sivigny adds, are systematic offsets, per head, per nozzle, per angle or simply a general offset. Offsets negatively affect chip shooter accuracy, resulting in PCB defects, lower yields, and costly manual rework. With growing demand for 01005 chip usage, placement accuracy is increasingly important.
 

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – The SMTA is offering two more process certification workshops in 2006. Each SMTA Certification program, one for SMT Processes and one for Six Sigma Green Belt, is a three-day workshop consisting of refresher topics and examinations. The workshop assumes that the participant has at least 2-3 years of SMT experience and has an educational background equivalent to two years or more of college in a technical discipline.
 
SMTA Certification is not an entry-level program. Basic algebra and statistics will be used in the workshop and examination. The examination requires written answers and some calculations. 
 
Remaining programs include:
 
SMT Processes Certification
August 22-24
Heraeus, Inc. - West Conshohocken, PA

SMT Processes & Six Sigma Certification
September 25-28
Donald Stephens Convention Center - Rosemount, IL

For full details, visit http://www.smta.org/certification/certification.cfm
 

BRUSSELS -- A new study from the University of Würzburg undertaken for the EU FIRE project confirms the conclusion that TBBPA poses no health risks.
 
Previous studies on TBBPA carried out under the EU FIRE project have reached the same conclusion, as did the EU human health risk assessment report which identified no risk to human health. 
 
TBBPA is used to comply with global fire safety requirements mainly as a reactive chemical in epoxy resins of FR4 PCB  laminates and as an additive to ABS plastics.
 
Results of the study of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA)  in human and rats after oral administration suggest a very low systemic bioavailability of TBBPA after oral administration due to efficient hepatic metabolism and biliary excretion of conjugates formed.
 
SAN DIEGO -- Goodwill Industries of San Diego County and Dell have introduced Reconnect San Diego, a free drop-off program to recycle unwanted computers. The pilot program aims to divert at least 2 million pounds of used computers and computer equipment from landfills over one year and to provide consumer education on the importance of proper computer disposal -- while creating job opportunities for individuals with disabilities and other employment barriers.
 
San Diego residents can visit www.reconnectpartnership.com or www.sdgoodwill.org to locate a convenient Goodwill donation centers. Goodwill will sort the donated computer equipment, which will be recycled through the Dell Asset Recovery Services value recovery program. Dell's authorized product recovery partner will remarket the recycled materials, such as plastics, glass and metals, and all sales proceeds will go to Goodwill to support the non-profit's job training and employment services programs.    
 
“This new alliance will really expand our existing electronics recycling program and further Goodwill’s mission at the same time," said Mike Rowan, CEO of Goodwill Industries of San Diego County. “Working with Dell will help us ensure we are implementing the latest environmentally sound recycling practices.”
 
Reconnect San Diego is the latest in a series of Dell environmental initiatives to raise awareness of the importance of responsibly recycling computers and increase recycling participation rates. Other Reconnect pilot programs are under way in Central Texas, Michigan and the San Francisco Bay area. 
 
TAIPEI -- Foxconn Electronics, the world's largest EMS provider, will add three global regional offices in Asia this year, the Chinese-language Apple Daily is reporting.

The move would bring the company's total 17.


CUPERTINO, CA -- Apple Computer is taking heat for its relationship with Foxconn for the wages and working conditions at the latter's factories.

According to a report in the Mail on Sunday, Foxconn employees typically put in 15-hour days and some earn just $50 per month -- with up to half returned to Foxconn to cover housing and food. Visitors are reportedly forbidden.

Foxconn manufactures Apple's iPod media players.


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ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- Analysts are picking Jabil Circuit apart after the EMS firm lowered its earnings per share guidance for its May quarter and admitted to three operating mishaps during the quarter.

"After not missing guidance for four-plus years, we find it suspicious that Jabil incurred three isolated operating miscues in the same quarter -- when any one of the three would have caused (the company to miss its guidance). We also find it bizarre that Jabil provided such a wide EPS range, given that the quarter closed two weeks ago," wrote Carter Shoop of Deutsche Bank Equity Research in a research note issued last night.
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SALT LAKE CITY -- CirTran Corp., a full-service EMS firm, has closed and received bankruptcy court approval to purchase almost all assets of Advanced Beauty Solutions for a total of $2.31 million.

Iehab J. Hawatmeh, CirTran's founder and President, said an

Last week's agreement covers ABS's flat iron and hair dryer product inventory, intellectual property, customer lists, a 30-minute infomercial and trade secrets.

CirTran will pay ABS $1.125 million in cash at closing, and will reduce its approved claim in the bankruptcy against ABS by $750,000. CirTran will pay the balance to ABS as a guaranteed royalty over two years.

ABS had defaulted on a manufacturing agreement with CirTran under which the EMS firm was to build hair dryer kits. Through October 2005, CirTran had shipped about $4.75 million worth of product to ABS, for which it had received payments of $788,000. In November, CirTran repossessed approximately $2.34 million worth of product from ABS and began selling those products directly.

In January, CirTran sued ABS, claiming breach of contract and fraud. At the same time, ABS filed for Chapter 11.

The bankruptcy court last week approved of the sale of ABS's assets to CirTran.

 

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