Circuits Assembly Online Magazine - News

News

Carlsbad, CA – Asymtek, together with fluid suppliers Dow Corning, Dymax, EMI and Humiseal, is offering conformal coating workshops in Montreal and Toronto on Oct. 11 and 13. The one-day training programs will provide information about the various types of coatings available -- silicone, acrylics, urethanes, UV-curable coatings and adhesives --and the most recent automated equipment options available for mask-free conformal coating.

Speakers from material and equipment perspectives will review best practices for coating, including how to select, cure and apply. Attendees are encouraged to bring sample parts of current and future applications.

There is no charge for the events, but a reservation is required by Oct. 1. For more info., visit: asymtek.com/news/seminars/canada_2005/.

TEMPE, AZ -- EMS provider Three-Five Systems Inc. today filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The petition is part of ongoing actions taken by the company to sell off its assets and subsidiaries.

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL -- SigmaTron International, an electronic manufacturing services company, today reported first-quarter earnings of $165,067 on revenues of $21.3 million. Both figures were down year-over-year.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Nam Tai Electronics achieved a new monthly sales record of $67 million in August.
The previous single month sales record was $63 million in April 2005.

"We are very delighted with these results," said Joseph Li, chief executive. "With our continued growth, we look forward to a successful third quarter."

ARLINGTON, TX -- VirTra Systems, Inc. has announced a preliminary manufacturing and
marketing agreement under which Sanmina-SCI would provide manufacturability analysis, bid proposal and marketing support, and manufacturing services for VirTra Systems' military training simulators.

"We are excited about the opportunities provided by VirTra Systems' new IVR 4G(TM) simulator and we expect to excel within this segment of the defense market," said Steve Roser, vice president of business development for Sanmina-SCI's Defense and Aerospace Systems division. "VirTra Systems' simulation technology is a perfect complement to our Defense and Aerospace Systems division. With demand for military virtual reality simulators rapidlyaccelerating, we believe the market for VirTra Systems' IVR 4G simulator products will be considerable."

"This partnership with Sanmina-SCI enables us to greatly increase short-term production capabilities while ensuring large multi-system purchasers of timely delivery with a top-tier, worldwide support infrastructure," said L. Kelly Jones, VirTra Systems' chief executive.

BERLIN -- Hewlett-Packard Co. is cutting 5,900 jobs across Europe in an effort to reduce overhead costs.

About 1,500 jobs will be cut in Germany, where HP currently employs 9,000 workers.

The first layoffs will come next July and expected to continue through early 2007.

HP employs about 44,000 workers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

NEW YORK – More acquisitions are ahead for Dover Corp., the parent company of Dover Technologies. So said company executives during its annual investor conference today.

ORANGE, CA – Inspex Inc. has begun quickturn x-ray inspection services for PCBs, semiconductor packaging and assembly.

The firm handles inspection of BGA, QFPs and PLCC components on all types of assemblies, plus other semiconductor components, active and passive devices, multilayer PCBs, molded and encapsulated components, connectors and cables.

The company is capable of 24-hour turns, president Jay Adams said in a press release.

PORTSMOUTH, RI – International Manufacturing Services Inc., a manufacturer of thick film resistors and substrates, named Zully Alidina and RF Spectrum its representative in Canada.

RF Spectrum is based in Markham, Ontario.

MINNEAPOLIS -- The SMTA has issued a call for papers for the Medical Electronics Symposium. The event will be held in Minneapolis in the spring of 2006.

The deadline for abstracts is Nov. 4.

Medical electronics is worth some $50 billion and is one of the few industries still based largely in the
U.S. The conference will explore medical electronics devices, components, packaging and assembly for major categories such as: diagnostics, imaging, monitoring, life support, implantable products, personal monitor/delivery devices, and disposable electronics.

While each industry segment has different assembly needs and volumes ranging from one unit per month to millions per year, the conference will explore the differences and similarities of the production lines and operations. A key focus of the conference will be emerging and future advances in medical electronics as impacted by advances in semiconductors, sensors, microfluidics, optoelectronics, MEMS and nanotechnology.

Abstracts of 200-300 words should be sent to conference coordinator Melissa Serres at melissa@smta.org.

EL SEGUNDO, CA -- The rapid rise in global energy prices, combined with a growing excess of manufacturing capacity, has prompted iSuppli to trim its forecast for 2005 semiconductor sales and to modify its longer-term outlook.

iSuppli cut its forecast for global semiconductor sales growth to 2.4% in 2005, reaching $232.7 billion.

POMONA, CA – Everett Charles Technologies has acquired Harbor Electronics Inc., a maker of circuit boards for semiconductor test applications. Financial terms were not disclosed.