PALO ALTO -- SiliconPipe received the Frost & Sullivan 2005 Excellence in Technology Award in the field of system-level interconnect solutions for its Novias technology. The technology is based on the removal of performance-limiting and expensive plated vias from the interconnection channel.
 
The technology was developed to create stair step interconnections among IC packages, interconnection substrates and connectors. Prototypes have already been introduced and it will soon be incorporated in products.
 
"SiliconPipe interconnection technologies enable product and system designers to use simple I/O buffers to send signals well beyond 2 Gbps," says F & S research analyst Sivakumar Muthuramalingam. "The company's innovations in interconnect technologies cover the entire spectrum of electronic assembly from their simple, cost-effective Stair Step Packaging (SSP) for ICs to low cost, high performance, backplane connectors used in PCBs."
 
"SiliconPipe's unique and novel solutions leverage existing manufacturing infrastructure and cost reductions and performance gains are achievable with relatively simple modifications to current design and manufacturing practices," notes Muthuramalingam. "Since these interconnection channels will operate at frequencies that are well beyond today's requirements, current products that incorporate these 'clean' interconnections could offer advantages of lower power consumption and better scalability."
 

AUSTIN, TX – 3M Electronics’ advanced laminate, 3M Embedded Capacitor Material, is RoHS compliant.
 
It can be made with a dielectric thickness down to 8 microns and a capacitance density over 10 nanofarads/sq.in., which makes it among the thinnest and highest capacitance density materials available for embedding planar capacitance in circuit boards. When used as “power” and “ground” layers in a multilayer PCB, it becomes a shared decoupling capacitor inside the board, allowing for the elimination of many discrete surface-mount capacitors and their associated vias.
 
The material is compatible with rigid and flex PCB processing, including laser drilling.   

Shropshire, UK – UK Manufacturers may get another six-month reprieve to implement the EU’s WEEE legislation, if a report from B2B Compliance proves true.
 
According to the report, the government is considering a proposal to delay the legislation until June 2006, with producer responsibility commencing in January 2007.
 
As yet, however, no further delays have been posted on the Department of Trade and Industry’s Website. Last August, the DTI announced that responsibility would not commence until June 2006, pushing back the deadline (originally, Aug. 15, 2005, then delayed to January 2006) due to insufficient preparations.

Munich – Markets for microsystems will double over the next five years from $12 billion in 2004 to $25 billion in 2009, a CAGR of 16%, according to a market report by NEXUS.
 
MST/MEMS sensors and actuators are predicted to continue to consolidate their position in established IT peripheral markets for read/write heads and inkjet heads, in addition to creating new opportunities for microphones, memories, micro energy sources and chip coolers.
 
The automotive sector remains a major application field with several high-volume safety products including air bags and tire pressure monitoring systems.
 
Helping propel the market is the meteoric rise of the consumer electronics segment, forecast to almost quadruple its share from 6% of the market in 2004 to 22% in 2009 (a CAGR of 50%).
 
“The growth of consumer electronics for MST is breathtaking,” said Dr Henning Wicht, managing director of WTC. “In this segment we see rear and front projection TVs for home theater, as well as HDDs serving the increasing storage requirements of digital equipment such as DVD recorders, digital cameras and camcorders, and portable MP3 players. A big driver is the mobile phone, which already features motion sensors and is amenable to a battery of additional sensors and functions like liquid lenses for camera zoom, fingerprint sensors, microfuel cell power sources, gas sensors and weather barometers.”
 
Of the 26 products analyzed in the report, 14 will have market volumes over $100 million, and completely new products such as microfuel cells, fingerprint sensors and liquid lenses will worth a combined $250 million in five years.
 
The study, NEXUS Market Analysis III, was coordinated by WTC (Wicht Technologie Consulting) on behalf of NEXUS (The Network of Excellence in Multifunctional Microsystems).

The roadmap provides direction for product and process development for companies building electronic and optoelectronic equipment. Each chapter contains specific recommendations addressing current, near-term, mid-term and long-term requirements, proposed actions and opportunities.
 

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SINGAPORE -- Solectron Corp. today opened a facility dedicated to manufacturing medical products such as  high-performance liquid chromatographs and fluidics subassemblies.

The Singapore Medical Center of Excellence is sited in Chai Chee, Singapore's Techno Park, and employs staff who have worked at leading medical OEMs.

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GREENVILLE, SC -- Kemet Corp. today announced a definitive agreement to purchase the tantalum capacitor business of Epcos AG for $101.9 million. The deal is expected to close next spring, subject to standard closing conditions and receipt of required regulatory approvals.

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SHANGHAI -- Tyco Electronics is "aggressively" expanding its operations in Shanghai, adding thousands to its workforce while it trims its capacity in the U.S. and Europe.

According to a report today from Deutsche Bank analyst Carter Shoop, Tyco is Electronics hired 4,000 employees in China in fiscal 2005, and plans to add another 6,000 to 7,000 in fiscal 2006. A new engineering center is planned as well.

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SAN FRANCISCO -- 2005 was a year for consolidation among distributors, and market conditions will drive further merger activity in 2006, an analyst said today.

In 2005, Avnet bought Memec, Arrow acquired Ultra Source, World Peace teamed with SAC and RichPower. Also, Yosun acquired two smaller Asia-based distributors for Texas Instruments.

"Look for more of the same in 2006," wrote Carter Shoop, an analyst at Deutsche Bank, in a research note issued today.

Shoop said that lack of growth in North America and Europe, "coupled with incentives from suppliers to develop a more comprehensive Asian footprint and pressure from customers to offer a broader line card, are driving consolidation in the fragmented Asian distribution market."

 

 

Hudson, NH – CeTaQ America has enhanced capability for testing live QFPs during Machine Capability Analysis (MCA) testing.
 
“Rather than using dummy components, the ability to use the live QFPs brings MCA testing right up to the electronics manufacturer’s real-world manufacturing scenario,” Michael Sivigny, general manager, said in a statement. “This makes our testing methodology the most relevant and accurate that it can possibly be.”
 
MCA testing is a third party evaluation methodology that uses special vision algorithms, glass plates and components to measure Cp and Cpk indices on production equipment. All brands and models of SMT printers, dispensers, placement and semiconductor machines are validated. The goal is to verify that a machine is performing to the manufacturer’s original specifications, and make any necessary corrective adjustments if it is not.
 
In testing placement accuracy, for example, the actual fine pitch QFP components and various types of leaded devices can now be used. The pick-and-place machine places components on the test fixture marked with local reference points and fiducials. The components are analyzed against data from component data sheets. Measurements and statistical data are collected for calculating Cp and Cpk indices on side overhang, toe overhang and lead pitch, for example. These results can be used to feedback quality of incoming component material to component suppliers. The QFP components are not harmed during testing and can be returned to parts inventories for assembly after passing capability inspection.

ATLANTA -- Visiprise completed its merger with HMS Software, forming a manufacturing software environment provider with more than 270 employees and more than 200 customers.


To facilitate the transaction, Visiprise closed on over $30 million of new financing led by Investor Growth Capital and Westbury Partners. This financing also included participation from the company’s current investors.


Visiprise has re-organized into industry business units (IBUs), creating more focus around the company’s selected vertical markets – aerospace and defense, electronics, automotive and specialty vehicles, and medical devices.


Visiprise focused on high-volume, high-mix manufacturing environments with HMS Software adding low-volume asset and labor-intense manufacturing capability.