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News

Richardson, TX -- It's solder bumping, not jetting or gold stud bumping. CVI (www.covinc.com) can now bump single die and partial wafers with solder alloys that are representative of final production. Available alloys include SnPb (eutectic), SAC, Pb-rich, InPb and AuSn.

Bumping helps in high-speed, high-power applications that need quick turn to validate design, and helps provide better test simulation prior to final design. When cycle time is important, cost is critical and resources are limited, bumping a few die at a time can be effective to evaluate a design.

The process is applicable to traditional or MEMS components, and bumps can be applied to a substrate or die. Bump-to-bump variability is reportedly reduced compared to other processes such as solder jetting, screen-printing or electroplating. The traditional prototype method of using gold studs followed by thermocompression or thermosonic bonding can be eliminated.

The company can also attach solder balls to bare Al bond pads. The same hardware can be used to bump a die with various alloys to evaluate lead-free solutions. Alternating pads on the die can be bumped with differing alloys or geometry, allowing electromigration studies within the same die or within one wafer. This also reduces lot-to-lot and wafer-to-wafer variation.

The process is said to eliminate variables such as paste viscosity, metal load changes, missing bumps, voiding, and changes in size and planarity.

CVI can accommodate individual die bumping, partial wafer bumping, or die repair with various alloy compositions. Contact Terence Collier for more information: tqcollier@covinc.com.

HOUSTON, TX, March 17 - Action Circuits (UK) Ltd. recently purchased a BP4700 automated system from BP Microsystems. The company added to its full range of BP Micro programming systems to accommodate its increasing programming service.

Action Circuits services large component distributors, key names in the automotive industry and is the only approved programming center for Quicklogic Corp., Xilinx Inc. and Altera Corp. in Europe. The Luton, England-based company expects to program over 12 million devices this year.

NASHUA, NH -- Teradyne Inc.'s printed circuit board plant today received a key U.S. EPA recognition for surpassing environmental regulation standards.

The company's High Performance Circuits facility was named a member of the EPA's National Environmental Performance Track program, joining more than 300 facilities nationwide in their commitment to consistently exceed environmental regulation requirements. Teradyne is among only six companies in New Hampshire to be selected, the company said.

The National Environmental Performance Track program is designed to recognize and encourage top environmental performers -- those that go beyond compliance with regulatory requirements to attain levels of environmental performance and management that benefit people, communities and the environment, the company said in a statement.

The Teradyne plant qualified for the program through its performance, continuous commitment to environmental compliance and implementation of a strong environmental management system.

"Performance Track facilities represent a new generation of environmental leaders who have the vision to embrace the strategies that will protect the environment for generations to come," said Dan Fiorino, director of EPA's Performance Incentives Division.

COLLEGE PARK, MD - DfR Solutions and Interface Sciences Corp. have begun a joint investigation into potential improvements in CAF resistance through the application of ISC's molecular assembly and deposition technologies.

DfR Solutions, which has extensive experience in CAF experimentation and failure analysis, has identified this technology as a critical link in ensuring CAF robustness in high-density printed boards subjected to Pb-free reflow. The ISC process increases the uniformity and surface density of silane coupling agents on glass reinforcement - up to four times denser - compared with current technology, the companies said in a joint statement. This is expected to improve the intrinsic resistance of the fiber/epoxy bond to hydrolysis and cracking (during drilling), decreasing the influence of manufacturing defects on CAF. In addition, the process enables the deposition of novel surface chemistries that are expected to suppress filament formation. Substantial increases in CAF resistance are expected from the combination of these effects.

DFR and Interface are currently establishing supply chain development channels with glass, laminate and PCB manufacturing companies.

NEW ALBANY, IN - Key Electronics Inc., a provider of electronics manufacturing services, has acquired the assets of Accutronix Manufacturing Services. Financial details were not disclosed.

Accutronix is a privately-held electronics manufacturer with 47 employees in Owingsville, KY.

Mark Fulks, senior vice president at Key, becomes general manager for the Kentucky operation.

Key employs about 100 workers at its New Albany factory, and is constructing a 104,000 sq. ft. office and manufacturing facility in Jeffersonville, IN. The new plant is scheduled to be opened this summer.

TORONTO -- EMS provider SMTC Corp. today reported fiscal 2004 net earnings of $1.3 million on revenue of $245 million. This compares with a net loss of $40 million on revenue of $306 million last year.

The fourth-quarter net loss narrowed but sales declined sharply. Revenue and earnings were hurt by an unanticipated volume decline from a major customer that operates in a cyclical sector, the company said.

For the year the company generated $5.1 million in cash from operations. down from $5.5 million for 2003.

In a press release, John Caldwell, president and chief executive, said, "We expect to produce sequential revenue growth by the second quarter of 2005 and continue with positive momentum through the back half of the year."

For the fourth quarter the company reported a net loss of $2.5 million on sales of $48 million. SMTC took $700,000 in restructuring and other one-time charges. SMTC lost $2.6 million on revenue of $76.9 million a year ago.

PHOENIX -- Suntron Corp. today reported net sales of $115.8 million and a net loss of $1.3 million for its fourth quarter ended Dec. 31.

For the year, the EMS maker posted a net loss of $4.5 million on net sales of $475.4 million.

For the quarter net sales were up 47% increase from last year on higher demand for semiconductor capital equipment, aerospace and defense, industrial and medical gear. The net loss was $1.3 million, vs. a net loss of $6.1 million.

For the year, the net loss was $4.5 million, vs. a net loss of $34.3 million in 2003. The operating loss improved to $400,000 from $5.5 million a year ago. Sequentially, fourth-quarter net sales decreased 10%, due to lower demand for semiconductor tools.

FRAMINGHAM, MA -- February brought a slight rebound in projected IT spending after declines over the previous three months, CIO magazine said today.

Chief information officers predict spending growth of 5.9% over the next 12 months, up from 5.4% reported during January, according the magazine's monthly poll.

Telecom equipment and infrastructure software had the largest number of CIOs who predict increases.

"The February results are somewhat reassuring" said Gary Beach, group publisher of CXO Media, the company that publishes CIO. "After three straight monthly declines, it is a good sign we are seeing some leveling off. CIOs are now facing
a more constrained environment and must make hard choices between infrastructure maintenance and system upgrades. I believe in the coming months we will see a slow but steady rate of growth. However, unless the CEO and CFO loosen the
purse strings, we will not see explosive growth."

"Although IT spending projections improved modestly from January levels, CIO spending expectations have declined noticeably from last fall," said Chris Whitmore, director IT hardware research for Deutsche Bank Securities. "The upswing
this month in the telecom and infrastructure software markets is one highlight in the data. However, it remains to be seen if this is the beginning of a trend."

AYLESBURY, ENGLAND -- EMS company TT Electronics has acquired the contract assembly arm of Dage Holdings Ltd. No financial details were made available.

Dage Electronics Integrated Systems has sites in Suzhou, China, and the U.K.

TT Electronics called the asset acquisition "complementary," saying DEIS has strong backplane design and manufacturing capabilities.

MIAMI -- Day two of a conference for electronics hardware OEMs and their EMS suppliers was "relatively neutral," the sponsoring firm said today. One company, Plexus, suggested a possible acquisition in Eastern Europe.

In a report issued today, Deutsche Bank said Celestica CFO Anthony Puppi gave cautious forecast for end-market demand this year.

Celestica and Plexus said the March quarter is running to expectations, despite continuing pricing pressure. At the end of its latest, 15-month restructuring plan, Celestica expects capacity utilization to reach 70%.

Plexus CEO Dean Foate said that the EMS firm's top-line growth this year will be
primarily from new program ramps. The company has restructured several supply-chain agreements, "which should help drive improved working capital management in the March quarter and beyond," DB said.

Plexus also said an acquisition or greenfield expansion in Eastern Europe was a possibility.

The company expects its Penang, Malaysia, plant will reach breakeven by late in the third quarter, DB said..

GREENVILLE, SC -- The recently resigned chief executive of Kemet Corp. will receive $425,000 in cash plus other benefits as parting gifts, the company reported in an SEC filing.

Graves abruptly resigned from the company effective Jan. 26.

According to an 8-K filing by the firm, Graves, a former chief executive and director , will receive $35,416.67 per month for 12 months, $10,600 toward a car allowance, and various insurance benefits and outplacement services.

Graves is subject to a noncompete provision for the next 12 months.

MIAMI - A number of high-profile OEMs and EMS providers presenting at an analysts conference yesterday gave mixed outlooks for 2005, and at least one EMS company suggested further acquisitions are in store.

Benchmark Electronics chief executive Cary Fu "suggested that an acquisition of assets capabilities in Asia in on the horizon," Deutsche Bank analyst Chris Whitmore said today. Fu made the remarks at DB's hardware conference here yesterday.