News
The Surface Mount Technology Association (SMTA, Minneapolis, MN) recently announced the Best of Conference paper for the Ninth Annual Pan Pacific Microelectronics Symposium, held in February in Kahuku, Oahu, HI. As rated by the attendees, the award was presented to Charlie Barnhart of Technology Forecasters Inc. (Alameda, CA).
In his paper, "Contract Manufacturing Strategies: Addressing the Changing Global Landscape," Barnhart discusses "today's market preference for China, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) industry's fascination with off-the-shelf product solutions and the impact of these trends on the electronics manufacturing services (EMS) and original design manufacturer (ODM) industries, as well as their probable reactions and their likely successes."
While the clear message is electronic manufacturing is expanding in China and shrinking in the Americas, Europe and even other Asian locations, China is not a panacea for manufacturing all types of electronic products. Issues concerning logistics, management of program, employee skill level, labor conditions, infrastructure, business culture and government practices are adding unexpected costs.
The paper also looks at projected growth rates over the next five years, especially considering that net global capacity may actually decrease during the period.
The 2005 Pan Pacific Microelectronics Symposium will be held on Kauai, Hawaii, Jan. 25-27, 2005.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Tecnomatix Technologies Ltd. (Herzlia, Israel), a provider of manufacturing process management (MPM), has introduced eM-Execution, the latest solution in the company's eMPower for electronics offerings. The Web-based software solution was created specifically to meet the production management and analytical needs of electronics circuit board manufacturers and their supply chain partners.
The system helps electronics manufacturers act on critical production data to better serve their customers and meet regulatory demands by masking the complexity of gathering and managing critical manufacturing information. It creates customizable information and status reports targeted to multiple audiences, from the shop floor to the executive suite.
Electronics manufacturers can configure the solution to meet their specific needs and business objectives. Some of the key functionalities available include: traceability; electronic records and signatures; material management; process verification; repair; production analytics; and quality management.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Pentaplex, Inc. (Elgin, IL, www.pentaplexinc.com), a small, privately owned printed circuit board (PCB) fabricator, recently reported that it has finished pilot testing a lead-free hot air leveling (HAL) process that meets its customers' requirements with a minimum of disruption to its manufacturing processes. The company claims to be the first PCB facility to use this process in the U.S.
This lead-free HAL process is a result of the collaboration between Pentaplex and Florida Cirtech, (Greeley, CO, www.floridacirtech.com), a manufacturer and supplier of proprietary chemistries to both the electronics assembly and PCB fabrication industries. Because of the technical background of Chuck Lawrence—the founder and chief process engineer of Pentaplex, the experience of the company's employees, and the unique features of one of its two hot air levelers, Glenn Sikorcin, a Florida Cirtech representative, felt that Pentaplex would be ideal for a pilot operation of Cirtech's SN100CL process.
This product is a form of eutectic tin-copper that was developed and patented by Nihon Superior as a wave solder replacement. It involves the addition of trace nickel to the alloy, which seems to have eliminated many of the problems associated with the tin-copper alloy. SN100CL is a version of this alloy that was created for hot air leveling applications.
The major challenge in hot air leveling with lead-free solders is the heat lost at the board surface-solder interface. The temperature of the molten solder has to be maintained there during application for results to be acceptable, which means a rapid molten metal turnover and strong heat transfer capability. Pentaplex's older Quicksilver model HAL machine had both of these design features.
To convert the hot air leveler for lead-free solder, the 63-37 eutectic solder was drained from the bath, the stainless steel tank surfaces were scoured clean and reoxidized, the air supply was upgraded and the temperature controller's sensitivity was improved. Then the HAL machines' operating parameters were fine-tuned, with bath temperature and dwell time the biggest concerns. Once those had been optimized, the testing of various panel types for compliance to standards began.
The results were excellent. Several types of PCBs were tested: high-density; fine-line; multilayers up to 24 layers; vias; large panels; small panels; thick and thin panels; and copper thicknesses up to 10 oz. copper. According to the companies, all of these types passed through the lead-free hot air solder process with results comparable to normal solder. Both tin-copper and tin-lead-coated component leads were tested in soldering studies, with joint strength and metallurgical structures proving satisfactory. Similar tests run with panels exposed to simulated one-year storage conditions had similar results with good wetting and joint strength.
When the tests were completed, the companies determined that using SN100CL in the Quicksilver hot air leveler produced a solderable surface that was smooth, bright and relatively flat and easily cleared from through holes while leaving a sufficient thickness of solder for component solderability. The lead-free coating seems to maintain these characteristics for up to one year under the same conditions as tin-lead solder.
The critical factor in successfully adapting the SN100CL system was having a hot air leveler that can replace lost heat fast enough to keep the solder temperature steady. All other preparatory and fluxing operations were the same as for the prior tin-lead HAL operations, keeping the cost of installation fairly low.
Chad Industries Inc. (Orange, CA), a supplier of factory automation solutions for the semiconductor, electronics and life sciences industries, announced its return to the market as an independent solutions supplier. Chad had been acquired by Adept Technology Inc. in 2001 and continued operations as Adept Orange County. The employees at Orange County executed a buyout from Adept in March of 2004 and now operate under the original name, Chad Industries, as an independent company.
"We are delighted to continue providing industry solutions for semiconductor wafer handling cells (EFEMs), electronic odd-form and mechanical assembly solutions, and liquid handling solutions to Adept's customers in a seamless transition from Adept Orange County to Chad," said Scott Klimczak, president of Chad Industries.
"The divestiture of our Orange County division not only helps Adept refocus on our core components business, but the high-level solutions expertise at Chad gives us an excellent value-added channel to grow our standard product sales," said John Dulchinos, vice president of sales at Adept. "Having been the source of our platform design wins as Adept Orange County, we are happy that our customers will continue to get the same world-class solutions under the Chad name."
Chad Industries designs, manufactures and markets wafer handling solutions for the semiconductor industry, mechanical and odd-form component assembly solutions for the electronics industry, liquid handling solutions for the life sciences industry and other automated handling, assembly and test solutions.
Adept Technology designs, manufactures and markets robotic systems, motion control and machine vision technology for the telecommunications, electronics, semiconductor, automotive, lab automation and biomedical industries. Its robots, controllers and software products are used for small parts assembly, material handling and packaging.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
The monthly order index compiled by the Electronic Components, Assemblies & Materials Association (ECA, Arlington, VA) continued its upward trend in April, marking the ninth month in a row in which the 12-month moving average has risen.
ECA's index is consistent with other recent reports from industries that rely on electronic components. According to the Federal Reserve Board, U.S. electronics and computer production increased 1.1% between February and March; the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) reports that March sales rose 4.4% from February to March; and market-research firm IDC predicts that sales of LCD panels will grow by 56% this year, reaching $37 billion.
Bob Willis, ECA president, cites the recent success of the CARTS and EDS trade shows, as well as strong advance registration for the upcoming ECTC event, as additional signs of industry resurgence.
"Companies tend to provide funding for continuing education, professional networking and technical exchange when they perceive that times are good and getting better," said Willis.
The ECA represents manufacturers and producers of passive and active electronic components, component arrays and assemblies, and materials and support services. It is a sector of the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA), comprising more than 2,100 members that represent 80% of the $430 billion U.S. electronics industry.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Agilent Technologies Inc. (Palo Alto, CA) has shipped its 800th 93000 System-on-a-Chip (SOC) Series tester. According to the company, this milestone reinforces the market recognition of the series and its value as a single, scalable platform architecture.
"STMicroelectronics was one of our first customers when the 93000 was introduced, so we are pleased to mark this milestone with STMicro's most recent purchase," said Tom Newsom, vice president and general manager of Agilent's SOC Business Unit."
"The Agilent 93000 SOC Series offers support for a broad number of applications, including the fast-growing, price-conscious consumer electronics device market we supply," said Michel Vergniault, test strategy manager, Consumer and Microcontroller Group, STMicroelectronics. "Our continued relationship with Agilent is driven by our ongoing commitment to delivering advanced technology at a competitive price."
The series is designed to meet the demanding performance and cost challenges of SOC testing. Models are configured to span a range of applications that may require ultra-high-speed digital data rates, up to 10 Gb/s, and a range of mixed-signal and RF capabilities.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Cookson Group plc (London, UK) has announced that Raymond Sharpe, chief executive officer of the electronics division, has resigned his position, effective immediately, and will leave the company to take up a position in the private equity sector. Sharpe will join Texas Pacific Group, the equipty firm that recently agreed to buy Isola Laminate Systems.
According to The Financial Times, Sharpe is being brought in to run Isola. On May 12, Isola terminated its CEO, Michael Kowalski, and CFO, Dr. Peter Gaydoul.
Sharpe has agreed with the Board of Cookson to continue to assist the company as required for a short period.
Group chief executive Stephen Howard will assume direct responsibility for the electronics division.
Howard said, "Ray Sharpe has been a valued member of Cookson's executive team for many years and we are sorry to see him go. However, the electronics division benefits from a vastly experienced and highly motivated management team. As announced at the group's meeting on May 14, the strong recovery seen in the electronics division has continued into the second quarter and we are fully confident in our ability to continue to drive that recovery forward."
Cookson Group is a materials technology company that provides materials, processes and services to customers worldwide. The group's operations are formed into three divisions—electronics, ceramics and precious metals. The electronics division is a manufacturer and supplier of materials and services to the electronics industry, primarily serving fabricators and assemblers of printed circuit boards, assemblers of semiconductor packaging and the electrical and industrial markets.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Alcatel Bell's (Geel, Belgium) 2004 Technology Day will feature Indium Corp.of America's (Utica, NY) Dr. Ning-Cheng Lee as the keynote speaker.
Subtitled, "Preparing for RoHS Compliancy," the event will feature information on the conversion to lead-free soldering. Dr. Lee, vice president of technology at Indium, will deliver his paper, "Status of Lead-Free Soldering in the Electronics Industry."
Dr. Lee will also deliver a second presentation during the conference: "Understanding the Effect of Surface Finish on Lead-Free Solder Joint Reliability."
Other speakers are from Alcatel Bell, Alcatel Corporate, AMI Semiconductor and IMEC.
The event will be held on June 10 at the Alcatel Bell facility in Belgium.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider Flextronics (Singapore) has awarded its eight top suppliers with its 2003 Global Supplier Performance Award.
As part of the annual event, Flextronics awarded suppliers who provided support in the areas of quality, total cost, global account management, supply chain and design.
"Our supply base delivered more than $11 billion in products and services to Flextronics for the 2003 calendar year," said Steve Martson, senior vice president and chief procurement officer of Flextronics. "Given the changing landscape of our business and important role suppliers play in our success, it's a pleasure to take this opportunity to recognize eight top suppliers for their outstanding performance."
Recipients of the 2003 awards include: Future Electronics, involved in the distribution and marketing of semiconductors and passive, interconnect and electro-mechanical components; KEMET Electronics Corp., a supplier of capacitor solutions, tantalum products, a MLCC product line and tantalum and aluminum organic polymer product offerings; KOA Corp., a supplier of surface-mount and through-hole resistors, tantalum chip capacitors, resistor networks, inductors, integrated components, circuit protection and EMI/EMC filtering components; Mitsui & Co., Ltd., a general trading company that maintains a global network of 195 offices in 86 countries, and has 746 subsidiaries and associated companies worldwide; ON Semiconductor, offering power- and data-management semiconductors and standard semiconductor components; ROHM Co. Ltd., a worldwide supplier of advanced electronic components; Texas Instruments Inc., providing DSP and analog technologies, sensors, controls and educational and productivity solutions; and Broad Technologies Inc., a printed circuit board manufacturer, producing over 1.5 million sq. ft. of PCBs per month.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Purex International (Rotherham, UK), a manufacturer of fume extraction products, has appointed Paul Schofield in the role of customer support applications engineer. Schofield gained engineering experience during his time with the Royal Navy, GEC Marconi and BAE Systems.
The expansion of the engineering support department at Purex is due not only to a large increase in sales this year, but also because customers are benefiting from the close customer/supplier relationship encouraged by Purex.
Schofield said, "It is commonly accepted that if a process or task generates hazardous fumes, then to comply with occupational health and safety regulations a fume extraction system should be utilized. However, more and more customers who are purchasing fume extraction systems are asking us for engineering support as they try to reduce process costs, increase productivity and eliminate downtime."
Schofield can be contacted at: +44 (0)1709 763000.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Valor Computerized Systems (Yavne, Israel), a provider of productivity increasing engineering software solutions to the electronics design and manufacturing industry, announced that it has received orders for its Trilogy 5000 Assembly Engineering platform from Taiwanese original design manufacturer (ODM) Inventec.
Valor's decision to concentrate on the Far East as the largest emerging marketplace for outsourced electronics manufacturing services (EMS) has recently been affirmed through additional sales of the assembly platform to PC notebook, desktop and server manufactures in Taiwan, who are facing globalization challenges in the electronics manufacturing arena and need to offer trans-continental portability solutions to their internationally operating customer base.
"The new product introduction market in Taiwan is one of the most dynamic in the world, in terms of product types and products shipped," said Uri Michaelis, president of Valor Far East. "Taiwan manufacturers, as a whole, ship more than 65% of notebook PCs to the world markets. The fact that many Taiwanese manufacturers transfer production lines to China, makes it a key market in terms of defining the technology needs in Greater China."
Valor's Far East organization currently has five offices in Hong-Kong, Taiwan, South, East and North China, and expects to double its work force within the year.
www.valor.com
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Digi-Key Corp. (Thief River Falls, MN) has announced the addition of Tim Sanghera as vice president of semiconductor products. Sanghera brings 15 years of experience in marketing, sales and technology expertise in the semiconductor industry. His mission will be to enhance the company's semiconductor product portfolio by working in concerted effort with its current supplier base.
Mark Larson, president, said "Digi-Key's strength in the semiconductor area is rapidly growing and we are pleased to have Tim's expertise as part of our team. His knowledge of the industry in general and semiconductors specifically makes him uniquely equipped to further drive sales growth for Digi-key semiconductor vendors."
Prior to joining Digi-Key, Sanghera was the Distribution Sales Manager for the America's at Winbond Electronics and was instrumental in business development and marketing for Mix Signal, uC, Non-Volatile, I/O and Memory products. Before that, he held positions at Sharp Electronics as part of the Distribution Sales Team, including marketing of key LCD, Opto, Memory and ARM based products. In total, Sanghera has spent more than 15 years in the Semiconductor Industry in various management positions responsible for the company's corporate and product line marketing, strategy development and corporate technology programs.
Digi-Key Corp. is a full service provider of prototype/design as well as volume production quantities of electronic components.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Press Releases
- Indium Corporation Technical Expert to Present at SiP Conference China
- Flex Announces Kevin Krumm as Chief Financial Officer
- Green Circuits Enhances Inspection Capabilities with New DAGE Quadra 5 Pro X-ray System
- Western Digital CEO David Goeckeler Elected Chair of Semiconductor Industry Association