BANNOCKBURN, IL – The updated IPC/JEDEC-9704A, Printed Circuit Assembly Strain Gage Test Guideline, makes it easier for engineers to run strain gage tests during the manufacturing process, says IPC.

“Revision A is about making sure there’s a common accepted practice for measuring manufacturing strain on printed board assemblies due to board flexure,” said Jagadeesh Radhakrishnan, a reliability engineer with Intel and leader of the effort within the IPC SMT Attachment Reliability Test Methods Task Group that helped revise the guideline. Whereas the first-generation document provided industry with target pass/fail points, the A revision, “… changes the focus to providing a methodology. It doesn’t give you targets; it thoroughly explains how to measure strain.”

Revision A includes formulas for calculating strain and describes techniques for analyzing data derived from these tests. The tests can be performed at many stages during the manufacturing of printed board assemblies. Components can be tested during assembly or during test processes in the factory or just before they’re packaged.

IPC/JEDEC-9704A also provides recommendations for sockets and ceramic capacitors; in the past, it just addressed ball grid arrays. “It also changes parameters for in-circuit test fixtures, providing best design practices so users will have fewer issues,” said Radhakrishnan.

SAN JOSE, CA — North America-based semiconductor equipment manufacturers reported bookings rose 10.7% sequentially in April, suggesting a near-term rebound is on the way.

KARLSKOGA, SWEDEN -- Top 40 EMS PartnerTech today acquired Aerodyn AB, a company focused on contract manufacturing of heavy components for ship propulsion with propeller systems or water jets.

DALLAS -- Texas Instruments today announced the shipment of nearly 6.5 billion units of copper wire bonding technology in its analog, embedded processing and wireless products.

LYON, FRANCE  – Demand for mobile devices will spur MEMS devices to new highs, the latest research indicates.

HERNDON, VA – The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative said it would host three regional workshops to review work in progress on the 2013 iNEMI Roadmap. 

Meetings are scheduled in North America, Asia and Europe in May and June.

The open workshops will review select chapters, covering primarily technology and infrastructure areas. These sessions are intended to allow industry input into draft chapters to ensure inclusion of key issues from each region.

The first workshop is in San Diego May 29 (May 24 registration deadline: http://www.inemi.org/node/2231). The second is in Berlin June 12 (May 25 registration deadline: http://www.inemi.org/node/2232). The third is in Hong Kong June 14 (May 24 registration deadline: http://www.inemi.org/node/2234).

Roadmap participation is open to non-members and is free to anyone who registers before the deadline.

SANTA CLARA, CA -- Mobile PC shipments fell 15% sequentially in the first quarter on typical seasonality, a leading research firm says.

WESTLAKE, OH -- Nordson today reported second-quarter net income was $52 million, down 20% from a year ago.

NEWBRIDGE, UK -- EMS firm Axiom said first-quarter revenues rose 20% year-over-year to £6.8 million ($10.7 million), a company record.

WASHINGTON -- A US Senate Armed Services Committee investigation discovered counterfeit electronic parts from China in the Air Force’s largest cargo plane, in assemblies intended for Special Operations helicopters, and in a Navy surveillance plane among 1,800 cases of bogus parts, a committee report released today shows.

LEICESTERSHIRE, UK – The Center of Advanced Life Cycle Engineering at the University of Maryland in concert with Loughborough University will cosponsor the 6th International Symposium on Tin Whiskers here in November.

The symposium will focus on research on tin whisker growth, experiments and result; failure characterization; and risk evaluation and mitigation strategies.

The event takes place Nov. 27 and 28 in Leicestershire, UK.

Send technical abstracts to Dr. Michael Osterman at osterman@calce.umd.edu. The deadline is Aug. 23. For more information, visit http://www.calce.umd.edu/symposiums/ISTW2012.htm.

TEL AVIV – Jabil Circuit is opening an office here, where it will partner with fellow EMS firm R.H. Technologies, according to published reports.

Jabil said it would focus on products for startup and emerging companies, as Israel has the largest number of startups in the world per capita, say reports.

R.H. Technologies has a manufacturing plant in Nazareth-Illit that will serve as Jabil's Israeli manufacturing site.

No financial terms were disclosed.