MINNEAPOLIS – CyberOptics reported third-quarter consolidated sales of $17.1 million, up 21% year-over-year, driven by record sales of inspection systems.

Net income was $1.6 million, up 65% compared to the year-ago period.

Operating income increased 76% to $2.1 million compared to the same period in 2010.

Cash and marketable securities totaled $26.6 million at the end of the quarter, up $2.7 million sequentially.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – North American rigid and flex printed circuit board shipments combined in September decreased 12% year-over-year. Orders dropped 18.4% from September 2010, says IPC.

Year to date, shipments were down 0.2%, and orders fell 9.6%. Sequentially, PCB shipments for September increased 4.9%, and orders decreased 7.3%. 

The book-to-bill ratio fell to 0.99. A ratio of more than 1.0 suggests that current demand is ahead of supply, which is a positive indicator for sales growth over the next two to three months.

Rigid board shipments were down 13.1%, while orders dropped 19.9% compared to the same month last year. The rigid book-to-bill dipped just below parity at 0.99.

Year to date, rigid PCB shipments decreased 0.4%, and orders declined 10.8%. Sequentially, rigid board shipments increased 3.5%, and orders decreased 8.9%.

Flex circuit board shipments for the month were down 0.7%, and orders declined 1.8% compared to September 2010. The flex book-to-bill fell to 0.97.         

Year to date, flex board shipments increased 1.6%, and orders were up 3%. Sequentially, shipments increased 20.1%, and orders were up 9.9%.

“Sales and orders were both under last year’s levels in September,” said IPC. “Bookings have been especially sluggish, and that has caused a drop in the book-to-bill ratio; although it is still very near parity, which suggests that flat sales are the likely near-term scenario.”

Rigid circuit boards represent an estimated 89% of the current industry in North America. In September, 85% of total shipments reported were domestically produced. Domestic production accounted for 85% of rigid and 83% of flex shipments.

BANNOCKBURN, IL — A just-released Tulane University study found costs of implementing the US Conflict Minerals regulations to be $7.93 billion, more than 100 times greater than an earlier estimate prepared by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Tulane findings, available at http://tinyurl.com/3bl8ntg, elicited a sharp rebuke from IPC, from which the data were partly mined.

“The Tulane study underscores the need for the SEC to be conscious of the high costs of implementation,” said IPC. “The SEC must utilize all reasonable options to lessen the burden of implementation, the most important of which is a phasing-in of the regulations to allow industry the time to work with their complex global supply chains to develop traceability and compliance data.”

The Tulane study supports the need to establish, for a transition period, a category for conflict minerals whose origin cannot be determined. The regulations proposed by the SEC require that conflict minerals be identified as either conflict-free or as associated with conflict.

The original IPC survey collected data from 60 electronics manufacturing services companies, printed circuit board manufacturers, electronics materials suppliers and equipment suppliers.

GLENVIEW, IL – Illinois Tool Works today reported third-quarter revenues of $4.6 billion, up 16.2% year-over-year.

PHATHUMTANI, THAILAND – Electronics manufacturing services firm SVI Public Co. reported today that its manufacturing operations in the Bangkadi Industrial Park will remain offline due to greater-than-anticipated water damage.

BERWYN, PA – Ametek has acquired the parent company of EM Test for $93 million.

EM Test manufactures equipment used to perform electrical immunity and electromagnetic compatibility testing. The company has expected annual sales of approximately $41 million.

EM Test joins Ametek as part of the Programmable Power division of its Electronic Instruments Group. 

Ametek EIG sells its instruments to the process and analytical, aerospace, power, and industrial markets and had 2010 sales of $1.3 billion.

FAYETTEVILLE, AR – Delta Group Electronics says it has completed construction of a new 37,000 sq. ft. assembly facility here.

The electronics manufacturing services provider says the building will allow for significant expansion of its employment base, and provide the technology and space to meet the needs of customers throughout the Midsouth region of the US.

Delta offers low- and mid-volume turnkey services for the aerospace, defense and commercial industries. 

SAN JOSE – North America-based semiconductor equipment manufacturers reported a sharp drop in orders in September, continuing a summer-long decline.

SUZHOU -- Variosystems plans to bring a new facility online here in 2012, replacing its existing plant in Hangzhou.

PLANO, TX -- Creation Technologies has expanded its facility here by 11,000 sq. ft. and is adding staff to accommodate larger orders.

BANGKOK -- Top 20 EMS firm Fabrinet said flood waters have infiltrated the offices and manufacturing floorspace at its Chokchai campus in Pathum Thani, Thailand.

FARGO, ND -- North Dakota State University researchers have developed a noncontact wafer-to-product electronics manufacturing technology said to reduce unit cost and size of electronics end-products.