Portable Leak Finder is a troubleshooting tool to find small leaks in chambers, connections or parts.
 
Is a rechargeable container for helium gas with a spray nozzle similar to an aerosol can. Helium is sprayed onto the suspected leak location of a part or chamber and can then be observed on a mass spectrometer system that continuously measures the helium concentration in the part while under vacuum. A leak is immediately identified if helium is drawn into the part or chamber by the vacuum inside. The mass spectrometer responds to concentration change caused by new helium being drawn into the part or chamber. The timing of the response corresponds with the location of the helium being sprayed at the time of the response to accurately indicate the leak location.
 
Kit includes a recharge fitting and comes in a protective, custom-made carrying case. Valves, pressure gage and pressure relief valve allow safe recharging of the canister.
 
Cincinnati Test Systems, cincinnati-test.com

Scapa 650 is a high-temperature masking tape for low static protection of gold plated finger tabs, assembly holes and components during flux, preheat and soldering processes.  Also designed for high-temperature industrial masking in clean room environments.
 
Consists of a specially treated paper, single coated with a silicone pressure sensitive adhesive.  The masking tape reportedly delievers low electrostatic discharge at unwind, eliminating PCB degradation.  After processing, the silicone adhesive removes cleanly and easily from the surface without leaving adhesive residue.
 
During hot air leveling and wave soldering, it provides protection against chemical, solvents, solder and rinse water. Has a wide operating temperature range.
 
Scapa Industrial, scapaindustrial.com

Custom wave solder fixtures are manufactured using the same Gerber and drill files which describe the board, to speed production and improve performance.
 
Datum Wave Solder Fixtures are designed using customer supplied Gerber and drill files, which allows precise routing for component bottom-side pocketing and permits thicker, stiffer and more stable fixtures. With stepped-down openings on the solder side to prevent turbulence and component skipping, the fixtures provide a positive-locking clamp system to secure the board and for complete solder coverage.
 
Virtually eliminate the need for glue dotting, feature precise routing for component depth to prevent solder flooding and facilitate trouble shooting. Accommodate densely populated boards with tall secondary side components, can solder through-hole components directly adjacent to SMT devices. Can be supplied for boards up to 24” W.
 

Datum Dynamics USA, datumdynamics.com

SynTECH-LF RoHS-compliant, Pb-free, no-clean solder paste is made with 100% synthetic poly adduct components. Compatible with tin/silver and tin/silver/copper alloys, with Pb content <200ppm. Reportedly delivers high hourly throughput with less scrap and rework, lot-to-lot and stencil printing consistency, wide process windows (12-hour stencil life, 12-16 hour tack) and 90% metal loading. Good for ICT, is compatible with OSPs without compromising SIR values. Is non-conductive and non-corrosive, with post reflow residue that acts as a protective coating and can be removed using t cleaners. Available in jars, cartridges, syringes and cassettes.
 
Amtech, amtechsolder.com

The compact X-100 reflow oven incorporates Phase Convection technology to offer flexibility and low cost of ownership. Was developed to provide enhanced quality control, enabling individual thermal profiling on a board-by-board basis and thermal performance within the confines of Pb-free soldering.  
 
Provides enhanced temperature uniformity and lower nitrogen usage and power consumption. Unit length is 3,350 mm, uses SPC control with pyrometers. Features a self-cleaning capability and is environmentally friendly.
 
X-600 Phase Convection system features a hermetically sealed loading system by which boards are loaded into one of the three levels. Each phase unit has a re-circulating convection system in which the temperature is regulated by a pyrometer that measures the exact temperature of the board, not the surrounding air. These measurements can be monitored by an on-system SPC data collection tool for traceability and closed loop control.
 
eXelsius, a ViTechnology brand, www.vitechnology.com

Elektrobit exhibited a range of equipment at Productronica in November. The focus was on a complete JOT Automation line, featuring a Bare Board Unstacker, Laser Marker, Segment Conveyor, High-Speed Router and Single Flat Belt Conveyor.
 
J904-033 Tray Feeder Vivian Ultra features fast tray feeding using two shuttles and a compact tray feeder to enhance tray transportation to and from the robot working area. The tray dimensions and tray feeding height are adjustable to accommodate a range of product sizes.
 
J501-44 High-Speed Router uses grippers to hold the panel in place, ensuring short cycle duration. Cutting speed is up to 60 mm/s, depending on the layout and material of routed product, with a cutting accuracy of ±0.15 mm.
 
J401-11 Tiny Test Handler was shown with new display tester software, able to test small LCD displays, keyboards and housings of electronics equipment. It claims to offer high accuracy display defect detection and immunity to significant variations in illumination, part orientation and the display’s protection tape.
 
Elektrobit Group Plc, elektrobit.com

Automated conformal coating production line will begin coating the bottom-side (wire side) with a Prism 100 (designed for high-speed coating). The board will then pass through a board inverter to a Prism 350 to be selectively coated on the component side.
 
Prism Coating Systems are designed for precise application of conformal coatings and other low-viscosity materials. Feature Ultra-Spray technology, said to enable a more accurate, precise coating application than conventional spray and dispensing technology. 


Uses a titanium coating head and digitally controlled liquid delivery system. The coating head applies a thin, defect free coating 1 to 5 mils in thickness and reportedly provides uniformity and repeatability.
 
Ultrasonic Systems Inc., ultraspray.com
Booth 735

9600 Series Vibration Isolation Workstation for use in cleanrooms is constructed of stainless steel using cylindrical welded braces for maximum rigidity, minimum flat surfaces and easy wipedown. 
 
An enclosed isolation module, stainless steel valves and vented exhaust maintain compliance with Class 1 and 10 cleanroom standards.  Available with electropolish finish (Class 1) or clear passivate finish (Class 10).
 
Features low natural frequencies and high isolation efficiencies. Under maximum load at 80 psi and 10 Hz, typical vibration isolation efficiencies are 93% with a vertical natural frequency of 1.5 Hz and 95% with a horizontal natural frequency of 1.6 Hz.  Has isolated weight capacity of either 800 or 1300 lbs.
 
Feature the proprietary Active-Air Suspension system ¾ a dual-chamber compressed-air system for vibration damping and a preset “zero deflection” level to compensate for load changes.
 
Tables are available up to 36” deep and 60” wide.  Accessories include guard rails, fixed or sliding shelves, and monitor supports. 
 
Kinetic Systems, kineticsystems.com

The portable USC 400 ultrasonic cleaning system can be taken directly to the stencil printer to clean stencil apertures without the need to reset and calibrate the printer. When the system is offline, it can be used in conjunction with a bench-mounted or stand-alone stencil cleaner.
 
Features Direct On-Contact Ultrasonic Cleaning to remove Pb-free solder paste particles trapped within stencil apertures.
 
Benefits include: minimal use of fluids, total aperture penetration, no risk of stencil damage and robust construction. Can be used with solder paste or SMD adhesives, is suitable for stainless and plastic stencils. Cleans pick-and-place nozzles, dispensing needles and probe test pins, and can soften solder paste.

An ultrasonic cup with a dwell timer is optional.
 

PowerMod HP (high power) “B” series connector family features touch-safe female housings, integral positive latches and cable strain relief.
 
Rated over 350 amps and to 250 amps at a 30º C temperature rise. Accommodates American wire sizes from 1/0 to 4/0 AWG and metric wires from 50 to 95mm².  Use Sterling contact technology to offer low electrical resistance. Provides a minimum of 500 mating cycles and is rated for circuit interruption (true hot-plug).
 
Latching system with distinct blue buttons for clear identification offers security and ergonomics. IP 20 rated (touch safe) for user safety, integral coding key allows unique mating of up to 6 individual connectors. Cable strain relief kit, for all applicable wire sizes, is an option.
 
Offered in 10 different connector housing types, including right angle, bus bar, panel mount and blindmate/float selections.
 
 
Anderson Power Products, andersonpower.com

Agile 9.2, the latest release for managing the enterprise product record throughout the product lifecycle, features enhanced functionality and expands on compliance, product portfolio, product collaboration and quality management modules. Supports Linux operating systems, for flexibility, improved intellectual property security and reduced cost of ownership.  
 
Product Governance and Compliance—Provides expanded capabilities to manage Bill of Substance information and rollup compliance information using a variety of scenarios. Has improved supplier declaration capability and regulatory information for effective compliance. Includes upgraded Bill of Substance adapters for Agile partners - PartMiner, i2 technologies, Avent and Arrow.
 
Product Portfolio Management— Includes executive portfolio analytics and bi-directional integration with Microsoft Project, to provide tightly synchronized program and product information, maximized resource utilization and cross-program visibility and decision support. Portfolio analytics include time to market, financial, resources pool, program and issues tracking. 
 
Product Collaboration—Has enhanced change collaboration and document management capabilities, providing each stakeholder in the extended design and supply chain secure access to critical product record data, including bills of material, attributes, manufacturers, configurations, specifications, documents, models, work instructions, revisions and more.
 
Improved Global Interface—PLM portfolio is completely localized in six different languages: English, French, German, Japanese, traditional Chinese and simplified Chinese. 
 
Product Quality Management— (previously called the Product Service and Improvement solution) Includes advanced analytics capabilities to tightly integrate customer, product, quality and regulatory information within a closed-loop corrective action system. Enables companies to fulfill customer demands for higher quality, faster response and compliance with regulatory requirements.
 
Linux Support –Adds the Linux open source operating system to its supported environments. Supports Red Hat Linux AS version 4.0. 
 
Agile Software Corp., agile.com
 

 ‘Soft Landing’ technology on the Condor flying probe test platform addresses concerns manufacturers face over test coverage on complex and high density boards, as well as unwanted damage that can occur with conventional probe techniques.

With ‘Soft Landing,’ the test nail travels towards the component or pad at normal speed until approximately 1 to 2 mm above its target landing position. The speed of the nail is then reduced to soften its impact with the board. This protects delicate components and minimizes the ‘footprint’ where the nail touches the board. In tests, adding a soft landing to an existing nail contact reduced the visible ‘footprint’ by more than a third.
 
A smaller footprint means more precise positioning in highly dense areas. It also lowers the chance of shorting leads in close proximity to each other, invalidating the test and creating potential damage.
 
Test coverage increases as more test points can be reached without being damaged or scratched.  It only affects the z-axis of travel; Digitaltest MTS system test programs can be updated to take advantage of the technique with minimal additional programming.

Digitaltest GmbH, digitaltest.com