PowerMod connectors are RoHS compliant for Pb-free reflow soldering and are offered in three to 30 circuits with a maximum current of 30 amps.
 
Manufactured from high-temperature plastic Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS). Has 285°C melt temperature, ideal for lead-free processes which may have a peak re-flow temperature of 260°C. 
 
Available in straight PCB, right angle PCB, panel or cable mountings.

Anderson Power Products, www.andersonpower.com

  

BEST has introduced PCB circuit trace repair kits and materials to repair circuit traces of PCBs.
 
Kit includes “how to” slides, a large selection of different trace widths and thicknesses and the tools required to make the repairs. Offer a variety of tools to reduce the amount of time spent trimming circuit frames.   
 
Business Electronics Soldering Technologies (BEST), www.solder.net
 

RoHStat procducts, including containers, mats, cords, wrist straps and heel grounders, are recommended for use in lead-free assembly/production areas. Contain no lead, carbon, cadmium, chromium, bromine, mercury or vinyl plasticizers, meets RoHS and Class Zero U.S. and European standards.

Static Solutions, staticsolutions.com

DEK has reportedly applied its mass imaging techniques to improve the uniformity of Thermal Interface Material (TIM) deposited between a silicon die and its package lid during semiconductor packaging.  By using ProFlow DirEKt Imaging to mass image the TIM, semiconductor manufacturers can ensure uniform material thickness across the entire die surface. Advantages include better thermal conductivity between the die and the lid, which improves reliability and delivers greater lid coplanarity.
 
"Mass imaging is significantly more controllable and repeatable than traditional dispensing when depositing TIM," says Richard Heimsch, president.  "Additionally, DEK's process makes it easier to verify uniform spreading and absence of voids before the package lid is assembled."
 
During the TIM process, die assembled onto substrates enter a flexible printing system that combines three processes - passive attach, TIM and lid sealing - into a single platform. The single  printing system allows customers to re-deploy equipment between processes to meet changing manufacturing requirements and allows single-platform operator training. 
 
Compared to traditional, serial dispensing, the parallel mass imaging process is said to increase true throughput and deliver greater control over the volume of material deposited.  This technique also allows the shape of the TIM deposit to be more accurately controlled.  Because the process does not require the TIM to be spread via lid placement, defects such as material voids or incomplete spreading are reportedly eliminated.  
 
DEK, dek.com

Cobar Europe BV has implemented state-of-the-art QC testing and laboratory routines designed to yield more precise data for customers.

Eli Westerlaken, president and CEO, said, "As part of our continuous drive towards quality improvements and batch-to-batch reduction of variation of QC data, we have reviewed some of our lab routines and have improved them, to keep up with current methodologies being adopted across the industry. The result, we're pleased to say, has been improved reproducibility of testing routines such as acid number titration."

Westerlaken added that the titration routine, for example, will marginally change the measuring range of some of the company's products, but does not signal or reflect any change in raw material properties, product formulas or manufacturing methods.

"Our Cobar products remain unchanged; our SPC data will be more precise, however. Near-term, in some cases, users will see a small and temporary change in parameters such as Six Sigma numbers and Cpk values. In the long run, these improved routines will mean more verifiable data..."

Cobar, cobar.com

Austin American Technology has combined two cleaning systems - the X-Series multi-solvent system and the high-precision Mega series - into a single high-capacity, single-chamber closed-loop regenerative system, the X-40F. Developed for a Hi-rel military waterless application, cleans product up to 35 lbs. and 32 x 18". Has high-precision cleaning chemistry and technology provided by Mega, with cleaning chamber capacity and material handling capabilities of the X-series.

Single processing chamber minimizes footprint, specialized technologies enable wash, rinse and dry cycle automation in one chamber with minimized dragout or cross-contamination. Reportedly offers greater process efficiency and reduced costs though a proprietary ion bed filtration/regeneration system, allowing the rinse solvent to be recycled and cleaned ionically after each cycle.

Typically used for stencil and misprint cleaning. Does not require transferring between wash, rinse and dry; offers fully automated operation for a range of chemistries. Has a large processing chamber, closed-loop capability, plus counter-rotating spray wand and the ability to handle large product dimensions and weight.

Austin American Technology, www.aat-corp.com

S63-OA water soluble solder paste is said to be stable, with an extended shelf and stencil life, and excellent activity and results under thermal load in a lead-free reflow soldering process. 
 
Is available in most common alloys, including an anti-tombstoning formula, as well as in several powder classes. Reportedly extremely easy to print even with relatively high speeds in fine pitch technology applications. Soldering performance is said to be excellent. Residues rinse free in a straight aqueous (water) cleaning process.
 
Cobar Solder Products, cobar.com

Speedline Technologies has released Benchmark 5.0 software for its Camalot XyflexPro liquid dispensing system for surface mount electronics and chip packaging applications.
 
The new release reportedly offers increased throughput of up to 15%, improved process control and enhanced program functionality.
 
New features include a Flip Chip Calculator, used to determine underfill weight and volume for both die within a cavity and standard assembly methods. TurnBack allows any of the dispense units or pumps to be reversed. This gives precise control of material on the needle tip and can eliminate material balling or dripping due to backpressure.
 
Also features Die Edge Detection, a one-snap process that simultaneously finds all four edges of a flip chip for pinpoint positioning. The vision algorithms have been further developed for edge find of any rotated die, CSP/BGAs and other molded packages.
 
Line Sequence command for faster, smoother  travel around corners when dispensing underfill; encapsulation and micro display applications; needle cleaning during product transfer; faster vision processing; and a pipeline conveyor mode that allows parallel product transfer between conveyor zones help to reduce transfer time by up to 40%.
 
Easily upgradeable, available as an option for all existing XyflexPro users and shipped standard on new systems.
 
Speedline Technologies, speedlinetech.com

 

SM-700 ESD plastic belt, modular conveyor system transports everything from PCBs to totes. Available in belt widths from 6 to 30", and lengths from 5 to 40'.
 
Standard features include: modular ESD-compliant belting system, variable speed DC drive motor and 1" tall side rails (removable).
 
Also available in a lift gate (passageway system) for continuous flow of products. When the gate is lifted, the belt shuts down and allows for passage through the line.
 
Other options include: crossover transition bars, heavy duty cycle motors (for heavier product loads), side mounted guide rails, 90° safety corner blocks, end stops, chutes and integrated workstations.
 
Promation,  Pro-mation-Inc.com

Mentor Graphics Corp. released version 2005.1 of the Capital Harness Systems (CHS) product suite, an end-to-end software toolset for the design, analysis, engineering and production of electrical interconnect systems such as those found on transportation platforms. Users can select from a range of fully integrated tools.

Version 2005.1 contains more than 140 separate enhancements across the various software tools, including:

*            Preferred component declaration and selection

*            Configurable release behaviors

*            Extended name composition capabilities

*           Support for connector backshells

*            Configurable cross-referencing

*           Flexible electrical analysis scoping

*           Whole vehicle wiring diagram synthesis

*           Layered insulation display

*            Additional cost modeling variables

*           First integration capabilities with UGS TeamCenter Engineering

Mentor Graphics Corp., www.mentor.com

UK-based MicroStencil launched a new production facility for the manufacture of ultra-fine pitch screen printing stencils.

Following its spin-out from Edinburgh's Heriot-Watt University, additional investment has now enabled the company to expand stencil manufacturing at its headquarters in Livingston with the installation of a class 100 cleanroom and customized production equipment based on the semiconductor manufacturing processes.

The company provides an electroformed stencil that allows the fabrication of sub-100 micron aperture pitch. The stencil has the potential to deliver considerable advantages in interconnecting technology and offers in screen printing for wafer bumping and chip bonding.

The process forms high tolerance apertures with extremely smooth sidewalls. Such stencils are beginning to enable printing at sub-150 micron pitch. While current methods of applying solder bumps using stencil printing cannot cost-effectively get below a 150µm aperture pitch, severely restricting the use of flip-chip packaging, MicroStencil can push the limits down to 10µm aperture size and 10µm web space.

The technology achieves high-density electrical interconnects leading to higher portability and functionality in portable electronics devices.

www.micro-stencil.com 

Cookson Electronics Assembly Materials has launched ALPHA EF-10000, the latest addition to its lead-free no-clean wave solder flux technology. The high rosin, no-clean, alcohol-based product passes international reliability standards, including JIS, IPC and Bellcore, while reportedly providing broad process compatibility and excellent first pass yield in both lead-free and tin-lead wave soldering applications. 

Said to deliver best-in-class top side hole fill on a variety of common plated through-hole sizes; is fully capable with SAC and eutectic tin-lead alloys. Resists micro solder ball formation.

“ALPHA EF-10000 flux passes the JIS, IPC and Bellcore electrical reliability standards enabling electronic assemblers to build strong, durable joints in both lead-free and tin-lead processes,” said Steve Brown, global product manager at CEAM. 

Cookson Electronics Assembly Materials, alphametals.com