LOS ANGELES -- Last week’s Apex trade show was among the best I can remember for new equipment, materials and software. So much so, I would add, there is far too much to talk about here.

But I’ll take a shot.
The Products

We’ve previously discussed several other products making their debuts; for a recap click here, here and here.

Air-Vac Engineering’s (air-vac-eng.com) ONYX29 robotic hot gas system is designed specifically for Pb-free rework. Eight automated axes reportedly eliminate operator involvement. The four-zone, 19", 5600W bottom heating/cooling system is said to provide the capability to preheat high thermal mass boards to 150°C. Other key features include 75 mm alignment capability, fully automated force controlled component shuttle, fully automated non-contact site cleaning and on-the-fly thermal profiling.

Agilent Technologies’s (agilent.com) Medalist 5DX automated x-ray inspection’s 8.4 software release reportedly contains specialized algorithms that permit inspection of QFN components with reduced false call rates; defect characterization on non-wetted direct FET (field-effect transistor) by using an open slope paste test; and a threshold enabling inspection for solder presence along side edges of capacitors.

Aqueous Technologies’s (aqueoustech.com) Vitrex AT200 and Vitrex-CA defluxing chemicals remove all flux types from reflowed assemblies. Are said to provide thorough cleaning while also ensuring bright, shiny solder joints. Require no additives. Operate at temperatures between 100º and 150ºF. Vitrex AT200 may be used on multiple-pass cleaning applications. Vitrex-CA is a low-VOC, MEA-free aqueous blend, and is nonflammable, low-foam and noncorrosive chemical.

BEST Inc.’s (solder.net) The PCB land repair kit for repairing lifted and damaged lands on boards includes three Sn-plated circuit frame patterns, offering nearly three times as many usable replacement land patterns as previous circuit frames. Frames can be used on Pb-free and SnPb boards. Includes a large variety of circuit frames, professional-grade stainless steel tweezers, Exacto knife, mixing sticks, resin and hardener.

Cookson Electronics’s (cooksonelectronics.com) ALPHA CoolCap thermal protection devices protect large-diameter SMT Al electrolytic capacitors during high-temperature (Pb-free) reflow. Come in tape and reel formats. Said to be compatible with most standard pick-and-place component handlers. For use on 12.5, 16.0 and 18.0 mm diameter Al electrolytic capacitors. Also, its Alpha AutoClean 40 semiaqueous cleaner is formulated for efficient removal of pre- and post-soldering flux residues from flux spray equipment, ovens, pallets, carriers, jigs and assemblies. Mildly alkaline (pH value of <12) blend of synergistic surfactants and emulsifiers that ensures excellent cleaning and inhibition of the re-deposition of dissolved soils. Can be heated, used in ultrasonic machines and sprayed on hot equipment. Is biodegradable and nonflammable, and contains no CFCs, chlorinated solvents or acids.

CyberOptics’s (cyberoptics.com) LNC 60 is used to simultaneously align components on six nozzles on each placement head inside Juki’s newest pick-and-place machines. The LaserAlign sensor reportedly permits rapid, on-the-fly component alignment. Will be used in KE-2070 series of high-speed chipshooters and KE-2080 series of high-speed flexible mounters.

Data I/O’s (data-io.com) PS588 high-volume offline programmer now features ICOS 3-D inspection. Is said to combine programming and 30D inspection into one high-speed process. Robotic head picks and presents device to the ICOS inspection module, where x, y and z axes are visually inspected for flaws or damage. Post-programming inspection reportedly ensures all passed devices fall within the coplanarity tolerances before output to media. Also inspects lead pitch and slant.

Datacon Technology’s (datacon.at) 2200 Evo multichip die/chip bonder has a dispenser system and bonding system which work in parallel in a single module for throughput up to 5000 cph. Footprint is 116 x 122 cm. Optional dispenser can be retrofitted, as can a second dispense unit. Processes up to 25 different 300 mm wafers in single pass. Comes with 14 pickup tools and five ejection tools in one module. Has heatable bonding tool for stacked-die applications, and handles 250 micron to 50 mm dies.

Digitaltest’s (digitaltest.net) Falcon fully automated inline tester is for high volume production. Can be used for MDA, ICT and functional test. Features fast fixture changeover for high mix applications, and has a compact, SMEMA standard footprint.

Electrolube’s (electrolube.com) EADPI invertible airduster is suited to removing dust and airborne contamination from delicate and inaccessible areas of electronics equipment. Produces a high pressure blast to ensure quick contamination removal. Uses pure, compressed, inert gas aerosol that is nonflammable, non-CFC and non-HCFC. Can blast off water and other solvents after cleaning.

Elektrobit’s (elektrobit.com) JOT Automation line features J210-50 bare board unstacker, which automatically feeds boards onto a production line, has a pass-through length of 19.7", and adjustable track height from 29.5–39.4", with a support mechanism that relieves the load on the boards at the bottom of the stack; J204-50 segmented conveyor, which transports and buffers PCBs between process machines using multiple-drive technology; J215-33 single magazine handler, for high-mix, low-volume production; and J501-44, a compact inline high-speed router.

Essemtec’s (essemtec-usa.com) CSM7100V flexible pick-and-place system comes with intelligent feeders and vision, for high-mix/low-volume production. Places 4,000 cph. Standard laser alignment measures and aligns components on-the-fly; includes an upward-looking camera for QFPs and BGAs. Feeders includes tape reels, tape strips, sticks and trays of any size. Places parts up to 15 mm high. Feeder capacity of 95 x 8 mm, intelligent tape feeders from 8 to 56 mm. Has a footprint of 32 x 32". Essemtec also showed its RO400FC convection reflow oven is for low- to mid-volume production. Uses vertical laminar flow for efficient heat transfer with low delta T values. Zone temperatures are fully programmable, as is the closed-loop-controlled conveyor speed. Features RO-Control software for process simulation and control. Hot air convection modules contain high-volume blowers and unique airflow construction. Features a double fan cooling zone at the exit.

Eunil H.A. Americas’s (eunil.com) Label Master 1100P offers fully automated label attachment via a gantry robot placement positing system. Uses SMEMA communication to stabilize PCBs during label placement, and the conveyor has a front stopper and side-gauging device. Dispenses printed labels through the printer or a pre-printed label on a roll. Also attaches at variable angles.

Exerra Inc.’s (exerra.net) eP30 series screen printers combine a mono-block casting and a two-stage, servo-driven granite table with a digital, servo-controlled drive system for speed and accuracy. Features include 2D&D print quality inspection with stencil inspection, a triple-section PCB transport system and programmable squeegee pressure control.

FineTech’s (opto-bonder.com) Opto-Bonder Femto handles power laser/laser bar bonding, flip chip and VCSEL bonding, MEMs and MOEMs, sensors and micro-optics, chip on glass, and simple die attach. Has a reported accuracy +/-0.5 microns and a footprint of 1270 x 900 mm. Features include motorized x, y, z and theta movements, maximum die size up to 4" diameter, and substrate size up to 6" diameter with automatic pattern recognition. Automatically controls bonding processes.

Henkel Corp.’s (henkelelectronics.com) Hysol FP5110 nonconductive paste underfill encapsulant is formulated for flip-chip image sensor modules and adheres to 2- and 3-layer flexible circuits (polyimide or epoxy adhesive). An alternative to mechanical soldering, bonds bumps to substrates through a Pb-free-compatible thermal compression process, eliminating flux application, reflow and cleaning. Is an automated substitute for manual anisotropic conductive film processes. Enables automated deposition and is compatible with thermal compression and ultrasonic bonding processes. Reportedly cures at 180°C in 10 sec., and stores at -15°C.

Hepco’s (hepcoblue.com) LeadHound II desktop XRF features a RoHS/WEEE pass/fail mode that automatically tests both plastics and metals in as few as 15 sec. Detects restricted elements, in a safe working environment, providing the ppm or percentage of each element found in a tested item. Uses IEC screening guidelines or user-defined parameters to determine RoHS compliance or if soldering materials or components comply with military and avionics specifications.

Hesse & Knipps’ (hesse-knipps.com) BondJet BJ915 heavy wire bonder reportedly offers high speed and accuracy, and a work area of 15 x 19.6”. Highlights are said to include bonding speeds reported as fast as 450 ms/wire (300 microns diameter 8 mm loop length wire) and 10 microns at 3-Sigma placement accuracy. Said to be the only heavy wire bonder with both integrated pull test and nondestructive shear test capability. A process-integrated quality control (PIQC) system is said to provide wire deformation graphs for multiple or single wires, data logging of all error messages and tolerance limits, storage and printing of deformation curves for analysis, statistics, and process control.

HumiSeal’s (humiseal.com) UV40 UV-curable conformal coating is said to provide adhesion to many commonly used soldermasks and high resistance to a wide range of solvents. Reportedly has a high insulation resistance, moisture insulation resistance and a reliable moisture-activated secondary cure mechanism. Is a polyurethane-polyacrylate hybrid UV-curable polymer structure. Said to meet all ISO 14001, IPC-CC-830 and major H&S/hazardous chemical regulatory requirements.

Huntsman Advanced Materials’ (huntsman.com/electronics) Araldite 7047 one-component, silver-filled epoxy adhesive said to combine high electrical and thermal conductivity. Is said to be a high purity, 100% solids system for void-free circuit and IC bonding. Reported work life is up to four days at room temperature and cures in one hour at 329ºF. Is compatible with Pb-free processing. Has Al/Al lap shear strength of 1300 psi and Au/Au die shear of 1700 psi at room temperature. Volume resistivity at room temperature is <0.0002 Ω-cm. Tg is 266ºF and CTE of 72 ppm/ºC.

Indium Corp.’s (indium.com ) Indium3.2 Pb-free water-soluble solder paste increases finished goods reliability with a unique chemistry that enhances the cleanability of the flux residues after high-temperature Pb-free reflow, without sacrificing stencil life and robust printing process. In addition, Indium3.2’s high humidity resistance saves money by minimizing solder paste waste.

I&J Fisnar’s (ijfisnar.com) PPD-130 peristaltic pump dispenser maintains a clean, safe bench environment during low viscosity fluid deposition. Is air-free and eliminates operator contact with hazardous material. Applies pressure to a soft Teflon tube, which accepts deformation but can quickly recover its initial shape improving occlusion. Fluid flow is determined by tube diameter and pump rotational speed. Is self-priming, and has a reverse direction for emptying tubes and returning fluid to the source after use. For small shots and continuous operation.

JNJ Industries’s (jnj-industries.com) Lead-Free Solder Paste Remover is a proprietary blend of aliphatic glycol ethers, isopropyl alcohol and DI water. Is RoHS-compliant, and can be used with any type of solder paste, Pb-bearing or Pb-free, no-clean or water-based. Cleans stencils, screens, misprinted boards, tools, benches, and machinery. Also cleans or remove (uncured) SMT chip bonder epoxies.

Juki Corp.’s (jas-smt.com) Juki 100 table/benchtop selective solder machine has gliding, frictionless board carrier. Small board supports can be placed between the PCB and top for board leveling, with no special carriers or software needed. A sky-hook system can be used for topside board leveling. Include a four-step setup, no-tools maintenance, and can be set up using portable units of exhaust, air, power and nitrogen. Can be used with multiple machines or moved as needed.

Kester (kester.com) has devised a low-cost, low Cu-dissolution alloy, called Ultrapure K100LD. The eutectic SnCu alloy has controlled metallic dopants to control the grain structure within the solder joint and to minimize copper dissolution into the solder pot. It is said to sharply cut common defects such as icicling and bridging. An improved grain structure also results in shinier solder joints.

Mimot’s (mimot.com) MX pick-and-place machine includes cascading modularity with placement rates up to 80,000 cph, 216 feeder slots per segment, and full range component capability. Also features double placement areas in each module, multilevel transport system for line balancing, and is said to eliminate local head downtimes.

OK International’s (okinternational.com) Thermal Tweezers Nozzles are for use with multiple stacked components, glob-top encapsulated die, or small devices that are easily damaged by excessive temperature. Reduce thermal stresses on PCBs during multiple rework operations for stacked device components by confining heat to localized area of stacked solder joints, thereby preventing the PCB from reaching reflow temperatures. Tweezer blades mechanically bend during hot air heating at approximately 200ºC, to grip the component to be removed. Once solder is reflowing the component can be lifted by the tweezer nozzle.

ProMation Inc.’s (pro-mation-inc.com) SMWS-700 is an economical felt belt workstation for continuous flow assembly. Is 36" long, and may be placed side-by-side to create a multi-station, progressive assembly environment. Optional touch panel controller provides time-selectable start and stop sequencing. Variable speed controller permits distance control during selected time periods.

Qualitek’s (qualitek.com) LF Green Pb-free solder paste comes in SnAgCu and SnAg, and reportedly remains green until reflowed. Once reflowed, clear residues remain with normal metallic joint appearance. Under black light, boards will fluoresce easily. Comes in no-clean, water-soluble and RMA flux types. Available in type 3, 4 and 5 meshes. Samsung’s SM-321 component placement platform handles PCBs up to 24 x 20". Throughput is a reported 21,000 cph, and the chip range is 0201 to 55 mm (squared) devices. Support the SM Series slim format feeders, which handle standard EIA 481 tape sizes. Optional SM Series Intelligent Feeders help provide traceability of components and inventory management. (Available from Dynatech, dynatechsmt.com)

ScanCAD’s (scancad.com) ScanINSPECT VPI process control tool qualifies each step of assembly and fabrication before production. Standalone, coupling a high-resolution, color flatbed scanner with a NIST-certified glass calibration plate. Verifies all process components before manufacturing. Seica Inc.’s (seica.com) Aerial flying probe tester uses four independent, mobile test probes to carry out tests on both sides of the board under test (two on each side). For testing prototypes, samples, small and medium volumes. Design is vertical and compact. Clamping system is said to ensure virtually no vibration or oscillation of the board during test. Options include the ICT and visual inspection software modules.

Seika Machinery’s (seikausa.com) Sayaka PCB router is said to enable high-precision, low-stress depanelization and is reportedly easy to program. Has a small footprint and short tact time. Reportedly precisely cuts densely populated PCBs without stressing the PCB; cut paths can be as close as 0.5 mm to a component. Automatic five-stage depth adjustment. CCD camera captures image of the PCB while programming cutting paths are achieved by point-and-click operation on screen. Camera is said to automatically compensate relative position of PCB and router bit on every PCB. Cutting path accuracy is said to be +/-0.01 mm.

Siemens’s (siplace.com) new SIPlace OS fully automated, high-speed inline inspection system checks solder paste and component placement. Is capable of 2-D measurements of the length and width of a component, and 3-D height measurement as well, aided by a new 3-D sensor technology. The company also showed the A-Series die placement and die bonders, which come in two versions: the A-1 eutectic/epoxy die bonder (a single gantry version), and the A-2 epoxy die bonder (which has two gantries).

Sony Manufacturing Systems’s (sonysms.com) SI-G200 cellular mounter model reportedly offers high mounting speed and precision and supports two optional interchangeable rotary heads. Equipped with eight nozzles and incorporates a wide range of mounting capability (0603 to 50 mm x 100 mm board sizes) with placement precision at 40 microns @ 3 Sigma. Is said to be capable of generating an output performance at 45,000 cph and high placement precision of 45 microns @ 3 Sigma.

Speedline Technologies (speedlinetech.com) displayed its new Electrovert VectraES wave soldering system, which is Pb-free capable and has a new servo-controlled reciprocating spray fluxer that features an air atomized spray head, pressurized tank flux supply system, self-cleaning nozzle and the ability to spray in one or both directions with recipe control. The machine also has new preheat technology, called Low Mass Forced Convection, a one-piece module said to minimize cross-board and top-to-bottom product temperature differentials. The machine is said to cut dross up to 40%. The company’s XYFlex Pro+ has a special dispensing system for depositing underfill at high-volume production speeds. The machine, which comes with an optional dual lane, will be available in May. They also showed the FX-D dispenser, which is replacing five dispensing platforms, and aimed at the mid-range market. It is capable of 0.003”, 3-Sigma accuracy, and handles panels up to 20 x 20”.

Ultrasonic Systems’ (ultraspray.com) Prism Selective Coating system comes with enhanced software, offline programming capability and increased speed and throughput. Includes 90 pneumatic rotate of the coating head for faster cycles times.

Universal Instruments’s (uic.com) Genesis GC-120Q reportedly enters the market as the fastest quad-gantry machine with a maximum throughput of 120,000 components per hour. Its four lightning heads are said to accommodate 01005 to 30 mm components.

Unovis Solutions’ (unovis-solutions.com) Polaris Jr. low-cost assembly cell handles odd form components and is capable of single-process functions such as final-assembly dispensing, screwdriving, and now pick-and-place. Is scaleable, a standardized tool interface that integrates with more than 20 functional modules. Comes into cell sizes from 500 mm to 2.5 m.

XJTAG’s (xjtag.com) XJTAG Professional reportedly tests over 5,000 nets in less than a second. Integrates with LabVIEW, Visual Basic, and other Windows-based custom applications. For debugging and testing complex PCBs with high pin count BGAs.

Whew.

I tried to focus here on products new to North America. It was a big show, and I have no doubt missed a few: any omissions or errors are mine, and are unintentional.

The News
Cimnet Systems Inc. and Direct Logix are now offering a bundled version of the companies’ respective engineering planning and management software. The combined solution is said to completely automate front-end operations, from quoting to pre-production engineering and design. “This is a very powerful solution backed by two vendors that are directly focused on the unique needs and business requirements of leading PCB manufacturers around the world,” said Cimnet general manager Mehul Davé.

It was good to see Ian Fleck again. The longtime Cookson technologist has resurfaced as general manager of Exerra’s North American operations. A tier one EMS firm has reportedly ordered 75 Asian-made wave soldering machines.

Endicott Interconnect Technologies and Unovis Solutions have entered into a manufacturing services agreement with a leading manufacturer of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) catheters. Under the two-year, $3.9 million deal, EI will supply flexible substrate or circuits and assemble flip-chip components. EI president and CEO James J. McNamara said Unovis’ Advanced Process Lab “developed and automated critical manufacturing processes for this cutting edge, medical technology [and] then recommended EI to the end customer for manufacture of the flip-chip assembly and provided us with complete process and equipment implementation guidelines to build the product in volume.”

Sunstone Circuits has merged its PCBexpress.com and PCBpro.com brands under the Sunstone name. Customers can now order PCBexpress Quickturn prototypes and PCBpro full-feature through Sunstone Circuits. The company has also enhanced their offerings to add quick re-order and re-quoting services based on your PCBexpress latest order and PCBpro saved data, and 24/7 real-time support.

The Show
As is typical when a big show relocates, there was no shortage of frowns on exhibitors’ faces as they grappled with nuances of the new site, different hotels, unions, and a somewhat dicey neighborhood. This happens almost any time a show moves, however. The upside is the convention center itself, which is beautiful and well laid out. The downsides are the lack of local infrastructure, which is somewhat shocking considering the show was held in downtown L.A., the second largest city in the U.S. Exhibitors cited shortages of higher end hotels, restaurants adjacent to the convention center, and the position of the center itself, which is new the intersection of two of the most-traveled interstates in the country, making driving to the show a daunting exercise. That the show setup was on holiday (President’s Day) and during the Chinese New Year were also sore spots.

I have not seen the attendance numbers, but by my own unscientific observation, it was noticeably down. Wednesday, the second day of the show, was the busiest. Tuesday was slower than normal. Thursday was a washout. The assembly side of the show was far superior to that for bare boards, and the design nook was, well, quiet.

“This was the best Apex in many years, at least from a lead count perspective. The convention center only served room-temperature RC Cola, but it’s a small sacrifice for qualified leads,” Aqueous Technologies president Mike Konrad told me. Some others were decidedly less enthusiastic, however. In the end, it will be up to each exhibitor to decide whether the attendance merits changes next year. Whether they were happy or not – and I’m not willing to project anything based on the anecdotal comments I received, which were all over the map – time tempers frustrations.

Usually.

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