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MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 8 -- Dr. Udo E. Frank took home the the Best Paper Award for the International Wafer-Level Packaging Congress held October in San Jose.

Frank, of FeinFocus GmbH, received the award for his paper "Detecting and Analyzing Wafer Bump Voids with X-ray Inspection," in which he disclosed an x-ray imaging technology said to detect and measure voids within solder bumps on chips. The paper also revealed software that determines component viability based on preset threshold values.

The event was sponsored by SMTA. Papers detailed leading-edge IC packaging and test technologies with special emphasis on 3D stacked packaging.

The x-ray inspection system detailed in Frank's paper converts 3D voids to measurable 2D images, enabling the system to calculate the ratio of the size of the void within a solder bump to the total mass of the ball. The system can also determine the largest linear distance between two points in the void and compare the result with the diameter of the ball.

The paper will soon be online in at smta.org.

SINGAPORE, Dec. 8 -- Autron Pte. Ltd., a subsidiary of Autron Corp., will supply assembly equipment to a leading Chinese cellular phone maker, a deal worth $20 million, the company said.

Hangzhou Eastcom Cellular Phone Co. will purchase $20 million worth of SMT equipment and maintenance over the next three years, Autron Pte. said. Autron will also help manage Hangzhou's spare parts inventories.

SINGAPORE, Dec. 8 -- Autron Corp. Ltd. has opened a center in Singapore for remanufacturing and sale of complete lines of previously owned equipment.

The new center houses process R&D and remanufacturing facilities, spare parts, component engineering and demo lines.

With the refurbished equipment, the company also provides original documentation, genuine spare parts, software and component upgrade, and warranty and service support.

Engineers are trained at the original manufacturer's factories, Autron said.

The company estimates the market for refurbished equipment will reach $500 million in 2005.

In a statement, C. L Tan, group executive chairman, said ""We have spent the last 1½ years tediously building on our product and process knowledge, market research in the industry and working closely with customers to understand their concerns, fears and needs. The rebuilt equipment division is an important high margin growth engine of our solutions business model and we intend to dominate this space for long time to come."

Autron provides electronics assembly equipment and services including distribution services and manufacturing.

EL SEGUNDO, CA, Dec. 7 -- iSuppli Corp. today cut its forecast for 2005 worldwide semiconductor revenue growth to 4.7%. The forecast is less than half the research firm's November prediction of 9.6%, and a 20-point drop from 2004.

iSuppli forecasts worldwide semiconductor sales will hit $237.1 billion in 2005. The firm said last month that sales would grow 9.6% in 2005.

iSuppli cited lower sales forecasts for electronics equipment, which is expected to grow 6.2% in 2005, down from 10.1% this year.

The firm also cited growing chip stocks: excess inventories in the supply chain doubled last quarter, to $1.6 billion, iSuppli said.

2006 will mark the low point for IC sales, followed by a recovery in 2007 and 2008, iSuppli predicts.

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL, Dec. 7 -- SigmaTron International Inc. today reported net revenues increased to $27.9 million for the quarter ended Oct. 31. Net income was $1.3 million, down from $1.8 million a year ago.

SigmaTron had sales of $26.5 million in the year ago quarter.

First-half sales rose $1.5 million, to $52.9 million. Net income fell $800,000, to $2.3 million.

Sales were higher for telecommunications and appliances, the firm said.

Gary R. Fairhead, president and chief executive, said, "Pricing pressures, product life cycle issues and component pricing impacted our results."

The company operates plants in Elk Grove Village (Chicago); Las Vegas; Fremont, CA (SMT Unlimited); Acuna, Mexico; and Suzhou, China. The latter's sales rose in the quarter now employs 135 workers.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI, Dec. 7 -- MiQuest, a maker of electronics assemblies, is planning to expand its factory here to meet higher demand, according to a local news report.

According to the report, city officials are reviewing zoning ordinances in order to pave the way for the firm's expansion.

MiQuest currently employs 50 and could add 20 to 25 more if the city approves the zoning request, the report said.

The company hopes to begin construction "as soon as possible" and production will start early next year, MiQuest project manager Richard Tournier reportedly said.