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Dow Corning Corp. (Midland, MI), a provider of silicon-based technology, has launched a partnering approach specifically designed to help electronics industry customers solve business problems and seize emerging opportunities. The Electronic Solutions initiative expands the company's value proposition beyond materials and signals a significant shift in the company's business strategy.

Drawing on its 60 years as a materials manufacturer and the capabilities of its partners throughout the electronics industry, Dow Corning can now help customers meet many business challenges, including product and application development; materials, process and equipment integration; facilities design and engineering; and supply chain management (including environmental, health and safety capabilities).

The company has also tapped Arthur Hanlon to lead the solutions strategy. In this role, Hanlon oversees the development of customer-centered solutions across Dow Corning's semiconductor, packaging, systems assembly and subsystems assembly market segments, including emerging business programs.

To date, Dow Corning has helped many companies throughout the electronics industry overcome specific business challenges, including factory and geographic expansions, supply chain optimization, equipment procurement and product research and development.

"Where we once had limited points of contact with customers, typically between our sales person and the company's procurement department, we now interface with companies on multiple levels," said Tom Cook, executive director. "Our engineers work with customers' engineers to troubleshoot process problems on their manufacturing lines, our scientists support customers' scientists in creating new formulations, R&D teams help customers' brand managers create new markets and our business development leaders work with our customer's business owners to outline and develop proposals to meet their significant business challenges."

www.dowcorning.com/electronics

Printing printed circuit boards (PCBs) in highly flexible production environment demands new solutions for efficient use of a screen/stencil printer. Standard inline printers are not ideally suited since various production lines or production cells would need a machine for each section.

The SP500 batch printer from ESSEMTEC (Glassboro, NJ) can be used for printing several lines or cells, as it provides a fully automatic process.

All printing parameters are stored in an internal database and users can also store information such as set up info and solder paste and stencil specifications. The operator can easily select the product and gets all necessary information for setting the new batch.

The printer automatically aligns the PCBs to the stencils with an integrated vision system. The printer can be operated in a manual loading or fully automatic batch-loading mode. The related PCB loading/unloading system automatically feeds PCBs from a rack, prints them and stores them on the same rack. The integrated underside stencil cleaning system makes sure that the batch is properly printed, avoiding blocked stencil apertures. Different cycles can be programmed and three different cleaning modes—dry, wet or vacuum—can be selected and combined.

The complete printing cycle is fully automatic; a full rack of PCBs can be printed and then inserted to a surface-mount device assembly line or cell. Problems with paste drying on the stencil are avoided.

www.essemtec.com

EMC has introduced the Cyberclean Series 6000, Model 7883CD batch washer. The stainless steel cleaner washes and dries in one chamber. Features include wash and dry temperatures to 93ºC; a built-in adjustable water softener, detergent and neutralizer dispensing system; and a HEPA filtration system with adjustable drying.

Other important features include a 106-gallon per minute circulation pump, thermally protected for overheating, and eight standard wash recipe times with holding times and temperatures that are fully adjustable. The washer also includes an RS-232 printer port for monitoring and validation.

The dual rotary spray arms are located at the top and bottom of the cleaning chamber for efficient cleaning within the chamber. The unit can be configured in 208/220V three phase, 20 Amps or 208/220V single phase 30 Amps. Running sound decibels are rated at 54.0 dB @ 1 meter.

The batch cleaner has a footprint of 33.5 x 35.5 x 27.5 in. Interior wash chamber is 18.5 x 20.5 x 20.5 in.

www.emcgti.com

EAZIX Inc., the design service and original design manufacturing (ODM) arm of electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider Integrated Microelectronics Inc. (IMI, Laguna, Philippines), announced its partner distribution program with MEV Elektronik Service Gmbh (Hilter, Germany), a distributor and stocking representative for electronic niche components.

MEV offers procurement of electronic components and logistics services to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and EMS companies in Central and Eastern Europe. With the value added reseller partnership with EAZIX, MEV will also be an authorized distributor of EAZIX's line of wireless connectivity ODM products, including wireless local area network 802.11b and 802.11g embedded modules and adapters supporting USB 2.0, PCMCIA, mini PCI, and Compact Flash standard interface. EAZIX upcoming solutions available in Europe also include wireless multi media adaptors, remote automation and control solutions and ZigBee/IEEE 802.15.4 and Bluetooth modules and adapters.

The distribution partnership capitalizes on EAZIX' strength in firmware and hardware design for wireless ODM solutions and design services, and MEV's experience in distribution to established OEMs.

MEV president Dieter Tappmeyer said, "We foresee high demand coming from European wireless OEMs for wireless ODM platforms that will require more complex level of customization, such as the solutions developed by EAZIX."

Research group iSuppli predicts that the number of embedded devices supporting WiFi technology will increase to 167.8 million units in 2008, up from $436 million in 2003.

www.eazix.com

www.imiphil.com

www.mev-elektronik.com

Due to ever-changing customer needs and recognizing its growing international stencil business, DEK (San Jose, CA), a high accuracy mass imaging solutions provider, has announced the installation of next-generation laser cutting equipment in its Guadalajara, Mexico, stencil manufacturing facility.

"The addition of this equipment is in direct response to current and anticipated customer requirements," said Neil MacRaild, North American general manager for DEK Process Support Products. "Our worldwide stencil business continues to grow and we are seeing significant business development in Mexico."

The laser equipment, which is a proprietary DEK system, provides production speed while delivering precision and control. With a guaranteed aperture dimension tolerance of ±5 µm over the entire printable area, the laser equipment enables the manufacture of stencils for precise surface-mount technology and semiconductor packaging applications.

Jose Perez, DEK Mexico general manager, said, "This enhancement to our manufacturing capability in Mexico is very exciting because it speaks to the volume our business is enjoying and to the dedication DEK has to providing necessary resources for growth. Our customers' manufacturing volumes require this increase in capacity and we have delivered."

DEK's international stencil operating procedures enable customers to transfer data, processes and products to any of DEK's worldwide locations. The company has seven stencil manufacturing sites in North America and eight facilities in Europe and Asia.

www.dek.com

The National Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (NEMI, Herndon, VA) is hosting an open workshop to review year-to-date progress on the 2004 NEMI Roadmap. The meeting is scheduled for June 23 at NEMI headquarters.

"This workshop serves as an important reality check for the teams writing the various roadmap chapters and helps us enhance the quality of the final product," said Jim Arnold, director of roadmapping for NEMI and a fellow of the Motorola technical staff. "It also gives the industry a sneak peak at what will be featured in the final roadmap. This year, we are actively soliciting global participation in this review as we begin the first steps toward internationalizing the NEMI roadmap. For example, we have already secured commitments from the Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology Society (CPMT) of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE/CPMT) and IMAPS Europe to participate. In addition, we have had positive interactions with Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA), and representatives from Japan will be involved in the 2004 roadmap."

Every two years, NEMI maps the future manufacturing needs of the global electronics industry to identify the key technology and infrastructure developments required to assure leadership of the supply chain over the next decade. It helps companies anticipate shifts in product requirements and provides an early warning of changes in technology or infrastructure. It also serves as the foundation of all of the consortium's activities.

The 2004 roadmap marks the tenth anniversary of this initiative. The first roadmap was created in 1994 by the National Electronics Manufacturing Framework Committee, a group of 200 individuals from industry, government and academia who came together to study the challenges facing the nation in electronics manufacturing and to develop technology roadmaps and policy options with which to address these challenges. To celebrate this milestone, NEMI is planning a banquet on the evening of June 22 at the consortium's headquarters. The event will feature speakers from industry and government and provide an opportunity for the group to meet informally prior to the workshop sessions the next day.

The workshop registration fee is $200 for non-members and $100 for members, and includes attendance at the banquet, participation in the workshop (including lunch and breaks), a CD of workshop presentations and the 2004 NEMI Roadmap CD when published.

For more information, visit: www.nemi.org/roadmapping/june_TWG.html.