Circuits Assembly Online Magazine - News

News

Products

VISULA 7.0 enterprise-wide PCB design suite now features an embedded Place and Route Editor, P.R.Editor XR, and the Hot-Stage virtual prototyping tool. The Place and

Route Editor delivers improved routing functionality for faster completion of dense and complex PCBs, while the Hot-Stage tool facilitates a constraints-driven design process where potential signal integrity, EMC and manufacturing problems can be identified and corrected early in the design flow.

Ease of use improvements include damage repair, additional INI file settings for the layout editor and the addition of switchable toolbars with on-screen tool help, as well as improved Windows font support. The library tools support Windows XP as a database server. Design Technology Editor now features pad copy enhancement and automatic removal of legacy analysis data.

Introduces Activ-45, an automated 45-degree routing function, to the suite. The embedded router eliminates the need for a separate tool. P.R.Editor XR 1.4 allows batch checks to be made in embedded mode, can check against actual copper text vectors and can locate errors by code.

The Hot-Stage constraints-driven virtual prototyping tool facilitates ‘what if' analysis of design changes at the schematic stage. It ensures that design constraints can be maintained throughout the workflow.

Zuken USA Inc., www.zuken.com

Indium 3.1 water-soluble lead-free solder paste is said to offer excellent wetting and printing for fine-pitch applications, and a long stencil life that virtually eliminates solder paste waste. Resultant sodler joints are shiny and smooth. Also claims a wide reflow window, slump resistance, low voiding and low foaming.

www.indium.com

ISCAN (Intelligent Scaleable Control Area Network) architecture is based on Field Bus technology, which transmits packets of information digitally and is the basis for today's modern telecommunications systems. When this principle is applied to printing systems, ISCAN enables machine control, translating to economic efficiency.

According to Mick Bartholomew, manager of DEK's electrical design team, "Communication with the machine is now more advanced... Instead of just turning a motor on or off, ISCAN lets us send a message to tell the motor how far to travel, at what speed, acceleration and deceleration. In turn, the motor can reply, telling us that it has reached position, how accurately the velocity profile was followed, the amount of current that was used and much, much more. We can now read power supply levels and check circuit status without even opening up the machine. And, all this information is additionally accessible remotely via the Internet using DEK's Interactiv system."

The intelligent communication allows for trend analysis, which can monitor overall machine health and predict routine maintenance

dek.com

FRANKLIN, MA, Nov. 15 - The MPM Accela screen printer has a completely new design and operator interface, and reportedly delivers raw throughput gains of 20 to 30%. This is aided by a parallel processing setup in which all axes move simultaneously. The machine is designed for applications such as cellular phones and automotive.

The new platform is said to

Reduce setup, changeover and consumable downtime (to 5 minutes from 20), and features tool-free hardware interfaces
Deliver equipment robustness, ease of operator use, and a module level design with CanOpen controls, with no tools needed to switch from pumps to blades.
Feature easy service, support, and upgrade capability, all within the same footprint as previous MPM printers.
Offer 0.0005" accuracy for alignment and repeatability, and 0.001" print accuracy.
Handle higher density, more complex boards as well as lead-free manufacturing requirements.
Board sizes handled are 2 x 2" to 20 x 20", and thickness of 0.15 mm to 12.7 mm and up to 7 kg (15 lbs.).

The printer has been awarded two U.S. patents, and nine others are patent-pending.

Speedline Technologies Inc.

ALPHA EF-8000 lead-free no-clean wave solder flux claims to provide excellent first pass yields, worry-free in-circuit testability and excellent electrical reliability in lead-free and tin/lead wave soldering applications. IPC rated ROL0, exceeds the Bellcore and JIS standards for electromigration and surface insulation resistance, as well as more stringent electromigration and bulk insulation resistance requirements from leading OEMs.

"ALPHA EF-8000 flux creates a new industry standard for broad latitude application, because it withstands the higher PWB surface temperatures required for successful lead-free soldering, but it is fully capable for use in standard tin-lead applications," said Mitch Holtzer, global product manager. "In addition, it can be qualified now for emerging lead-free requirements, and used in lead-free or tin lead production lines."

Low rosin content minimizes flux residue buildup on pallets and wave soldering equipment normally associated with high (>10%) rosin flux formulas.

Cookson Electronics Assembly Materials, alphametals.com

RFS-20 constantly recycles rinse water from stencil and batch cleaners, saving water, energy and disposal costs. The fully automatic system constantly filters the rinse water and returns it to the stencil cleaner for re-use, eliminating the need for evaporators, haulage or in-house wastewater treatment facilities. A four-stage filtration system cleans the rinse water and returns it to the cleaner.

Three-way valve allows the rinse tank fluids to be power drained when changing fluids during periodic maintenance.

Filtration system consists of an in-line solder trap, a 10-micron polypropylene filter, an activated carbon powder filter to remove organics and a 5-micron polypropylene filter for fine particulates and organics. Rinse tank water is constantly re-circulated, extending the bath life of both the wash and rinse tank fluids in the cleaner.

JNJ Industries, jnj-industries.com