COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – A company that repairs stencil damage has been formed and has applied for a patent on its novel process.

Coinx has reportedly developed a patent-pending repair method that uses similar processes and techniques as for auto body repair.

Repairs can include long creases across the foil’s surface to unsightly dents up to ¼" deep. In most cases these repairs can also be made in the aperture field as well, provided it does not distort the integrity of the openings, says James Bishop, the founder.

Most dents and dings can be removed quickly and effectively by a trained person on your staff at your facility, he adds.

Bishop has been involved in the repair of dented and dinged metal panels for 17 years, primarily serving the auto body industry. Lately, the firm has worked with PhotoStencil to refine the process for stencils used in electronics manufacturing.

SAN JOSE – A recent survey of nearly 300 electronics supply-chain workers found respondents are slightly more optimistic than they were in April.
 
While most respondents view the current market situation as they did in April, respondents were slightly more optimistic regarding the future, says Venture Outsource, which with IDC conducted the survey.
 
The survey’s Current Index showed 4.6 out of 10, the same as four months ago, while the Future Index was 5.1 out of 10, 5% higher than in April. This indicates a meaningful increase in optimism about the future, says Venture Outsource; yet there is no sign of irrational exuberance, or even a serious recovery, before the end of 2009, says the firm.
 
Half the respondents identified themselves as “key decision makers” in their firms, up from 11% in a first-quarter survey. Respondents who “participate in decision making” remained about constant, at 37%. Respondents with a “view into decision making” made up a smaller proportion of respondents, at just 13%, down from 18% in April.
 
According to the survey results, the downturn is widely felt, with little variation by end-market or company type. Exceptions were component manufacturers and electronics equipment manufacturers, which reported lower scores on average than their supply-chain counterparts.
 
Respondents were most pessimistic regarding the economic and employment situation, with average scores of 3.9 and 4.3 out of 10, respectively. These scores were slightly worse than April.
 
“Feelings about the future economic situation are up nearly 9% from our last survey. In the end, though, these results show a belief that business will improve, but we believe that an actual broad-based expansion of business activity is not expected across the electronics supply chain in the next one or two quarters,” said Venture Outsource.
 
For complete results, visit http://www.ventureoutsource.com/contract-manufacturing/trends-observations/2009/bumping-along-the-bottom-electronics-supply-chain-summer-09-survey-results.

SOUTHFIELD, MI – A project team made up of Chrysler, Ford and General Motors has developed a process to help automotive suppliers remove lead-based solder from electronics components used in vehicles.

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HERNDON, VA – The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative will release its 2009 Roadmap in April.

iNEMI is scheduled to discuss findings at industry venues worldwide, including Apex on Mar. 31 in Las Vegas; SMTA China East on Apr. 21 in Shanghai; at the Astride the Packaging Roadmap seminar, held at TWI Ltd. on Apr. 22 in Cambridge, UK, and at the European Microelectronics & Packaging Conference June 15-18 in Rimini, Italy.

The 2009 Roadmap covers five product sectors and 20 technology and business topics.  For additional information, visit http://www.inemi.org/cms/roadmapping/2009_Roadmap.html.