Bromont, Quebec, Canada -- Samsung Electronics Computer Co. will expand its existing Cogiscan Moisture Sensitive Device (MSD) Control system in its Suzhou, China factory.

The system reportedly prevents costly field failures; minimizes number and duration of bake cycles; automates complex procedures; and ensures compliance with J-STD-033A rules/tables and facilitate IPC/JEDEC updates.

Lee Buyung Bum, engineering manager at Samsung in Suzhou, said, “Our most important customers are pleased that we fully comply with all the guidelines of the industry standard J-STD-033A. Our facility is producing some of the most advanced notebook in the worlds. The high density forces designers to place more and more active components on both sides of the same circuit board. This has significant implications in terms of tracking the floor life of moisture-sensitive components. Some of the most sensitive components must go through the complete assembly process, including top and bottom-side assembly and reflow within 24 hours of opening their protective dry bag. In addition the upcoming transition to lead-free products will further reduce the process window associated with MSDs.”

Credit Suisse First Boston expects electronics manufacturing services and component companies to report "mostly inline" second-quarter results.

CSFB said, "Given a slow demand environment, we continue to overweight EMS names that are 'creating their own destiny': leveraging secular margin expansion as Celestica or new business wins as Jabil Circuit and Flextronics International to drive above-average earnings growth."

The cell-phone business and increasing Nortel Networks revenue "should get Flextronics over the line in the second quarter, with the booming Multek PCB business driving an opportunity for margins to beat. Celestica and Sanmina-SCI will both likely achieve earnings consensus on margin improvements from restructuring, despite lackluster revenues," the research firm said.

SAN JOSE -- Flextronics has entered into an employment agreement with chief executive Michael Marks, who becomes chairman in January, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission Wednesday.

Migdal HaEmek, Israel -- Camtek Ltd. and its parent company, Priortech Ltd., filed a lawsuit in the Tel Aviv District Court against Orbotech Ltd. and Orbot Systems Ltd. The suit seeks to recover about $4 million in damages caused by Orbotech's request for a preliminary injunction given ex parte.

Camtek has other legal issues today as well, with August Technology Corp. filing a patent infringement suit over the former's inspection line.