SINGAPORE – Flextronics today announced third-quarter 2009 net sales of $6.6 billion, up 12% sequentially, and down nearly 28% year-over-year.
TORONTO – Celestica Inc. today reported fourth-quarter revenue of $1.66 billion, down 14.4% year-over-year.
WEST LOTHIAN, UK – A partnership of private firms, public entities and UK universities have formed a foundation aimed at raising the number of industry-ready engineering graduates.
Alarmed at a 45% drop in electronic engineering degrees in the UK, the National Microelectronics Institute has established the UK Electronics Skills Foundation to encourage employers to work with schools to enlighten students on career opportunities in the field. Plans call for enlisting the help of summer schools to encourage students to study for electronics engineering degrees, and providing scholarships that connect all sizes of firms with undergraduate students.
UKESF supporters include the University of Bristol, Edinburgh, Imperial College, Southampton and Surrey. Initial funding has been provided by NMI, BIS (Department for Business Innovation and Skills), SEMTA (the Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies), ARM, Cambridge Silicon Radio, Dialog Semiconductor and Imagination Technologies.
AUSTIN – A new research report on 3D through silicon via technology says volume production will prove difficult.
With volume production comes the difficult work of addressing issues of design, thermal management, test, and assembly, TechSearch International says. These issues include installation and qualification of high-volume 300 mm production lines, assembly and test capability, the availability of TSV interposers, and reliability data.
Drivers for the adoption of TSV technology include performance and form factor. However, different needs and economic factors determine the timing of adoption in each application, according to TechSearch, whose founder, Jan Vardaman, is a CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY columnist.
Future 3D TSV applications include DRAM, processors for computing and graphics, FPGAs, as well as processor and memory stacks for wireless products.
The firm highlights in a report the major processes and materials moving into production, including via fabrication methods, via filling, wafer thinning, and bonding methods.
The report provides an update on activities of companies and research organizations. Key barriers to 3D TSV adoption are reviewed with emphasis on design, thermal, and test and assembly issues.
SPOKANE VALLEY, WA -- Key Tronic Corp. today announced revenues rose 8.5% sequentially and fell 4.7% year-over-year for the quarter ended Dec. 26.