SANTA CLARA, CA – TEXMAC/Takaya, the pioneering developer of flying probe testing systems for assembled Printed Circuit Board Assemblies (PCBAs), announces the appointment of Quality Associates as its manufacturer’s representative for Indiana and Kentucky. Leading efforts on behalf of Takaya will be industry veteran Rick Emery, whose focus is S. Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. He can be reached at C- (317) 698-6294, and via email, rick@qa-rep.com.

In making the announcement, David Levine, Takaya Central Regional Manager, stated, “Quality Associates is a diverse company dedicated to serving the needs of its principals and our customers with timely manufacturing and test solutions. They have been serving all aspects of the electronics environment for more than 30 years. We are pleased to be partnering with them and look forward to working with Rick and his team to support our customers and their needs in PCBA test and assembly.”

He adds, “With single or dual sided flying probe testing, Takaya systems are well suited for performing In-Circuit Test without fixtures. Always perfect for proto and low volume high mix applications, with our latest automated systems, mid volume runs without an operator now has a great justification.”

Takaya invented Flying Probe test technology in the mid-1980s. TEXMAC is the supporting distributor for Takaya systems in the Americas. As the leader in flying probe test technology, Takaya systems are trusted by top tier OEMs, EMS and Military Aerospace companies worldwide.

TEXMAC, the exclusive authorized distributor of Takaya flying probe test systems in North and South America, is based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and offers a full range of sales and support services including test and programming services. Locations include facilities in the Boston, Chicago, Dallas, and Silicon Valley areas. We have system stock and parts support in two US locations, and support personnel coast to coast.

GUERNSEY, UK – Offshore Electronics will provide design for manufacture support and PCB assembly services to Fireco, a supplier and manufacturer of fire door compliance devices and solutions.

The move consolidates much of Fireco’s PCBA procurement, with the company having used several suppliers prior to signing its new contract with the Guernsey-based CEM.

Based near Brighton, Fireco’s range has become a staple of modern building safety and compliance since first being introduced in the early 1990s. Despite this success, the product’s circuitry is now in need of a major update to maintain its leading position in the market. The agreement with Offshore – which covers current and future projects throughout 2023 – will also ensure the range’s pro devices work seamlessly with Fireco’s proprietary site manager software.

Fireco’s Dorgard and Freedor products automatically close when a building’s alarm systems are triggered. This allows a business to leave its fire doors open, if desired, while still complying with building regulations. The company has manufactured three variants of this product over almost three decades, but will now incorporate greater functionality into a single all-purpose solution due to be released in 2023.

The agreement comes at a crucial time for both businesses. Fireco has grown significantly since 2020 and is expecting continued significant growth throughout 2023. Offshore, meanwhile, has recently invested in new production machinery, including a Yamaha Z:LEX YSM20R modular pick and place machine, effectively doubling the number of components it’s able to place each month.

Mark Challacombe, Fireco’s Purchasing Manager, points out the decision to consolidate PCB assembly was down to Offshore’s ‘extra as standard’ approach. He said: “I’ve worked with many CEMs throughout my career, but the team at Offshore have consistently outperformed their competitors. There’s a wealth of in-house knowledge and an attention to detail that can be lacking with other outsourced partners. I was unable to appoint the company in a previous role and really noticed the difference, so it made sense to bring the company back on board for this important project. Now we have a dedicated partner in tune with Fireco’s plans”.

Dan Attewell, Offshore’s Director, added: “Offshore’s NPI process is proven and will take Fireco’s range to the next level during an important period of growth. Our close supplier relationship will keep the project running to schedule, and a new pick-and-place machine will vastly increase output once we’ve settled on a new board design.

The way CEMs work with customers has changed over the last three years but we’ve always adopted a value-added mindset. It’s validating to see this approach pay off with an exciting new contract”.

SILICON VALLEY, CA – Zero Defects International [ZDI] has announced their participation as an exhibitor at the SMTA Rocky Mountain Expo and Tech Forum. It will be held at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel. The date of this event is Wednesday, March 15. The address of the Sheraton is 1550 Court Place, Denver, Colorado.

Foremost among the PCBA test and inspection products to be shown will be Viscom's AOI, X-Ray and SPI inspection equipment. The Viscom display will include updates on the very latest enhancements for each of these products. Also, ZDI will have information on their flying-probe test services as well as reverse engineering and failure analysis services. Those in attendance include Michaela Brody, President and Paul Benke, CEO as well as Viscom sales management personnel, Barbara Koczera and Ed Moll. Other ZDI partners, for which information will be available, include Europlacer, Velan, Tagarno, Epoch International, and Arcadia.

CLINTON, NY – Indium Corporation’s Joe Hertline, Product Manager for Engineered Solder Materials (ESM)/Power Electronics, will host a webinar to discuss an emerging material technology which has the ability to provide robust tacking strength while reducing dependency on customized fixturing. The webinar, a part of the company’s InSIDER Series, will be held live at 8:30 a.m. (EST), Tuesday, February 28 and made available for on-demand viewing afterward.

Reliance on complex, costly alignment fixturing is growing as power module designers seek repeatable manufacturing and to achieve high-reliability performance. Flux-free soldering techniques are being deployed widely to meet the increasing requirements for quality, low voiding, and cleanliness driven by automotive/EV use cases. The emergence of sintering materials for SiC module applications are also a key consideration as manufacturers look at opportunities to scale processes and leverage high-performance properties.

In this webinar, Hertline will present how InTACK™ material technology can be applied during assembly to provide robust tacking strength and reduce dependency on customized fixturing. The absence of residue and contamination with InTACK™ make it a viable option for flux-free soldering and sintering applications where cleanliness directly influences reliability performance. Test data will be analyzed to evaluate material characteristics for dispensing, tack strength, and post-processing, and case studies will be reviewed to demonstrate opportunities for reduced process steps, cycle time, and overall cost of ownership in power module manufacturing.

You can register for Hertline’s webinar at: https://indium.news/InTackWebinar. The webinar link will be shared with registrants the day of the event. Registrants must use a company email account to avoid Indium Corporation’s spam filters. This is a first-come, first-served event.

Hertline is the Product Manager for ESM, focusing on power electronics applications. He is responsible for driving the growth of the power electronics product line through development and implementation of marketing strategies supported by customer experience, emerging technologies, and industry feedback. Hertline also collaborates with Indium Corporation's sales, technical support, R&D, production, and quality teams to serve existing customers and grow new business in his designated market. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and an MBA from Clarkson University and is a Certified SMT Process Engineer (CSMTPE).