SAN JOSE -- Venture Outsource Group has reported a sharp rise in the number of employment searches it is conducting for EMS, ODM and technology OEM client companies.

The firm helps companies find candidates to fill internal postings for a variety of managerial and executive-level positions across the globe. In 2005, the firm has helped client companies fill nine positions. The company is on track to engage in more than twice the number of client search assignments it executed in 2004.

This is not necessarily a sign that the electronics outsourcing industry is improving as a whole, but may instead reflect the increasing role VOG is playing with company hiring activities in industry.  

Aurora, CO – Advanced Circuits, a quick-turn PCB manufacturer, has invested more than $1 million in new equipment to be installed between now and the end of the year. The investment will enable the company to keep its “On Time or It’s Free” guarantee.

New purchases include:

• Automated strip-etch-strip (SES) line.

• Debur equipment, offering cleaning for small holes.

• Lead-free hot air solder level (HASL) unit. 

• HASL pre- and post-clean lines.

• Handling equipment for the HASL and SES lines.

Dan Chouinard, VP of plant operations, said “Investing in new equipment allows us to not only produce superior boards, but also consistently ship them ahead of schedule. An extra day or two means a lot to our customers who are responsible for meeting tight deadlines and juggling numerous projects.”

Ashburn, VA – Recent studies by Zestron have concluded that the emergence of lead-free products will significantly increase the need for cleaning in the electronics industry.

“The use of alternative solvents with higher boiling points, increased rosin contents as well as more aggressive activators will change the particular application needs in the context of cleaning,” said Umut Tosun, application technology manager.

The study, which involved the 40 latest lead-free solder paste formulations, revealed that the removal of flux residues from soldered assemblies provided very satisfactory cleaning results.  In addition to flux residues, the company was also able to fully remove uncured, lead-free pastes from stencils and misprinted assemblies. Solvent and MPC-based products were used to conduct all trials.

For more info, visit: Lead-Free Cleaning: Moving from Eutectic to Lead-Free.

FREMONT, CA - Owens Design, a provider of turnkey product development outsourcing services, has partnered with Questar Products International to develop a line of automatic wire bonders built on Kulicke and Soffa’s  former Hybrid bonder platforms. The Questar Q2100 series bonders include capabilities for fine pitch, large table travel and ball bumping, as well as customizable software. 

John Apgar, president of Owens Design, said, “Our customer challenged us to come up with a cost effective design, replacing and upgrading older technology components, solving difficult electronics layout challenges, while packaging the system and all electronics in a very small footprint, and conforming to all SEMI and CE standards.”

Questar Products chose Owens Design due to its history in solving problems in complex electronics packaging and being able to design, prototype and continue to build ongoing machines in production volumes at prices that match or are below their own internal cost. 

Dennis Scott, president of Questar, said, “As a small company focused solely on delivering high quality wire bonding equipment at aggressive prices, we must partner with companies that can deliver on our customers high expectations. The fact that they could do both the design and the assembly made Owens an obvious choice.”