Alpha CVP-360 Pb-free, no-clean solder paste is formulated with low-Ag SACX 0807 and 0307 alloys. Reportedly delivers excellent printing characteristics, permitting the use of Type-3 solder powder, even when 300 µm features are being printed using a 125 µm stencil. Permits high-speed printing; reduced stencil-cleaning frequency. Has a wide reflow process window.
 
Cookson Electronics Assembly Materials, www.cooksonelectronics.com

The ESD Pro Event Detector and the Ground Pro Ground Integrity Meter are designed to protect sensitive electronics components and help prevent equipment malfunction by detecting ESD, EMI and measuring ground impedance. The latter helps diagnose and troubleshoot ESD issues, evaluate ESD-protective equipment and qualify tools. Measures the effectiveness of ESD safeguards. Detects and counts discharges, and monitors the relative strength of each ESD event. Audio alarm alerts to an event while an LED bar graph displays the event strength. Rejects most non-ESD related electromagnetic interference events. Ground Pro measures ground impedance to the milliohms and verifies grounding parameters in accordance with ANSI 6.1 and ANSI/ESDA S.20.20 standards. Is said to provide accurate measurements of ground impedance on a working tool when ground noise is present. Measures AC and DC voltage on the ground while separately measuring EMI. Both are handheld.

3M Electronic Solutions Division, www.3mstatic.com

Xtent Technology Rules Editor is offered in version 4.0 Mozaix and 6.0 Pantheon. Provides rules management and high-speed constraint options in data flow passed to and from the Mozaix schematic and Pantheon layout. User interface is said to permit quick creation, manipulation and assignment of design rules and constraints in an integrated application. Spreadsheet format includes visual previews for layer stackup and padstack construction and color-coded highlights to indicate rule or constraint violations and changes in layer rules. Design flow includes the ability to define signal path lengths, net lengths or pin-to-pin length constraints using formulas and functions, as well as the ability to auto-define signal path objects through user-specified pattern criteria. Length values can be formulated through a signal path class, or directly to one or more signal paths at a time. High-speed-specific, RF-specific and hybrid-specific design flows are available in standard applications.

Intercept Technology Inc., www.intercept.com

Siplace MultiStar now powers Siplace X-Series. Reportedly delivers a combination of chip shooting speed and extensive component range capability required for flexible end-of-line placement. Siplace MultiStar is a high-speed collect-and-place placement head capable of placing up to 24,000 cph with a component range from 01005 to 27mm². Also can place components up to 40 x 50 mm. Can automatically choose the appropriate placement mode for components; bottlenecks are said to be eliminated. Can run as a chip shooter and redeploy as an end-of-line machine without reconfiguring any heads. 

Siemens Electronics Assembly Systems, www.siplace.com