NORTHBROOK, IL— A new Underwriters Laboratories white paper clarifies the theory of dielectric breakdown and the objective of the dielectric voltage withstand test, which takes place during the product design phase of electronic devices.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA -- Did avoiding the voids just get less important? A multi-company investigation into BGA voids suggests as much.

SMYRNA, GA – UP Media Group Inc. seeks abstracts for PCB West 2011, to be held September 27-29, 2010, in Santa Clara, CA. The event includes a three-day technical conference and one-day exhibition to be held at the Santa Clara (CA) Convention Center.
 
PCB West annually provides a conference and exhibition focused on the design and manufacture of PCBs, HDI, electronics assembly and circuit board test.
 
Papers and presentations of the following durations are sought for the technical conference: one-hour lectures and presentations; two-hour workshops, and half-day (3.5 hour) seminars.
 
Suggested paper and presentation topics include LED design and assembly; RF and microwave design; high speed, high frequency and signal integrity; component placement; EMI/EMC analysis; thermal analysis; lead-free processes; environmental legislation (REACH, RoHS, etc.) and its effects; packaging design; mixed-signal design; area arrays; FPGA design and implementation; embedded passives and active devices; flexible circuitry; HDI design and technologies; PCB design/layout basics; component library creation and management; design for manufacture, test and assembly; electronics assembly; soldering; component placement; screen and stencil printing; PCB fabrication; surface finishes; industry forecasts, and business and supply chain issues.
 
Papers and presentations must be noncommercial in nature and should focus on technology, techniques or methodology. Abstracts of 300 words or less should be submitted to conference co-chairs Pete Waddell (pwaddell@upmediagroup.com) or Mike Buetow (mbuetow@upmediagroup.com) by April 29. If selected, final papers and presentations will be due July 8, 2010.
 
Printed Circuit Design & Fab and CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY magazines are media partners for the event.

For more information about PCB West, visit pcbwest.com or contact Show Manager Alyson Skarbek at 404-665-7749; askarbek@upmediagroup.com.

WASHINGTON, DC – Few major OEMs have complete oversight over their supply chains, a new report claims, although whether the firms actually buy conflict minerals was not part of the rankings.

KOKOMO, IN -- Federal, state and local leaders joined hundreds of Delphi employees today to break ground on the company's $25 million expansion here. 

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL – EMS provider SigmaTron International reported second-quarter fiscal 2011 revenues of $38.2 million, up nearly 25% year-over-year.

Net income was $586,050, up 13.3% compared to the prior year period.

For the six months ended Oct. 31, revenues were $76.3 million, up 34.1% year-over-year. Net income for the period was $1.4 million, compared to $114,823 for the same period last year.

“One-time relocation expenses are almost entirely behind us, and starting in the third quarter, we expect that lease expenses for Union City, CA, will decrease by $40,000 per month.

“Our revenue for the second quarter was essentially the same as the first quarter. Our earnings were lower compared to the first quarter, but primarily due to relocation expenses in California. Our backlog remains stable. Our revenue run-rate over the first two quarters of fiscal 2011 is at the strongest revenue level for two consecutive quarters since the 2008 downturn in the economy. Revenue has rebounded nicely and is slightly below the revenue level for the first two quarters of fiscal 2009.

“While it appears that our customers have stabilized their businesses, the continued uncertainty in the economy forces us to remain cautious. Pricing pressures remain with both customers and vendors. We continue to have lead-time issues with several raw material classes.”

OLATHE, KS -- Elecsys Corp. reported fiscal second quarter sales in its Electronic Design and Manufacturing Services segment increased 40% year-over-year.

EMS sales reached $3.2 million for the quarter ended Oct. 31, up $924,000 from the prior year. Fiscal year-to-date EDMS sales were $6.3 million, up 43%.

For the period ended Oct. 31, overall sales were $5,479,000, up 37% from last year. Net income was $101,000, versus a net loss of $322,000 last year.

The company forecast EMS sales to grow slightly in the near term due to currently scheduled orders in backlog, the anticipated addition of several new customers, and the transition of several projects from the design phase to production.

OSAKA, JAPAN – Nihon Superior received a 2010 Intellectual Property Achievement Award from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry patent office.

Nihon received the award for “Enterprises Excelling in Patent Utilization.”

The award is presented to companies that actively contribute to the expansion and development of the Japanese industrial property rights system. The chief criterion for selection was the extent to which management had implemented strategies to develop IP and the use of R&D for that purpose.

For Nihon Superior, the reasons cited for the award were the firm’s prompt response to the EU RoHS Directive, avoiding price competition, maintaining ongoing activity to strengthen the patent and provide the basis for new patents, and investing in collaborative research at foreign universities. The use of licensing also was recognized.

HUNTSVILLE, AR – General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products has awarded EMS provider LaBarge a $3.5 million add-on contract to produce electronics assemblies for the Aegis Weapon System.

The Aegis Weapon System integrates AN/SPY-1 radar, Mk 41 Vertical Launching System and US Navy missiles with its own command and control system.

LaBarge has manufactured electronics assemblies for the Aegis program for more than a decade.

Production on this latest contract is expected to begin in May and continue through November.

TAIPEI -- Hon Hai (Foxconn) reported November non-consolidated revenues fell for the second straight month despite a 61% year-over-year jump in sales.

WASHINGTON -- The US Commerce Department seeks public input on a revised export control list.

CAMBRIDGE, MA – Printed electronics is seeing a surge in orders, government and industry-funded development programs, acquisitions and company fundraising, says IDTechEx.

It is now at a “tipping point” because of a sharp improvement in performance, price and repertoire, says the research firm.