News
WILSONVILLE, OR – Mentor Graphics Corporation has released XtremeAR, the company’s second product to use its patented Xtreme design technology. The product is said to enable the simultaneous execution of auto-routing on up to 15 processors, cutting routing times on large boards from days to hours. The reported productivity improvement and design cycle time reduction improves time-to-market for large designs, and also improves quality and system performance by enabling designers to perform several design trials and choose the best results.
XtremeAR is the next application of the patented Xtreme design technology and is targeted at users who are able to autoroute their large boards. The product uses the processors from up to 15 computers on a LAN or WAN network working simultaneously on the same PCB database. This is said to cut routing times by up to ten times and utilize second and third shift computer resources that would ordinarily be idle.
"Our unique and patented Xtreme design technology can now help companies who use auto-routing on large, mostly digital boards," said Henry Potts, vice president and general manager of the Systems Design Division. "We worked closely with several of our customers to develop this application and it is meeting their most optimistic cycle time and productivity expectations."
XtremeAR is the next application of the patented Xtreme design technology and is targeted at users who are able to autoroute their large boards. The product uses the processors from up to 15 computers on a LAN or WAN network working simultaneously on the same PCB database. This is said to cut routing times by up to ten times and utilize second and third shift computer resources that would ordinarily be idle.
"Our unique and patented Xtreme design technology can now help companies who use auto-routing on large, mostly digital boards," said Henry Potts, vice president and general manager of the Systems Design Division. "We worked closely with several of our customers to develop this application and it is meeting their most optimistic cycle time and productivity expectations."
Methuen, MA – Lightspeed Manufacturing has added a third SMT manufacturing line to its EMS manufacturing capabilities, responding to increased volume and a flood of new orders, according to Rich Breault, president.
“Our sales have doubled over 2005, and we needed to add capacity to handle it,” said Breault. “Due to the wide-ranging nature of these orders, we also had to build in the ability to handle a high product mix.”
The new line includes an Assembleon flexible pick-and-place system with high-volume placement capability, as do the company’s other lines. “This means that we have plenty of flexibility for offline setup, and can run multiple jobs at once, or switch to another line if there is a hitch so that we don’t have to interrupt production,” Breault added. “Having three identical, top-level machines gives us speed and tremendous flexibility to handle virtually any circuit assembly job.”
Lightspeed recently began shipping Pb-free assemblies, as the facility switches over to RoHS-compliant manufacturing.
“Our sales have doubled over 2005, and we needed to add capacity to handle it,” said Breault. “Due to the wide-ranging nature of these orders, we also had to build in the ability to handle a high product mix.”
The new line includes an Assembleon flexible pick-and-place system with high-volume placement capability, as do the company’s other lines. “This means that we have plenty of flexibility for offline setup, and can run multiple jobs at once, or switch to another line if there is a hitch so that we don’t have to interrupt production,” Breault added. “Having three identical, top-level machines gives us speed and tremendous flexibility to handle virtually any circuit assembly job.”
Lightspeed recently began shipping Pb-free assemblies, as the facility switches over to RoHS-compliant manufacturing.
HUDSON, NH – CeTaQ America has launched a mobile version of its metrology service, bringing machine capability analysis testing and verification services to a manufacturer’s facility.
This portability, says general manager Michael Sivigny, is not only fast and convenient, but is necessary for accuracy, and brings immediate solutions to the customer whose process may be out of control, or who may be experiencing problems due to a production machine being out of calibration.
“Testing directly at the machine also ensures optimum accuracy of the results,” he said. “There is nothing to transport, no risk of test samples moving or repositioning. We bring all of the key technology of our CmController system right to the contract manufacturer’s or OEM’s facility, and perform a complete evaluation and analysis right there on their production floor using our mobile metrology unit. This has tremendous value to the customer, because it provides an immediate solution – and immediate answers.”
He did not disclose the pricing schedule for the service.
The testing firm's novel hardware and software quality tools that analyze machine capability, checking the basic settings and functions of the equipment to identify, control, and correct failures, so that production machines can once again assemble product within the original quality specifications established by the manufacturer.
This portability, says general manager Michael Sivigny, is not only fast and convenient, but is necessary for accuracy, and brings immediate solutions to the customer whose process may be out of control, or who may be experiencing problems due to a production machine being out of calibration.
“Testing directly at the machine also ensures optimum accuracy of the results,” he said. “There is nothing to transport, no risk of test samples moving or repositioning. We bring all of the key technology of our CmController system right to the contract manufacturer’s or OEM’s facility, and perform a complete evaluation and analysis right there on their production floor using our mobile metrology unit. This has tremendous value to the customer, because it provides an immediate solution – and immediate answers.”
He did not disclose the pricing schedule for the service.
The testing firm's novel hardware and software quality tools that analyze machine capability, checking the basic settings and functions of the equipment to identify, control, and correct failures, so that production machines can once again assemble product within the original quality specifications established by the manufacturer.
Taipei -- Hon Hai Precision is expected to retain its position as Taiwan's largest electronic manufacturer in terms of sales in the first quarter of this year, according to Chinese news source CENS. Following Hon Hai are Quanta Computer, Asustek Computer Inc., Compal Electronics Corp. and BenQ Corp.
Hon Hai expects $6.15 billion in sales in Q1, up 40% year-on-year. Quanta estimated it would see first-quarter sales grow 30% to reach $3.07 billion. Asustek projects 20% growth to $2.76 billion, and Compal said sales would rise 10% to $1.72 billion. Thanks to its merger with the handset unit of Siemens AG, BenQ is expected to snatch 80% annual growth in sales, hitting $1.47 billion.
Hon Hai expects $6.15 billion in sales in Q1, up 40% year-on-year. Quanta estimated it would see first-quarter sales grow 30% to reach $3.07 billion. Asustek projects 20% growth to $2.76 billion, and Compal said sales would rise 10% to $1.72 billion. Thanks to its merger with the handset unit of Siemens AG, BenQ is expected to snatch 80% annual growth in sales, hitting $1.47 billion.
Moorpark, CA -- Tier two EMS company CTS Corp. is establishing manufacturing operations in Matamoros, Mexico. Production is expected to start in mid-2006 and will focus on electro-mechanical and system integration.
The Matamoros facility marks the fourth EMS manufacturing site in North America, in addition to Moorpark and Santa Clara, CA, and Londonderry, NH. CTS has manufactured components and sensors in Matamoros for nearly 40 years.
The Matamoros facility marks the fourth EMS manufacturing site in North America, in addition to Moorpark and Santa Clara, CA, and Londonderry, NH. CTS has manufactured components and sensors in Matamoros for nearly 40 years.
ST. LOUIS -- LaBarge received a $2.3 million contract from BAE Systems to produce power control enclosure assemblies for the M113 armored personnel carrier.
The company expects production to begin in April and continue through Sept. 2006 at its Huntsville, AK, facility.
Atlanta —The Atlanta Surface Mount Technology Association (SMTA) Expo will return to the Gwinnett Civic Center in Duluth on April 20. The free event will feature over 75 industry supplier exhibits, as well free technical presentations.
The morning sessions will feature a look at the electronics supply chain from Mike Buetow, editor-in-chief of Circuits Assembly, followed by a look at the realities and logistics of implementing Pb-free technologies, presented by industry expert (and Circuits Assembly columnist) Phil Zarrow. One of the afternoon sessions will focus on selective soldering techniques, and the second one on strategies for purchasing and increasing lead times in an RoHS environment.
The event also includes a free lunch on the trade show floor for pre-registrants, as well as a 10th anniversary celebration, sponsored by World Micro Components, Inc. A charity raffle to benefit The Joseph Sams School, a private, non-profit school in Fayetteville, is also planned.
Register in advance at: smta.org/education/vendor_days/vendor_days.cfm#ga
The morning sessions will feature a look at the electronics supply chain from Mike Buetow, editor-in-chief of Circuits Assembly, followed by a look at the realities and logistics of implementing Pb-free technologies, presented by industry expert (and Circuits Assembly columnist) Phil Zarrow. One of the afternoon sessions will focus on selective soldering techniques, and the second one on strategies for purchasing and increasing lead times in an RoHS environment.
The event also includes a free lunch on the trade show floor for pre-registrants, as well as a 10th anniversary celebration, sponsored by World Micro Components, Inc. A charity raffle to benefit The Joseph Sams School, a private, non-profit school in Fayetteville, is also planned.
Register in advance at: smta.org/education/vendor_days/vendor_days.cfm#ga
Delhi -- Flextronics will become a preferred manufacturing partner for SemIndia Inc., a chip manufacturing consortium working with Advanced Micro Devices, the Indian government, Government of Andhra Pradesh and the India Semiconductor Association.
Flextronics will manufacture electronic products for SemIndia and SemIndia will manufacture semiconductor chips for the various products that Flextronics manufactures in India (including chips for cell phones, set-top boxes and PCs).
Flextronics will manufacture electronic products for SemIndia and SemIndia will manufacture semiconductor chips for the various products that Flextronics manufactures in India (including chips for cell phones, set-top boxes and PCs).
Haapajärvi, Finland -- Flextronics has decided to close its printed circuit assembly plant in Haapajärvi, Finland, according to European news source Evertiq. Reportedly the plant’s 120 employees will be fired.
The closure is said to be due to high labour costs, so production is expected to transfer to a low-cost location. As Evertiq notes, the decision is surprising since the plant hired new staff last week. However, the company did lay off half of its Hungarian workforce (950 employees) in February.
SAN JOSE -- Electronic design automation (EDA) industry revenue for the fourth quarter was $1,253 million, up 5% over Q4 2004. For 2005, revenue totaled a record $4,575 million, or 3% more than 2004’s $4,437 million. The figures come from the EDA Consortium’s Market Statistics Service.
"The EDA industry continued to strengthen in the fourth quarter," said Walden C. Rhines, chairman of the EDA Consortium and chairman and CEO of Mentor Graphics. "Revenues were up in all regions and most product lines."
The largest tool category, computer-aided engineering (CAE), generated revenue of $542 million, 4% more than the same quarter last year. CAE revenue for the year stayed at $1,925 million.
"The EDA industry continued to strengthen in the fourth quarter," said Walden C. Rhines, chairman of the EDA Consortium and chairman and CEO of Mentor Graphics. "Revenues were up in all regions and most product lines."
The largest tool category, computer-aided engineering (CAE), generated revenue of $542 million, 4% more than the same quarter last year. CAE revenue for the year stayed at $1,925 million.
LAFOX, IL -- Arthur Buckland has resigned as president, COO and board member of Richardson Electronics, effective immediately. According to the company, he is leaving to pursue personal interests. Edward Richardson will take his place until a permanent replacement is found.
The company also discovered errors in financial accounting at one of its Italian subsidiaries, according to a release on PR Newswire. The company has not yet determined the impact of these errors for any specific period, but it estimates that the errors will reduce stockholders' equity by approximately $3 million to $4 million.
While the company continues to evaluate the magnitude and impact of these errors, its financial statements for the previous three years and their interim periods should not be relied upon, according to the report. The company is evaluating the adequacy of its accounting for income taxes in certain foreign jurisdictions for prior periods and is in continuing discussions with the present and former auditors concerning these matters.
As a result of ongoing evaluation of these accounting errors, Richardson does not expect to file its Form 10-Q for its fiscal quarter ended March 4, 2006 by the filing deadline.
The company also discovered errors in financial accounting at one of its Italian subsidiaries, according to a release on PR Newswire. The company has not yet determined the impact of these errors for any specific period, but it estimates that the errors will reduce stockholders' equity by approximately $3 million to $4 million.
While the company continues to evaluate the magnitude and impact of these errors, its financial statements for the previous three years and their interim periods should not be relied upon, according to the report. The company is evaluating the adequacy of its accounting for income taxes in certain foreign jurisdictions for prior periods and is in continuing discussions with the present and former auditors concerning these matters.
As a result of ongoing evaluation of these accounting errors, Richardson does not expect to file its Form 10-Q for its fiscal quarter ended March 4, 2006 by the filing deadline.
Tokyo -- JPCA Show 2006, sponsored by the Japan Electronics Packaging and Circuits Assoc., will take place May 31 – June 2 at Tokyo Big Sight. The event is concurrently held with the 2006 Microelectronics show, JPCA and JIEP keynote addresses and Jisso Technology Symposium.
Over 500 exhibitors will showcase technologies for an expected 100,000 international visitors. The keynotes will include Shigeaki Mizushima, group general manager, AVC Liquid Crystal Display Group of SHARP, who will address “SHARP’s Strategy for LCD Business.” Also, Takashi Shigematsu, managing officer of Toyota Motor Corp., will talk about “Current Situation and Future Prospects of Automotive Electronics.” Dr. Hayao Nakahara, a popular PWB consultant will make a presentation on “World Electronic Circuits Industries Today” on the final day.
An eco-Pavilion will introduce environmental friendly products and green technologies. AIST (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology) will also exhibit its latest development presentations at a special booth.
To register, visit jpca.jp
Over 500 exhibitors will showcase technologies for an expected 100,000 international visitors. The keynotes will include Shigeaki Mizushima, group general manager, AVC Liquid Crystal Display Group of SHARP, who will address “SHARP’s Strategy for LCD Business.” Also, Takashi Shigematsu, managing officer of Toyota Motor Corp., will talk about “Current Situation and Future Prospects of Automotive Electronics.” Dr. Hayao Nakahara, a popular PWB consultant will make a presentation on “World Electronic Circuits Industries Today” on the final day.
An eco-Pavilion will introduce environmental friendly products and green technologies. AIST (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology) will also exhibit its latest development presentations at a special booth.
To register, visit jpca.jp
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