SIOUX FALLS, SD – Electronic Systems Inc. recently shared lessons learned from its RoHS compliant processes at a workshop for executives and engineers.

About 70 persons from two dozen electronics companies attended the in Bloomington, MN, seminar to hear the EMS company, which has RoHS compliant products in production and pilot stages, describe everything from solder materials and profiles to supply chain management.

ESI said the seminar was meant to be a jump start for those who’ve not yet committed to a RoHS strategy. The first deadline for compliance is July 1, 2006.

According to company vice chairman Leo Reynolds, the seminar was not for “answer(ing) the unanswerable questions but rather to make our customers aware of the impending deadline and jog them into the realization that they need to be very aware of what may or may not have to do with their products and processes.”

Questions revolved around tin whiskering, preferred PWB finishes and soldering temperatures, he told Circuits Assembly. There were “a lot of questions on component availability and compliance [and] on verifying compliance, how can the EMS company ensure that every component is in fact lead-free compliant.”

“Obviously, there are as many unanswerable questions as there are solid ones in this whole RoHS issue.”

Speakers included Tony Hilvers, vice president of industry programs at IPC, who reviewed RoHS requirements and discussed issues related to managing the supply chain, processes and verification. Dave Paluck, ESI manufacturing engineering supervisor, gave an overview of the company’s soldering and assembly processes, while director of program management Steve Hillesheim explained the logistics and planning needed for an OEM to move product into compliance.

The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments in a case that attorneys say stretches the boundaries of what should be patentable, Circuits Assembly's Mike Buetow reports in today's blog.

http://circuitsassembly.com/blog/

Clinton, NY -- Indium has begun manufacturing wave solder fluxes in its European facility. The company hopes the added capability from its Milton Keynes, England, facility will improve customer service in the region.

The company produces a full line of wave solder fluxes, including no-clean, residue-free fluxes that accommodate Pb-Free and Sn/Pb processes.

Rochester, NY – EMA Design Automation and Ageus Solutions have joined forces to provide environmental compliance solutions from design through manufacturing.

“We’re adding the ability to supply the mechanical portion of RoHS/WEEE compliance,” said Manny Marcano, president and CEO of EMA. “Aligning forces with Ageus allows us to expand our Engineering Data Management (EDM) solution to cover the entire manufactured product, which supports the entire RoHS/WEEE directive.”

EDM allows product development teams to record, manage and report the design and development data used in the creation of manufactured products.

Ageus provides RoHS/WEEE consulting, assessment and process of mechanical components and drawings. The company also has a comprehensive recycling network in Europe.

Cupertino, CA -- Is Apple going to break up its relationship with Motorola to introduce its own iPhone in late 2006? The long-rumored product once again made headlines last week as analysts speculated on an upcoming product introduction.

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster said there was a 75% chance that Apple would release an iPhone in the next 12 months.  And over the weekend, JPMorgan analyst Johnny Chan told Barrons that Apple is working on "an iPod with phone functions."

BEIJING -- Two U.S. senators, part of a delegation to China this week, are pressing Chinese officials to ease protections on its currency before the Senate votes on possible punitive measures next week.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) claim that China is manipulating its currency, in violation of World Trade Organization rules.

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NORWALK, CT -- The global market for self-service machines, nearly $11.3 billion in 2005, will reach $24 billion by 2010, an average annual growth rate of 17%. According to BCC Research, the global number of machines in service will grow from 2.1 million last year to 2.8 million by 2010, an AAGR of 6.1%.

Automated teller machines (ATMs) and vending machines will continue to be the driving force for this market; the history and technology is long-standing and well-tested, and consumers will continue to show their support. An offshoot of the ATM, the self-service kiosk provides information to users instead of currency. These kiosks will begin to take off through the forecast period as well, as more consumers worldwide recognize their versatility and cost efficiency, BCC said.

CONCORD, CA -- March Plasma Systems has established an advanced plasma applications and demonstration laboratory in Shanghai, China.
The new lab is located within the existing March-China offices and will be run by applications field service engineer Michael Zhang.

TOKYO - DENSO Corp. has established a new company in Tianjin, China. The addition is “in response to the production needs of Korean automotive manufacturers in China,” noted managing officer Mitsuharu Kato.
 
Tianjin Poong Sung Electronics Co., Ltd. will produce instrument clusters, beginning production at the end of 2006. By 2010, it is expected to employ 80 people with projected sales of US$23 million (2.7 billion yen).
 
This is DENSO’s second company to produce instrument clusters in China.
 

Kyzen Corp. will showcase AQUANOX A4630 in booth 2D01 at the upcoming Nepcon China/EMT China show in Shanghai.
 
The product was designed to clean Pb-free materials while providing low cost of ownership. The sixth-generation product brings ambient temperatures and low concentrations while exceeding industry standards for personnel and environmental safety.
 
Is typically used in aqueous spray-in-air equipment at 10 to 20% from ambient temperatures. Said to provide brilliant joints, pass after pass, without the use of sump side additives and throughout an extended bath life.
 
Effective on all no-clean materials.Is multi-solder safe for Pb-free and Pb-bearing solders in addition to most precious metals. It is part marking safe and compatible on all tested electronics industry labels (polyimide).
 

ENDICOTT, NY -- Endicott Interconnect Technologies and Meadville Technologies Group Ltd. have entered a licensing agreement to produce EI's patented organic substrates at the Meadville's facility in Shanghai.

Under terms of the agreement, EI maintains control of the design, prototype, new product introduction, low to medium volume production, particularly for aerospace and defense applications, sales and technical support worldwide for the CoreEZ product line. Meadville will perform high volume runs of CoreEZ products.

No financial terms were disclosed.

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VANCOUVER, BC -- Nam Tai Electronics has invested $3.4 million in three surface mount lines this quarter, raising its production capacity by about 17% based on passive chip placement. 

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