News
Photocircuits Corp. (Glen Clove, NY) has announced the realignment of its tooling and manufacturing operations to accommodate rapid growth in its high mix and quick turn business that will increase from $50 million sales in 2002 to an expected $100 million this year. The growth in number of customers to nearly 500, with concomitant increase in part numbers and layers processed, has driven significant changes in the front-end and operational structure of Photocircuits' business.
The company has opened its second offshore tooling center, established to support the increase in tools required by growth in high mix, quick turn business. This newest Tooling group, located in the Philippines, joins the ranks of the groups operating in New York and Costa Rica. All three groups will continue to work under the direction of the Pre-Production Engineering staff in New York and Georgia.
By transferring much of its high-volume backlog to its Peachtree City, GA, operation, the company has made available in Glen Cove substantial manufacturing capacity and the focused technical resources needed to satisfy demands of the high mix, rapid-response marketplace. With the recent installation of new imaging and laser drilling equipment, Photocircuits has increased capacity for conventional and HDI multilayer products.
John Endee, president of Photocircuits Corp., has also announced the promotion of Mike Fuggini to the newly created position of director of operations. Fuggini has been with the company for more than 20 years, most recently responsible for managing the company's process engineering staff and environmental compliance activities.
Fuggini's promotion is an organizational change necessitated by the mushrooming growth in Photocircuits' high mix and quick turn business. He will focus on operational enhancements of the Glen Cove factory producing low volume, quick turn and high technology parts. Fuggini will refine the manufacturing systems to minimize work in progress, continually reduce set-up times and enhance manufacturing capabilities within each process center.
The company has also promoted Steve Graves to the position of national sales director. Graves is a 19-year veteran of Photocircuits' sales organization, most recently managing selling efforts in eastern North America, the Caribbean and Europe.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Dynatech Technology Inc. (Horsham, PA), the North American distributor for Samsung surface-mount technology equipment, has signed a distribution agreement with Aegis Industrial Software Corp. (Horsham, PA) to sell and install Aegis's CircuitCAM and CheckPoint software on Samsung equipment.
"It's more than one-stop shopping for our customers," said Mike Foster, director of sales for Dynatech. "With both companies located in the same corporate campus, customers can get their training for the equipment and the software on the same business trip. Customers will benefit from having the training on each system essentially at the same time, making it easier to retain the information and become more productive more quickly when the systems are installed in their plants."
In the market for small to medium electronics manufacturing services (EMS) and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) shops, the Samsung Techwin line includes the newly introduced CP60L compact high-speed chip shooter, CP45F full vision assembly system and a variety of entry-level placement systems, plus machine-control software that can tie into line manufacturing and enterprise information systems. As the North American distributor, Dynatech Technology also provides 24/7 service with a guaranteed 30-minute call-back time.
Manufacturing and process engineers use CircuitCAM to convert CAD design information into visual assembly documentation, reports and optimized machine programs that include the generation and optimization interfaces for the pick-and-place insertion process, inspection and test machines. Users can operate the MS Office suite and programs such as AutoCAD directly within the software environment, and they can transfer documentation into programs such as Word and Excel. Data stored by the software enters a relational database, such as Access, which can be used in stand-alone mode. CheckPoint provides bill-of-materials, revision control and management capabilities.
"This new relationship with our neighbors down the road enables Aegis to further enhance our off-line machine programming capability and better integrate Samsung equipment users into our NPI and MES solutions," said Jason Spera, chief executive officer of Aegis.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
FCI (Etters, PA), a manufacturer of connectors and interconnect systems, has won a substantial victory in its patent infringement suit involving FCI's ball grid array (BGA) connector technology brought in the U.S. against Hon Hai Precision Industries (Foxconn, Tucheng, Taiwain).
On Feb. 13, after a two-week trial in San Francisco, CA, a jury returned a verdict finding Hon Hai liable for infringement of two FCI patents relating to its BGA connector technology.
The jury also found the infringement to be willful and that Hon Hai is liable for multi-million dollar damages as a result of its infringement of FCI's patents.
The infringing sockets are used in computer notebooks, desktops and servers that use BGA socket technology.
Jean Lucien Lamy, FCI chairman and chief executive officer, said, "We will continue, in this instance and in any other cases that should arise, to pursue all legal means to protect our intellectual property."
BGA patented technology from FCI is currently licensed worldwide to Tyco and Molex for socket applications.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Valor Computerized Systems (Yvane, Israel), a provider of productivity increasing engineering software solutions to the electronics design and manufacturing industry, has reached an agreement with Jabil Circuit Inc. (St. Petersburg, FL), a top-tier electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider. Trilogy 5000 will be implemented at a majority of Jabil's manufacturing and service facilities located in Asia, Europe and the Americas to increase efficiencies in new product introduction (NPI), design for manufacturability (DFM) and assembly process optimization. The deal marks the largest software deployment in Valor's corporate history.
The engineering system selected by Jabil covers the full scope of the assembly engineering solution for an integrated, efficient and productive CAD to DFM to assembly process.
Chris Singleton, global director for manufacturing engineering at Jabil said, "We will be able to accommodate customer ECN's easier and faster as well as provide a higher level of DFM service for customers. Jabil expects Trilogy tools to reduce the engineering process time for new jobs. This is particularly important to our growing high-mix business and will enable us to accelerate new product introductions."
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Assembleon (Eindhoven, The Netherlands, a designer and manufacturer of surface-mount pick-and-place equipment for the global electronics industry, and Tecnomatix Technologies Ltd. (Herzlia, Israel), a provider of manufacturing process management (MPM), have announced an agreement to offer a replacement to the CIMbridge software tool with eM-Assembly Expert, from Tecnomatix Unicam, for all Assembleon customers.
Under the terms of the agreement, the software tool—a key component of the printed circuit board (PCB) assembly and test solution suite from Tecnomatix Unicam—will replace the platform currently being used by Assembleon customers. Since acquiring the CIMbridge business unit from Genrad in October 2002, Tecnomatix has been committed to a transition plan to upgrade CIMbridge users to a more advanced, integrated programming platform.
Assembleon customers will also benefit from eM-Document Expert, a subset of the software that automates the creation of method sheets and other documentation for electronic assembly operations.
The programming front-end will interface with Assembleon optimizers and line balancers for all Assembleon machines. Expansion of the platform to other MPM solutions is available directly from Tecnomatix.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Visiprise Inc. (Atlanta, GA), a provider of manufacturing execution systems for electronics, automotive, aerospace and defense industries, has been selected by Actia Group (Toulouse, France) to provide quality and production management control for its manufacturing plants in Tunis, Tunisia and Colomiers, France. Operating in 13 countries, Actia Group is a manufacturer of vehicle electronics and diagnostics for major automotive and aerospace original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
Visiprise Manufacturing, the manufacturing execution software, links OEMs and electronics manufacturing services (EMS) suppliers and provides visibility during the manufacturing process, thereby accelerating new products to market and reducing overall manufacturing costs.
"Actia Group chose Visiprise Manufacturing to handle complex control, tracking and traceability requirements during the manufacturing process," said Robert Consoli, vice president of worldwide sales, Visiprise. "As a supplier to major automotive and aerospace OEMs, Visiprise provides Actia Group with the tools needed to control and to gain visibility of critical routing, repair loop and non-conformance information during the manufacturing process."
Visiprise is a provider of software solutions for real-time visibility and control of manufacturing operations for discrete manufacturers. Its flagship solution is a Web-based, collaborative manufacturing execution system (MES) that helps manage and track the entire production process. It is the industry's only independent platform technology for manufacturing execution.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
DEK (San Jose, CA), a high accuracy mass imaging solutions provider, has taken electroform stencils to the next level by incorporating an exclusive, sophisticated aperture height control method to their production of Eform stencils.
The stencils incorporate provide superior performance and ensure seal contact to the pad, pad paste deposit and a greater percentage volume of paste on pad. The reactive force created by the stencils provides for an even distribution of paste and allows for a more clean release of paste from the aperture. This technology also delivers ultimate control over stencil thickness and uniformity, ensuring paste volume consistency for fine pitch applications. The stencils also improve solder paste release for some of the more challenging lead-free solder paste formulations.
When the stencil process is combined with the new variable aperture height technology (VAHT), it becomes even more powerful.
Richard Tang, DEK global Eform manager, said, "Board co-planarity issues are a prevalent problem. The uneven resist layer causes a poor seal between the board and the stencil, which can result in printing problems. DEK has that problem solved. Our VAHT, an inherent characteristic of DEK's Eform stencils, adjusts for the variances in resist layer heights and provides a uniform seal across the entire board."
DEK's Eform process and inherent VAHT produce stencils that will enable technology for next-generation fine-pitch surface-mount and semiconductor packaging technologies. As the lines between complex surface-mount assembly and semiconductor packaging processes continue to blur, the need for advanced stencil technology becomes even more apparent.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
The International Microelectronics And Packaging Society (IMAPS, Washington, D.C.) has announced that Colonel Danny McKnight, whose heroic exploits as Commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment assigned to Task Force Ranger in Mogadishu, Somalia, were chronicled in the book and movie "Black Hawk Down," will deliver the keynote address at an upcoming IMAPS Advanced Technology Workshop (ATW). The Military, Aerospace, Space and Homeland Security ATW will be held at the Renaissance Harbor Place Hotel, Baltimore, MD on March 28-30.
Col. McKnight recently retired after a distinguished and highly decorated career as a U.S. Army Ranger. His experience represents a lifetime of dedication to the defense of America.
In addition to his expertise in military matters, highlights of his management career include: providing direct financial management, guidance,and oversight of an annual operational budget of approximately $50 million; developing a strategic planning concept and a measurable results program to track its successful implementation for the integration of active and reserve component soldiers as part of the Army's training strategy for the year 2000 and beyond; and directing a staff of more than 300 to provide support for a field force of 10,000 people, who had to meet the training requirements for approximately 250,000 reserve component soldiers.
Col. McKnight's awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit with Two Oak Leaf Clusters; Bronze Star for Valor; Purple Heart; Meritorious Service Medal with Five Oak Leaf Clusters; Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster; Army Achievement Medal; National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Arrowhead and Bronze Star; Combat Infantryman's Badge; Ranger Tab; Master Parachutist Badge with Bronze Star; and Pathfinder Badge.
Greg Caswell, General Chair of the Workshop, said, "We are extremely proud and honored that one of our country's most distinguished military heroes has agreed to take the time to come and speak at our Workshop."
For more information on the workshop, visit http://www.imaps.org/registration/military2004.htm.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
YESTech (San Clemente, CA), a provider of yield enhancement solutions, has announced that it has won a contract to provide automated optical inspection (AOI) technology to Zentech Manufacturing Inc. (Baltimore, MD), a full-service contract electronics manufacturers in the mid-Atlantic region.
Zentech will use YESTech's YTV-2050 AOI system for automated inspection of its printed circuit boards (PCBs), which are used in both military and commercial applications. The system was implemented at Zentech's 42,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Baltimore.
"Our business is doubling in size each year, creating a challenge in terms of the high volume of PCBs that need to be inspected," said Dave Hughes, director of advanced operations engineering for Zentech Manufacturing. "After evaluating AOI systems, I selected YESTech because they are leading the market with innovations such as multi-camera technology and easily took care of 80% of our inspection needs. We assemble thousands of boards per day to IPC 610 class 2 and 3 standards, so our quality and workmanship is critical."
The AOI system provides Zentech with defect detection and repeatability, ease of use and value. Up to eight cameras feature proprietary color megapixel Thin Camera technology, which integrates color, normalized correlation and rule-based algorithms to provide high-speed PCB inspection with exceptional defect coverage and a low false failure rate.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
During the 2004 Apex tradeshow, Techspray (Amarillo, TX) presented Hisco (Houton, TX), an electronics distributor, with the 2003 Sales Growth Award. Hisco, a long-time distributor for Techspray, had 40% growth in calendar year 2003 over 2002. The growth is good news after several years of mainly bad news for the electronics industry.
The company also announced that they have hired Ken Caskey as the North American Sales Manager. Caskey has nineteen years of experience with the Premier Farnell organization including assignments for Newark Electronics in England and Chicago. He most recently served as vice-president of sales for MCM Electronics, an InOne company.
Techspray is a brand of precision cleaning technologies for the electronics industry. Techspray's Industrial product line includes cleaner/degreasers, defluxers, contact cleaners, lubricants, corrosion inhibitors, aerosol adhesives, desoldering braid, hand tools and solder tips.
Techspray is a brand of precision cleaning technologies for the electronics industry. Techspray's Industrial product line includes cleaner/degreasers, defluxers, contact cleaners, lubricants, corrosion inhibitors, aerosol adhesives, desoldering braid, hand tools and solder tips.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Data I/O Corp. (Redmond, WA), a provider of manual and automated device programming systems, has announced the appointment of Joseph L. Murdica as vice president of Americas and Asia, effective March 1, 2004. Murdica will manage the company's sales organization throughout the Americas and Asia.
He served the company previously as director of North American sales from 1991 to 1996. He was vice president, Americas, with Digital Microwave/Stratex Networks from 1996 through 2002 and most recently held an executive sales position with Aeroflex Corp.
Fred Hume, president and chief executive officer, said, "With Joe's extensive knowledge of our products, our customers and our sales channels, he will have an immediate impact on our results. I'm simply delighted to have him back on the Data I/O team."
Data I/O has representatives and distributors throughout the Americas and Asia as well as offices in Redmond, Canada, Hong Kong, and Shanghai, China.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
The practice of outsourcing electronics manufacturing gained popularity in the 1970s—largely in the U.S., and today most of the world's largest contract manufacturers (CMs) are headquartered in North America. Yet the never-ending search for lower cost manufacturing has prompted these companies to shift manufacturing to other regions—primarily to Asia. In fact, electronics manufacturing strategist Technology Forecasters Inc. (TFI, Alameda, CA) estimates that today more than a third of the world's outsourced electronic products are built in China and that by 2007 the portion will increase to half.
Profiling the type of manufacturing most likely to remain in North America is the focus of a study TFI will present at its March 10 Quarterly Forum for Electronics Manufacturing Outsourcing and Supply Chain, in the Dallas, TX, area. For the study, entitled Electronic Manufacturing Services Industry in North American Market: Current Outlook and Positioning for the Future, TFI interviewed executives at CMs around the world as well as name-brand product companies' outsourcing decision makers choosing among regions.
"Although most of the executives we interviewed were able to identify some niche markets or region-appropriate functions likely to remain in North America, without exception every executive predicted further loss of manufacturing jobs on the continent," said TFI president Pamela Gordon. "The keys to CMs retaining as many jobs as possible are to offer multinational manufacturing options—whether at their own facilities or through alliances—and to serving local customers with such close attention as to create a nearly impenetrable barrier to leave."
Yet even for the types of business likely to remain, disagreement exists among CMs and their customers regarding the staying power of manufacturing in North America. The CEO at a mid-sized North American CM said, "The strength will be the responsiveness of the industry in North America. This will not be available half way around the world. Cheaper product undelivered does not help the customer's bottom line."
A different response was offered by an outsourcing decision maker at a large North American customer company: "It's mainly price. Mexico, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico have some cost advantages, but if total cost is less elsewhere then the product won't stay in North America."
Other TFI reports to be presented at the Quarterly Forum include Competing with the Dragon: The EMS Industry in Asia Outside China and Outsourcing in Telecom: Finding Value Again. A panel on the future of design services will be moderated by Tom Valliere of Design Chain Associates, and feature Bill Coker of Elcoteq Americas, Michael Shores of Texas Prototypes, Mike Wilkinson of Paragon Innovations and several original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) sharing their experiences of using contract design services. Also, Agile Software will coach Quarterly Forum members in tracking materials and recycling in accordance with environmental regulations WEEE and ROHS.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
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