Circuits Assembly Online Magazine - News

News

Speedline Technologies Inc. (Franklin, MA) has manufactured and shipped its 100th CAMALOT XyflexPro dispensing system. The dispenser was purchased by Mektec Manufacturing Corp. of Thailand.

Mektec produces flexible printed circuit boards (PCBs) for computers, cameras, printers and mobile phones. The company will use the dispenser for flip chip underfill on flexible PCBs. With this purchase, Mektec operates 15 of the new dispensers, becoming the second largest XyflexPro installation in the world.

CAMALOT equipment provides new approaches to surface-mount and component protection. The benchtop, stand-alone and in-line systems dispense solder paste, conductive adhesives, encapsulants and flip chip underfill. The dispensing system has a calibration-free linear gantry drive system, small footprint and many easy-to-add options. The equipment handles surface-mount technology and semiconductor production applications.

www.speedlinetech.com

Siemens Dematic Electronics Assembly Systems (EAS, Norcross, GA) announced its intention to provide comprehensive surface-mount technology process training for the Americas in partnership with the Center for Electronics Manufacturing & Assembly (CEMA) at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT, Rochester, NY).

The training will take place at RIT's CEMA facility, which has a fully equipped surface- mount technology laboratory with screen printing, dispensing, pick-and-place, reflow, rework stations, optoelectronics workstations, wire bonding, test and inspection equipment.

The five-day hands-on course hopes to provide participants with a thorough understanding of surface-mount technology and advanced packaging principles needed for supporting and troubleshooting the surface-mount process. The course will offer extensive discussions on process parameters and process characteristics, as well as identifying and correcting defects.

Professor S. Manian Ramkumar, director of the CEMA at RIT said, "We are very pleased to offer these advanced technology courses in partnership with Siemens Dematic. We understand that these skills are imperative in today's manufacturing environment in order to improve the performance and quality of the manufacturing process."

To find out more about this course, visit www.siplace.com.

www.rit.edu/~smt/

www.siemens-dematic.us

Electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider Flextronics (Singapore) has announced results for its third fiscal quarter ended Dec.31, 2003. Net sales reached a record of $4.15 billion, an increase of 18.5% over the previous quarter, and up 7.8% from Q3 2002.

Pro forma net income was $93.9 million, or $0.17 per diluted share, a sequential increase of 97.6% and a year-on-year increase of 41.9%. Including after-tax amortization expense of $8.6 million, previously announced restructuring costs of $49.5 million and litigation settlement costs of $14.4 million, net income in the third quarter was $21.4 million. Last year, the company recorded a third quarter net loss of $6.5 million.

The quarterly results reflect a number of financial milestones, including record inventory turns of 13 times, a cash conversion cycle of 14 days and selling, general and administrative expense of 2.9% of sales. In addition, pro forma cash flow from operations was $356 million, which excludes approximately $68 million of payments for restructuring and other charges.

"As we begin to realize the earnings leverage imbedded in our business, our financial results will continue to improve," said Michael E. Marks, chief executive officer of Flextronics. "The improved operating results are what we expected to begin to see as we emerge from the technology downturn. While we are pleased that our margins, overall profitability, return on invested tangible capital, and many other financial metrics have improved this quarter, we continue to be completely focused on driving additional improvements in our operating performance."

Marks concluded, "Last week's announcement regarding our discussions with Nortel Networks has the potential to be a major transformational event for Flextronics in many ways. As currently being discussed, it has the potential to be the largest program award in the history of the EMS industry, with revenues exceeding $2 billion per year for Flextronics."

The company has increased its expectations for the March 2004 quarter by 10% for sales and 20% for pro forma earnings per share, to a range of $3.4 to $3.6 billion and $0.09 to $0.11, respectively.

www.flextronics.com

BP Microsystems (Houston, TX) has announced that they have surpassed the 19,000 device mark in the number of programmable integrated circuit devices their equipment is able to program. Additional support for devices is added three times per week through a software download available from the company's Web site. BP Microsystems' support for devices is a culmination of its 18 years experience in the programming equipment industry.

"We are proud to work closely with the semiconductor manufacturers to not only provide initial support for devices, but also to provide continued support for revisions of those devices," said Loc Ha, Device Support Manager.

New device support is released simultaneously for both engineering and production programmers, making the transition from design to manufacturing as easy as possible.

www.bpmicro.com

Dage Precision Industries (Fremont, CA) has announced a special opportunity for an APEX visitor to win the free use of a XiDAT x-ray system for one year. Dage will award an XD6500 digital x-ray system to one lucky company during the 2004 APEX exhibition and conference in Anaheim, CA.

Show attendees may enter the contest by completing an entry form on Dage's Website prior to the APEX show. Attendees may also visit Dage in booth 1263 during show hours to register before the drawing, which is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26.

The integrated digital image acquisition technology on the x-ray system's platform offers improved digital data processing, enhanced resolution, extensive grayscale definition and the Image Wizard software operating system.

The system offers magnification up to 5800x and feature recognition of less than two microns over the entire 16 x 18 in. inspection area. It achieves high resolution and magnification levels through use of proprietary x-ray tube technology, focusing lens and optimized image chain.

www.dageinc.com

Indium Corp. (Utica, NY) has announced the availability of a solder research kit. Customers are able to select a collection of solders and fluxes from a list of popular and effective materials. Numerous solder alloys, including several lead-free choices are offered in either wire, ribbon or paste form. A wide range of fluxes is also offered.

Additionally, a comprehensive table of physical properties is included.

Solder research kits allow for the evaluation of several alloys and fluxes prior to specifying solder products in larger quantities.

For more information, visit www.indium.com/products/solderkits.php.

www.indium.com

Are you a faculty member in an accredited college or university with a graduate program in engineering, materials science or other field related to microelectronics technology?

Do you have an innovative idea for research that would attract a new graduate student into the microelectronics field?

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, you may qualify for the $15,000 faculty research grant available from IMAPS' Sidney J. Stein Educational Foundation.

For more information, visit www.imaps.org/ed_found/grants.htm or call Angie Johnson, (202) 548-4001.

The deadline for proposals is April 16, 2004

www.imaps.org

The Charles Hutchins Educational Grant, co-sponsored by the Surface Mount Technology Association (SMTA, Minneapolis, MN) and Circuits Assembly magazine (Atlanta, GA), was established in memory of past SMTA president and industry colleague Dr. Charles Hutchins.

The $5000 grant is awarded annually to a graduate-level student pursuing a degree and working on thesis research in electronic assembly, electronics packaging or a related field. The grant is intended for the purchase of technical books and research materials, for participation in conferences related to electronics assembly and packaging, and for living expenses if necessary.

To be considered for this award students must submit the entry form, current academic transcripts, an advisor's letter of recommendation, a resume and a one-page thesis research abstract.

Entry materials are due April 15, 2004, after which the SMTA Grant Committee will review all qualified award applications. Once received, the SMTA will look at the following specific criteria: The technical importance within the electronics industry, student transcripts, the clarity with which students are able to define objectives and methodology and qualifications based on the submitted letters of recommendation.

The 2003 Hutchins Grant recipient was Andrew Perkins from Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA). The title of his project is: "Investigating the Combination of High and Low Cycle Fatigue on Solder Joints."

For more information, visit: http://www.smta.org/hutchins/student_app.cfm.

www.smta.org

The Christopher Group (Santa Ana, CA) has announced the introduction of a standard warranty for automatic optical inspection (AOI) systems. Based on the results of over 3,500 systems in use globally and service records of over 140 systems in use in North America, the on site warranty on NSpec AOI systems has been extended to 18 months (excluding consumables). The extension is retroactive on all applicable machines as well as new equipment sales.

The NSpec Fv 20 large format AOI system and Fv 14 standard format system will be available for demonstration at IPC/APEX 2004 in booth 1509.

www.christopherweb.com

Plexus Corp. (Neenah, WI) has announced that revenue for its first quarter of fiscal 2004 increased 16% to $238.5 million compared to $205.4 million in Q1 2003. Net income for the quarter was $2.5 million, or $0.06 earnings per diluted share. Excluding restructuring costs and the partial write-off of goodwill, Plexus reported a loss of ($0.9) million or ($0.02) per diluted share in the first fiscal quarter of 2003.

Dean Foate, president and chief executive officer of Plexus, said, "This is our third consecutive quarter of revenue growth and EPS improvement. The 10% sequential revenue growth in our fiscal first quarter was a result of two distinct elements. First, we experienced strengthening end-market demand, particularly in our Networking/Datacom and Medical sectors. Additionally, we are making clear progress on our commitment to build our sales and marketing into a world-class organization."

"Based on our current outlook," continued Foate, "we are expecting the revenue and earnings momentum to continue into Q2 with sales in the range of $245 to $255 million and EPS in the $0.07 to $0.09 range. Second quarter earnings will be moderated by higher SG&A expense to support the ERP system installation in our Chicago facility and by other outside professional services. Looking at the full year, we are now increasingly comfortable with our 15% to 20% revenue growth target."

Gordon Bitter, chief financial officer, said, "Improved revenues in Q1 resulted in gross margins of 8.2% for the quarter compared to 7.4% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2003. SG&A increased during the quarter reflecting increased expenses for compensation and healthcare benefits, but declined modestly as a percent of revenue. We had a 20% effective tax rate in the first quarter due to our expanding operations in Asia, where we benefit from tax holidays."

"Cash and short-term investments at the end of the first quarter were approximately $60 million as we used approximately $19 million during the quarter, primarily to finance increased inventories to support growth. Debt remains low and the $100 million credit facility that was established early in the first quarter provides additional financial resources," Bitter said.

www.plexus.com

Thinky Corp. (Kennesaw, GA) has announced that it is marketing the AR-250 all-in-one mixer/disperser/de-aerator in the U.S. By rotating the materials container while revolving it on a set radius, a continuous centrifugal force (400 G or more) is produced which mixes and simultaneously forces out the existent bubbles in the materials.

The mixer provides urethane/silicon degassing in minutes, disperses silver/copper/solder paste in seconds—even in frozen conditions, and mixes adhesive and sealant with no air bubble in minutes. The equipment is useful for manufacturers who use precision electronics technologies.

Using the multi-centrifugal motion principle, the model mixes ingredients and compounds in seconds to minutes with no damage of material due to its non-contact mixing structure. The machine can mix viscous material, such as clay, in 7 minutes and reduces or eliminates the use of a solvent/emulsifier.

Other models, ranging in capacity from 50 ml 100g to 3L 5kg are available. The ARV-200 and ARV-10000 (13L 16kg) are capable of complete high-speed removal of bubbles in sizes as small as sub-microns.

www.thinky.co.jp

Electronics manufacturing services provider (EMS) Flextronics (Singapore) is in discussions with Nortel Networks relating to a proposed relationship, whereby Nortel Networks would divest nearly all of its remaining optical, wireless and enterprise manufacturing operations and related supply chain activities to Flextronics.

If discussions are successful, Nortel Networks' Systems Houses activities in Montreal and Calgary, Canada; Campinas, Brazil; Monkstown, Northern Ireland; and Chateaudun, France would be transferred to Flextronics.

Flextronics expects to consolidate and provide full-service supply chain offerings including printed circuit board assembly and fabrication, along with logistics and repair services supported from industrial parks on at least four different continents.

The successful completion of these arrangements would result in Flextronics undertaking and managing in excess of $2 billion of Nortel Networks annual cost of sales. Flextronics anticipates that it would pay Nortel Networks in excess of $500 million in cash over a nine-month period for certain assets.

www.flextronics.com