News
The National Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (NEMI, Herndon, VA) will sponsor a tin whisker workshop and a component supplier/large user meeting at the upcoming IEEE Electronic Components and Technology Conference (ECTC) in Las Vegas, NV, June 1-4.
An all-day session on June 1 will review all of the NEMI tin whisker project activities to date. Two half-day sessions are scheduled for June 2. Users and suppliers will discuss mitigation strategies and acceptance test plans for high-reliability critical systems applications in the morning session, followed by an open meeting of the Tin Whisker Accelerated Test Project in the afternoon.
With the move toward lead-free electronics, tin is considered a drop-in replacement for the tin-lead finish currently used for component terminations. However, pure tin coatings may have a tendency to grow small filaments, known as whiskers, which could bridge adjacent terminals, causing system failures. NEMI has three projects that are working on various aspects of this phenomenon: accelerated test (attempting to develop tests to predict tin whiskers), modeling (attempting to understand basic cause of whiskers) and a user group (addressing how high-reliability, long-life systems or critical applications can be protected).
The Tuesday workshop will provide an overview of more than three years' work by the three projects, including discussion of an annotated bibliography, a set of tests recommended to JEDEC, basic theories behind whisker formation and how to protect critical applications and systems given what is known today.
On Wednesday, the Tin Whisker User Group will focus on the need for mitigation practices when pure tin is used as a component terminal coating. The concern with tin whiskers in high-reliability, critical systems applications will be discussed, potential solutions outlined and tests to demonstrate compliance will be proposed.
Carol Handwerker, chief of the Metallurgy Division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), will moderate the Tuesday workshop and Wednesday user/supplier discussions on whisker mitigation and test acceptance. Nick Vo, Motorola, will chair the Wednesday test method standardization evaluation and discussions.
All meetings will be held in the same venue as the ECTC. Anyone registered for ECTC can attend the NEMI tin whisker meetings. Individuals wishing to attend only the NEMI meetings should contact the NEMI secretariat for information (703-834-0330).
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider Flextronics (Singapore) has announced results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended March 31, 2004. Net sales for the quarter were a record $3.8 billion, a 23% increase over the March 2003 quarter. Net sales for the fiscal year reached $14.5 billion, up $1.2 billion, or 9%, from 2003.
Proforma net income was $72.8 million, or $0.13 per diluted share for Q4, up $47.4 million from Q4 2003. Including after-tax amortization expense of $8.8 million and restructuring costs of $48.0 million, net income was $16.0 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, down from $19.5 million, or $0.04 per diluted share, year-on-year..
"Our financial results continue to improve as we realize the earnings leverage embedded in our business, said Michael E. Marks, chief executive officer of Flextronics. "Quarterly revenues grew 23% on a year-over-year basis, while proforma profits nearly tripled. Both operating margin and revenues were stronger than expected, as the quarter ended less seasonal than expected for handsets and other consumer related products."
Flextronics also announced that it intends to convert all of the outstanding 0% Convertible Junior Subordinated Notes issued in March 2003 into approximately 19 million shares of common stock. The company filed a Registration Statement on Form S-3 to register the shares, and the conversion will be completed after the Securities and Exchange Commission declares the Form S-3 effective. The conversion will not impact Flextronics' diluted EPS, as the stock equivalents have always been included in the diluted EPS calculation.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Intellon Corp. (Ocala, FL), a provider of integrated circuits (ICs) for high-speed powerline networking, has shipped its one millionth HomePlug IC. According to the company, virtually all of the HomePlug powerline communications products in the global market today are powered by Intellon's integrated circuits.
The ICs enable high-speed communications over existing powerlines in homes and small businesses. They power over 50 products from more than 24 equipment manufacturers. These products can be purchased at retail outlets such as Best Buy, CompUSA, Circuit City, Mediamarket and Radio Shack.
Intellon customers are continuing to develop new products that take advantage of the ICs with applications as WiFi extension, online gaming, whole-house audio and security. The ICs are also being used for broadband over powerline (BPL) access applications, opening a third pipe (in addition to cable and DSL) to deliver broadband to homes and multi-dwelling units such as apartments and hotel rooms.
Intellon is extending the capability of its HomePlug product line to enable HDTV distribution over home powerlines. By the end of the year, Intellon will launch its PowerAV chipsets, which support application speeds in excess of 100 Mbps, allowing transmission of multiple audio, standard-definition video and HDTV video streams over powerlines.
Intellon Corp.is a privately-held fabless semiconductor company specializing in powerline networking and communications.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Tecnomatix Technologies Ltd. (Herzlia, Israel), a provider of manufacturing process management (MPM), has announced that Korea-based electronics manufacturing services provider Samsung Computers has implemented eMPower solutions from Tecnomatix Unicam, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tecnomatix Technologies Ltd., in its first Chinese computer manufacturing facility. The implementation helps Samsung fulfill manufacturing traceability standards required by the plant's key customer, a major computer notebook/laptop provider.
Samsung is using the traceability management and material management modules of Tecnomatix's printed circuit board (PCB) production management system for business decision-making. The traceability management module helps Samsung Computers document a product's manufacturing history. By automating this data collection process, Samsung will reduce data collection costs and achieve simple, accurate reporting of component and PCB board traceability records.
The material management module tracks material from inventory through kitting, setup and verification with real-time inventory visibility to quantity and location. The solution manages and optimizes the feeder change over process for improved throughput.
Samsung Computers has already seen return on investment with faster change over times and an improved verification processes. Shortly after the implementation at Samsung, the material management module detected a loading error related to a non-conforming part. By alerting users of the non-conformance at an early stage in the manufacturing process, Samsung avoided having to either rework the entire lot, or have a far more costly product recall later on.
"We are pleased with the early results we've experienced with the Tecnomatix solutions we've implemented," said Lee Buyng Bum, manager of Production Support Division of Samsung Electronics Suzhou Computer Co. Ltd. "Tecnomatix has delivered a very effective set of solutions and services addressing our materials handling, verification and product traceability needs. We will continue to look to Tecnomatix for new technology in these and other areas."
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Asymtek (Carlsbad, CA), a supplier of automated fluid dispensing systems, teamed with Cookson Electronics' Semiconductor Products Division (Alpharetta, GA) on a new project to jet underfill. Cookson Electronics Semiconductor Products visited Asymtek's application labs to test their fluid materials on Asymtek's X-1000 series, configured with the new DJ-9000 DispenseJet.
"Many of our customers use Asymtek's technology," said Mandar Painaik, technical services engineer at Cookson Materials Group. "We wanted to learn about Asymtek's equipment so we can recommend the best materials for our customers."
The collaboration enables the investigation of new and innovative jetting methods and material optimization.
The two companies work together as a part of Asymtek's Win3 program, in which key fluid formulators, technology institutes and equipment suppliers join together for the benefit of customers, each other and the industry as a whole.
One common customer uses Asymtek's platforms with the DispenseJet and DP-3000 pumps for dispensing underfills. A die placement machine, reflow oven and batch oven are in line with the dispensing equipment. According to the companies, the customer reported better dispense volume control with Asymtek's jetting technology and Cookson's Staychip 3082 underfill material.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Data I/O Corp. (Redmond, WA) announced a net income for the first quarter of 2004 of $296,000 or $0.04 per share, compared to a net income of $317,000, or $0.04 per share, for the first quarter of 2003. Revenues for the quarter were $6.8 million, up 11% from the same period last year.
Gross margins increased by $276,000 in Q1 compared with the same period of 2003, primarily due to the higher sales level and an increase in the aftermarket sales mix. Operating expenses were higher in Q1 this year due to the company's investments in Asia and in a new venture in in-system programming (ISP) under development, as well as the unfavorable currency translation impact of European-based operating costs. The company's lean manufacturing processes continued to show results helping to reduce inventories by $555,000 during the quarter.
Fred Hume, the company's president and chief executive officer, said, "As the geographical center of the electronics manufacturing industry has shifted to Asia, we have redeployed resources to that region and are adding staff locally. This will allow us to service and support our customers there in their time zone. We have also invested in strengthening our sales organization globally in recognition of the improving climate for capital equipment."
During the quarter, the company added Joe Murdica as vice president of sales for the Americas and Asia. The company also formed a new subsidiary in Brazil specifically to support Siemens ICM handset production in Manaus.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Advanced Circuits (Aurora, CO), a quick-turn printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturer with real-time customer service, announced that it received a Gold Award from the Metro Wastewater Restoration District (MWRD) of Colorado for the second year in a row. Of
1,100 eligible Colorado companies, only 14 received the recognition.
To win the prestigious award, manufacturers must be 100% compliant with MWRD, Colorado Department of Health and Environmental Protection Agency guidelines.
Advanced Circuits' pollution prevention and waste minimization efforts include reclaiming metal scrap and waste copper etch solutions and using countercurrent rinses and automated sensors to control rinse water use.
In 2003, the company accelerated its focus on improving work flow and productivity through its metal finishing process operations. It invested in an automated electroless copper plating line and completed the installation of supplemental pretreatment equipment. The additional pretreatment equipment runs in unison with the existing pretreatment setup (though triple its size) and ensures that the increased volume of wastewater generated by increased plant production will meet permit discharge requirements.
"Manufacturing plants, especially PCB shops, have traditionally had a bad reputation as far as their impact on the environment," said Bob Liebsock, Advanced Circuits process engineer. "Advanced Circuits is ever conscious of the need to maintain a dedicated effort towards regulatory compliance and will continue in its steadfast goal to reduce, reuse and recycle wherever possible."
The MWRD is a regional organization that provides wholesale wastewater transmission and treatment service to 55 local governments in the Denver metropolitan area. These local governments provide retail wastewater services to approximately 1.5 million people. The MWRD has been recognizing environmentally conscious Colorado companies since 1991.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Omnify Software (Wilmington, MA), a provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software for mid-market electronic, medical, mechanical and defense original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and Cimmetry Systems (Cambridge, MA), a provider of visualization and collaboration solutions for the A/E/C, engineering, manufacturing and electronics markets, announced a new OEM partnership. Omnify has licensed Cimmetry's AutoVue visualization and collaboration technology to be embedded in the Omnify PLM system.
Cimmetry's technology offers the groups involved in the product development and manufacturing process a single location to view, markup and collaborate on all documents related to the product record.
"Cimmetry's AutoVue is a unique technology for the electrical and mechanical
markets," said Chuck Cimalore, chief technology officer at Omnify. "By supporting 3-D CAD, 2-D CAD and EDA formats, AutoVue covers the complete range of formats necessary to serve today's manufacturers. AutoVue, integrated with our PLM system, delivers enhanced data management and collaboration across the entire extended enterprise."
"Omnify brings to market a full-featured, business-ready PLM solution," said Michael Vidmar, business development manager at Cimmetry. "By embedding AutoVue's MCAD and ECAD visualization capabilities, Omnify PLM bridges that traditional gap between mechanical and electrical departments."
Omnify Software delivers a complete PLM solution for OEMs to manage their part, bill of materials, engineering change and documentation information within a single location. Its PLM features a Web architecture that enables out-of-the box, bi-directional integration with an organization's engineering and enterprise systems, ensuring automatic entry and extraction of information.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
A group of providers of lead-free soldering and assembly will put on a full day of seminar presentations at the Hilton Hotel, Nuremberg, Germany on June16, 2004. The event has been planned close to the nearby SMT Exhibition to allow manufacturing management the opportunity to attend both events.
A representative from Indium Corp. (Utica, NY) and Vahid Goudarzi of Motorola will explain how Motorola implemented lead-free solder in the production of over 10 million cellular phones. The discussion will also cover initial quality and product implementation.
Dr. Ning Cheng Lee and Dr. Ronald Lasky of Indium will also cover topics such as alloy selection and challenges and best practices of implementing lead-free assembly.
A number of other presentations include Hewlett Packard's discussion on implementation onto large boards. Gerjan Diepstraten, Vitronics- Soltec, will discuss lead-free wave soldering and Hans-Juergen Albrecht, Siemens, will cover reliability of lead-free interconnects. Ross Bernston, Indium, will cover the subject of mixed technology in lead-free assembly.
ACB, Peters and KIC will give other presentations. The event is by reservation only.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Ray Prasad Consultancy has announced that a detailed lead-free course will take place on May 17-18, 2004, in Beaverton, OR, presented by Ray Prasad and Dr. Raiyo Aspandiar of Intel.
The course, Lead Free Technology For Electronic Assemblies: Problems and Promises, is led by instructors that have years of hands-on experience in implementing surface-mount and lead free in small and large companies to help identify business and technical issues in lead-free conversion. This is not a theoretical course. Actual Intel case studies will show the pitfalls and successes of lead-free implementation.
In addition to discussing the details of in-house lead free implementation, the course will also show you the questions to should ask your contract manufacturer (CM) if you plan to outsource/off-shore your product. Technical details, including wave and reflow profile development, paste selection, inspection and rework using both conventional and diode laser of lead-free solder joints, will be presented. The course will also give the status of legislation banning lead around the world including Europe, Japan, China and the U.S., and how participants can improve their company's profile and benefit from this disruptive technology.
Engineers and Managers who are either already into lead free or thinking of getting into lead free will benefit from this course. Participants will get an insight into the details of lead-free soldering technology to successfully implement lead free in your process and products.
Prasad will also offer a course on Surface-Mount Technology and Ball Grid Array (BGA) Design and Manufacturing on May 11-14, 2004.
www.rayprasad.com/coursedescs/intensive.html
www.rayprasad.com/course_link.html
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
phoenix|x-ray Systems + Services Inc. (Camarillo, CA) has introduced beryllium-free targets in all x-ray systems with open tubes. The new targets build on the company's commitment to produce an environmentally safe line of open tube x-ray systems. The new targets eliminate the potential harmful residual effect that can react from x-ray exposure to a beryllium target, resulting in possible operator exposure due to stress of long-term target exposure and or breakage.
The beryllium-free targets provide an advantage to boards and components that have a concern for over exposure and irradiation—such as hi-reel products—because new material used in the targets act as a filter to absorb a portion of the x-ray and minimize potential damages to samples. Combined with the company's low-dose|mode process that only exposes samples for the time that is obligatory to achieve a proper image, test samples will not receive any additional radiation than necessary to complete the inspection. This process and use of a beryllium-free target makes it easy to ensure the trace exposure to various radiations are lessened to ensure long-life operation.
As in space, the applications are on the extremes and require concern for operations in a variety of severe conditions and environments. Since the exposures are cumulative, production, test and inspection of the components and boards must take into consideration all aspects of this exposure during the manufacturing process.
phoenix|x-ray Systems + Services Inc. is the North American sales, service and applications engineering subsidiary of the Germany-based microfocus x-ray system manufacturer, phoenix|x-ray Systems + Services GmbH. This group of companies offers sealed tube and open tube microfocus/nanofocus x-ray systems dedicated to printed circuit board (PCB) assembly, back-end and multilayer inspection applications.
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
Elcoteq Network Corp. (Irving,TX), a provider of electronics manufacturing services (EMS) for the communications technology industry, announced that Joe Foster has been chosen as director operations for Elcoteq Americas.
Formerly vice president, general manager of EMS provider Solectron, Foster will oversee present and future operations in the Americas which include Elcoteq's manufacturing operations in Monterrey, Mexico, and its new product introduction (NPI) centers in Dallas, TX, and San Jose, CA.
Foster has over 25 years of domestic and international engineering, manufacturing and operations experience. Prior to Solectron, he was Director of Engineering Services at Alcatel/DSC, general manager at Tandy Computers and director of manufacturing at Wang Labs/Intecom during which he launched several computer and telecommunications products in the U.S. and overseas.
"Elcoteq Americas' business in Monterrey has grown dramatically during the past two years requiring addition of new surface-mount lines and doubling headcount," said Doug Brenner, president of Elcoteq Americas. "We are confident that Joe has the right mix of operational and business experience to meet the multiple challenges we have undertaken to drive profitability with explosive growth in meeting our goal of balancing business from the Americas with that of Europe and APAC."
Copyright 2004, UP Media Group. All rights reserved.
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