Check Plot Online is a PDF preview tool that provides engineers with an accurate, convenient view of circuit board designs prior to production.
 
"Traditional Gerber viewers don't always show the actual manufactured image
without time-consuming setup," said Ron Huston, founder and CEO. "Our new PCB Check Plot Online delivers an accurate representation of the final design, allowing engineers to avoid costly redesign efforts and project delays once a circuit board moves into the manufacturing phase."
 
Engineers upload Gerber files to the FreeDFM.com Web site and receive feedback within minutes. The feedback highlights potential design for manufacturability problems and suggests modifications. The free service requires no commitment to order.
 
Advanced Circuits, freedfm.com/checkplot

Tough, lint-free UltraClean #810B SmartWipes offer the cleanroom-grade quality and cleaning performance of #810, but cost less because they are bulk-packaged by machine rather than hand-stacked. The Class 100 grade polyester wipes offer a range of industrial cleaning applications with extremely low particle generation and soluble extractables. Have good absorbency, resistance to tearing and softness; clean aggressively but will not scratch surfaces. Manufactured from 100% continuous filament polyester fiber with a knit construction and pattern, become softer when wet, while maintaining high tensile strength. Unaffected by solvents, generate very low electrostatic discharge.
 
Measure 9 X 9", meet Federal Standard 209D and are laundered and dried in a cleanroom environment.
 

JNJ Industries, jnj-industries.com

A 10-diopter swing-away magnifying lens is now a standard feature mounted free of charge on all O.C. White Vision Lite illuminated magnifiers.  The lens can be swiveled into position by the operator for an instant magnification boost as needed for applications such as questionable defects or problems on an inspection piece, working with tiny parts, etc.  Instantly combines with the 3-diopter lens for 13-diopter magnification.
 
Vision Lite is a dimmable illuminated magnifier with a Mil Std. 2000 approved lens. Features Full Spectrum Lighting, E-Z swivel and a 7.5 x 6.2" 3 diopter (1.75X) rectangular lens.
 

The O.C. White Co., ocwhite.com

With its built-in intelligence, Multicap 8 reduces schematic creation time and adds support for even more complex designs.

Modeless operation and auto-connect passives save time and increase flexibility, while graphical feedback ensures that all connections are made as intended. Wiring functionality further reduces design time - for example, simply touching a component's pin(s) to a wire or other component automatically creates a connection. Tool-tip style circuit annotations help to capture and share design notes. Variant Support facilitates the variable manufacturing of a single design.

Other enhancements include Bus Support for advanced designs and support for Hierarchical Designs. Bus Vector Connect and Bus Merge functions save significant time. Additional bus enhancements include a new off-page, hierarchical and sub-circuit bus connectors capability with an improved ERC. Component browser enhancements make finding parts even faster. Circuits can be annotated with visual error makers and "Zoom to Error" feature helps to capture errors before they become design problems.

Electronics Workbench, a National Instruments co., electronicsworkbench.com

The 14th annual PCB Design Conference West 2005 (pcbwest.com), scheduled for March 7-11 at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, will feature more than 55 exhibiting companies, each displaying and demonstrating their products, services and technologies for the PCB design industry.

 
The following products and/or services will be announced or demonstrated at the show:
 
·    Advanced Circuits (Booth 409) - Advanced Circuits announces new enhancements to FreeDFM.com, an online Free file review service that checks for design and manufacturability issues and provides for 48% faster total thru-put from order placement to shipment. After file upload, FreeDFM e-mails a detailed report of any problems within minutes—along with suggested solutions. Customers are calling it a "life-saver."
·      DesignAdvance Systems Inc. (Booth 709) - CircuitSpace, by DesignAdvance, is the first and only software tool to automate PCB component placement through an optimization and constraint satisfaction process. Based on 11 years of research at Carnegie Mellon and patented software algorithms, CircuitSpace reduces design time up to 50%, decreases time-to-market and improves product quality.
·     Direct Logix (Booth 809) - Control Center is a Web-based process control, tracking and analysis review solution for PCB design and manufacturing with bi-directional engineering collaboration for DFM issues.
·     Electronic Tools Company (Booth 810) - E-studio Pro can be used for viewing schematics, translating schematics and netlists from/to leading vendor databases or from /to standard formats like EDIF and XML. It supports Cadence's OrCAD Capture, Cadence's ConceptHDL, Mentor's Viewdraw/DxDesigner/EPD, EDIT200, EDIF 300, XML, Spice, Mentor's DesignArchitect, Mentor's PADS, Altium's PCAD databases, etc. E-studio Lite is a new FREE Viewer from Electronic Tools Company. It supports EDIF200, EDIF300, Cadence's OrCAD Capture, EdaXML and XDB. E-studio Lite makes it very easy to access, view and mark-up designs, browse through schematics, inquire about properties/attributes or occurrence data. E-studio Lite provides tools like BOM generator, netlist comparator.
·     EMA Design Automation Inc. (Booth 510) - EMA Design Automation will feature OrCAD PCB Designer and OrCAD PCB Designer with PSpice at PCB West 2005. Both are full-featured suites with time-proven and new OrCAD technology. Both feature the new OrCAD PCB Editor, a constraint-driven PCB layout editing tool derived from the Cadence Allegro PCB editor. Other new products will be announced at the show. Stop by booth # 510 for details.
·     Intercept Technology Inc. (Booth 502) - Pantheon v5.1, Intercept Technology's PCB/Hybrid/RF design application, now includes Intercept's revolutionary A.I.R. (Automatic Interactive Routing) Technology, featuring Guide Route and Multi Route - two new routing modes that speed manual routing assignments by an average of 60%. Pantheon v5.1 also includes exciting new developments for Design Reuse and Team Design. Stop by booth 502 for a detailed demo. Mozaix v3.0, Intercept Technology's high-performance schematic capture application for rapid design entry, boasts a completely redesigned user interface, for improved efficiency and ease of use. New capabilities showcased by the new interface include: Non-Modal Windows, Tree View Navigation, Improved Database Efficiencies, Tabs Design Option Panels, Drag ‘n Drop Features, Dockable Toolbars, and a Customizable Interface Layout and Menu System. This modernized user interface streamlines design flow, saves time and improves productivity. Customer delivery expected to begin in Q2 of 2005.  Stop by booth 502 for a preview of this innovative product.
·     Mentor Graphics Corp. (Booth 402) - Mentor Graphics will demonstrate their Expedition Series PCB design solution targeted at enterprise electronic companies, showcasing industry leading routing, high-speed design and verification, simultaneous team design and the latest in microvia and differential pair interconnect utilization. Also featured will be PADS Suites targeted at the ready-to-use market, which combines value and a broad range of technology. Stop by booth #402 to see the latest in design technology from the PCB systems design market leader.
·     OK International (Booth 301) - The Metcal PS-800 Soldering System features variable power/fixed temperature control and requires no calibration. The PS-800 uses replaceable heater tips that are easily removed and replaced, at a cost comparable to that of conventional tips.  Unmatched thermal performance, designed for repetitive manual assembly and touch-up at an economical price. The Metcal BVX-200 Fume Extraction System is a compact, portable two-arm fume extraction system with strong fan performance, efficient filtration and quiet, flexible operation. Can be located off the benchtop to maximize the working area. Includes pre-filter and a main filter with HEPA efficiency of more than 99.5%.
·     Polar Instruments (Booth 716) - Completely revised and updated, the SB200 stackup builder v5.0 connects with the industry-standard Si8000 field solver to provide brilliant graphics with full supporting tables of materials, dimensions, drills and impedance. The SB200 is a "must have" for everyone in PCB design. For more information visit www.polarinstruments.com/contact/SB200_evaluation_form.html.
·     PTC (Booth 1207) - InterComm EDAcompare greatly simplifies and accelerates the identification of what has changed between any two versions of the PCB schematic, layout or manufacturing artwork to identify differences using both attribute and graphical based comparisons. By providing both attribute and graphical based comparison analysis information, users can decide whether there is any impact to the design that might warrant a more in-depth review.
·     Sisoft (Booth 1204) - SiSoft's new Quantum-SI product family allows customers to perform high-speed digital interface analysis for PCB designs, including integrated signal integrity, static timing and crosstalk analysis. Quantum-SI products offer the industry's most rigorous waveform/eye diagram processing for Mbps/Gbps parallel and serial interfaces, providing the most accurate system-level noise/timing margin analysis available.
·     Zuken (Booth 610) - CADSTAR 7 is Zuken's PCB Desktop Solution, delivering one of the most powerful price/performance packages for PC-based PCB design. The package delivers a seamless design flow, which includes hierarchical schematic capture, comprehensive PCB layout, single operation post-processors for manufacturing, sophisticated library creation suites, automatic, interactive graphical routing, and post layout SI simulation. From single-sided to complex double-sided, multi-layer and SMT designs, the tools will guide you through the design process and dramatically increase your productivity. Zuken's CR-5000 is at the heart of a complete design and manufacturing solution for the rapid development and production of leading-edge electronic products. Incorporating the latest technology requirements (flex circuits, embedded components, RF design & design re-use) within a constrained design process methodology, CR-5000 offers maximum benefit for customers whose key requirements include high-speed digital design, miniaturization, and time to mass production.

Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, UP Media Group specializes in magazine publishing and conference/trade show production. UPMG publishes Printed Circuit Design & Manufacture and Circuits Assembly, and one high-tech e-mail newsletter, PCB UPdate. UPMG produces PCB Design Conference West  in the Silicon Valley area each spring and PCB Design Conference East in the Boston area each autumn. UPMG also is a sponsor of the "Deadline to Lead-Free" seminar series, which is being held in cities throughout the U.S. during 2005.

 

The new Optima 7300 D.1 release includes an enhanced graphical user interface for its Review Pro repair-station software, faster program loading and editing, and support for Windows XP.
 
The repair-station software presents the operator with board-specific failure data taken from the system and collects operator repair data, actions and comments.
 
The new user interface gives technicians easier access to the failing component data and images stored in the repair-station database. By viewing an image of the failing device on-screen, technicians can quickly locate and repair defects.
 
The time to load large inspection programs has reportedly decreased by 70%, improving productivity and throughput.
 
The software will ship with all new Optima 7300 systems starting in March and is available as a free upgrade to customers with a Software Support Agreement.
 
 Landrex Technologies, landrex.com.tw

Flexline electronic component assembly lines are designed for final assembly of components such as power diodes and lead frames for power electronic applications. The assembly line can easily convert to customer specific demands while offering advantages of standardized equipment. This includes an adaptation to modifications in the design during the production as well as the possibility of scaling the line to adapted changes in production volume during its lifetime.
 
According to Claus Lichtenberg, Alphasem's CEO, the Flexline concept expands Alphasem's capability: "So far Alphasem has been located among the top four suppliers for die attach equipment with a reputation in the CMOS sensor assembly and the power device bonding. With our new business concept we successfully entered the adjacent markets of micro systems back-end and electronics component. As a result we can offer the complete solutions from die attach to final assembly of sensors or electronic components."
 
 
Alphasem AG, a Dover Company, alphasem.com

Series 2600 System SourceMeter instruments reportedly combine the highest throughput source-measure unit (SMU) in the industry with a scalable instrument form factor to allow integration into systems from 1 to 16 SMU channels. The single-channel Model 2601 and the dual-channel Model 2602 are modular, scalable instruments for building ATE systems to perform precision DC, pulse, and low-frequency AC source-measure tests.

 

A new embedded Test Script Processor (TSP) lets users program a sequence of test commands and execute high-speed automated test sequences independently of a PC operating system. Features an intuitive intelligence that lets the instrument stand alone as a complete measurement automation solution for component testing. Can control sourcing, measuring, pass/fail decisions, test sequence flow control, component binning and data storage.

 

Equipped with Test Script Builder development software, a simple GUI lets users develop, modify and debug high-speed TSP programs. Each unit also features a built-in suite of pre-written TSP programs that can be modified for specific applications. LabTracer 2.0 software enables easy instrument control, data acquisition and curve tracing in lab or device characterization applications.

 

The high throughput, flexible and scalable instruments are suitable for a range of applications in functional test and R&D environments. Units can perform I-V functional test and I-V characterization of a range of integrated devices and components including discrete and passive devices, and SSI and LSI devices such as ASICs, SOCs, and RFICs. In R&D environments, units can perform device characterization to aid in materials research for device development.

 

Keithley Instruments, keithley.com

Multicore MF210 no clean, halide-free sustained activity flux is formulated to work over a range of solder resists and is compatible with rosin- and OSP-based surface preservatives.
 
Said to offer a maximum process window without resin, which satisfies the demand for applications requiring high performance and reliability. Allows for high-speed soldering on conventional leaded and surface-mount components, good through-hole penetration and optimum wetting of surfaces. 
 
For use in foam, spray or wave fluxes similar to ordinary fluxes on standard wave soldering machines.
 
Meets or exceeds the IPC-TM-650 2.3.32 Copper Mirror Test standard, and meets specifications for J-STD-004 SIR and Bellcore GR-78-CORE electromigration testing.
 
Henkel, loctite.com

Isola Group, SARL has successfully tested IS620 under simulated lead-free assembly conditions. The boards, built at Merix, went through the reflow assembly simulation six times without any delamination. The peak temperatures were over 262°C. The 14-layer capability board was tested before and after eight reflow simulations and the results did not show any thermal degradation, the T-26's were over 60 min. and the decomposition temperatures and the T-288s were also unchanged.

 

"We are really pleased with the results, IS620 is rapidly gaining momentum as the low-loss product of choice for very high speed applications due to excellent thermal cycling and low loss attributes," said Tarun Amla, VP and CTO.

 

"The Merix lead free testing program is aggressive and materials that successfully pass are robust. These results are very encouraging..." said Doug Trobough, CTO of Merix.

 

The epoxy is currently manufactured in the Isola high performance and quick turn facility in Fremont, CA.

isola-group.com

 

Visiprise Manufacturing 4.0 offers tightly integrated CAPA capabilities, enhanced data customization options, dynamic routings and full production site-to-site data transfer features. The latest release includes more than 30 business processes, giving users production visibility across the global enterprise.

Enhanced features include:

*Product Workbench offers a one-screen vision of the as-planned product definition, giving operators the ability to indicate what item or revisions they want to define or review throughout the shop floor manufacturing process.*Production Site-to-Site Data extends the ability to transfer data between sites, allowing the complete production data - from partial manufacturing at one site to completion at another - to follow the product, providing for detailed genealogy and history down to the sub-assembly level.

*Automated Test Plans enable users to create and test automated data collection plans and will facilitate the future ability to link these data collection plans directly to a single piece of plant floor equipment.

*Dynamic Routing provides the ability to create a routing on the fly, reflecting the nonconforming operation process, and stored as part of the "As Built" record.

*Certifications were enhanced to include assignment at the item, customer-order and resource-enforcing control on the shop floor, including event management for alerts and alarming.  

Visiprise, visiprise.com

SDS130 Magnetically Shielded Surface Mount Power Inductors feature a ferrite core and shield. Designed in a low-profile, compact package with maximum height of 0.118" (3.0 mm), the inductors offer low DCR with high-energy storage. Ideal for input/output of DC/DC converters, signal conditioning and filtering applications.

Offer 26 inductance values from 2.2 to 470  µH, and current ratings from 200 to 3000 mA. Operating temperature range of -40 to +85°C, available on 24 mm tape and reel with 1000 pieces per reel.  

API Delevan, www.delevan.com