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BANNOCKBURN, IL -- Just months before the RoHS compliance deadline, IPC and JEDEC are seeking papers for their International Conference on Lead-Free Electronic Components and Assemblies. The conference will be held March 6-8, 2006, in Santa Clara, CA.

Papers from environmental managers and technical staff are sought on any relevant subjects, including:
Policy development policy - European lead ban status
European/Chinese/other legislation or voluntary activity on hazardous materials and recycling
Legislative compliance and policy enforcement methods

Supply chain issues
Standards for marking and testing
Materials declarations, part numbers, obsolescence, etc.

Production issues
Design for lead-free production
Components, solder, board developments, availability and lead-free compatibility
Examples of implementation
Reflow, wave, hand soldering, inspection, repair, rework and test, etc.

Reliability issues
Tin whiskers
High reliability product sectors (automotive, aerospace, etc.)
Reliability test data and method developments

Environmental considerations
Toxicity and risk
Recycling
Hazardous substance substitutes
Research consortia news and updates

Submit a 200-300 word abstract, along with a brief biography, to LFConf@ipc.org by Dec.6.

SAN JOSE -- As 2005 draws to a close, it appears the year will have been one of modest growth in the chip industry – despite negative macroeconomic factors such as the price of oil and natural disasters, says market research firm Gartner Inc.

Worldwide semiconductor revenue is forecast to reach $235 billion in 2005, a 6.9% increase from 2004. In 2006, the market is forecast to grow 7.6%, before a mild slowdown in 2007 with growth of 5.1%, according to Gartner.

HARRISBURG, PA -- Tyco Electronics’ Global Application Tooling Division (GATD) has established an Automation Technology Center to develop lead-free PCB assembly technologies and RFID inlay assembly processes and systems. The new center, located in Willow Grove, PA, will be led by George Szekely, general manager.

“Our customers face significant challenges in adapting their manufacturing processes to meet the rapidly approaching RoHS deadlines, and the deployment of RFID technologies bring challenges in inlay manufacturing as well,” said Szekely. “For some time we’ve been focusing on lead-free manufacturing processes, and on RFID inlay assembly processes and systems. This new Technology Center will offer our customers leading-edge equipment solutions, process development and prototype short run services.”

The GATD supplies automated equipment and production tooling used in the manufacturing of electronic assemblies.

HERNDON, VA — The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) has released its 2005 Research Priorities, which presents the consensus on R&D needs identified in the 2004 iNEMI Roadmap. The document, intended to help the industry focus on areas critical to future competitiveness, highlights six key challenges the electronics manufacturing industry faces.

ARLINGTON, VA – The monthly order index compiled by the Electronic Components, Assemblies & Materials Association (ECA) began the fourth quarter on an up note, as October numbers continued the strong performance that began in July.

"We're seeing almost the exact opposite of what we witnessed last year at this time," Bob Willis said in a press release. "In 2004, the end of summer marked a downturn; this year, the order index took a big jump in July and the upward momentum has continued."

"CARTS Asia and CARTS Europe [recent ECA events] showed that the industry is in a good place now," says Willis. "Nobody is predicting a boom, but strong worldwide growth is expected, with a few normal regional fluctuations."

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Nam Tai Electronics has won new customer orders from a French supplier of high-tech equipment for telecommunications networks to produce LCD modules for its Internet Protocol (IP) phones. IP phones connect to the Internet or a dedicated network in IP packets instead of dedicated voice transmission lines.

In a separate announcement, the company touted a monthly sales record of $80 million in October.

The previous single month sales record was $67 million in August 2005. Nam Tai attributed the success to the continued growth of key component sub-assemblies.