HILLSBORO, OR – Viscom AG, maker of electronics inspection equipment, has acquired the MX family of IR inspection systems from Phoseon Technology Inc., the companies reported today.

The MX product family is a series of semiconductor inspection systems that incorporate infrared light sources for semiconductor applications where inspection through silicon is required, such as MEMS seal inspection, through-silicon wafer bond imaging and inspection, as well as SOI and flip-chip die bond inspection.

The acquisition price will remain confidential. This transaction takes the form of an assets deal and grants Viscom all patents for near IR inspection and exclusive use of Phoseon Near-IR lighting technology for inspection application licenses.

The agreement also transfers employees and the customer and applications base from Phoseon.

IRVINE, CA – Acer Inc. today announced the purchase of Gateway Inc. for $710 million. The deal has the support of both companies’ boards and is expected to close by December.

ROME, NY – ESDA will offer the online course The Good, The Bad, and the Improvements in CDM ESD Testing on Nov. 20 at 1 p.m. EST.

The course will demonstrate the improved changes in the CDM ESD Standard and basics of CDM stress testing as required by the standard.

It will also cover proper equipment/tester qualification, calibration and periodic verification. It will be shown how the CDM stress testing requirements combined with proper stress testing procedures will lead to reliable qualification of product.

Visit www.esda.org/education.html for more information.

PLEASANT PRAIRIE, WI – Gary Goldberg, Promation’s president and CEO, has pledged to all North American customers that his company will guarantee it will beat its competitors’ prices on equipment similar to the E-Series of PCB handlers. 

Promation is offering quotes, and if competitors quote lower prices, customers may bring these proposals to Promation for validation.

This challenge will be valid for purchases during September.