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Home Explore Issue 9 - April 2015 - SMT Today
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P:01

The Choice of Publication for the Electronics Industry

Wearable Technology byJade Bridges, Electrolube

Evolvi SMT - Meet Chris Herd

red carpet

Who’s doing what, where?

inside

nepcon

south china

21st - 23rd april 2015

plus

new show, UK 21st - 22nd April 2015

meet the CEos Page 8

Bjorn Dahle, President of KIC (cover)

Timothy Purdie of Akrometrix

Francois Amblard of Vi TECHNOLOGY Kentaro Kono of Japan Unix

Neil MacRaild of Florida CirTech

| APRIL 2015 ISSUE smttoday.com

P:02

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ONE STOP INSPECTION AND TESTING

IS ABOUT MORE THAN JUST INSPECTION

Discover TR|’s integrated One Stop Solution for PCB assembly testing

and inspection, seamless 3D SPI, AOI, AXI and ICT lineup designed to

inspect, analyze and prevent process defects with integrated

Yield Management System.

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P:03

welcome

to smt today

Welcome to the latest edition of SMT Today – the leading global magazine which focuses solely on the electronics industry, providing the best content and largest distribution through the latest technology channels.

This edition of SMT Today spotlights the National Electronics Week and NEPCON China trade shows taking place in Birmingham, UK and Shanghai during April. In addition it includes technical articles, interviews and the latest product announcements with contributions from many of the electronic industry’s leaders and technology experts.

As a team we will be at the National Electronics Week trade show in Birmingham and will be delighted to meet up with any exhibitor or visitor. In addition, it will provide a great opportunity to share information on the additional services that SMT Today can o er in the form of marketing, media exposure, inclusion in a quality printed magazine with multi-platform compatibility and complimentary videoing capabilities.

The next issue of SMT Today will be published in May and will focus on the SMT Hybrid Packaging trade show in Nuremberg. Therefore, if you’ve any articles or advertisements that you’d like included, please don’t hesitate to send them to me at [email protected].

In the meantime, if you’ve any feedback on the content/format of this magazine, together with suggestions or input for forthcoming issues, I’d love to hear from you.

We publish on a bi-monthly basis and, for more information, our media kit can be found on our website at www.smttoday.com. Alternatively, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly - my contact details are detailed below.

Kind regards,

Lin Ramsay, Editor

Email: [email protected] Skype: lin-smttoday Call: +44 1292 834009

Page 3

P:04

inside

this issue...

Shows/Events

Industry experts share their knowledge

6 National Electronics Week 2015 36 NEPCON China 2015

Director Spotlight

Interview with industry experts

10 Bjorn Dahle, President of KIC

Technology Today

Industry experts share their knowledge

12 The Intricacies Of High-Tech Product Strategic Outsourcing Success

14 Wearable Technology: Protecting the Future in Electronic Developments

18 An interview with Chris Herd, Evolvi SMT

20 Javad Experiences ViTrox’s Advantages with Purchase of V810 Series2 XXL AXI System

22 Accelerating the Selective Soldering Learning Curve

30 EVS Solder Recycling - When Good Environmental Practice has an Instant Payback

34 Gables Engineering Flies to the Top of the Industry with Help from Kurtz Ersa North America

38 Room to Improve - The Component Kitting Process is the Weakest Link

40 JOT Changes the Way that Smart Products Are Manufactured

42 An interview with Ivan Romo, SMarTsol Technologies, S. de R.L. de C.V.

46 An interview with Ron Torenko of Torenko and Associates

26 Industry News

What’s happening in the world of electronics

32 New Products Exciting new industry innovations

44 Red Carpet

Photo gallery of industry personalities and events

Articles appearing in this magazine do not necessarily express the views of the Editor or the publishers. Every e ort is made to ensure the accuracy of information published. No legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for loss arising from articles/information contained and published.All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the publishers.

8

Meet the CEOs

6

10

12

14

Wearable Technology

10

Director Spotlight

26

Industry News

36

NEPCON China 2015

magazine contacts...

Editor

Design Website

Lin Ramsay [email protected] +44(0)1292 834009 skype: lin-smttoday

BBD Creative bbdcreative.com +44(0)1292 280022

smttoday.com

Advertising Enquiries

To enquire about available advertising opportunities, please use the contacts below for more information.

NEXT EDITION

May/June’s edition will focus on the

SMT Hybrid Packaging Show in Nuremberg, Germany, 5th-7th May 2015

European Advertising UK Advertising

USA Advertising

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

P:05

Visit us at SMT Nuremberg, May 05-07th, 2015, booth # 7.135

SMT Placement + Dual Fluid Dispensing

3-in-1 SMT Production Center

High Speed Jetting of Solder Paste and Glue Combination of Jet and / or Needle Valves Quick Changeover / Up to 240 Feeder lntuitive Operation

Essemtec AG

Phone: +41 (0)41 919 60 60 E-Mail: [email protected]

www.essemtec.com

P:06

National Electronics week 2015

National Electronics Week 2015, Birmingham NEC – 21st to 22nd April with the biggest technical seminar and content programme yet...

Embedded and Software

Embedded Master Class

The master class will run across both mornings of the event and will have speakers from Bitwise, Altia and Programming Research.

Vehicle Electronics Conference

Running alongside Embedded Master class in the afternoons, this inaugural event will include speakers from Freescale Semiconductor, Arup, Test and Veri cation Solutions, Durham University, Lynx Software and Rapita Systems. ____________________________________

Production and EMS

NPL and SMART Group Printing and Assembly Automatic Optical Inspection Experience

Each day seminars relating to automated print inspection and solder joint analysis will complement the hands-on feature.

Hand Soldering Competition

O the back of the success of last year’s competition, NEW will be running an in- house competition to win the 2015 title and a prize.

Make this exhibition your platform to build new business relationships, improve your business capabilities and strengthen existing partnerships.

...and this year at National Electronics Week, content is king! With an extensive and improved programme, the value of attending this year’s show is huge and continues to support the UK’s electronics industry by o ering cost-e ective marketing packages, return on investment and willingness to work with industry partners.

This event has grown and developed based on feedback, support and close interaction with the industry. Here we take a look at what is going on in each of the four industry sector events: ____________________________________

Components and Power

ECSN Seminar Programme

This two-day programme is increasing all the time. Currently there are speakers such as Europartners discussing the components market, Geyer their new app, Harwin on Project Gecko and ECSN Chairman, Adam Fletcher, will be talking about counterfeit avoidance in the market.

Fortronic Forum

This forum will focus on Wearable Technology addressing issues such as battery design, maximising energy consumption, networking, security and the role of 3D and/or CAD-CAM design.

Components Obsolescence Group

Ian Blackman will be speaking on the Tuesday afternoon on the subject of obsolescence and how the best companies manage the risk. ____________________________________

Design and Test

The PXI Show

Within this sector the PXI show will have a room showcasing the whole PXI process:

• Modules

• Chassis and controllers

• Software and system

• Integration

With help from additional PXI exhibitors this is an excellent opportunity to see how the process ts together.

Test and Measurement Master Class

This free half-day seminar and workshop, created by the Electronics World team, will focus on the latest developments in the world of electronic test and measurement. ____________________________________

Page 6 The Choice of Publication for the Electronics Industry

| APRIL 2015 ISSUE

P:07

FOUR INDUSTRY SECTOR EVENTS UNDER ONE ROOF

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- Meet face to face with your contatts in scam the best business deals

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P:08

meet the CEOs

the people who make it happen

Our industry is driven by a global network of CEOs with the energy and vision that brings new technology and innovation down the line. Every edition, we will introduce you to the faces behind the companies.

Akrometrix

Akrometrix LLC, the leader in elevated temperature surface characterization, has established the de-facto standard and means for measurement and analysis of thermo-mechanical behavior in electronics materials, components and substrates. Timothy Purdie, President and CEO, and his team have worked with its partners and customers to validate the importance and the value of this function as it impacts assembly yields and product reliability. Key industry technical drivers for ne-pitch interconnect and high-temperature processes have led to the development of innovative, exible, value-added tools from Akrometrix to provide a new generation of comprehensive warpage management solutions. This strategy is evident in its core-competencies of modular metrology techniques, expanded thermal environment simulation capabilities, application speci c analysis algorithms and data management solutions.

Vi TECHNOLOGY

Vi TECHNOLOGY is a global designer, manufacturer and supplier of a wide range of innovative inspection equipment and software solutions for PCB assembly. Vi TECHNOLOGY serves very demanding market segments including telecoms, consumer, computer, automotive, infrastructure, industrial and medical. Led by CEO François Amblard, the company develops state-of-the-art systems to meet the electronics’ industry SMT inspection requirements for simplicity and performance. Amblard and his team serve some of the most demanding and leading customers in 35 countries and its installed base of more than 3,000 systems spans all electronics sectors including automotive, industrial, aerospace, consumer, computer and telecom. Over the past 20 years, Vi TECHNOLOGY has built its growth on customer satisfaction, business focus, technical innovation and leadership.

Japan Unix

A solutions provider for manual and soldering automation, Japan Unix was established in 1974 in Tokyo and has specialized in the soldering automation industry since its start-up. A manufacturer and integrator of robotic soldering, General Manager, Kentaro Kono, and his team ensure that Japan Unix o ers production systems with advanced soldering methods that provide a high-speed quality soldering solution for automotive, medical, aerospace and electronics manufacturers. The company o ers a wide range of soldering robots with a strong competency in precision soldering and factory automation.

Florida CirTech

Neil MacRaild is the new President of Florida CirTech (FCT), which was founded in 1991 with the concept of manufacturing and supplying proprietary chemistries to both the electronic assembly and printed circuit board (PCFAB) industries. The company’s current 30,000 sq. ft. facility acts as an o ce, a manufacturing facility, storage spacing and encompasses a R&D/quality control laboratory. Florida CirTech is ISO 9001 certi ed. Florida CirTech manufactures a wide range of products ranging from solders (lead-free and conventional) and solder pastes to a wide variety of proprietary liquid and powder blends. The company has developed a wide range of products used in plating various metals in the metal nishing industry. These chemical processes are used prior to plating Copper, Nickel and Chrome.

Page 8 The Choice of Publication for the Electronics Industry

| APRIL 2015 ISSUE

P:09

C) n e We’ve been making products that

V technologies last a long time ...for a long time

An ITW Company

Speedline Technologies

| Dispensing

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and Reflow Soldering

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with Full N2 Tunnel Feature

Speedline | The industry leader in electronics

manufacturing and surface mount technology (SMT)

process knowledge, serving customers around the world.

www.speed|inetech.com

P:10

director

spotlight

an interview with Bjorn Dahle, President of KIC by SMT today editor

Based in San Diego, KIC is the industry leader in automated thermal process tools and systems for re ow, wave, cure and semi-conductor processes. The company pioneered the development of process optimization and automatic pro ling and then worked to create the next generation of systems to help manufacturers lower their cost and improve their quality and traceability.

We recently spoke with KIC’s President, Bjorn Dahle, to nd out about the company’s newest thermal systems as well as where he believes the industry is heading.

Some of the PCB component pads are becoming so tiny that a tremendous increase in solder paste surface to volume ratio makes both screen printing and re ow much more demanding and, hence, they require better process control.

A nal trend worth noting is the increased use of SMT in semi-conductor processes. For example, in wafer-level packaging more companies are using re ow rather than wire bonding when attaching the top and bottom layers of packaging and solder bumps to the integrated circuit while still in the wafer.

So, overall, I see our industry moving towards laser marking everything and using more intelligent machines and processes to take instructions from the barcodes rather than depending on operators, while everything is documented for full traceability.

Q. KIC is known throughout the industry for listening to its customers and creating solutions to help solve their thermal issues. How does this mentality tie in with the company’s tagline “Innovation That Works!”?

A. When we spend time with our customers, we not only try to understand what they want and need, but why they need it. If you ask “why?” enough times you tend to get to the core issues. It is only then that we get real insight into the development that is needed which will be of signi cant value to them. We cannot just throw technology at them. Our products have to help them become more successful and the products need to be suitable for the environment in which they are being used.

So rather than ease of use, we talk more about ease of results which is “Innovation That Works!”

Q. We’ve seen mention of the ProBot automatic pro ling system and the K2 new generation pro le setter in the news lately. What bene ts does each of these systems provide users? Besides these, what else is new at KIC?

A. KIC’s agship systems are the products of choice for most of the advanced electronics assembly factories in the world. ProBot and K2 now o er much of that capability in a modular fashion to the rest of the market. They enable factories to “pick and choose” the capabilities they need in order to satisfy their needs. At the same time, the ProBot and K2 become a ordable even for factories with small budgets.

While KIC has focused on manual, automatic pro ling and quick oven set up for many years, we now extend our famous ease of use/ease of results to the mobile world. Users are no longer tethered to the production machine PC, they can now access the data right there on their tablets or phones.

Q. Bjorn, you have been a part of the electronics assembly industry for many years. What changes are you now observing in the industry?

A. One change that is becoming very obvious and is the tremendous increase in labor cost in the bigger markets, such as China, Vietnam and other countries. This is driving the need for a new level of automation. Another trend that feeds into automation is the growing body of EMS clients that do not accept rework. This new demand started in the automotive sector but is rapidly spreading to telecommunication, medical and other high-reliability electronics. Even factories

that do not produce high-reliability products want to “make the product right the rst time” because labor-intensive rework has become too expensive.

Q. How do these changes impact KIC?

A. A decade ago when our industry converted to lead-free, KIC saw a wave of interest in its pro lers with process optimization. We are now seeing a second wave, this time both for process optimization as well as automatic pro ling. We are not just talking about automating a task that was previously performed manually. Additional requested capabilities include the elimination of operator errors, full process traceability and more. One example that illustrates this point is our ability to verify — prior to re ow — that the oven recipe is correct for the incoming PCBs based on their bar code.

Q. What other technology trends are you seeing emerge in industry and how do these a ect the current industry environment?

A. I recently visited a customer of ours that made me feel that I had landed in the future. They had a production line that was fully automated with PCB barcodes controlling every single production machine. This is very much what the Europeans are talking about with Industry 4.0. The engineering manager proudly stated that they had requested one of the technicians to go out of his way to change how the products were being processed and he failed. The technician was unable to induce a change.

Another emerging technology trend is the further miniaturization of electronics.

Page 10 The Choice of Publication for the Electronics Industry

| APRIL 2015 ISSUE

P:11

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P:12

The intricacies

of high-tech

product strategic

outsourcing success

by Kim Sauer (@kimsauermedia), scoop communications

Expectations for the high-tech industries have never been so high and are growing continuously. Increasing competition, higher product complexity, ever-shortening lifecycles and strict high quality expectations governed by tightening and complex regulatory frameworks are just some of the challenges faced by OEMs today. For many, strategic outsourcing o ers the necessary access to the expertise, knowledge and skills required to remain competitive and successful.

which they regulate themselves through legislation, regulation and taxation. Why risk making mistakes when you can outsource to a partner with proven experience in and knowledge of the new target markets?

It is extremely likely that a good global outsourcing partner has manufactured and ful lled product in that geography locally or through channels that work. They will understand how to deal with local import regulations, duties, taxes and approvals. They’ll also have a developed supply chain in the region that works and is economic.

With respect to going global, the same argument applies. OEMs can scale worldwide by selecting an EMS partner who has done it before and can do it for them, with their brand, their strong service and delivery promise and with the knowledge of every local market they might wish to enter.

Equally there are great advantages for start-ups who have invented the latest and greatest tech product. They need to focus all their time on sales and marketing and creating the next version, the next operating system or indeed the next great product – not on manufacturing or ful lment.

And often it’s about so much more than just manufacturing. It’s about design, speed to market, the ramp up, the ramp down, direct ful llment to customers, repairs and spare parts, recalls, end of life logistics, and so on.

In these cases the right outsourcing partner can be a font of knowledge and skill. By getting involved early on and supporting the design cycle, products can be bought to market faster than anticipated, with a supply chain that is ready for the demand as it hits and where it hits, and often with the regulatory approvals needed.

Modern EMS companies are very sophisticated operators. With so much experience up and down the value chain, there isn’t much they haven’t seen before and that they can’t provide a solution for.

For high-tech industries, particularly Medical, Military/Aerospace and many aspects of the Automotive industry, uncompromising quality standards and compliance with strict manufacturing and environmental regulations have been the norm. Add to that long R&D cycles, rigorous testing and traceability demands, low volume/high mix manufacturing requirements and strict recycling regulations, and the challenges for the supply chain with resulting high costs have always been critical.

Today, as products become more sophisticated and complex and the lines between consumer and industrial electronics blur, high-tech OEMs are increasingly under pressure to shorten product lifecycles and drive innovation in an ever more competitive environment with a growing mix of more complex products.

The risks are high. Failure to deliver quality and reliability will be disastrous. Companies without proper product lifecycle management, strict operational processes and tight supply chain control, will not succeed in balancing the need for consistent product quality and compliance to regulatory requirements with the equally critical need for fast product introduction.

Whilst some OEMs manage the entire product lifecycle in-house, outsourcing to an EMS provider can de nitely provide valuable and more e cient development, manufacturing, and operational expertise and skill that can be leveraged to the OEMs advantage. For example strategic

outsourcing can be more e ective than developing and maintaining internal capabilities. Developing the latest technology into marketable products will require knowledge, experience and advanced manufacturing techniques and processes that would involve signi cant investment in time, equipment and personnel.

This, and more, is the strength of the EMS company, but only the right partnership will lead to success. The secret is to evaluate total cost and the cultural t in order to select an EMS partner as a seamless extension of the business.

There are of course many circumstances where strategic outsourcing can be advantageous. The need to focus on core competencies, demands for increased exibility, shorter innovation and product life cycles, increasing complexity, miniaturization, a lack of know-how or high investment costs are just a few.

And for high-tech OEMs these can often be even more magni ed. For example, most high-tech products demand low volume manufacturing which o ers limited opportunity for economies of scale from component suppliers. Outsourcing to an EMS provider, however, leverages the vendor’s buying power by consolidating the requirements from multiple customers.

Geographic expansion may at rst seem like an easy task of simple replication of home market processes, however regions vary in many ways, not least in the way

Page 12 The Choice of Publication for the Electronics Industry

| APRIL 2015 ISSUE

P:13

KEEPING TRACK OF COMPONENT INVENTORY

JUST GOT A LOT EASIER

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and inventory management to provide a highly accurate oount of components stored in tape-and-reel.

FEATURES:

- Automatically “counts\" components as small as 01006 - Integrated barcode printing

- One button operation - >99% part count accuracy

- Substantialiy speed up part counting process 0 May also be used for electronics inspection

- No need to remove reel from antistatic moisture barrier

bag for counting

VJ TECHNOLOGIES OFICES

Bohemia, NY Suzhou. china Paris, France Budapest. Hungary Bengaluru, India

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‘Because Performance Matters!”

P:14

Wearable Technology:

Protecting the Future in Electronic Developments

By Jade Bridges, European Technical Support Specialist, Electrolube

possibilities to analyse and improve one’s game. Whether it be via the use of Google Glass to aid performance within the sport, navigate a route and send a message during training or by the use of many other sensor based devices that can analyse technique, speed or posture for example; wearable technology provides the opportunity to develop and improve at a much faster rate. In the medical industry the ability to analyse and treat patients using wearable technology is also o ering new avenues of research and is extending into ingestible devices. It is clear that the applications that can develop within this eld are seemingly endless. ____________________________________

‘‘companies such

as CuteCircuit are

designing interactive

clothing where the

colour or design

can be controlled

via smart phone apps

or twitter feeds.

____________________________________

The technologies that such wearable devices are utilising are already common place and are being adapted for their use in new applications. For example, the devices usually have to connect to a smart phone or computer in order to relay information or data. As a result, the wearable devices may have wireless or Bluetooth connectivity or, as with navigation devices, may incorporate GPS. In addition, a number of applications for wearable technology may use sensors to detect a speci c change (which is dependent on the nature of the sensor) and provide an output, which again may be transferred to a separate receiver.

“Wearable” – a term that was predominantly associated with the clothing industry is now trending for a whole new reason. Harnessing the electronic functions used in everyday life and incorporating them into devices and accessories that can comfortably be worn on the body, is leading us into the era of #wearables, #wearabletech.

Everyone is talking about wearable technology and with such a wide scope of applications and products, the industry is expected to see another large growth in 2015. In fact, for 2014, the wearables market was forecast to be worth over £300m within the UK market; the second highest prediction in Europe after Germany. The developments are continuing at a rapid rate too, with predictions such as this one by Gartner, that by as soon as 2017, 30% of wearable devices will be completely unobtrusive to the eye.

In all types of use, the technology is designed to make us more e cient; in business, the ongoing development of smart watches for example, will allow multi-tasking, process tracking and increased involvement during travel and when on the move. In our personal lives, devices such as health bands and tness trackers will help us to understand our everyday activities better in order to improve our health. There are also a number of new developments taking place, showing the

use of wearable technology in di erent industries. For example, within the fashion industry companies such as CuteCircuit are designing interactive clothing where the colour or design can be controlled via smart phone apps or twitter feeds. Utilising such technology within clothing has also expanded further into high visibility or safety accessories by companies such as Visijax.

Analysis and research are also key factors within the wearable technologies industry. In sport, there are seemingly endless

Page 14 The Choice of Publication for the Electronics Industry

| APRIL 2015 ISSUE

P:15

Alongside the challenge of actually designing a functioning device, the challenge that wearable technology poses is the nature in which this technology will be used and, primarily, the environments that the device may be used in. For instance, a temperature sensor on a static device will have to withstand the temperatures within that environment and any thermal shock or cycling that may take place. A temperature sensor in a wearable device has the added consideration of physical interactions; the device will be moved, worn, may see impact, may be flexed and potentially exposed to a number of additional elements, such as water or chemicals, for example. It is therefore imperative that these devices are protected accordingly to ensure reliable performance when utilised in their end-use environments. ____________________________________

____________________________________

time the device could be immersed in water is unknown. It should therefore be assumed that the device is constantly operating when immersed in water. This application can be likened to that of a sonar buoy used in marine applications where sensors are utilised for providing vital information about the sea environment. In this case, the device will have to send an RF signal and operate when constantly immersed in salt water; a similar environment to that of the wearable health tracker worn by the swimmer. ____________________________________

‘‘the device will be

moved, worn, may see

impact, may be flexed

and potentially

exposed to a number

of additional

elements, such as

water or chemicals,

for example.

____________________________________

We can also elaborate on the information we have already gained from other industries. For example, salt water is generally more corrosive than the water found in a swimming pool and therefore the application experience gained from the sonar buoys will show the performance of a device protected with a suitable compound, such as Electrolube UR5041, in a similar but more aggressive environment. This is obviously just one example of many different considerations; the degree of flex and toughness of the device, the operating temperature range and the possibility of any chemicals coming into contact with the device are all possible factors to take into account during the selection process.

continued...

‘‘

devices may have

actually designing a functioning device, the challenge that wearable technology poses is the nature

in which this

technology will be

used and, primarily, the

environments that the

device may be used in.

____________________________________

Protection can be provided in the form of encapsulation resins or conformal coatings, for example. The variety of potential applications can also generate another challenge in selecting the most suitable protection compound. As we have already concluded, the wearable device is likely to use some form of connectivity, whether it be direct to another device or system or via a sensor to record changes in information gathered. This connection to other devices will operate via radio waves and therefore any protection compound used, must allow RF signals to be transmitted without any interference. In connection with this requirement the environmental conditions and general use of the device must be considered in order to produce a full picture of its working life.

To enable a better understanding of likely performance and simplify the selection process, it is possible to draw on experience from other industries and technologies. For instance, if we think of a wearable device that can be worn by a swimmer to monitor heart rate and general health when in the pool, it is immediately understood that this device must still work when immersed in water. Any changes in temperature will be minimal but quite rapid and the frequency and length of

the wearable

wireless or Bluetooth connectivity or,

as with navigation devices, may

incorporate GPS.

____________________________________

‘‘ challenge of

Alongside the

P:16

feature continued...

Thinking about all of these properties and not forgetting the need to allow connectivity via RF signals, there are many properties such as the dielectric constant, salt mist resistance, shore hardness and elongation at break that can be used to nd the optimal product for in-use testing.

Although this information may seem somewhat vague, it is clear that each application will have its own criteria in terms of performance, environment and expected use and in all cases, a reliable and accurate response is required from the wearable device. An example of application requirements is given in the “Sudden Impact” wearable device challenge being conducted by Element 14 where Electrolube are one of the industry partners. The challenge is to develop a wearable device for athletes that provides vital health information to increase safety on the eld and monitor the condition of athletes in real-time, thus reducing sports related injuries. In this case, we know that the device will have to be protected from shock, potentially water or other pollutants and allow wireless connectivity. As with all wearable devices there is the possibility that LEDs or displays may be present and

therefore the protection o ered will need to be clear and maintain its clarity over time. By working through these parameters with an electro-chemical manufacturer, such as Electrolube, it is possible to quickly nd the most suitable solution for the application and therefore ensure the performance of the wearable device during its working life. ____________________________________

Whatever the application, the wearables market is de nitely a hot topic. Some say that 2015 is the year of the wearable where others feel there is still more work to be done. A large number of devices are still in their testing phase and performance, bene ts of use and long term reliability need to be con rmed. The concept and new developments in this eld are what will continue in the future and with the variety of devices possible will come the vast array of requirements, which will de ne the need for suitable protection medium. Wearable technology is designed with the intention to make everyday tasks easier and more accessible. It will encourage di erent methods of interaction and communication, again increasing our mobility within the electronic world and thus shall further enhance relationships and collaborations in this eld. ____________________________________

‘‘Whatever the application, the wearables market is definitely a hot topic. Some say that 2015 is the year

of the wearable

where others feel

there is still more

work to be done.

____________________________________

[email protected]

‘‘

develop a wearable

The challenge is to

device for athletes that provides vital health information to increase safety on the field and monitor the condition of athletes in real-time, thus reducing sports

related injuries.

____________________________________

Page 16 The Choice of Publication for the Electronics Industry

| APRIL 2015 ISSUE

P:17

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An interview with

chris herd, evolvi smt

by smt today editor

During the recent IPC APEX EXPO convention in San Diego, California, SMT Today’s Editor met up with Chris Herd, General Manager of Evolvi SMT – a member of the Etek Group.

Chris has been in the electronics manufacturing industry for more than 20 years and started his career with Motorola, before moving to positions with Jabil, Universal Instruments and Adopt SMT. After working his way up through the industry, Chris joined Evolvi SMT as their General Manager in 2013 and has since witnessed signi cant business growth in the second-user equipment market.

Chris’ previous experience has provided him with opportunities that saw him gain a wide range of knowledge in manufacturing processes as well as equipment service, support and sales. Working closely with production sta , engineering and management has proved invaluable in supporting Chris’ role with Evolvi SMT to provide equipment matching solutions to customers by sourcing the best options available from Evolvi’s global network of partners.

Our editor recently caught up with Chris and discussed the state of the company and their plans for the future.

With the extensive industry experience that exists within the Evolvi team, we understand the situations in which customers nd themselves when trying to balance their production needs vs their budgets.

For example, a customer who’s taking delivery of a new piece of equipment to replace an older machine - oor space is premium and the removal/disposal takes time and resource that many customers can’t release - Evolvi’s proposal includes this service.

Evolvi are able to o er bespoke services and packages to each customer. In addition, the brokering, sourcing and nancial services Evolvi o er have proven to be the foundation of our success and to date we have a database of over 25,000 contacts and 1600 customers. ____________________________________

‘‘Understanding

and delivering what

customers want,

listening to their

requirements and

providing a

cost-effective and

timely solution is key.

____________________________________

Q. Can you tell me more about the nancing options?

A. Evolvi have recently partnered with one of the UK’s largest independent nance companies and secured $10m worth of funding for supplying second- user equipment which is between two and ve years old. This provides our customers with an additional bene t, ie: it keeps the purchasing process under one roof with one point of contact, thereby making the purchase of second-user items less complicated.

Q. I’m surprised to see Evolvi SMT in the US and at an American trade show?

A. Evolvi is a global company working with global Contract Electronic Manufacturers (CEM’s) and marketing partners so we need global coverage. In addition to having showrooms and representation in the UK and Eastern Europe, our strategic direction encompasses expansion into areas such as North America, South America, Asia and the Middle East.

Being at APEX has certainly opened the door to creating openings which help develop our constantly growing network of customers and partners and, of course, it provides us with an opportunity to meet with existing customers and potential equipment suppliers.

We’ll also be attending the National Electronics Week in Birmingham, UK; the SMT Hybrid Packaging show in Nuremberg; the SMTAi convention in Chicago; NEPCON Shenzhen and Productronica in Munich.

Q. Evolvi SMT is a relatively young company. How has it grown so quickly?

A. Evolvi SMT is part of the Etek Group of companies and brings to the market a unique business model, created directly

from customer feedback on what is required from second-user equipment. In summary, we can:

Buy surplus equipment by providing a quick and hassle-free service which o ers the best price for used and un-used items;

Sell by assuring the buyer that they’ve purchased the best equipment at a competitive price and removed all the risk with Evolvi’s guarantee;

Act as a broker by providing customers with the opportunity to dispose of surplus equipment through our multi-channel global marketing platform;

Source the best and most cost competitive solution against a customer’s requirements from our global network of partners;

O er a range of competitive nancial packages which can be tailored to suit a customer’s individual business needs.

Understanding and delivering what customers want, listening to their requirements and providing a cost-e ective and timely solution is key.

Page 18 The Choice of Publication for the Electronics Industry

| APRIL 2015 ISSUE

P:19

Q. What’s unique about Evolvi SMT?

A. I’m very happy that we can deliver a level of service which is unbeatable from our experienced sales and service team on a wide range of second-user equipment including installation, decommissioning and equipment audits.

Our marketing team work continually to identify the global demand and availability to give us a realistic current second-user market value. This enables us to provide customers with the best-priced solutions and, working closely with both large and small CEM’s, together with equipment manufacturers, we’re able to o er equipment that we guarantee to be as expected as all items we o er have been viewed, tested and inspected. ____________________________________

‘‘the brokering,

sourcing and

financial services

Evolvi offer have

proven to be the

foundation of our

success and to date

we have a database of

over 25,000 contacts

and 1600 customers.

____________________________________

Q. I appreciate that the stock situation must be constantly changing but what’s Evolvi’s current stock position?

A. You’re correct, our stock is dynamic and changes on a daily basis. We currently have a wide range of second- user equipment which equates to an approximate value of $1.8m and ranges from stand-alone semi auto screen printers to inline X-ray machines and everything in between from the likes of industry leaders such as Samsung, ViTrox, Juki, Nordson DAGE, Aqueous and Siemens.

Also, as a large majority of our items are ex-demo machines, they could still be supported by the original manufacturer’s warranty. ____________________________________

‘‘

equipment that we

we’re able to offer

guarantee to be

as expected as all

items we offer have

been viewed, tested

and inspected.

____________________________________

Q. What are Evolvi’s expansion plans?

A. Over the next eighteen months, we’re planning to expand our storage capacity at our UK headquarters. In addition to having representation, showrooms and storage facilities in the UK and Eastern Europe, we’re also looking to expand into North and South America, the Middle East and Asia and, working with the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) we want to start providing the

latest manufacturing machines and technologies.

Furthermore, our sales team is continually growing and now includes representatives who, besides having extensive experience in the electronics industry, are multi- lingual and speak Swedish, Hungarian, German and Romanian.

For more information on Evolvi SMT, please email [email protected] or visit their website at www.evolvismt.com.

‘‘our sales team now includes representatives who are multi-lingual and speak Swedish, Hungarian, German and Romanian.

P:20

Javad Experiences ViTrox’s Advantages with Purchase of V810 Series2 XXL AXI System

by SMT Today Staff Editor

Javad EMS (JEMS) is located in the heart of Silicon Valley, San Jose, California. They serve the Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) industry specializing in supporting customers that have high complexity products and low to medium volume production requirements. In January 2011, JEMS purchased their rst 3D In-line Advanced X-ray Inspection System (AXI), the V810 Standard from ViTrox. Javad EMS prides itself on quality, from equipment to processes, employees and nished products. Javad EMS has seamlessly continued its commitment to X-Ray Inspection. All these reasons, coupled with the great performance of the V810 Standard, led Javad to purchase their second AXI System from ViTrox, this time choosing the newly released V810 Series2 XXL in May 2014.

Figure 1. Images of 3 layers POP

Figure 2. Image of LGA

the two systems. The V810 Series2 XXL comes with the world’s fastest inspection speed performance as well as widest solder related defect test coverage which increases yields and return on investment. In addition, the system guarantees minimum escape rates, low maintenance and warranty costs, resulting in the reduction of operating costs. All the above makes the production lines more e cient and e ective.

For more information about Javad EMS, kindly contact the company at 900 Rock Ave San Jose, California 95131-1615, United States or visit www.javad.com.

For more information about ViTrox Technologies Sdn. Bhd., contact the company at No. 85-A, Lintang Bayan Lepas 11, Bayan Lepas Industrial Park, Phase 4, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Penang, Malaysia or visit www.vitrox.com.

Javad EMS has four continuous ow SMT lines complete with inline 3D AXI inspection, 3D solder paste inspection and AOI. These lines are highly exible allowing for diverse and complex products utilizing the latest in component packaging technologies to be assembled and, with quick changeover between products, enabling high mix, low to medium volume production.

ViTrox’s AXI System, the V810 Series2 XXL, has proven to be the leading AXI solution for SMT Line implementation. The V810 Series2 XXL is capable of inspecting boards up to 26” x 38”. This XXL format AXI system allows Javad to inspect respective large board sizes in comparison with the Standard V810, which has a maximum board size of 18” x 24”. The V810 Series2 XXL o ers Best in Class board thickness capabilities supporting boards up to 500mils thick with board weight of up to 15kgs. The V810 Series2 XXL’s state-of-the-art inspection technology is made possible by Digital Tomosynthesis methodology running on a new Windows 8 Professional 64bit platform. Proprietary Hybrid Auto Focus technology enables the system to intelligently focus at a desired z-height without any mechanical movement from the X-ray source or stage. This allows the system to accurately capture image slices in a way that can signi cantly reduce the measurement uncertainty of the system.

The V810 Series2 XXL has incorporated Scan Path Merging (SPAM) a new state-of the-art technology that can reduce board inspection time through optimizing multiple scan paths. Single Uni ed Management O ce (SUMO) uses an 8-core processor with 128GB of RAM that accelerates the system to its maximum level of performance. Simultaneous E cient Reconstruction Technique (SERT), a new 64bit imaging processor architecture, changes Predictive Slice Height (PSH) from an additional inspection process to a real time function as part of a single scan path.

The V810 Series2 is coupled with advance package inspection capabilities including 3 layer Package on Package (POP), LGA, pin in paste, solder charge etc. The test coverage of the V810 Series2 XXL is improved further through the introduction of non-linear reconstruction technology for highly shaded components such as 8 layer GBX connectors and power transistors. New Flood ll Voiding Algorithm enhances the accuracy and detection of various pad types for voiding. Wide Vision increases the reconstruction region of the system to 3 x 3 inches allowing users to view an entire component within a single frame.

Both the V810 Series2 XXL and V810 Standard share the same software and programming environment, which helps to reduce any program ne tuning time between

Page 20 The Choice of Publication for the Electronics Industry

| APRIL 2015 ISSUE

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www.|ectronics.net

P:22

Accelerating the Selective

Soldering Learning Curve

by Alan Cable, President, ACE Production Technologies, Inc., Spokane Valley, WA

When qualifying a new manufacturing process, it is essential to review the experience and skill levels of key sta members, including factory personnel and the manufacturing engineering team. All processes should deliver repeatable results, which comes from having knowledgeable personnel and advanced high performance process equipment. By investing in the professional development of its manufacturing and engineering sta , every company involved in the electronic printed circuit board (PCB) assembly business can increase its value-add, reduce their production costs and improve its operating e ciency. An investment in employee training is often rewarded with a corresponding e ort to excel.

is essential for knowledge transfer, enables manufacturing exibility and e ciency, and helps a business run better and more pro tably. Trained employees have increased job satisfaction, higher retention rates and improved morale. When implementing new technologies or methods within an electronics assembly operation, training is a key ingredient for achieving increased process e ciencies resulting in an improved nancial picture. Properly trained employees feel more empowered to implement quality initiatives that can help the company, such as total quality management (TQM) e orts or quality circles and actions that lead to increased manufacturing yields, improved product quality and increased productivity.

Initial training often takes place during the installation and start-up of new production equipment. During this time, topics such as set up, basic operation and preventative maintenance are usually covered. In addition, there is a signi cant bene t in supplementing this initial training with follow- on professional development courses since the upgrade in employee skills makes perfectly good business sense. Training can also be more e ective when conducted o -site. Personnel attending an o -site workshop training program are better able to focus on the subject and come away with in-depth knowledge without the day-to-day distractions of their shop oor. Although the return on investment may take a while to appear, the long-term gains associated with employee training can make a substantial di erence in a manufacturing facility’s productivity and quality. For the short-term expense of an o -site workshop training program it is possible to maintain quali ed, productive and satis ed workers who will help a company prosper and grow.

ACE Production Technologies, Inc. strives to bring value and quality to its customers by providing a series of selective soldering workshops. We provide an introductory workshop for those new to the selective soldering process and an advanced workshop for experienced users. The curriculum is based on real-world practice and both workshops are equally divided between classroom theory and hands-on training. The introductory workshop focuses on: the fundamentals of through-hole soldering, solderability and solder alloys; ux deposition, ux activation and thermal pro ling; design guidelines and quality measurement; a troubleshooting guideline and process optimization procedures are also covered. The hands-on training portion covers programming, preventative maintenance practices and developing a robust soldering process.

continued...

Selective Soldering Technology

Selective soldering is a relatively new technology compared to other more traditional soldering methods such as re ow soldering, wave soldering or hand soldering. Because it is a newer technology, many equipment operators, shop oor technicians, process engineers as well as manufacturing and quality personnel who are experienced in surface mount and through-hole assembly may need to expand their expertise to learn more about selective soldering. With proper knowledge, many end-users can often get more out of their selective soldering machines. Equipment manufacturers such as ACE Production Technologies are aware of the need to nd better ways to communicate knowledge about the selective soldering process. One solution is to conduct selective soldering workshops in our factory where the machines are built and tested, our process development engineers work and have process diagnostic tools and analysis equipment available for our customers.

Production technology and human resource departments go hand-in-hand to ensure good selective soldering equipment performance. Procuring advanced technology selective soldering equipment also requires skilled and knowledgeable personnel. Developing a partnership with an equipment supplier capable of providing in-depth process training can help guarantee the utmost in quality, manufacturability and reproducibility. Having access to this type of training allows equipment operators and process engineers to expedite the learning curve immediately following new installations. Workshops dedicated to selective soldering also enrich the understanding of how a PCB is constructed and how certain PCB manufacturing characteristics e ect soldering.

Achieving high quality levels, good rst pass yields and eliminating defects are important aspects for all electronics assembly companies in order to compete globally and provide high quality end products. Eliminating defects and increasing throughput are paramount to keeping pace in a highly competitive electronics manufacturing business. Having the latest advanced technology processing equipment in itself does not ensure process repeatability since advanced equipment also requires knowledgeable and experienced factory personnel and engineering sta for optimal results. Quality assurance starts with having the best process equipment available, together with a regimented and proven process, but these tools must be combined with personnel who have the expertise to deliver positive results.

Employee turnover can have a cost and impact on a manufacturing facility much greater than many managers might think. A recent survey indicated that 40% of employees who receive poor job training leave their positions within the rst year. Those leaving a position cite a lack of skills training and development as principal reason for moving on. With even one less worker, a company’s productivity will slip and current sta members will be required to work more hours, which can a ect employee morale. Time must be spent to nd a replacement for the worker who left, to screen and interview applicants. Once someone is hired there is an obvious need to train that person which causes the cost of sta turnover to further increase. Figures vary, but the cost can be as high as $2,500, depending upon the position, to replace a frontline shop oor employee. By providing suitable training, employee turnover can be reduced.

Training Boosts Efficiency

Training can provide profound bene ts for an electronics assembly company since training

Page 22 The Choice of Publication for the Electronics Industry

| APRIL 2015 ISSUE

P:23

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P:24

feature continued...

Figure 1. Classroom theory during the ACE introductory selective soldering workshop

The advanced workshop addresses topics including: printed circuit board design manufacturability, which PCB characteristics impact the soldering process; laminate choices, surface nishes, plating thickness and layer count; what parameters can the selective machine adjust for; and optimal thermal transfer properties for e ective soldering. The hands-on training portion covers solder joint inspection protocols, ionic contamination testing and solderability testing.

Both 2-day workshops are highly successful and assist end-users in de ning the proper understanding of component thermal limitations, clearance restrictions, thermal requirements and solder joint reliability issues. These professional development workshops provide a complete overview together with in-depth knowledge of the selective soldering process. A complete set of handout and reference materials are provided to each workshop attendee.

Testimonials from some recent attendees of the ACE selective soldering workshops:

“I learned a lot more than what I expected to. They covered a number of areas that I didn’t know well, or had forgotten about over the years. I had a number of questions for them and happily received a comprehensive answer for each one. Being at the factory was one of my favorite aspects of the workshop. I could visit whatever department I wanted to, and pick their brain for information and answers. I asked several questions of various people in di erent departments and they all either hadtheansweralready,orfounditforme. Since the workshop, I am able to operate ourmachinesmoree cientlyande ectively than ever before.”

“Your e orts and hard work were greatly appreciated by us. You guys were great teachers, hosts and just great people. I learned a tremendous amount of information on the selective soldering process at this workshop that I know will

help tremendously as I start into selective soldering at our company. Again thanks for the great knowledge and great hospitality.”

“I want to thank everyone at ACE for your instruction, peer-to-peer discussions and most importantly your hospitality. The time and e ort put into your products was re ected in each of the members I met on this past trip, magnanimously. It was an absolute pleasure to be able to meet with each of you and see just what goes into each of your selective solder machines, and the culture of your business. Thank you again for your time knowledge and hospitality, it will not be forgotten.”

“I wanted to sincerely thank you and your sta for the training class we just nished. We gained some invaluable knowledge from both aspects of the workshop. Everyone that we came across within your facility treated us like we were the most important customer to your organization, which is extremely refreshing. Your application people were a delight to work with, they are not only very knowledgeable but the customer service was at a very high level. They helped open our eyes when it comes to tips and techniques as well as processes. On our plant tour every person we encountered extended a helping hand and made sure that all of our needs were met. Overall the whole experience was wonderful and I can’t express my gratitude for everything that ACE has done and will continue to do for us. This trip in conjunction with the high level of customer service we’ve received from day one has cemented what I hope to be a long term business relationship with ACE.”

For more information about these selective soldering workshops, or to register for the next available workshop, contact Rae Ann Miller at [email protected] or call 509-924-4898, Ext. 102.

Figure 2. Hands-on training during the ACE advanced selective soldering workshop

Introductory Workshop

The classroom portion of the introductory workshop is conducted by well-known process expert Bob Klenke of ITM Consulting while the hands-on portion is taught by the expert sta members in the ACE application lab. The curriculum for the introductory selective soldering workshop includes:

• Fundamentals of • through-hole soldering •

• Solderability •

• Solder alloys

• Flux deposition •

• Flux activation •

• Thermal pro ling •

Design guidelines Quality measurement

Troubleshooting guideline

Process optimization Programming Preventative maintenance

Advanced Workshop

The classroom portion of the advanced workshop is instructed by renowned fabrication expert Stan Bentley of DIVSYS International with the hands-on segments taught by the ACE application sta . The curriculum for the advanced selective soldering workshop includes:

• Printed circuit board board design

manufacturability

• PCB characteristics impact the soldering process

• Laminate choices

• Surface nishes

• Plating thickness and and layer count

• What parameters can the selective machine adjust for

• Optimal thermal transfer properties for e ective soldering

• Solder joint inspection protocols

• Ionic contamination testing

• Solderability testing

Page 24 The Choice of Publication for the Electronics Industry

| APRIL 2015 ISSUE

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P:26

Industry News

Keep up to date with what’s new

With each issue we’ll keep you up-to-date with the latest industry news from around the globe.

Europlacer Expands Direct Sales Activity in Italy

Europlacer continues to expand is direct sales activity by opening new o ces in Italy. Operations in Italy will be the responsibility of Aljosa Krasevec, who has been working with Europlacer for almost 10 years.

International Sales Manager Steve Farragher said,“Aljosastartingworkingwithmeshortly after I joined Europlacer in 2005, in his home Country of Slovenia. Since then he has had phenomenal success, having been our best performing Distributor on several occasions. Aljosa can accredit his achievements to a full understanding of our products as he is a quali ed and very experienced engineer; this undoubtedly gives him a real a nity with our customers. I cannot think of anyone else right now who I would trust more to lead the team in Italy. We already have a well- stablished customer base throughout the country, all of whom will bene t from Aljosa’s experience and knowledge.”

____________________________________

Cogiscan Partners with Horizon Sales in the Midwestern U.S.

This new partnership with Horizon Sales is both positive and timely,” said Mitch DeCaire, Cogiscan Sales Manager for the Americas. “Cogiscan views the Midwest as a strategically important region that is well- positioned to bene t from current onshoring trends. We selected Horizon Sales for many reasons, most notably their solid reputation within this marketplace and sincere commitment to helping customers increase productivity and lower operational costs.”

Zollner Invests in Dispensing Systems from Essemtec

Zollner Elektronik AG, one of the top EMS service providers with 17 locations worldwide, trusts in Essemtecs’ high-speed jet dispenser Scorpion.

After an extensive benchmark test the leading provider of electronic manufacturing services (EMS) has chosen to replace their current dispensing systems. A total of seven Scorpion fully-automatic dispensing systems from Essemtec are now in use at locations in Zandt, Furth im Wald and Altenmarkt/Cham.

____________________________________

FSInspection Appoints Representative in Northern California

FSInspection announces the appointment of MAN-TechSystems as its manufacturers’ representative for the FSInspection series in Northern California and Northern Nevada.

MAN-TechSystems has been a manufacturers’ representative for electronics assembly equipment in Northern California for more than 25 years. MAN-TechSystems provides complete installation, training, applications and machine repair. The

company presently consists of three outside sales engineers that cover the region. These engineers have a combined 56 years of experience in the electronics assembly market. Their combined technical support background consists of placement equipment, wave soldering, cleaning, re ow, rework, AOI/SPI/X-ray inspection systems, programming and component packaging.

____________________________________

FSInspection Appoints Southwest Systems Technology

FSInspection, a division of Freedom Scienti c, today announced the appointment of Southwest Systems Technology as its manufacturers’ representative for its new line of high-quality, industrial inspection solutions in the Southwestern United States.

____________________________________

Three-Dimensional AOI Inspection of Solder Joints of Chip Components and Pins

The inspection software PILOT 6 of the AOI systems from GOEPEL electronics o ers the possibility of three-dimensional inspection of solder joints on chip components and IC pins with their extended functionality. The data of the surface topography, generated by the integrated measuring module 3D·EyeZ, can be evaluated in many ways to determine the quality of the solder meniscus. Possible functions are the measurement of the soldier height on the component or the pin as well as measuring the tin covered area on the pad and the solder volume. continued...

Page 26 The Choice of Publication for the Electronics Industry

| APRIL 2015 ISSUE

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P:28

Industry News

feature continued...

Electrolube Set to Take the ‘Shock’ Out of Thermal Shock- Testing at SMTA Conference in Malaysia

Electrolube, the complete solutions provider of electro-chemicals for the electronics, automotive and industrial manufacturing industries, will explore the e ects of ux residues on thermal shock performance of conformal coatings at the SMTA South East Asia Technical Conference in Malaysia. Phil Kinner, Electrolube’s Global Business and Technical Director for the Conformal Coatings Division, will present the company’s latest investigations into the e ects that ux residues have on a conformal coatings ability to withstand thermal shock testing, explore ux and coating compatibility and examine why it matters.

____________________________________

SCS Releases New Ionograph® Contamination Test Systems

Specialty Coating Systems (SCS) introduces the new Ionograph® SMD V and Ionograph® BT Series (bench top)

contaminationtestsystems.Theredesigned SCSIonographSMDVisthelatestinSCS’s line of ionic contamination test systems and the SCS Ionograph BT Series is a redesign of the current I500M Benchtop Ionographs.

The SCS Ionograph BT Series is available in small, medium or large sizes to accommodate customer board requirements. The systems o er the same convenience, accuracy and reliability as their predecessors, but have been modi ed to enhance safety and ease of maintenance.

____________________________________

SCS Introduces the Precisioncoat V Conformal Coating System

Specialty Coating Systems (SCS) introduces its new Precisioncoat V Conformal Coating System. The Precisioncoat V, available in conformal coating, dispensing and/or potting platforms, o ers maximum exibility and e ciency for manufacturers.

The SCS Precisioncoat V’s conformal coating and dispense valves move smoothly along the three axis system, with an option to add fully programmable fourth and fth axes for tilt and rotation capabilities. The system’s multi-valve technology allows for the application of dots, lines, lls, glob tops and spray coat areas. The redesigned Precisioncoat provides more than a dependable layer of protection, it is a total system solution that ensures accuracy, repeatability and high throughput for a wide range of automated material application, all in a smaller footprint to maximize valuable production oor space.

____________________________________

Nordson YESTECH Accepts Second Consecutive Service Excellence Award

Nordson YESTECH, a division of Nordson Corporation (NASDAQ: NDSN), is pleased to announce that it has received a 2015 Circuits Assembly Service Excellence Award (SEA) from Circuits Assembly in the Test and Inspection Equipment category. The company received the Service Excellence Award for its outstanding customer ratings.

____________________________________

Electrically Conductive Flexible Polyurethane Adhesive - Polytec PU 1000 From Intertronics

Polytec PU 1000 is a single part adhesive which cures quickly at room temperature to a exible, electrically conductive polymer. It can replace traditional epoxies which are rigid and require thermal processing, giving production e ciencies and enabling new applications where pliability and conductivity is important.

Polytec PU 1000 is an electrically conductive polyurethane which addresses applications in die attach, bonding of components in hybrid circuit applications and surface mount technology (SMT); areas where silver lled electrically conductive adhesives have been used for many decades. Usually such adhesives are epoxy-based, two- component or pre-mixed and frozen single- component systems, but now the Polytec PU 1000 polyurethane option provides a exible bond, cost saving and performance advantages in the production process when compared to a standard two-part conductive epoxy adhesive. There is the simplicity of one-part application without mixing and an inde nite pot life with rapid cure at room temperature, e.g. 10 minutes at 23°C compared to 15 minutes at 120°C for a typical two- part epoxy.

Ionograph BT Series and Ionograph SMD V

Page 28 The Choice of Publication for the Electronics Industry

| APRIL 2015 ISSUE

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P:30

EVS Solder RECYCLING - WHEN GOOD ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICE HAS AN INSTANT PAYBACK

By Simon R Norman, EVS International Sales Ltd

Wave Soldering has been around for a long time and, although it has become more e ective and more e cient as a process, one thing hasn’t changed much, in that most solder machines generate a high amount of dross. In fact, on average some 75% of the solder in the bath oxidizes over time to become dross which has traditionally been dumped into a bucket and disposed of as scrap.

to eliminate fumes. The EVS has a simple LCD read-out that displays processing data and diagnostics and makes for simple maintenance procedures. Installation and on-site training are also very easy and can be accomplished in less than half a day allowing the rapid assimilation of the EVS into daily operating procedures.

The EVS will reduce solder bar consumption on average by 50%, speed up your de- drossing time by up to 75%, improve your environmental credentials and is extremely simple to use. Some people nd such outstanding performance hard to believe. Even though these results have been scienti cally proven time and time again, some solder companies and those fearing a loss of their revenue, have sought to resist the introduction of EVS machines.

In the past, the consideration of scrap and solder dross in particular, has been of secondary importance. However, things are changing fast. Large companies are increasingly concerned about environmental issues and the gradually growing importance of the ISO14001 environmental standard is spreading awareness of Recycling, Re-use and Pollution Reduction.

As perceptions change, solder recovery stands out as an environmentally good thing to do without the downside of increased costs. As already mentioned, the time and cost savings gained by using an EVS Solder Recovery Machine are spectacular. When applied to lead free solder, which costs 3 to 4 times more than eutectic solder, the economic case for recycling becomes irresistible.

The case for solder recycling is best made by those who are already using EVS machines. For them, without exception the EVS has performed up to or better than expectations and its ease of use and low maintenance have enabled it to t seamlessly into day to day operations on the shop oor.

Marla Wineinger, from Kimball Electronics Jasper USA, says, “The EVS Solder Recovery System was installed in our factory in just a couple of hours. The training required was quickly and easily implemented with the operators producing immediate reductions in dross and solder bar consumption. Our experience supports the manufacture’s claims of up to 50% reduction in solder purchases and now we have several units at Kimball electronics worldwide. The EVS Solder Recovery System was one of the fastest paybacks we have ever seen because as soon as we started to use the machine we saw instant savings in solder purchases.

Reducing the solder dross has not been a high priority for most busy production engineers. Over the years its low level in the pecking order has resulted in minimum attention paid to the environmental issues of lead oxides from the solder and the nancial consequences of large amounts of untreated dross.

However, metal dealers and solder suppliers have a di erent perspective. They know that dross is almost entirely made up of pure solder and if they can get it back they can cheaply re-process it and sell it back to users. As only 25% of what they sell ends up on the boards at any one time they can e ectively sell the same solder four times over.

The task of de-drossing is carried out with varying degrees of thoroughness. Those in a hurry often put as much solder as dross into the scrap bucket. On the other hand, those who have time to spare may manually squeeze the dross through a perforated ladle, breaking down the crusty oxide coating to release some of the trapped solder back into the bath, before placing the residue into the bucket. However, even this process which extends the wave down time still results in a minimum amount of solder being recovered and takes vital time away from production.

Health and safety regulations are continually pushing back the levels of previously acceptable practices to improve working conditions. When dross is being manually squeezed there is a greater chance that these dangerous substances can be released into the workplace and particularly a ects the operators squeezing the dross.

First invented in the late 90’s, solder recycling machines evolved through various prototypes until the new range of EVS machines were launched in 2001. Completely re-engineered to world industry standards by new owners, these EVS lead and lead free range of machines, the New EVS 1500, the New EVS 8K and its larger capacity brother, the New EVS 10K, have since proved to be reliable and pro table in hundreds of installations around the world.

EVS International Range of lead and lead free EVS 1500, EVS 8K and EVS 10K Solder Recovery Machines

The EVS which is patented worldwide owes its inspiration to the previously mentioned practice of manually squeezing dross through perforated screens and ladles. The EVS heats and squeezes the dross inside a sealed chamber using a pneumatic piston. It does this very e ciently and recovers, through small slots in the chamber, an average 75% of the weight of dross fed into it as a reusable solder ingot. The ingot, formed in a tray beneath the chamber, is exactly the same in alloy as the solder in the wave bath.

Once loaded, the fully automatic process takes from 6 to 10 minutes, depending on the capacity of the EVS type being used. At the end of the cycle the residual dross is ejected from the chamber through a closed chute into a dross bucket which, when full, can be sent for re-processing in the normal way.

The EVS is supplied with its own cart and air extraction system, which makes it an entirely self-contained unit capable of being moved safely and quickly between wave solder machines. It requires only a single-phase 220- 240v power supply and an airline to operate. One EVS solder recovery system can usually service 2 to 4 wave baths during an average production shift.

Ease and speed of operation is another key factor. Operators simply wheel up the EVS to the wave bath and ladle the dross into the hopper which has its own extraction

Page 30 The Choice of Publication for the Electronics Industry

| APRIL 2015 ISSUE

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P:32

new products

exciting new industry innovation

Keeping you informed of the latest developments in technology and innovation within our global electronics industry.

Bentek Introduces Universal PowerRack-AL

Bentek, a manufacturer of a broad range of OEM power distribution products for the residential, commercial and utility-scale marketplaces, introduces its Commercial PV PowerRack-AL for three-phase inverters.

John H. Buckley, Executive of Sales and Marketing for Bentek, said, “The PowerRack-AL is a cost-effective, easy- to-install racking solution for three-phase commercial inverters.”

The universal PowerRack-AL provides a common design that fits ABB, Advanced Energy, Chint, Schneider, SMA, Solar Edge, SolarMax and Solectria three- phase inverters. The Bentek Inverter PowerRack-AL can be shipped directly to any commercial jobsite where three-phase inverters can be integrated and installed on commercial rooftops. Bentek also can integrate commercial three-phase inverters and Bentek AC disconnects in its ISO 9001:2008 factory and ship the Bentek Inverter PowerSkid directly to the commercial jobsite. Bentek PowerSkids, when installed within 10 feet of the PV array, allow for NEC 2014 section 690.12 Rapid Shutdown code compliance while saving the customer time and money in simplifying the installation.

____________________________________

Count On Tools Inc. Now Carries PB Swiss Tools’ Expanded Rainbow SwissGrip Series

Count On Tools Inc., a leading provider of precision components and SMT spare

parts, now carries PB Swiss Tools’ SwissGrip Rainbow© Screwdrivers for Pozidriv screws. The new Rainbow© Series color-coding makes it easy to quickly locate, assign and apply the correct SwissGrip Screwdriver. The Pozidriv design is intended to decrease the likelihood that the screwdriver will slip out, provide a greater driving surface, and decrease wear when compared to the similar Phillips screw profile.

The soft handle coating made of skin- friendly Santoprene® transfers high torque effortlessly. Each Rainbow© Series tool is labeled with the serial number for additional security and to enable tracing the product back to the raw material.

____________________________________

CyberOptics to Demonstrate the New SQ3000 3D AOI with Multi-Re ection Suppression Technology Inside

– CyberOptics® Corporation (Nasdaq: CYBE), a leading global developer and manufacturer of high-precision 3D sensing technology solutions, demonstrated their new SQ3000TM 3D Automated Optical

Inspection (AOI) system at the IPC APEX EXPO, in February at the San Diego Convention Center in California.

“We continue to execute on our strategy of developing and manufacturing high precision 3D sensors for our key vertical markets. The integration of our proprietary 3D Multi-Reflection Suppresion (MRS) sensor into the SQ3000 AOI system enables unparalleled speed and accuracy,” commented Dr. Subodh Kulkarni, CEO of CyberOptics, “We’ve driven this significant technology advancement from concept to fruition into back-end semiconductor inspection with our recent KLA-Tencor strategic supply agreement, and now into SMT inspection with our SQ3000 3D AOI system, further driving customer yield and productivity improvements in both markets.”

____________________________________

Engineered Materials Systems Debuts Low-Cost Conductive Adhesive for Stringing or Shingling Solar Modules

Engineered Materials Systems, a leading global supplier of conductive interconnect materials for photovoltaic applications, introduces its new DB-1541-S9 Low- Cost Conductive Adhesive for stringing or shingling applications in crystalline silicon and thin-film solar modules. DB-1541-S9 is designed to electrically interconnect solar cells using ribbons or direct cell to cell contact.

The adhesive is stress absorbing to withstand the rigors of thermal cycling and features excellent conductive stability to cell and ribbon metallization during damp heat exposure. Additionally, the conductive adhesive is designed to gel rapidly and then complete cure through the encapsulant lamination and cure process. DB-1541-S9 is approximately

Page 32 The Choice of Publication for the Electronics Industry

| APRIL 2015 ISSUE

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50 percent lower cost than standard silver filled conductive adhesives.

The DB-1541-S9 conductive adhesive is the latest addition to Engineered Conductive Materials’ full line of conductive adhesives for photovoltaic applications. For more information about the DB-1541-S9 Low-Cost Conductive Adhesive or to learn how Engineered Material Systems can define, develop and create an engineered material solution that is right for your company, visit www. conductives.com.

____________________________________

JOT G3 with Tau enables 100% test coverage of Android devices for operators

JOT Automation, the leading supplier of test and production solutions, and Profilence, the novel test software provider, introduce an automated test solution for operators enabling a full system test coverage of all types of Android devices. JOT G3 with Profilence Tau speeds up the time-to-market and cuts total costs by testing the entire device in a reliable and repeatable environment.

JOT G3 with Tau inspects in every detail the operating system and all physical interfaces with real-life use-cases. It is easily adaptable from one device type to another form-factor and one test range to the next one on line. The system is designed for test runs lasting over one hundred hours and heavy reuse of test cases on different devices, making it an ideal operator choice.

____________________________________

WALTS CO., LTD. Appoints Practical Components to Be Exclusive Representative for American Market

Practical Components has added the WALTS Co., LTD to its extensive line of Dummy Components and Test Boards. Headquartered in Fukuoka, Japan, WALTS Co., LTD. develops and provides advanced test element group wafers (TEG) die/test kits. Their high-technology wafers are used extensively worldwide in wide ranging applications. WALTS collaborates on research with academic institutes on advanced assembly technologies. WALTS offers film sputtering and deposition, backgrinding, dicing service on test wafer/glass.

WALTS opens up next-generation assembly technology for semi-conductors and brings leading-edge technologies and information developed over many years. As the de facto standard in advanced wafer technology, their products are used in the research and development sites worldwide. Their experienced engineers can also custom-make TEG’s to better suit customer’s needs. A wide variety of film

sputtering and deposition, backgrinding, dicing, bump forming, assembling are all precision made in Japan.

____________________________________

Speedprint O ers Five Year Parts / Two Year Labor Warranty

Speedprint Technology announces that it has upgraded its warranty to offer five years on parts and two years for labor. Speedprint’s high quality and reliability has enabled the company to extend its warranty for all new machines. The upgraded warranty is another example of why Speedprint offers the lowest ownership costs in the printer segment.

Mark Brawley, Vice President, Americas’ at Speedprint Technology, commented, “This is a result of Speedprint’s relentless focus on designing and building reliable, cost effective machines with an exceptionally long service life. It adds to the lengthy list of standard features already included with every Speedprint system and exemplifies our efforts to lower costs while increasing reliability and productivity for our users.”

Speedprint’s unique approach is defined by a commitment to quality, design simplicity and long-term reliability. The customer centric design results in extremely low maintenance costs and freedom from costly OEM support and service contracts. Speedprint equipment provides accuracy to handle the most critical print applications in the most demanding environments. Additional functionality can be added to facilitate high precision, low volume dispensing of solder paste, adhesive and other materials.

____________________________________

Techcon Systems Updates www. techonsystems.com

The new design will make it easier for current and prospective customers to learn more about Techcon’s products and services.

The new site has an intuitive navigational structure that makes browsing and selecting products simple. Additionally, enhanced graphics and a new layout provides visitors with an improved user experience.

With Techcon’s web store, customers from North America and Europe can easily order Techcon’s range of fluid dispensing products online.

____________________________________

Valtronic Expands Capability with New Viscom AOI System Purchase

Valtronic, manufacturer of miniaturized electronic products for trusted medical device partners, announced today that it purchased a Viscom S3088 Ultra 3D automated optical inspection (AOI) system to further expand and speed its inspection capabilities. This purchase will improve Valtronic’s production environment, as well as strengthen the Valtronic Quality Policy by providing services that meet or exceed industry and regulatory requirements.

Viscom’s S3088 Ultra 3D-AOI system combines the flexibility of AOI with the strengths of Viscom’s high-performance 3D XM camera module. The system is designed to flexibly cover various requirements, from small series production to high-volume/low-mix manufacturing. The 3D XM camera module allows remarkably fast inspection, with both high- resolution angled views and 3D analyses. The S3088 platform, with newly designed mechanics, and the addition of the 3D XM module, offers the fastest inspection speed with the best defect detection capability. Advanced maintenance and service features allow for reliable and economical machine operation.

P:34

Gables Engineering Flies to the Top of the Industry with Help

from Kurtz Ersa North America

By SMT today staff editor

Founded in 1946, Gables Engineering, Inc. remains the industry leader in custom avionics controls and other related products today.The company’s engineers maintain a sharp focus on all aspects of control panel technology, as it exists today and as it continues to evolve. Gables Engineering operates a pick-and- place surface mount line, laser engraving and CNC machining facilities that are fully dedicated to its products. The company uses the latest in lighting measurement and calibration equipment to meet the rigid OEM lighting speci cations.

Gable Engineering’s strategy of using the latest, most technologically advanced products and technologies to meet its customers’ requirements resulted in the start of a successful partnership in 2001 with Kurtz Ersa North America. Originally, Gable Engineering purchased an ERSA BGA repair station as well as an ErsaScope. Over the years, Ersa has continued meeting Gable Engineering’s needs and recently nished installing a VERSAFLOW 3/45, which is the industry’s most widely used in-line selective soldering platform.

Mr. Victor P. Clarke began making control panels in a small storefront in Coral Gables, FL in 1946. Dedicated to o ering a superior product, Clarke founded Gables Engineering by combining a keen understanding of manufacturing techniques with a superior knowledge of aviation electronics and design. Combined with a thorough knowledge of the aviation industry, Gables rapidly established an international reputation as the source for reliable custom-engineered control panels, audio systems and related products. Today Gables Engineering Inc. remains the industry leader in custom avionics controls and other related products.

evolving technologies is supported in current designs, extending the expected useful life of our products.

Meanwhile, the company continually invests in plant and equipment, and has developed many proprietary processes that give an edge in the market place. In stark contrast to the trend toward outsourcing manufacturing processes, Gables Engineering Inc. is a highly vertically integrated company. This o ers customers a rapid design-to- production cycle, and better overall control of quality and delivery. Gables Engineering Inc. operates a pick-and-place surface mount line, a wave soldering process, laser engraving and CNC machining facilities that are fully dedicated to its products. It also uses the latest in lighting measurement and calibration equipment to meet the rigid OEM lighting speci cations. ____________________________________

Figure 1: Gables Engineering embraces a rich 68-year history by maintaining its industry-leading status in custom avionics controls and related products.

The company’s engineers continue the tradition today by maintaining a sharp focus on all aspects of control panel technology, as it exists today and as it continues to evolve. The engineers stay tuned to and help de ne future developments through active participation in steering committees. While new technologies are being de ned, Gables works closely with operators to identify speci c solutions for their eets. In many cases, the future implementation of

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____________________________________

Charles Flores, Director of Manufacturing at Gables Engineering, commented, “We are extremely happy with the VERSAFLOW 3/45. A few of the things I have really noticed are the ease of programming, superb quality of the solder joints and repeatability of that quality.” Additionally, he said that the system provides the company with faster output while maintaining high levels of quality.

Flores added that the VERSAFLOW was chosen because it is the only machine of its kind that can produce the required level of quality within the rst run of the demo. “The VERSAFLOW ful lls our need to manufacture our PCBs within a shorter window, which helps guarantee on time deliveries to our

Figure 2: Adalberto Dorrego, Machine Operator, and David Oris, Process Engineer, in front of the VERSAFLOW 3/45 at Gables Engineering

Page 34 The Choice of Publication for the Electronics Industry

| APRIL 2015 ISSUE

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customers,” he said. “It also allows us to successfully handle spikes in demand for our products while maintaining a high level of quality. Both of these features bene t us and our customers.” ____________________________________

he continues to support us whenever a question or need arises.”

As it was in 1946, Gables Engineering continues to provide customers with excellent, well-designed and timely- executed custom solutions. The company currently maintains an active LRU catalogue of hundreds of part numbers, more than 100,000 examples of which today circle the globe with virtually every major operator in existence on virtually every commercial aircraft produced over the last 50 years.

Gables Engineering manufactures a wide range of avionics controls and systems to meet its customers’ speci c eet requirements. The company’s product line includes control panels for a variety of technologies including VHF communication, HF communication, VHF navigation, COMM/NAV and ATC/TCAS/ ight ID, as well as radio tuning panels and digital audio systems. ____________________________________

It manufactures a variety of specialty products, including SELCAL control panels, smoke detection and re suppression panels, ELT control panels, emergency evacuation control panels, audio jack panels, cockpit speakers, remote ATC control modules and weather radar control panels.

‘‘ implementation

the future

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____________________________________

The VERSAFLOW platform is the most repeatable system on the market with technology highlights such as servo-driven gantry systems, expandable modularity, dual solder pots, ducial recognition, board warpage detection, process camera, auto nozzle cleaning, top- and bottom-side heating and o ine programming. Flores also said that in addition to the advanced technical features, Ersa provides Gables Engineering with highly rated customer service. “The customer service has been great,” con rmed Flores. “Chad Suckow performed our installation and training and

‘‘ continues to

As the industry moves forward, Gables Engineering remains committed to providing its valued customers with consistent, accurate and courteous customer service. “We recognize and remember that our obligation to our customer does not end with the sale of our products,” Flores concluded. “We stand behind our products, whether they are control panels or component parts.”

Gables Engineering

provide customers with excellent, well-designed and timely-executed

custom solutions.

____________________________________

Gables Engineering’s new-generation products provide the following:

• Compliance with environmental and HIRF (High Intensity Radiated Field) requirements

• Compliance with airframe OEM lighting speci cations

• Modular construction

• Liquid spill-proo ng

• Built-in test

Figure 3: Ersa’s VERSAFLOW 3/45 selective soldering system allows Gable Engineering to handle spikes in product demand by producing required levels of quality withing the rst fun.

P:36

NEPCON China 2015 Preview:

New Technologies, New Materials

NEPCON China 2015 will gather 500 exhibitors from 22 countries and regions. The key industry event will feature cutting-edge SMT technologies, products and solutions.

Based in East China and covering the whole country, NEPCON has seen many industry milestones. In 2015, a number of leading electronics makers will come to serve 21,000+ trade visitors and high-quality buyers, who will join the show to share industry concepts, keep pace with diverse market needs and provide insights for future industry development. Here’s a snapshot of just some of the companies who will be exhibiting:

____________________________________

BTU to Exhibit the Award Winning Thermal Processing Duo in Shanghai at NEPCON China

Booth: B-1C20

BTU International, Inc., a leading supplier of advanced thermal processing equipment for the electronics manufacturing and alternative energy markets, today announced that it will exhibit the award- winning DYNAMOTM and PYRAMAXTM convection re ow ovens.

DYNAMO’s simpli ed con guration delivers 24/7, with high uptime and reduced cost of ownership. With 8, 10 and 12 zone air or nitrogen models available, DYNAMO represents BTU’s commitment to quality and reliability.

Also on display, BTU’s PYRAMAX is the benchmark for performance in the industry. The PYRAMAX features a maximum temperature of 400°C and a comprehensive menu of options. PYRAMAX systems, featuring BTU’s exclusive closed-loop convection technology, provide optimized lead-free processing for the ultimate in productivity and e ciency. ____________________________________

CyberOptics to Exhibit High Speed, Ultimate Accuracy 3D SPI and AOI Solutions at NEPCON China

Booth: B-1D10

All CyberOptics’ AOI systems are powered by AI2 (Autonomous Image Interpretation), giving you the power to inspect ‘ANYTHING’ without having to anticipate defects or prede ne variance. AI2 o ers precise discrimination even with excessive variance and delivers accurate results with just one example. All of this means lowest false calls, zero escapes and minimal tuning. ____________________________________

Data I/O to Showcase Award Winning PSV3000 Integrated Automated Programming System at NEPCON Shanghai Booth: A-1F35

The PSV3000 is designed by Data I/O’s local China engineering team to meet the needs of Chinese and Asian local manufacturers moving from manual to

automated programming. With local labor rates rising, the PSV3000 signi cantly reduces the total cost of programming compared to a manual programming process while delivering the highest quality. ____________________________________

Say Goodbye to Manual Pro ling – Let KIC Schedule Automatic Pro ling at NEPCON China

Booth: B1-1D40

Company representatives will demonstrate the Footprint, ProBot, X5, K2 and Mobile Pro le Viewer APP. ____________________________________

Metcal to Introduce the Scarab Site Cleaning System in Asia at NEPCON China

Booth: B-1G26

The new Metcal Scarab Site Cleaning System (APR-2000-SCS) will be displayed for the rst time in Asia, along with the new Solder Ball Replacement Kit and MX- HPDC dual cartridge hand-piece.

The Scarab ensures accurate and repeatable cleaning of the component pad in one user-friendly system. It rede nes performance and addresses the technical demands presented by component manufacturers today. Additionally, the Scarab addresses the industry needs with an automated system capable of cleaning components pads without contact. ____________________________________

Page 36 The Choice of Publication for the Electronics Industry

| APRIL 2015 ISSUE

P:37

21st - 23rd April 2015

NEPCON China is a key event that the entire electronics manufacturing industry pays attention to. This year, the exhibition will take place at Shanghai New International Expo Centre (Hall 1)

SEHO Provides the Right Selective Soldering Solution at NEPCON China

Booth: A-1A59

SEHO Systems GmbH, a worldwide leading manufacturer of complete solutions for soldering processes and automated production lines, will showcase the new SEHO SelectLine and LeanSelect selective soldering systems. ____________________________________

Techcon System to Discuss Free Application Testing Services at NEPCON China Booth: B-1G26

Company representatives will discuss the company’s application testing service and showcase the TSR2000 Bench Top Robot and TS9200D Jet Tech Valve.

Techcon’s free application testing service is designed to help customers select the right dispensing equipment. The Techcon Application Lab is equipped with a full range of dispensing equipment along with complete laboratory apparatus to speci cally develop and reproduce dispensing processes. ____________________________________

Viscom to showcase advanced 3D Inspection solutions and new TrueYield concept for line performance optimization Booth: B-1G40

At the upcoming 2015 Nepcon Shanghai show Viscom AG, leading manufacturer of highly precise and e cient inspection systems for the electronics industry, will showcase it’s latest innovations, demonstrating the highlights of it’s most advanced and comprehensive range of 3D- AOI, SPI and X-ray inspection systems.

For the rst time in China Viscom will unveil the new and completely redesigned version of its most succesfull and well established in-line automatic X-ray inspection system X7056. Now eqipped with powerfull digital at panel detectors and X/Y stages the new X7056 FPD allows for even more accurate planar 3D analysis of hidden ne-pitch solder joints such as μBGA, QFNs and stacked packages (PoP) achieving a 300% improvement in x-ray image quality.

____________________________________

ViTrox Technologies Brings Best-in-Class AOI and AXI to NEPCON China

Booth: B-1G58

The company will showcase the V810 S2 EX 3D In-line Advanced X-Ray Inspection System (AXI) and V510 Optimus 3D AOI system, both of which are 2015 NPI Award winners. The V510 Optimus also won a 2014 Global Technology Award.

V810 S2 EX is able to inspect boards up to 482 x 609mm (10 percent larger than the S2) and provides the best support on the

market for boards up to 7mm thick and 4.5kgs. The board top clearance of V810 S2 EX is enhanced to 50 mm while bottom clearance is enhanced to 70mm. The inspection area of the system is improved up to 18.7’ x 24’. V810 S2 EX features Scan Path Merging (SPAM) state-of-art new technology that can reduce the inspection time and hardware scanning path. Single Uni ed Management O ce (SUMO) uses an 8-core processor with 128GB of RAM that accelerates the system to its optimum level of performance.

____________________________________

VJ Electronix to Highlight the New Summit IIe and XQuik at NEPCON China

Booth: B-1D10

VJ Electronix will highlight the new high performance Summit II and XQuik with AccuCount for counting components stored in reels.

The new Summit II is the latest semi- automated rework system. Improved ergonomics combined with next- generation controls and proven heating technology provide the greatest performance and exability. Summit II features a smaller footprint, yet larger board capacity with easy to adjust board support xtures. Enhanced SierraMate software takes the popular user-friendly operation to the next level with a simple icon driven GUI and unmatched exibility through easily customized operation sequences.

P:38

Room to Improve - the component kitting process is the weakest link by Philip King, Managing Director, Newbury Electronics

Philip King, Managing Director at Newbury Electronics thinks there is still room for improvement in the supply chain and issues a challenge to the distributors.

AOI to check devices within a consignment are correct against the suppliers database? Could not high de nition photographs of the contents of opaque humidity sealed bags be printed on the outside of the bags, so we don’t have to break the seal (open and re-seal) to check the contents manually? Why not have a barcode or “QR” code on the outside of a component pack which will instantly bring up a photo of that part from the distributors database for veri cation? There must be other ideas.

SMT processes have come a long way in the last 40 years, but not all the links in the chain have developed as much as they should. One process in particular seems intractable and remains in the dark ages. Let me explain.

We specialise in small batch SMD contract assembly with a throughput of 15 jobs per day on a single shift. Experience has taught us that CEMs are expected to handle any technology thrown at them, turning work round on time. Only with a fully equipped workshop and an experienced production team can this be achieved.

We currently have nine Yamaha pick and place machines, seven of which are their latest M20 model. Supporting these are four Aegis o -line programming seats, two MIRTEC AOIs, three Extra Eye rst-o inspection veri cation stations, an Ersa Ecoselect selective soldering machine, a Blundell wave solderer and a Takaya ying probe tester. Pasting is supported by an LPKF laser stencil cutting machine, two R29 semi-auto paste printers and two DEK Horizon automated in-line stencil printers. We continue to hone our production processes with constant re-investment in plant and machinery as the preceding list clearly illustrates.

After all this investment in manufacturing equipment, we feel pretty pleased with ourselves but our biggest problem is not SMT assembly itself. After all, we have complete control over this area and invested accordingly. No, the major weakness is in stores and kitting where we have to kit many jobs every day all to an exacting standard: right part, right packaging, right quantity. Our problem is with the errors made by component suppliers and distributors in the component consignments they send to us. The error rate on deliveries is in the region of one to two per cent and we need to check every item. There could be a wrongly labelled part, a shortage, or loose parts in a bag rather than on a tape. Every part

delivered has to be checked meticulously. This is the glorious un-automated but essential checking that is necessary to give the shop- oor a clean kit. Of course, if there is an error, then the costs rack up again with phone calls, replacements, returns and credits.

Is it not time that the humble stores and kitting department get a bit of capital investment and moved into the 21st century? Why are the distributors making so many errors and what are they doing about it? Clearly, they will behave rationally. So the answer may be that the cost of errors does not fall on them. So they have little incentive to invest in quality improvement.

Distributor’s component databases have not evolved beyond on-line shops with links to manufacturers datasheets. API links to distributor’s databases are limited and laborious to set up. Only basic stock

parameters are made available. Technical or graphic information are available by manually typing hyper-links, but not yet in a manner which would assist automated checking in some way.

What could be done? Perhaps distributors could invest in AOI checking of their despatches before packing. Perhaps customers could have local camera based

So there is my plea to our suppliers. Raise your game. Improve the quality of your supply. Co-operate with your customers to automate the kitting process. Is it not time to join up your supply chain with your customers? There is much potential for improvement.

Background

Newbury Electronics Ltd started trading in 1956. A management buyout took place in 1987 and Philip King took on his role of Managing Director in 2011.

The company o ers a full electronic design, PCB design and layout service alongside PCB manufacture and assembly in Newbury, West Berkshire. It employs 73 sta and is dedicated to small and medium batch PCB assembly, specialising in electronic design and manufacture incorporating SMD, SMT, surface mount, BGA, through hole, box build, soldering, test and rework. Customers can select from electronics design and CAD layout through to printed circuit board design and fabrication, assembly and test, and the company is happy to undertake single, bespoke projects through to the design and supply of manufacture lots of up to 10,000 pcs on its automated SMD assembly lines.

As a contract electronic manufacturer (CEM), each year, the company produces in excess of over 15,000 di erent PCB designs for its clients, who bene t from the economies of scale built from the volume of orders processed. For more information visit www. newburyelectronics.co.uk

Page 38 The Choice of Publication for the Electronics Industry

| APRIL 2015 ISSUE

P:39

AWARDS 2015 «

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P:40

JOT Changes the Way that Smart Products Are Manufactured

By Mia Heiskanen

Every day over a million smart devices are tested with JOT equipment. This means dozens of tests every second. With automated solutions for testing and production, JOT enables global consumer brands to aim for 100 percent quality, to design ner products and to shorten the time-to-market.

According to JOT Automation’s CEO, Petri Halonen, JOT is a global partner for the leading mobile device manufacturers. “We focus on automated test solutions in production from board-level tests all the way to nal products’ functional tests. Another important core area for us is automated precision assembly of small, performance-critical parts.

allows global consumer brands to design ner products and inspect the quality of every single product manufactured, before they leave the factory and end up in the hands of tens of millions of consumers.”

Figure 2. JOT Naytto

Figure 1. JOT Automation CEO Petri Halonen

Automation Works as an Enabler

Halonen emphasizes that billions of performance and design driven devices cannot be shipped to markets on time with satisfactory precision, quality and cost without exible automation. “This makes automation an enabler since it guarantees awless products and a better end-user experience.”

“Our tailored solutions test each interaction and every aspect of smart devices, and assemble incredibly small parts with ever tightening tolerances. Our assistance

“Another important point is that since product lifecycles are getting faster, manufacturers must be able to ramp up production volumes with superior quality anywhere in the world. Automation helps to shorten the time-to-market.”

Despite ever more stringent product requirements, the consumer electronics industry has remained labor-intensive until now. The automation boom is just taking o .

Figure 3. JOT G3 Final Tester Open

____________________________________

‘‘billions of

performance and

design driven devices

cannot be shipped

to markets on time

with satisfactory

precision, quality

and cost without

flexible automation.

____________________________________

“Smart devices are getting smarter, more complex and smaller. This means that people are no longer able to do the minute tasks needed in the manufacturing of next- generation mobile devices. This opens up great opportunities for us. JOT does the things that are impossible for humans,” Halonen stresses.

Page 40 The Choice of Publication for the Electronics Industry

| APRIL 2015 ISSUE

P:41

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P:42

An interview with

Ivan Romo, SMarTsol Technologies,

S. de R.L. de C.V.

by smt today editor

Headquartered in Jalisco, Mexico, SMarTsol Technologies S. de R.L. de C.V. is focused on providing best-in-class technology solutions through capital equipment, consumables and engineering services including technical support, training, applications and spare parts for the Mexican electronics manufacturing industry. SMarTsol Technologies is managed by Ivan Romo, Fernando Salomon and Jaime Perez, all of them with many years of experience as solutions providers. Our editor recently spoke with Ivan about SMarTsol Technologies’ current partnerships, especially with BTU International and the Nordson Corporation, and to gauge the health of the market throughout the Paci co area, Monterey, Reynosa and Matamoros.

and, in Mexico, you cannot be the leader if you do not have equipment locally for demonstrations, spare parts stock and technical support.

So we have combined their strengths from Carlsbad, California with our local capabilities in Mexico. Having one of the most popular AOI machines in Mexico, we don’t distinguish between small customers and very large accounts. Nordson DAGE will remain as the leader in Mexico: its high-resolution X-ray machine is the most used in the market and now most of the customers are implementing the X-Plane capabilities to inspect BGAs and other critical components. In addition, the new xi3400 for inline inspection has the best image quality and, of course, DAGE engineering is used on the high-resolution equipment.

Q. Since the partnerships began with BTU International, Nordson DAGE and Nordson YESTECH have you noticed increases in their presence and sales in Mexico? If so, to what do you attribute the increases?

A. All of these companies have an aggressive growth target in Mexico. Last year we achieved almost 50% sales increase for them in Mexico. The success can be classi ed on global and local factors: the global are related to product innovation and technology and the relationship with global customers. The local factors are related to the training center in Guadalajara, equipment available for evaluations/demonstrations, local stock of spare parts and the local service and support group.

Q. What needs does the Mexican market have that you believe your partners’ technologies can ll better than any of its competitors?

A. Our partners clearly understand the needs of small, medium and large customers. For example, our AOIs can be con gured with top view cameras, angled view cameras, 3D inspections, etc. We have the solutions for any type of customer and any type of product to inspect. Recently, we sold several lines for large- board assembly (boards up to 1300 mm in length). These assembly lines included screen printers up to depanalizers, so our customers could delegate to us their process design and implementation.

Q. How long has SMarTsol Technologies been in business? Why was the company founded?

A. SMarTsol Technologies began operations in February 2012; however, we are a group of industry experts with an average of 18 years of experience. The electronic assembly in Mexico changes year over year. In the 90’s the companies were focused to add capacity for high volume – low mix having up to 15 SMT lines for the same product without any change over. Now it’s di erent and is really hard to nd 2 lines running the same product. Most of the Mexican market is medium to low volume with high mix, then the Assembly industry looked to reinvent all their process and partnerships with Direct and Indirect Suppliers, so we took the decision to align our line card to the current industry trend and needs.

Q. What do you see as the future of the Mexican market, especially for manufacturing?

A. Mexico has a great momentum for electronics assembly. According to the most recent economic reports, the total landed cost for products assembled in Mexico is 15% lower than for other low- cost regions in the world. There has been a continuous growth trend in manufacturing for the past few years for automotive, telecommunications and lighting products. The industry in Mexico has become an expert on high-mix and high complexity product assembly and uses this know- how for massive production.

Q. In your opinion, what are the key elements that companies need to succeed in the Mexican market?

A. To succeed in the Mexican market, companies need to have a healthy balance

of human capital, technology, logistics and business strategy.

Q. What can be done to make the Mexican market even more successful?

A. It can be classi ed in several ways: some companies need to replace obsolete equipment. We have found companies running with equipment older than 30 years. The state government needs to enhance the incentive program to attract new investments. For us, as suppliers, we’re required to o er SMART process solutions, the best consultancy and technical support, and FAST response on line down situations. There are other logistic factors but the government and industrial chambers are working hard to facilitate the material and product logistics.

Q. We understand that SMarTsol Technologies is the sales partner to numerous leading manufacturing companies, with BTU International, Nordson DAGE and Nordson YESTECH being among these. In relation to Nordson, are all of its products available in Mexico or is the company focusing on a few technologies that you feel may be the best t for the area? What about the for the Nordson companies?

A. Nordson YESTech has a very large market share and is always on the list of Top 3 AOI sellers in Mexico. They have put a lot of focus on the Mexican market and the new AOI FX940 has become easy adoption equipment for many companies. Additionally, most of customers are now adding the 3D capability. The Nordson YESTech product family has the solution for any type of customer including tabletop, angled vision cameras, very large board capabilities, high resolution, high speed, 2D/3D, in- y inspection, etc.

Page 42 The Choice of Publication for the Electronics Industry

| APRIL 2015 ISSUE

P:43

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P:44

red carpet

out & about in the industry

In this feature we follow our industry movers and shakers throughout the world. Time to take a bow...

KIC’s MB Allen Receives IPC Distinguished Committee Service Award

Photo: Bob Neves, Board of directors of IPC, Chairman & Chief Technology O cer, Microtek Changzhou Laboratories Title Chairman at Greater Asia Paci c, and MB Allen, Product Manager for KIC

BTU Names SMarTsol Technologies Rep of the Year during APEX

Photo: Ivan Romo, SMarTsol Technologies

CyberOptics Announces the Appointment of Sy Creed as Americas Sales Director

Gen3 Systems Marks 30 Years as a Provider of Solderability, SIR, CAF and Cleanliness Testing

Photo: Managing Director

Graham Naisbitt

Seika Machinery Presented 2014 Sales Awards during IPC APEX EXPO

Photo: Steve Kirby and Allen Siebenthall of Kirby & Demarest earned the 1st place SAYAKA 2014 sales award from Seika Machinery Inc.

Page 44 The Choice of Publication for the Electronics Industry

| APRIL 2015 ISSUE

P:45

what’s happening in your business?

send your event pictures to red@smt today.com

Metcal Announces Winner of Fourth Annual APEX Hand Soldering World Championship

Photo: Min Seok Kim, Samsung Thales Co., Ltd., Korea, and Jerry Simmons, Metcal

Libra Industries Marks 35-Year Milestone Photo: Rod Howell

Bentek Expands Manufacturing Capacity to more than 100,000 ft.2

Etek Europe hosts visit by Monkton Primary School in support of the UK’s National Science Week.

SAMSUNG Awards Torenko & Associates with Top Sales 2014

Photo: Ron Torenko

MIRTEC awards Murray Percival Co. ‘manufacturers’ representative organization of the year 2014’

P:46

An interview with

Ron Torenko of Torenko and Associates

by smt today staff editor

How Torenko and Associates Stands Out from Other Manufacturers’ Representative Organizations.

Torenko and Associates is a leading manufacturers’ representative organization specializing in the sales and marketing of premier electronic assembly equipment, production tools, test, repair, inspection and consumable products.

The company was founded by Ron Torenko and is headquartered in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex with other locations throughout USA and Mexico. Sales engineering personnel are factory trained, process knowledgeable and have process experts standing by for assistance via conference calling and onsite meetings.

We recently caught up with Ron Torenko and discussed how his company di ers from the competition, the scoop on Mexico and a partnership reformed with SAMSUNG.

know how long they perform without any problems. They trust the Samsung brand and they look at Samsung SMT products accordingly.

Q. What made you get involved in the Mexico market? How long have you been representing companies in this region? How many accounts do you have in Mexico?

A. Mexico is Texas’ next door neighbor, so it is natural for us to call on accounts in Mexico. There is high-volume manufacturing with automotive, cellular and consumer markets. We have been penetrating Mexico since 1985 and have seen the Mexican market grow signi cantly. Electronics manufacturing rst started on the Texas/Mexican border and then moved into the interior. We have operations in Mexico to serve the market. We feel like we have a majority of business in many of the start-up accounts within Mexico, supplying them with SMT equipment.

Q. What percentage of your business currently comes from Mexico? Do you believe this amount will increase in the next year? How about the next ve years?

A. In Texas, for example, one account may have 15 SMT lines, while in Mexico, we are seeing as many as 100 SMT lines going into one plant. It also looks like more businesses are relocating from overseas back to Mexico. I predict that there will be more growth over the next ve years. Mexico is a key market and it will continue to grow. There are a majority of Tier 1 accounts, but there also is major growth with Mexican National Accounts. We are very optimistic about Mexico and its growth potential.

Q. What are the key ingredients that a company needs to succeed in the Mexican market?

A. Torenko has stood the test of time and we have developed a lot of long-standing relationships with our customers. Our goal is to sell to the entire market, whether it be a smaller Mexican national start-up or a larger Tier 1 or 2 account.

I think Torenko is known in Mexico for providing product quality, reliability and trust. We o er the right solution at an a ordable price and back it up.

Q. Can you tell us a little about your company? How long have you been in business? What regions do you cover? Who is on your line card?

A. We started Torenko in 1982 when through-hole technology was the leading process and there was little talk about SMT. Typically, our territory covers Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and the interior of Mexico where we have set up operations.

We strive to provide “one stop shopping” equipment for SMT, test, repair and inspection to all small-, medium- and high-volume manufacturers. We represent Samsung for medium- to high-volume companies, Essemtec for smaller and NPI shops, IBL in vapor phase re ow, Finetech Martin for repair and Asymtek for dispensing and conformal coating. We are also promoting a new product technology with ACT Nano coating for water-proo ng and corrosion prevention of printed circuit boards (PCBs) that air dries in 30 seconds.

Q. What are Torenko and Associates strengths? How do you leverage these to provide a service that represents other manufacturers?

A. Two key points that we concentrate on are:

1. Listening to the customer to nd out what he/she wants, or is looking for, and then o ering a ordable solutions.

2. Keeping them informed on new technologies and processes. We nd that they really appreciate it and they know that it is our priority to bring value to our customers.

Q. Ron, congratulations to you and the rest of the team at Torenko and Associates. We understand that you received SAMSUNG’s Top Sales award for 2014. How did you earn this prestigious award?

A. We just do what our principals expect us to do. We sell and promote their products because we believe in them. That’s why we have been successful in getting Samsung into key Tier 1 accounts, which has helped to increase their businesssigni cantly.

Q. How long have you worked with SAMSUNG? We understand that you recently rejoined SAMSUNG’s sales network. What brought you back together?

A. It was a “no brainer”. When Samsung strives to be a leader in something and with their R&D capabilities, they accomplish that goal. Samsung o ers one of the lowest costs per placement in the market. As a customer, when you make a $50 DVD player, you have to make it right the rst time. Samsung is sharing their knowledge of manufacturing along with the machines and software that they use to make their own products. Samsung supplies all the tools we need to penetrate the market, which makes it a salesman’s dream.

Q. Do you sell SAMSUNG equipment in Mexico? If so, which systems do you focus on?

A. We sell Samsung in Mexico. Our accounts like Samsung and they see long- lasting durability with Samsung products. Many personally may have Samsung phones, televisions and appliances so have experience with these products and

Page 46 The Choice of Publication for the Electronics Industry

| APRIL 2015 ISSUE

P:47

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