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SMT Express, Volume 3, Issue No. 7 - from SMTnet.com
Volume 3, Issue No. 7 Thursday, July 18, 2001
Special Announcements

SMTnet.com Invitational "Tech Exec" Golf Tournament

Organized in conjunction with Interface Tech News and the State of Maine.

Saturday, September 29, 2001

Click here for more information or to register!

SMTnet.com Annual Golf Tournament - Saturday, September 29, 2001

Sponsors Are Needed For The 1st Annual Golf Event!

As Tournament Sponsor, your Company would be:

  • Provided with an outstanding and unmatched opportunity to meet and play with dozens of highly regarded corporate decision makers from the tech-manufacturing sector, in a casually elegant setting.
  • Provided with four (4) Ambassador Passes for the Golf Tournament, with pre-registration matching of your Ambassadors with selected business prospects during the golf tournament itself, and post-tournament festivities.
  • Provided with four (4) Ambassador Passes for the Lobster Dinner, with pre-registration matching of your Ambassadors with selected business prospects for the post-tournament ceremonies and buffet.
  • Included (with corporate logo) in all print advertising, including the Interface Tech News ad campaign of 3 full page, 4-color ads promoting the Golf Tournament to 35,000 tech-oriented readers in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.
  • Included (with corporate logo) in all on-line marketing, including personalized e-mailed invitations to SMTnet.com�s database of some 5,000 tech-manufacturing decision makers throughout New England and the world.
  • Identified in all press releases and any radio ads.
  • Introduced and thanked at the Tech Tournament as a Sponsor.
  • Provided with an 8�x12� table (other more suitable accommodations can be arranged) at the Tech Tournament for your Company�s promotional materials, including an area from which to hang your corporate banner.

PLUS (subject to full sponsorship support):

  • Corporate name and logo on the 4,000 copy glossy premier issue of the Annual Tech Tournament Guide, which we will be producing and broadly distributing to �decision-makers� within the tech-manufacturing sector, in advance of the Event.

OnBoard Forum

SMTnet's OnBoard Forum to Feature Jay Hinerman

July 30, 2001 8:00 AM EST to August 3, 2001 5:00 PM EST

Jay Hinerman is currently applications engineering manager with Ovation Products. The applications engineering department is tasked with developing products that will meet and exceed customer expectations. The goal is to insure simple, effective, and cost efficient results, based upon engineering input and field trials with customers. Jay is currently focused on one of Ovation's most popular products, the Grid-Lok automatic compliant tooling system.

Jay has held positions with Motorola as senior process engineer, with DEK as senior applications engineer, and done extensive research with Universal Instrument's SMT laboratory. He has focused his efforts on finding more efficient ways of fully utilizing existing electronics manufacturing equipment, and investigating emerging SMT processes.

Topic Summary:

Current tooling options available to manufacturers of PCBs, and the many important items to look for in all of the various options currently available.

Featured Articles

Contract Manufacturing In China
Contract Manufacturing In China: The Advantages, the Obstacles
by W.J. Peterson , Foxconn, Inc.

There is mounting evidence that the ability for large contract manufacturers (CM's) to exist in their present form in the United States is being put to the test by the recent surge in operations to overseas facilities. This paper will address China, in particular as a choice for many CM companies.

As with any shift overseas, companies that have considered themselves "best practice" are suddenly confronted with issues of culture and management that are completely unique to a particular country. In this respect, China certainly presents obstacles that require delicate maneuvering and careful consideration. Understanding what will work...

Click here to post your comments on this article Complete Article

Electronic Business
Electronics Manufacturing to Electronic Business
Why Bother with Change?

by Aaron Kahlow , Business Online, Inc.

"Over $100 Billion dollars of business was transacted last year and those numbers are expected to increase by over 1000% in the next 2 years."

To deliver, manufacturers will need to increase responsiveness, speed and viability of the production line. In addition, many OEMs are outsourcing their "non-core" manufacturing needs. Consequently, there is an even greater demand for...

Click here to post your comments on this article Complete Article

Book Review
The Electronic Packaging Handbook
Edited by Glenn R. Blackwell

Reviewed by Dave Fish (davef ), Pandion Electronics, Inc.

The Electronic Packaging Handbook edited by Glenn Blackwell is a highly recommended reference for those involved with the practical aspects of electronic packaging. The book covers many topics with enough detail so that the engineer may have a good holistic understanding of...

Click here to post your comments on this article Complete Article

Book Review
Printed Circuit Assembly Design
by Leonard Marks and James A. Caterina

Reviewed by Dave Fish (davef ), Pandion Electronics, Inc.

In "Printed Circuit Assembly Design", Leonard Marks and James A. Caterina describe the processes, methods, and tools used in designing printed circuit assemblies, the considerations that influence how to lay-out a PCA, and the typical design process and relationships between process elements. The book explains the different approaches for developing and documenting designs and...

Click here to post your comments on this article Complete Article

New Product Releases

Aegis Introduces Trans-Collaborative Manufacturing Software To Electronics Assembly

Aegis CircuitCAM FUSION Cover Aegis Industrial Software introduces CircuitCAM FUSION TransCollaborative Manufacturing Software combining CAD/CAM data preparation, management automation, supplier and customer integration, plant-floor manufacturing execution, and quality functions into one seamless, browser-based software system for the electronics industry.

FUSION takes traditional Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) software capabilities and incorporates them into the first n-tier, browser-based software for electronics assembly, and expands these capabilities to improve virtually every manufacturing and managerial function. Operating as seamlessly within one factory as it does across hundreds, FUSION utilizes one data source to serve every factory function, as well as customers and suppliers beyond the factory. FUSION leverages the resources of the extended manufacturing enterprise by acting as the collaborative "engine" allowing personnel to share and act upon information, through their normal Internet browsers.

FUSION manages CAD design and Bill of Materials (BOM) through import, error checking, and revision control, passes it through web-based electronic sign-offs, and disseminates the resultant machine programs, documentation, and process routing to web terminals on the factory floor, and even out to customers. Total indented BOM support allows FUSION to process every product from board to final assembly. Supplier integration provides real-time web-quoting and simulations for product configuration, as well as procurement. Paperless document viewing, on-line quality manual management, and quality data collection on the factory floor is achieved completely via browsers, eliminating the need for recurring client-side software upgrades, thus freeing MIS from the traditional workload related to a CIM software system. FUSION provides efficient information management through non-linear activity control, allowing multiple tasks in the preparation and dissemination of a particular job to occur simultaneously from factories around the world.

CircuitCAM FUSION offers the following functions within one seamless software system:

  1. Data Preparation and New Product Introduction
    CAD/BOM control and rapid conversion into useful manufacturing outputs
    • CAD, BOM, AVL, and AML data import and processing into useful assembly data
    • Assembly and inspection document generation and editing
    • Rapid, off-line machine program generation for virtually all assembly, AOI, and process machinery
    • Rapid development of work process instructions (sequence of events instructions)
    • Development of complete process routings
    • Rapid regeneration of programs and visual aids following engineering change orders (ECOs)
    • Generation of various reports, such as lead forming, quality, routing, etc.
  2. Browser-Based Enterprise Manufacturing Data Management
    Moving data to and from the plant floor, decision automation
    • Electronic sign-off for process, BOM data, and production readiness
    • Pre-production checklist automation
    • Web-based supplier quote and procurement automation
    • Customer gateway via the Internet
  3. Browser-Based Manufacturing Execution Automation
    Continuous process improvement
    • Paperless documentation control and viewing
    • On-line AVL/AML display and control
    • Quality control and associated document dissemination
    • Enterprise revision and product data management
    • Quality data collection, paperless repair and work in progress (WIP) tracking
    • Preventive maintenance control (PMC)
    • Personnel training certification management

Please contact Aegis for more information.

New AOI System From ViTechnology Offers Affordable Solder Paste Inspection

ViTechnology Vi-1000SPVision Inspection Technology, LLC introduces the Vi-1000SP for affordable solder paste inspection of printed circuit boards at speeds up to 1,000,000 pads per hour. The Vi-1000SP verifies insufficient or excessive paste deposition on pads, thereby preventing dry joints, bridging, and tombstoning during reflow.

Utilizing a laser pencil in the axial direction and a camera placed at a 45� angle, the Vi-1000SP provides data on the height of the solder paste and uses that data to calculate the volume of the solder deposit. Utilizing Windows NT 4.0 software, the Vi-1000SP can be programmed in less than 15 minutes using Gerber, CAD, or ASCII/Centroid supplied data.

The Vi-1000SP comes equipped with Vectoral Imaging� technology, which compares the graphical characteristics (or vectors) of inspected components with known �standards� that are maintained in a customer-definable library supplied with the system. Vectoral Imaging accommodates changes in the appearance of a component, such as size and rotation, and is impervious to background clutter and even occlusions, where overlapping parts cause a portion of a component to be partially hidden, or �occluded� from view.

For optimum contrast and image definition, four different sources of programmable lighting are available at all times. During the process of programming the machine, the operator can select any combination of axial and pyramidal light sources, for unlimited variations in image color and intensity, in order to address even the most complicated situations. The selected light setting is automatically stored in the program, and the software changes the lighting automatically during production.

The Vi-1000SP employs maintenance-free linear motors and glass scale optical encoders to ensure precise closed-loop positioning. System accuracy is �10 microns, repeatability is � 5 microns at Six Sigma at speeds of up to 2 m/sec (80 in./sec). All electronic and mechanical subassemblies are easily accessible from the front of the system for preventive maintenance and calibration.

The flexibility of the Vi-1000SP allows it to be upgraded, as needed, to provide a full array of capabilities, such as component placement accuracy, OCV (optical character verification) or OCR (optical character recognition), and solder joint inspection including bridges, dry joints, and lifted leads. Additional options include full SPC capability, offline programming, and supervisor software.

The Vi-1000SP meets all CE and SMEMA specifications.

Please contact ViTechnology for more information.


SMTnet Site News

Free Industry Trade Magazines Coming Soon!

With the help of PennWell Publishing, SMTnet.com will soon be able to add Industry Trade Magazines to the Bookstore. This will give you and your peers as industry professionals the opportunity to subscribe to your favorite trade magazines for FREE on SMTnet. Make sure you visit the bookstore soon to see the new magazine section!

What can you expect from the magazine section in the bookstore on SMTnet.com? Featured information will include a short description of the magazines, an image of the front cover, editorial emphasis, and geographic eligibility of the magazine. You will also be able to see what other magazines are featured on SMTnet.com from the same publisher. In the future we would like to include user reviews in the magazine listings. In this way, you can give your personal recommendations to your peers.

We want you to know that this project is still in progress. With the help of the publishers, we hope to expand our offering soon. Our focus will be on the global market. We would like to accommodate our international users by adding a variety of magazines from other regional areas than the US and Canada.

Visit The New Online Bookstore

Recently SMTnet.com launched the new bookstore. When you visit the bookstore, you will see that not only the format is a lot different, as we tried to make the listings more complete and interesting for you. We also made it possible for you to order items directly through SMTnet.com. You can now buy your books, CD-ROMs, and video's related to Electronics Manufacturing on SMTnet.com.

Coming soon, you will also be able to buy multimedia courses on SMTnet.com and subscibe to (free) industry magazines. Remember, we are here to serve you and make your life easier, by providing you with the most far-ranging and relevant information you can get as an industry professional in our online community.

Publish Your Papers and Promote Your Company

As SMTnet.com prepares for the next issue of the SMT Express, we are looking to our readers for articles and papers to feature. Submissions will be accepted any time for future issues. If you have anything you wish to offer, such as papers you have written, book reviews, anecdotes, commentaries, or anything we haven't thought of, please send it to SMTnet. Also, please read the submission guidelines.

The SMT Express is sent to thousands of electronics manufacturing professionals worldwide each month. This is a great opportunity to promote yourself and/or your company for free. In addition, a complete archive of past issues is available at SMTnet.com, so your work will continue to be read long after the newsletter is released.


What's Happening in the Industry
Test Engineering Manager Everett, WA
SMT Engineer Tampa, FL
National Sales Manager Cleveland, OH
Intel planning to step up production of Pentium 4 chips
Hoping to move beyond its 94 percent plunge in second-quarter earnings, Intel Corp. is planning to crank up production of its high-end Pentium 4 chips as part of an all-out effort to...
KPMG Consulting and PTC Jointly to Deliver Collaborative Product Commerce Solutions
KPMG Consulting, Inc., (NASDAQ: KCIN), one of the world's largest consulting firms, and PTC, (NASDAQ: PMTC), The Product Development Company, have aligned to improve the product development process of global enterprises with rapid implementation of focused Collaborative Product Commerce (CPC) solutions. Collaborative Product Commerce involves collaborating...
Market Leaders to Help Decrease Time-to-Market for Manufacturing Companies and Online Exchanges
PTC (Nasdaq: PMTC), the product development company, and Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE: HWP) today announced a business alliance to integrate technology and services to offer collaborative product commerce (CPC) solutions for manufacturers. The two companies expect to provide CPC solutions that will enable suppliers, partners, designers and customers from worldwide manufacturing companies and online exchanges to collaborate online to achieve competitive advantage and gain...

Upcoming EventsCalendar of Events

Technician Performance Improvement Council Annual Conference Austin, TX July 31 - Aug 2
Wireless Technologies China Conference and Exhibition Shanghai Centre, China Aug 9-10
NEPCON Asia Pacific 2001/Asia Electronics '2001 Amsterdam, Netherlands Sep 1-30

SMTnet Content Report
SMTnet is the most informative electronics industry resource on the Internet. New content is constantly being added, so we provide you with this content report to keep you informed of our progress since the last issue of this newsletter.

Click to browse the sections below for topics of interest to you.

SECTION NEW ADDITIONS
Electronics Forums 373 new postings
Marketplace 390 new items
Career Center 26 new jobs and resumes
SMT News 109 new articles
Directory 124 new companies

The SMT Express is brought to you by SMTnet.com.
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About This Newsletter

The SMT Express is a periodical featuring assembly solutions from your peers and vendors. We, at SMTnet.com, have designed this newsletter to bring useful information to the mailboxes of electronics manufacturing professionals.

Contributors Wanted!
We would like to encourage industry professionals to submit well-written technical articles covering issues crucial to the Manufacturing industry. Make your name known to thousands of SMT Express readers. Help promote your goods and services, by sharing your ideas. Be known as a mover and leader within this rapidly changing industry.

Get more mileage out of previously released material. If you have presented a paper at a conference or been published within a magazine, trade journal, or web site, you can publish in the SMT Express. Recycling your papers in this way will give you and your company exposure and contribute to the industry as a whole. The SMT Express is archived on www.smtnet.com so that community members have continual access. Please read the submission guidelines and Contact Us regarding article and news submissions.

- Thanks in advance

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