Circuits Assembly - March 2008 - (Page 16)

NEWS People The AeA (American Electronics Association) named Christopher W. Hansen president and chief executive, succeeding William T. Archey. Hansen was group executive officer for the American Association for Retired Persons. Heraeus Assembly Materials named Erik Bergum business unit manager – Americas. He was formerly with Polyclad Laminates and Isola. Also, John Snyder has been promoted to director of business development – Americas, and Steven Ratner has been named West Coast regional sales engineer, Contact Materials division. Zestron Asia/Pacific named Michael Wang to its application technology team. He was previously a process engineer for SVA NEC Liquid Crystal Display. Blue Thunder Technologies named Christopher Merow vice president of sales and marketing. The Millennia Group promoted Ron Cosper to president and COO. He was vice president and general manager of its Millennia Technology (MTI) subsidiary. Photo Stencil named David Doggett senior vice president of sales. Doggett has 25 years’ experience at NEC, Streckfuss, Camalot and Speedline Technologies. The company also named Sue Holmes vice president of customer support and design, a new department. Holmes has been with Photo Stencil for 22 years. P. Kay Metal named Huang ji hai (Hardy Huang) China sales manager. He was an account manager for Laird Technology. Adeptron Technologies president and CEO F. Michael Marti was named interim CFO, replacing George Tepelenas, who resigned and has left the industry. Industry First Virtual Trade Show a Success; Follow-up Planned SMYRNA, GA – UP Media Group announced that Virtual PCB, the industry’s first virtual trade show and conference for PCB design, fabrication and assembly, was a rousing success. More than 2,100 PCB designers, fabricators and assemblers registered for the live show, almost half from outside the U.S. The show’s success has led show management to schedule a second show. The follow-up event (virtual-pcb.com) is planned for Nov. 18-19. The premiere event was held Feb. 12-13, and the archived show will available for the next three months. “The overwhelming reception of Virtual PCB validates our thinking that buyers and sellers needed new ways to find each other and interact outside traditional venues,” said UPMG president Pete Waddell. “We thank the many exhibitors who made the Virtual PCB premiere a success, and look forward to working with these leading-edge suppliers on future shows.” A fully interactive, Web-based event, Virtual PCB incorporates all the critical features of a live event, while allowing PCB design, fabrication and assembly equipment and materials buyers and sellers to interact online. UPMG also publishes CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY. – Mike Buetow Heraeus Expands Philadelphia Paste Operations WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, PA – Coming off a banner 2007, Hereaus (4cmd.com) last month ushered in the latest addition to its suburban Philadelphia solder paste manufacturing facility. Despite concerns of a slowdown, and in the face of production migrating to Asia, the expansion reflects the Germany-based company’s faith in the North American market, explained Ferdinand Bartells, vice president, global business unit manager. Citing the company’s products and product mix as In flux: Mixers in action at the newly configcrucial to domestic customers, he said, “We are a high-tech supplier to industries that ured site. need services, not a commodity: for example, semiconductors and automotive.” According to company officials, Heraeus’s Assembly Materials division enjoyed its finest year in 2007, although actual financials were not disclosed. The newly expanded and redesigned plant now has a 300-ton paste capacity – similar, the company says, to its other factories. Cycle time has been reduced to nine days, and product is barcoded for traceability. Inside the solder production area lined with stainless steel walls, a handful of Ross mixers in capacities ranging from 1 qt. to 25 gal. reside adjacent to flux mixers and mills in capacities of two to 40 gal. In CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY’s profile of the site last year (“Heraeus’s Hidden Gem,” January 2007), we noted the onsite SMT factory, which features a DEK 265 printer, Quad Systems IV MK2 placement, and BTU FCB seven-zone oven making up the flexible SMT and flip-chip balling line. The lab has added a new Espec SIR (for a total of two). The 6,000 sq. ft. research and development area is staffed with eight employees and spends roughly 75% of its time on pure product development. Heraeus also noted a powder manufacturing facility is coming online in China. – Mike Buetow 16 Circuits Assembly MARCH 2008 circuitsassembly.com http://virtual-pcb.com http://4cmd.com http://circuitsassembly.com

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Circuits Assembly - March 2008 Caveat Lector Letters Industry News Market Watch Talking Heads Focus on Business On the Forefront Screen Printing What Drives the Crowd? Mastering ESD Control in Automated Handling Systems Beating the RoHS Heat Trade Secrets True to Its Roots The Road Abroad - Strategic Alliance or Greenfield Facility? Tech Tips Wave Soldering Test and Inspection Process Doctor Pb-Free Lessons Learned Getting Lean Materials World Equipment Advances Apex Product Preview Ad Index Assembly Insider Technical Abstracts

Circuits Assembly - March 2008

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