Circuits Assembly - October 2008 - (Page 4)

Letters Clean Slate? I have been waiting to read your insights on the recent announcement of a joint conference [on cleaning] sponsored by IPC and SMTA. While I think any personal issues between these or any two groups should not be amplified in the media, this is a case where clearly the glass is more than half full and represents what I would consider a positive move toward collaboration and coordination in the industry. Perhaps your assessment will see fit to expound on the positive trend this alliance illustrates. Name withheld by request The editor responds: You ask a fair question. I haven’t written anything on the joint IPC-SMTA Cleaning Symposium because I’m not sure what, if anything, this really represents. Does one event make a trend? IPC does several events with Jedec each year, and SMTA has its share of cooperative productions as well, so teaming with other groups isn’t new to either entity. Further, “cleaning” is a safe territory. There aren’t a bunch of big equipment companies fighting over owning that space, so the opportunities to derive revenue from large exhibitions are minor and the downsides of working together thus nominal. If the two organizations could come to agreement about their respective fall trade shows, however, that would be a development I wouldn’t be able to avoid. Show Me the Weather I enjoyed reading Susan Mucha’s recent column (“Weathering a Trade Show Storm,” September 2008). Interesting that a limited attended show was one of my best! You see, the people who were prepared were the people I wanted to deal with. And the masses that were not there enabled me to get in front of them with relative ease because I didn’t have to fight for time. I have already made appointments with several prospects – I just left a prospect who will now become a customer. My goal has always been a customer per show, and I will get three good ones out of that storm in Orlando. There must be a reason why I have always loved foul weather! Greg Papandrew President Bare Board Group Circuits Assembly OCTOBER 2008 circuitsassembly.com Editorial Office Circuits Assembly 2400 Lake Park Drive, Ste. 440, Smyrna, GA 30080 678-589-8800 Editor-in-Chief: Mike Buetow (617) 327-4702, mbuetow@upmediagroup.com Senior Editor: Chelsey Drysdale (678) 589-8846, cdrysdale@upmediagroup.com Production Manager/Managing Editor: Javier Longoria Director of Audience Development: Jennifer Schuler Special Projects Manager: Ronda Faries Publisher: Pete Waddell Group Sales Director: Susan Jones (404) 822-8900, sjones@upmediagroup.com Sales Associate: Krista Fabian (678) 589-8840, kfabian@upmediagroup.com Asia (except Korea): Susan Jones, Tech Search International (404) 822-8900, sjones@upmediagroup.com Korea: Young Media 82 2 756 4819, ymedia@ymedia.co.kr Circulation Inquiries: email: jschuler@upmediagroup.com fax: (918) 496-9465 Reprints: Electronic: ca_reprints@upmediagroup.com Print: Edward Kane, FosteReprints 866-879-9144 ext 131; fax: 219-561-2009 ekane@fostereprints.com List Rental: Jennifer Schuler, (918) 496-1476; fax (918) 496-9465 Editorial Advisory Board: John D. Borneman, Delphi Delco Electronics Heather McCormick, Celestica Curt Williams, Morey Corp. Chrys Shea, Cookson Electronics UP Media Group, Inc. President: Pete Waddell Vice President, Sales and Marketing: Frances Stewart Vice President, Editorial and Production: Mike Buetow PCB Show Group: (678) 589-8800 Subscription Policy Circuits Assembly (ISSN 1054-0407/GST124513185/Agreement #1419676) is distributed without charge to qualified subscribers. To all others in the USA and Canada: US$80 per year. Other countries: US$145 per year (air service included, payment required in advance). Single copies US$8.50. Send requests for qualification forms and changes of address (include old label) to: CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY, P.O. Box 35621, Tulsa, OK 74153-0621, email: jschuler@upmediagroup.com, fax (918) 496-9465. Periodicals postage paid at Atlanta, GA 30339 and additional mailing offices. Reproduction of text and illustrations is not allowed without express written permission. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use, or the internal or personal use of specific clients, is granted by UP Media Group, Inc. for libraries and other users registered with the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) Transactional Reporting Service, provided that the base fee of $2.00 per copy, plus $0.25 per page is paid directly to CCC, 21 Congress St., Salem, MA 01970. 0009-7306/86, $2.00 + $0.25. 16mm microfilm, 35mm microfilm, 105mm microfiche and article and issue photocopies are available from University Microfilms International, 300 N. Zeeb Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48106 (313) 761-4700. Canadian GST Permit 124513185. Opinions expressed by authors are not necessarily those of the publisher, and this publication can accept no responsibility in connection with any liability that might develop as a result of articles published. Circuits Assembly is published monthly by UP Media Group, Inc., 2400 Lake Park Drive, Suite 440, Smyrna, GA 30080. POSTMASTER: Please send changes of address to CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY, P.O. Box 35646, Tulsa, OK 74153-0646. Send your thoughts to Editor, CirCuits Assembly, email: mbuetow@upmedia group.com. Letters must include the writer’s name, address and company affiliation and may be edited for length and clarity. 4 circuitsassembly.com http://www.circuitsassembly.com http://www.circuitsassembly.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Circuits Assembly - October 2008

Circuits Assembly - September 2008 Contents Letters Caveat Lector Industry News Market Watch Talking Heads Global Sourcing Screen Printing Better Manufacturing 'Checking Up' on Medical Electronics Solder Ball Attachment Using Laser Soldering Improving QFN Reliability Reflow Soldering Tech Tips Test and Inspection Process Doctor Pb-Free Lessons Learned Alternative Energies Eastern Advances Product Spotlight Ad Index Assembly Insider Technical Abstracts

Circuits Assembly - October 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.