Printed Circuit Design & Fab - May 2008 - (Page 10)

AROUND THE WORLD in BRIEF Ansys Plans to Buy Ansoft. SAN FRANCISCO – Ansys plans to enter into the EDA software market by acquiring Ansoft for $832 million ($32.50 per share) in a cashand-stock deal. Ansys shares were down 10.1% and Ansoft shares were up 11% on the news. The deal is expected to close by the end of June. PCB Libraries Becomes PCB Matrix. DES PLAINES, IL – PCB Libraries has changed its name. The company has said it will begin offering new tools beyond the scope of CAD libraries, and has adopted the name PCB Matrix Corporation. Viasystems Expands PCB Operations in China. ST. LOUIS, MO – Viasystems, Inc. has announced plans to invest approximately $40 million to $45 million in its Zhongshan, China PCB operation, to increase production capacity and capabilities. The expansion plan will be completed over an 18-month period. It will include the construction of a 300,000 square foot building and the purchase of PCB production equipment. Motorola to Close Factory in Singapore. SCHAUMBURG, IL – Motorola will close its handset factory in Singapore by the end of the year, cutting 700 jobs. According to Mary Lamb, company spokesperson, the company will start shutting down the facilities from the second quarter. In an ongoing effort to cut costs, the decision is part of a “strategic review of business operations” the company said an e-mailed statement. Nokia Increasing Presence in India. PANANJI, INDIA – Nokia plans to recruit 5,500 more employees in India by the end of the year, increasing employment to 15,000. Most of the new recruitments will be at the company’s Sriperumbudur plant in Tamil Nadu. Nokia will reportedly also invest $75 million in the Sriperumudur plant this year, increasing investment in the plant to $285 million by December 2008. Taiwan CCL Prices to Rise. TAIWAN – Copper Clad Laminate (CCL) manufacturers in Taiwan are said to be considering a 5% to 10% price increase in April, due to rising copper costs. According to company reports, ITEQ, Taiwan Union Technology (TUC) and Uniplus Electronics are all considering price increases, but are holding off until a clearer picture of customer demand can be determined. However, other reports say a single-digit price adjustment will take place for high-end CCLs in April, without increases for other classes. Despite an increase in price, Taiwan’s CCL manufacturing is expected to grow 20% in 2008, according to industry estimates. Altium Donates Software to FIRST Competition CARLSBAD, CA – Altium has donated licenses of its Altium Designer integrated EDA software to FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) for use in its annual robotics design competition. 1,500 teams of high school students participating in the 2008 FIRST Robotics Competition have received access to Altium Designer EDA tool, the first electronics design software ever provided to the competition. At the FIRST Championship to be held April 17-19 in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome, robots created by the teams from a standard kit of parts will compete in a series of matches to determine the world’s best robot. STATES GET TOUGH More States Draft Legislation to Enforce Electronic Recycling PROVIDENCE, RI – Rhode Island is the most recent state proposing to establish a manufacturer-financed system for the collection, recycling and reuse of old computers and other consumer electronic waste. The legislation now before the R.I. General Assembly would bar non-complying manufacturers from offering electronic products requiring end of life recycling in the state, and keep retailers from selling new electronic equipment from manufacturers that do not comply with the new law. Manufacturers would be required to register each year by Sept. 1, 2008 and be assessed $5,000 per year. Companies on the list would then be required to provide a list of all brands it makes, sells or imports into Rhode Island. Nine states have already passed legislation requiring manufacturers to contribute to the cost of collecting and recycling electronic waste produced by their products. New iNEMI Projects iNEMI to Work on Early Failure Detection for Lead-Free Products LAS VEGAS, NV – The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) has new projects scheduled for launch this spring. These projects are designed to assist the industry address common challenges. The project identified include: Pb-Free Alloy Alternatives, Pb-Free Early Failure, Boundary Scan Adoption and Solder Paste Deposition. “iNEMI’s roadmapping and gap analysis activities help us identify those technology and infrastructure gaps where it makes sense for industry to collaboratively develop common solutions,” said Jim McElroy, CEO of iNEMI. “We focus our efforts on activities that will lead to accelerated deployment of new technologies, development of industry infrastructure, dissemination of efficient business practices and/or stimulation of standards. The initiatives we are currently organizing address needs identified by iNEMI roadmaps and, in all cases, represent activities that would not have as much impact on the supply chain if undertaken by a single company.” This new effort will determine whether a large sample size can reveal Pb-free early failures in accelerated thermal fatigue testing of Pb-free solder joints. The physical and metallurgical differences between SnPb and Pb-free solders have a direct effect on thermal cycle performance, and the properties and failure behavior of SAC solders are markedly different. The team plans to develop a unique test vehicle with a large sample size (256 each of three different component types) to test BGA solder joints. 10 PRINTED CIRCUIT DESIGN & FAB MAY 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Printed Circuit Design & Fab - May 2008

Printed Circuit Design & Fab - May 2008 Contents Our Line Market Watch Around the World Happenings ROI EMC For the Real World PCB East Conference Brochure Positive Plating Don't Let your Signals Stub Their Toes Improve PCB Layout With Skill Utility Programs The Next Generation Design Tool Challenge Thermally Conductive Microwave Materials PCB Dielectric Degradation in Lead-Free Assembly Applications A Tale of Two Trade Shows Eliminating Board Defects Off the Shelf Marketplace Ad Index BGA Bulletin

Printed Circuit Design & Fab - May 2008

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