-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- pcb007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueThe Growing Industry
In this issue of PCB007 Magazine, we talk with leading economic experts, advocacy specialists in Washington, D.C., and PCB company leadership to get a well-rounded picture of what’s happening in the industry today. Don’t miss it.
The Sustainability Issue
Sustainability is one of the most widely used terms in business today, especially for electronics and manufacturing but what does it mean to you? We explore the environmental, business, and economic impacts.
The Fabricator’s Guide to IPC APEX EXPO
This issue previews many of the important events taking place at this year's show and highlights some changes and opportunities. So, buckle up. We are counting down to IPC APEX EXPO 2024.
- Articles
Article Highlights
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - pcb007 Magazine
LA/Orange County SMTA Expo and Tech Forum Review
December 9, 2019 | Dan Feinberg, Technology Editor, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
A few weeks ago, I was invited to attend the LA/Orange County SMTA Expo and Tech Forum, which was held in Long Beach, California (Figure 1). Earlier this year, I started covering the quarterly lunch and learn sessions presented by the Orange County Chapter of the IPC Designers Council. Circuit design is not a topic I have been involved with for many decades, but I find that the lectures, presentations, and updates are highly informative, and the discussions with the other attendees are well worth the time spent.
Figure 1: SMTA show floor.
This specific event combined an exhibit of about 50 companies put on by the local SMTA chapter with a series of valuable presentations and Q&A sessions presented by the IPC Designers Council. The show floor was moderately busy with a constant flow of attendees walking through (Figures 2 and 3). There was a good mixture of equipment and consumable suppliers, all very willing to discuss their products as well as general industry happenings.
Figure 2: Indium and Nikon booths.
Figure 3: PFC Flexible Circuits table.
There were two excellent presentations, one of them entitled “Why Are We Cleaning No-Clean?” by Mike Konrad from Aqueous Technologies, which was divided into two sessions (Figure 4). The content was interesting, and Mike’s presentation was informative and entertaining. It seems that many assemblers have implemented a cleaning protocol for assemblies reflowed with no-clean flux, as many have experienced residue-related failures. Mike also spoke about the factors that affect residue tolerance and methods to predict an assembly’s residue tolerance.
The other presentation was by Keith Bryant, an advanced design engineering consultant who spoke on X-ray inspection advances for BGAs and bottom-terminated components, including the problem of voids within the layers of electronics or in the PCB itself. Voiding is a problem because it can affect both the short- and long-term joint strength and reliability as well as the thermal conductivity, thus reducing the heat that would otherwise be dissipated away from key areas. While X-Ray inspection has long been used to nondestructively probe for these and other issues, there have been recent developments improving in 2D and 3D X-ray inspection.
The combination of a modest exposition showing many new offerings and the ability to discuss them with those that represent them, along with an opportunity to mingle with others in the industry and attend valuable and interesting presentations locally, provided great value for anyone within an hour’s drive. Based on the attendance, it seems that this has been recognized.
Suggested Items
SMC Korea 2024 to Highlight Semiconductor Materials Trends and Innovations on Industry’s Path to $1 Trillion
04/24/2024 | SEMIWith Korea a major consumer of semiconductor materials and advanced materials a key driver of innovation on the industry’s path to $1 trillion, industry leaders and experts will gather at SMC (Strategic Materials Conference) Korea 2024 on May 29 at the Suwon Convention Center in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea to provide insights into the latest materials developments and trends. Registration is open.
Elevating PCB Design Engineering With IPC Programs
04/24/2024 | Cory Blaylock, IPCIn a monumental stride for the electronics manufacturing industry, IPC has successfully championed the recognition of the PCB Design Engineer as an official occupation by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). This pivotal achievement not only underscores the critical role of PCB design engineers within the technology landscape, but also marks the beginning of a transformative journey toward nurturing a robust, skilled workforce ready to propel our industry into the future.
Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2024: Going Vertical: SCHMID's Advanced Solutions for Printed Circuit Boards
04/24/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOEditor Marcy LaRont chats with Bob Ferguson, the president of SCHMID, about advanced solutions for PCBs and the equipment they are highlighting at this year's show. He delves into vertical no-touch handling systems and the prospect of achieving sub-10-micron lines. Inspired by SCHMID's technology, Bob expresses excitement about where the industry is today.
Big Win for Defense Production Act Budget Allocation in FY24 Budget
04/23/2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamOne year ago, President Biden issued a determination that chips and packaging are critical for national security. Since that time, much work has been done to continue the conversation in Washington, elevating the importance of the entire chips value chain, and including printed circuit boards and substrates, without which chips cannot operate.
Zentech’s Board of Directors Announces the Return of Matt Turpin as President and CEO
04/22/2024 | Zentech ManufacturingTurpin draws upon over 35 years of experience in the electronics industry and has an 18-year history with Zentech. He previously served as President and CEO from 2006 to 2019 after which time he has remained active in the EMS industry as an advisor to Zentech and other industry organizations.