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New Products in December
December 31, 1969 |Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
Following are the new soldering systems, cleaning materials, training resources, software programs, testers, and other electronics manufacturing products introduced by Zestron, STI Electronics, Lumex, AVX, Corelis, and other companies in the electronics manufacturing supply chain.
Environmentally Responsible Cleaning WipesThe friendly green line of environmentally friendly products offers a "green" drop-in replacement to Kimwipes. The wipes are low linting, absorbent, soft, and designed to avoid scratches. They suit light duty tasks and delicate surfaces. The wipes are low in lint and chemical extractables, made of 100% recycled cellulose (at least 80% post consumer). friendly green "the big one" is a large single-ply wipe, measuring 15 × 16.6". friendly green "the little one" is also a single-ply wipe, but measures 4.4 × 8.3". friendly green "presaturated wipes" remove non-reflowed solder pastes. The wipes are biodegradable and are made of a new high-tech cotton nonwoven fabric. They are environmentally safe and feature an easy release dispenser for one-at-a-time dispensing. High-Tech Conversions, friendly green, friendlygreen.org.
Solder Pallet CleanerATRON SP 200 is proven on standard solder pallets at concentration of 10 to 20% at different operating temperatures and equipment. It effectively removes all screened lead-free flux residues, including after multiple bake cycles. Being a surfactant-based product technology, it was determined that the bath life of ATRON SP 200 was up to 10 times longer when compared to conventional surfactant based cleaning materials. Full material compatibility could also demonstrated across various manufacturers. ATRON SP 200 is formulated free of any halogenated compounds and is environmentally friendly. The product meets new RoHS and WEEE guidelines as well as current worker safety standards and applicable environmental requirements. Zestron America, www.zestron.com.
Training KitsTraining resources are available as standardized kits and materials or customized for specific applications. Standardized training kits are used in certification programs for industry segments such as IPC, NASA, commercial, and company-unique programs. In addition to the standardized training program support materials, unique or custom training materials range from chipscale packages and BGAs to thru-hole and terminal attachments. Cable and harness kits are available to support cable fabrication programs. Process development kits for machine applications provide an opportunity to evaluate operation capabilities for issues such as fine-pitch production and lead free materials. STI Electronics Inc., www.stielectronicsinc.com.
High-power LEDsAstraLED RGB are high-power LEDs that reduce costs and real estate. AstraLED RGB suits use in various kitchen appliances, communications equipment, medical devices, automotive applications, and signage, offering bright light and low power consumption. An AstraLED RGB can result in up to a 30% cost savings , as well as 67% real estate package savings when compared to the use of individual high power red, green, and blue packages. Color rendering performance is reportedly better than phosphor converted high-power white LED technologies. The RoHS-compliant AstraLED RGB provides ultra-bright, full-color output in a 3-W high-power package. Light intensity is 8/25/20 lumens respectively at 300mA (red), 350mA (green) and 350mA (blue) of current with an operating temperature of -30° to +85°C. AstraLED RGBs have an off-the-board height of 3.3 mm and occupy a 10 × 16 footprint. They are available in tubes for automatic insertion. The new units withstand standard lead-free reflow soldering temperatures up to 260°C. Lumex, www.lumex.com.
New Component TerminationThe MnO2 (TLN Series) and polymer (TCN Series) tantalum capacitors feature a new termination style that reduces the required internal construction space by up to 60% and enables parts to be positioned closer together. In the new configuration, J leads are replaced by undertab terminations that do not protrude outside of the outline of the case. This design increases volumetric efficiency and allows PCB footprint pads to be spaced only slightly wider than the part itself. This package construction features a second electrode, which results in a lower ESL, enabling a better working frequency range. Ignition resistance is improved with polymer TCN Series version. Available in low profile packaging, the smallest devices measure 1 mm in height. The planned capacitance range is 22–680 µF (±20%), and 4–10V working voltage range. The first devices available are the TLN S case 220-µF 4-V product, and TCN L case 150-µF 6.3-V capacitor. Devices are suitable for 3× 260°C reflow solder processing. The capacitors are designed for use in any application that requires high capacitance in a miniature package, particularly consumer products, and power line and audio circuit designs. AVX Corporation, www.avx.com.
Higher-payload RobotsThe VS-Series six-axis articulated robots feature a maximum payload capacity increase of 40%, from 5 to 7 kg. The increase reportedly allows the compact VS-Series robots to handle a significantly wider range of applications. The VS-Series robots are available in reaches from 650 to 850 mm, with cycle times from 0.49 to 0.59 seconds and repeatability from ±0.020 to ±0.030 mm. ANSI and CE compliance allows global deployment. DENSO, www.densorobotics.com.
Stencil LaserThe P 6060 stencil laser is a fully enclosed laser cutting system for the production of SMT stencils. The system uses a proprietary lightweight motion system that enhances positioning accuracy, while maintaining high cutting speeds. The Stencil Laser P 6060 can cut all stencils, framed and frameless, and can be adjusted to fit stencil sizes up to 29.1" × 37.4". The system requires minimal set-up; it features a fiducial camera for automatic reload of stencils. Engineered with a Class I laser safety rating, the SL P 6060 can cut with both compressed air and oxygen and features a simplified user interface with multi-user-level software. A small footprint and reduced energy consumption allows the system to be used in all environments. LPKF, www.lpkfusa.com.
Rework Heater The Weller WHP200 under-board heater is designed to speed up repair of small multilayer PCBs. It is reportedly simple to operate with easy temperature adjustment. An infrared plate provides fast, controlled heating targeting even substrate temperatures. The set temperature and actual temperature are digitally displayed for process control. A PCB board holder is included with the system. The heater suits PCB repair on consumer products, including digital cameras, mobile phones, MP3 players, and PDAs. Cooper Tools, www.coopertools.com.
JTAG Embedded TestThe ScanExpress JET product line supports PowerPC 750/603E processors and the Freescale i.MX31 reference board. ScanExpress JET products are used for at-speed testing of circuit boards incorporating embedded processors to detect and isolate subtle structural and functional problems with minimal incremental development and investment. The PPC 750/603E, a leading member of the PowerPC architecture family, is widely deployed in aerospace and other industries. It is now one of dozens of PPC processor models in Corelis' JET library. In addition, with support for the i.MX31 reference board, customers can use the Corelis pre-developed test procedure as a basis for developing similar tests for products based on the Freescale i.MX31 family of low power and high performance processors found in consumer, industrial, automotive, medical, and general embedded devices. The JET library now contains sample functional tests for many interfaces supported with the iMX31 such as UART, I2C, 1-wire, SPI, Keypad, and TFT LCD touch screen. Corelis, www.corelis.com.
Solder Paste Printing ToolA prototype solder paste printing tool, the Desktop Companion II was created as a solution to printing inconsistently routed boards. Previous methods of prototype printing dictated individual boards be tapped down, then printed. With a Desktop stencil mounted to the adjustable plate on the Desktop Companion II, the two tension screws can be loosened, allowing X/Y stencil movement. When board manufacturers have a tolerance of ±0.010" on a route, and there is fine pitch or other small parts on the board, that 0.010" could result in bridging, the company asserts. This product allows the stencil to move, rather than each board, to compensate for the difference in the board edges and speed up the printing process. Integrated Ideas & Technologies Inc., www.integratedideas.com.
Voltage Controlled OscillatorThe CVCO55CC-4267-4442 VCO operates from 4267 to 4442 MHz with a control voltage range of 0.1 to 16 V. This VCO features a typical phase noise of -104 dBc/Hz @ 10 KHz offset with good linearity. Output power is typically +5.0 dBm. The model CVCO55CC-4267-4442 is packaged in the industry-standard 0.5" × 0.5" SMD package. Input voltage is 8 V with a max current consumption of 40 mA. Pulling and Pushing are minimized to 3.00 MHz and 0.50 MHz/V, respectively. Second harmonic suppression is -20 dBc typical. The CVCO55CC-4267-4442 suits use in applications such as digital radio equipment, fixed wireless access, satellite communications systems, and base stations. Crystek Corporation, www.crystek.com.
Device Programming Upgrades The 3000 and 4000 series autohandlers offer several upgraded features, with teach times and user interactions reduced. When teaching multi-socket socket modules, such as the FX4, only one target device is required to teach all sockets on the programmer site. Users can validate and adjust previously taught sockets using only one target device. In addition, users have the option to automate the removal of target devices during an all programmer site teach. This feature uses the pick-and-place function to extract a target device from the programmer site and place the device into a destination peripheral after the teach session has concluded. Previous software versions required the user to manually remove the device from the site after teaching. The TS-1500 tray stacker now supports low profile and custom trays to accommodate different tray heights. Another added feature allows users to select the first pocket containing a device of a partially filled input tray. A new diagnostic has been implemented to test the image quality of the Cyber-Optics Laser Align Camera. Various image quality parameters are inspected on the camera to ensure that they are within tolerance. If the camera does not meet these tolerances, the user will be presented with a camera cleaning procedure. The test automatically runs at initialization and at the beginning of a job. BPM Microsystems, www.bpmmicro.com.
Vacuum Holddown Tables G.P.I. vacuum holddown tables are built around an aluminum honeycomb core and covered with the thick top and bottom plates for added durability. The table's sandwich design yields a good strength-to-weight ratio and provides maximum airflow for effective material holddown. Tables are manufactured using a proprietary Stay-Flat process resulting in a non-oxidizing, anodized aluminum tabletop that resists warping. For sensitive material and non-conductive applications, Formica and phenolic tabletops are also available. Other options include camera wells for inspection and registration, disappearing guides, lift pins, and blowback systems for careful handling and removal of materials. The maintenance-free vacuum motors that drive the system feature a multi-stage centrifugal design. Brushless motors never need lubrication and emit no sparks. Available in a range of configurations to suit various application requirements, each vacuum table is built to customer specifications. Graphic Parts International (G.P.I.), www.gpiparts.com.
Soldering and Rework SystemThe MFR-1100 Series single-output soldering and rework system is designed to minimize training investment, maximize application solutions, and increase productivity, according to the company. It features three handpieces for soldering and rework applications. For soldering tasks, the systems can be used with either a soldering tip or cartridge. SmartHeat Technology provides high power for lead-free, production soldering, multi-layer, and other thermally demanding applications. SmartHeat responds to the precise thermal load demands required for each connection and it helps protect sensitive components and substrates from damage. In addition, the MFR-1100 is adaptable to a range of production challenges. Similar to Metcal systems, the MFR-H1-SC cartridge handpiece offers a range of soldering and rework cartridges that provide fine access, SMD rework, and pad clean-up. The MFR-H2-ST handpiece is designed to deliver reliable soldering performance required by lead-free and production soldering environments, while maximizing value through a lower-cost tip. The lightweight MFR-H4-TW precision tweezer handpiece features tweezer soldering cartridges capable of removing small discrete components, including 0201s. All MFR-1100 systems include an Auto-Sleep workstand, as well as an Auto-Off function. The MFR-1100 requires no calibration and features ground continuity sensing, which protects sensitive components from damage, is fully ESD compatible, and all systems are packaged in a compact and robust metal housing that saves bench space. OK International, www.okinternational.com.