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Speaking of APEX — March 1, 2004
December 31, 1969 |Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
By Christine F. Della Monaca, Managing Editor, SMT
Speaking of this Week appears in a special Monday meeting edition to wrap up IPC's APEX/IPC Printed Circuits Expo, which took place February 24 through 26 in Anaheim, Calif.
With more than 500 exhibitors in one place last week at the co-located APEX/IPC Printed Circuits Expo show, you know there had to be lots of good stuff happening. One of the biggest was the attendance. While IPC — Association Connecting Electronics Industries won't release official numbers for a while, almost every exhibitor I spoke to was happy with the number and quality of attendees that often kept them so busy at their booths that they had no time to even eat.
I can sympathize; trying to keep up with this swirling mass of technology was a full-time job. While I would have liked to have hit every booth, I bring you a sampling of just some of the great technology, products and other announcements I saw and heard on the trade show floor. Read on:
- I stopped by to say hello to Utica, N.Y.-based Indium Corp. of America, which had two announcements: first, that the company and Motorola had received Soldertec's Lead-free Solder Cooperation Award, and, in a similar vein, that its lead-free Web site, www.pb-free.com, contained lots of new and frequently updated lead-free information, news, products and articles.
- There was new pick-and-place equipment to be found out on the floor from Morrisville, N.C.-based Juki Automation Systems, which showcased the FX-1 high-speed placement machine. Norcross, Ga.-based Siemens Dematic introduced the SIPLACE Model HF/3 three-gantry machine, which can be used as either a high-speed in-line tool or stand-alone work cell. Vernon Hills, Ill.-based Fuji America Corp. introduced the NXT scaleable placement platform, and Binghamton, N.Y.-based Universal Instruments Corp. showed off its AdVantis platform as well as its flagship Genesis SMT placement platform. Universal also unveiled the Lightning high-speed placement head.
- In reflow news, North Billerica, Mass.-based BTU International invited us over to show us the newest version of its Pyramax solder reflow oven, Pyramax 150 X5. The oven is lead-free-ready, said company representatives, and rightfully so: the oven is impacted the greatest in the transition from eutectic to lead-free solder.
- Lots of inspection companies were on hand, and I visited many of them. Norcross, Ga.-based Viscom showed me their EasyPro user interface for use in PCB assembly inspection machines, an interface that the company says can reduce programming time and simplify steps to inspection. Camarillo, Calif.-based phoenix|x-ray Systems + Services Inc. demonstrated its nanofocus X-ray machines, while Fremont, Calif.-based Dage Precision Industries showed me its X-ray solution, the XD7000 XiDAT large format digital X-ray inspection system, for the growing big-board niche. Finally, I spent some time with a new kid on the block, San Diego-based FocalSpot Inc. APEX was the young company's first trade show, and if being new weren't interesting enough, it's who the company is comprised of that is even more so. The team is made up of industry veterans from such heavy-hitters as Hewlett-Packard, GenRad, Teradyne and Four Pi. FocalSpot demonstrated its entry-level benchtop Verifier X-ray system, as well as its Den-on Instruments RD-500SH BGA rework station.
- Speaking of rework, I spent some time with Sacramento, Calif.-based PDR Rework, who showed me its ThermoActive rework control software for use with infrared rework. IR rework is targeted for use in microBGA and lead-free applications, and the company believes that the impending changeover to lead-free will provide lots of opportunities for their rework platform.
- In PCB assembly news, Bethlehem, Pa.-based FlexLink Systems Inc. introduced the F1500 shuttle gate module for the company's F-series product line, as well as the S1400 MIM loader for material handling in the semiconductor industry. FlexLink also demonstrated its reconfigurable manufacturing solutions (RMS) for modular assembly lines. At Poway, Calif.-based Production Solutions, I saw customizable board supports that the company says encourage quick changeover. Kenosha, Wis.-based Pro-mation Inc. discussed its complete assembly product line, including roller conveyor systems and robotics, and Bethlehem, Pa.-based Ovation Products showed me its line of automatic circuit board supports.
- In stencil processing, Flemington, N.J.-based DEK announced it has expanded its Eform stencil manufacturing process by including an aperture height control.
- Finally, in software, Redmond, Wash.-based Data I/O Corp. debuted its PS288FC automated device programming system, and Philadelphia-based Aegis Industrial Software Corp. and Quebec, Canada-based Cogiscan demonstrated integration between their products.
This just in: According to this week's Quick Vote, 43 percent of you read the APEX Show Daily, 29 percent of you did not, and an additional 29 percent of you did not attend the show.
Have some insight on the industry? See something you don't agree with? Think I'm right on? Send it all to me at mailto:christinef@pennwell.com.