Innovative Technology Center to showcase leading edge technologies.

IPC-Association Connecting Electronics Industries Mar 25, 2010

Press Release Summary:

IPC announces products that will be featured in Innovative Technology Center at IPC APEX EXPO(TM), April 6-8, 2010. Assessed by IPC Review Board of industry experts, products were selected based on representation of new or emerging technology of significant value and relevance to electronics manufacturing. Some winners include DEK VectorGuardÃ‚Â® Double Layer Platinum Stencil, F5000H Laser Marker, Loctite PowerstrateXtreme Printable thermal management material, and Nordson EFD UV-traceable Solder Paste.

Original Press Release:

Innovative Technology Center at IPC Apex EXPO Highlights Leading Edge Technologies

BANNOCKBURN, Ill., USA, - IPC - Association Connecting Electronics IndustriesÂ® announces the products that will be featured in the Innovative Technology Center (ITC) at IPC APEX EXPO(TM), April 6-8, 2010, in Las Vegas. Assessed by an IPC Review Board of industry experts, the products were selected based on their representation of a new or emerging technology of significant value and relevance to the electronics manufacturing industry.

This year's winners demonstrated innovation in materials, test and assembly technology. The 2010 Innovative Technology Center will showcase:

DEK ProFlowÂ® ATx by DEK International - is a next-generation, enclosed print-head technology that is designed to accommodate all solder pastes and provide active conditioning of the materials. As a technology, enclosed head printing with ProFlow ATx improves throughput by enabling faster print speeds, saves cost through the reduction of material waste and limits operator input requirements for managing the paste roll.

DEK Sentinel by DEK International - is a productivity-enhancing print verification and process management technology that captures the full board image, analyzes the data and accepts or rejects the print - all in real time. The system also has the capability to manage printing inputs and outputs as well as integrate verification and traceability tools.

DEK VectorGuardÂ® Double Layer Platinum Stencil by DEK International - is a double-layer stencil created through a unique two-step lithography and Nickel electroforming process. The design of the stencil enables the ability to print fine lines (< 2 mils or 50 microns) and delivers a technology that is more effective than traditional screens for some applications.

F5000H Laser Marker by FlexLink Systems, Inc. - is the world's first 3-D laser marking device that marks on countless types of surfaces and is ideal for PCB boards. This flexible, permanent solution for marking allows customers to have a wide range of possibilities with respect to surface shape, coverage area and size of marking with exceptionally sharp marking and repeatability with no manual adjustments.

IC Thermal Detection Unit by SEICA Inc. - compares temperature profiles of known good boards to suspect boards; these units aid in indicting bad ICs in the depot repair environment and in field return diagnostics. The innovative unit offers a number of benefits, including being fully automatic, the ability to be used in combination with traditional ICT and FCT test programs, and removing any subjectivity due to the DSP analysis being performed.

Loctite PowerstrateXtreme Printable (PSX-P) by Henkel Corporation - is a new, printable thermal management material that solves many of the processability and thickness control limitations of traditional phase-change pads and older-generation greases. Loctite PSX-P is the only known commercially available printable phase change material on the market that is suitable for long-shift printing and, because PSX-P is a paste product, the material offers many benefits including improved thickness control, enhanced throughput and process flexibility.

Nordson EFD UV-traceable Solder Paste by EFD, Inc. A Nordson Company - allows easier verification of solder application and reflow on automated assembly lines for greater process control. It also improves quality and reduces rework and rejects by indicating whether there are any missed deposits or deposits that failed to reflow.

IPC APEX EXPO attendees will have the opportunity to view white papers, charts and graphics of the featured products to enhance their own company's operations.

"It is always good to see compelling innovative submissions into the ITC; it directly indicates the strength of the electronics manufacturing industry and its ability to respond to new challenges resulting from emerging technologies in packaging design," says Don DuPriest, SME - PWB/CCA Technology Development, Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control, and a member of the ITC Review Board. "If a common theme had to be chosen among this year's winners it would be related to innovation leading to better manufacturing yields. All the solutions directly translate into improving quality through enhanced precision and/or detection methodologies."

Other members of the 2010 ITC Review Board include: Wendi Boger, DDi; Gary Ferrari, CID+, FTG Circuits Corp.; Jack Fisher, Interconnect Technical Analysis Inc.; Thomas Gardeski, Gemini Sciences Inc.; Chris Mahanna, Robisan Laboratory Inc.; and Renee Michalkiewicz, Trace Laboratories, Inc.

IPC APEX EXPO will be held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. For more information on all IPC APEX EXPO activities, a current list of exhibitors or to register, visit www.IPCAPEXEXPO.org. Exhibits-only registration is free to pre-registrants and provides access to the largest electronics manufacturing exhibition in North America, free keynote sessions, free forums, free technical poster sessions and all free networking activities.

About IPC

IPC (www.IPC.org) is a global trade association based in Bannockburn, Ill., dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its 2,700 member companies which represent all facets of the electronic interconnect industry, including design, printed circuit board manufacturing and electronics assembly. As a member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy, IPC supports programs to meet the needs of an estimated $1.7 trillion global electronics industry. IPC maintains additional offices in Taos, N.M.; Arlington, Va.; Garden Grove, Calif.; Moscow, Russia; Stockholm, Sweden; and Shanghai and Shenzhen, China.