Don’t forget HiTEC 2006 – there is still time to reserve a tabletop booth at this semi-annual event in spectacular Santa Fe, NM

HiTEC 2006 is being held May 15 - 18, 2006, at the Hilton of Santa Fe in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Visit http://www.imaps.org/hitec to learn more about the program and to register today. For information on exhibiting, please contact Ann Bell, abell@imaps.org or 202-548-8717.

This is the premier event addressing the needs of the high temperature electronics community. Applications for high temperature electronics include underhood automotive, oil well logging, geothermal, more electric aircraft, space, industrial sensors, etc. HiTEC 2006 provides a comprehensive technical program addressing the applications, and the latest development in devices, circuits, MEMS, sensors, packaging, power sources, and materials to address the challenges of these applications. Tabletop exhibits will complement the technical program by providing you an opportunity to view the latest products for high temperature electronics.

This is a truly unique opportunity for suppliers, fabricators, and users to meet and talk about the needs, issues and opportunities in this exciting and important area. Please join us in wonderful Santa Fe, New Mexico for HiTEC 2006.

This event not only has tabletop exhibit space available, but is featuring a stellar line-up of Keynoters. Just visit www.imaps.org/mash to view the highlights of this program and reserve your exhibit space. For information on exhibiting, please contact Ann Bell, abell@imaps.org or 202-548-8717.

Activities in Military, Aerospace, Spaceborne and Homeland Security Electronics continue to advance the state-of-the-art in high reliability electronics packaging. This year’s technical program consists of a special “Keynote Needs” session where David Berteau, former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Production and Logistics, will address manufacturing Trends in Electronics Interconnect Technology; Michael Sampson will discuss NASA’s vision for future packaging requirements; David Robinson will address methods for device emulation from the Defense Logistics Agency perspective; and a prognostic and diagnostic health monitoring methodology presented by Kwok Tom of the US Army Research Laboratory will initiate the workshop. This session will be followed by 28 presentations on the latest military, aerospace, space and homeland security electronic devices, systems, and applications, with particular emphasis on materials selection, thermal management, packaging, reliability and emerging technologies. In addition to this powerful program we are delighted to have a very special keynote dinner speaker, Colonel Danny McKnight. Danny was ground forces commander during the battle in Mogadishu depicted in the movie Black Hawk Down who mesmerized us in Baltimore two years ago. Come join us and participate in this exciting event.

Cookson Electronics Assembly Materials is pleased to announce that the sales of its high reliability ALPHA® Vaculoy® SACX™ now account for 46% of its Lead-Free bar sales in Europe.

“Since its introduction in early 2004, sales of SACX™ have grown steadily, and over the last 6 months we have experienced spectacular growth as our customers are looking for the high performance, reliability and value they find only in SACX™," said Gerry Campbell, Cookson Electronics’ Global Product Manager. "The recent increases in the prices of tin and silver have forced our customers to look at lower cost alternatives to reduce the cost burden of moving to Lead-Free processes. SACX™ costs 30% less per kg and represents significant bottom line savings and an increase in competitive advantage. The strength of this product is that these cost savings can be realized without compromising process yield or reliability."

ALPHA® Vaculoy® SACX™ delivers wave soldering process value by providing SAC305 performance at 30% lower cost. Its fast wetting speed offers improved solderability that outperforms all Sn/Cu based alloys. It provides excellent drainage and minimizes bridging defects. ALPHA® Vaculoy® SACX™ creates strong, mechanically sound joints with excellent long-term reliability. It also minimizes dross generation, resulting in low process maintenance and reduced product waste. Its process window supports the use of a wide range of flux technologies.

Please go to www.cooksonelectronics.com, for additional information.

NF260 saves money by utilizing existing automated equipment and by enabling processing in typical Pb-Free reflow profiles. It promotes excellent wetting, low-voiding, and durability in thermal cycling. It also provides the necessary strength to withstand the most rigorous drop tests, including surpassing endurance expectations, with no failures after more than 450 drop tests. Under similar conditions, unfilled soldered connections typically fail after fewer than 10 drops.

NF220 is also available for SnPb applications.

For more information, please visit www.indium.com.

"Today's MEMS market requires flexibility, accuracy and reliability in process equipment that enables the fabrication of a wide variety of devices," comments Michael Griesinger, account manager for MiPlaza at SUSS MicroTec. "Highly accurate aligned substrate bonding especially plays a significant role throughout the whole MEMS manufacturing process. We are honoured that MiPlaza selected SUSS to realize these new and innovative components."

Substrate bonding represents the final step in the manufacturing process sequence in which multiple wafers or substrates are attached together using a number of physical and chemical effects. The SB8e is a semi-automatic, computer-controlled, stand-alone wafer bonder that can be used to design and fabricate novel microstructures with a level of process control previously not available. Representing the latest generation of SUSS substrate bonders, the system features rigid vacuum-pressure chambers, upper and lower independent heaters, and wafer stack loading arms.

The bonder can be equipped with tooling and alignment fixtures that support all known bonding processes. A wide array of semiconductor materials with wafer and substrate diameters ranging up to 200mm can be accommodated as well.

For more information, please visit www.suss.com.

Finetech has announced that it has relocated to a larger facility.

Finetech has moved from Phoenix to a new facility located at 8380 S. Kyrene, Ste. 110, Tempe, AZ 85284. Telephone and fax numbers will remain the same - 480-893-1630; Fax: 480-893-1632 - as will e-mail and Web site addresses.

The Tempe facility doubles the previous square footage and includes a dedicated demo room with hands-on training and interactive demonstrations for customers. The expansion will allow Finetech to accommodate growing demands for its precise bonding and rework solutions.

To further accelerate its phenomenal growth in the Asia-Pacific region, the electronics group of Henkel today announced several strategic organizational changes designed to position the company as the region’s top materials supplier and deliver advanced technology solutions to customers in what has become the geographic center of choice for high-volume production applications.

First among the tactical personnel changes is the appointment of Dr. Tilo Weiss to the position of Regional Manager, Asia-Pacific. A seasoned electronics industry expert, Dr. Weiss was formerly President of SusTech, a Henkel joint venture and, since joining the Henkel business development team 6 years ago, has played a key role in the advancement of Henkel’s position within the region. In his new role, Dr. Weiss will be based in Henkel’s Shanghai, China facility and will have management responsibility for sales, marketing and technical service.

Heading up the sales efforts throughout Asia will be Roger Dieu, who was recently named Director, Global Account Business Development for the electronics group of Henkel. Prior to assuming his current role, Mr. Dieu was responsible for the direction of the Greater China business and management of the region. He has been in China since 1997 and, with his new position, will relocate to Singapore.

Of course, sales and business development must be underpinned by superior technical products and unmatched global synergies. To support these objectives, Dr. Gary Shi, former Technical Manager for Henkel’s semiconductor packaging and assembly liquid products, will relocate to Henkel’s Yantai, China facility and assume the role of Technical Director. In his new position, Dr. Shi will be responsible for the expansion of Henkel’s research, development and engineering functions to further support the Asia-Pacific customer base, development of new materials for emerging technical requirements, and facilitation of seamless technology transfer between Henkel’s Yantai, China manufacturing operations and other Henkel global facilities.

“The Asia-Pacific region continues to be a very high growth area for Henkel,” comments Patrick Trippel, President of the electronics group of Henkel. “These strategic appointments will only serve to further support our already strong presence and rapid expansion in the region and deliver customers with the local support and global resources they require.”

In addition to several locations in North America and Europe, the electronics group of Henkel operates manufacturing and applications facilities in Yantai, Yiangsu, and Linyuangong, China as well as in Isogo, Japan, Seoul, Korea and Singapore. For more information on Henkel’s global infrastructure and its complete line of advanced semiconductor and assembly materials, log onto www.henkelelectronics.com.