Electronics Industry News

Through the careful review of ZESTRON’s corporate structure, security, record keeping and procedures for handling sensitive military and intelligence applications, the company successfully met the State Department’s strict requirements. The renewal of this registration as well as the company’s comprehensive Technology Control Plan demonstrates ZESTRON’s commitment to adhering to the regulations that control the export and import of defense related articles and services on the United States Munitions List.

“With the demand for critical electronic assemblies by the military, it is absolutely essential for our company to be fully compliant,” says Harald Wack, President, ZESTRON worldwide.  “ZESTRON’s ITAR certification is frequently requested by our customers requiring cleaning evaluations of ITAR controlled items.  This certification ensures that our customers meet their security requirements.” 

This significant milestone exceeds ZESTRON’s previous record sales month by 40%.  Following four consecutive years of sales growth, ZESTRON remains on track for another exceptional sales year in 2013.  “We are thrilled with our remarkable growth and would like to thank our customers for their valued business and confidence in our products and services,” says Harald Wack, President, ZESTRON worldwide.  “This track record of success has enabled us to make significant investments in our research and development program resulting in the introduction of leading edge high precision cleaning products that are able to exceed our customers ever increasing cleaning challenges.”

Additionally ZESTRON has broadened its customer support infrastructure with the opening of our sixth Technical Center in Kanagawa, Japan.  With the support of our global team of PhD scientists, master level application engineers and state-of-the-art Technical Centers located within North America, Europe, and Asia, ZESTRON continues to be “More than Chemistry” by providing our customers with innovative products and quality services.

Key Trends

Cloud computing figures prominently in this latest edition of the roadmap, and has the potential to create the most significant paradigm shifts, bringing about major changes to business models in the next four to five years. Similarly, the increased use of MEMS and sensors in a growing number of applications (cell phones, medical electronics, automotive) has repercussions across multiple product sectors.

Concerns about sustainability are still at the forefront while companies continue to grapple with the lack of industry-wide assessment methodologies to evaluate alternative materials and the need for data to assess and quantify environmental impact of products in a consistent way.

Faster rates of change in miniaturization, driven by the explosion of smart phones, tablets and other mobile devices, are resulting in increased use of complex, 3D assemblies and solutions, such as system-in-package (SiP). These solutions, however, come with their own sets of challenges. Lack of test access, pick and place of 3D thin chips or bare 3D stacked chips with irregular shapes, rework processes and heat sink attachment all become more difficult.

See Select Trends & Highlights for more details.

Ordering Information

The full roadmap, as well as individual chapters, is now available for purchase. This latest edition of the iNEMI roadmap is provided on a USB drive, which replaces the CD format used for the previous nine roadmaps.  Individual chapters are provided electronically (via web download). For more details about purchasing options, go to http://www.inemi.org/2013-roadmap#buy

For More Information

Executive Summary Highlights (PDF):  http://thor.inemi.org/webdownload/RM/2013_RM/2013_RM_Ex_Sum.pdf

Select Trends & Highlights (PDF): http://thor.inemi.org/webdownload/RM/2013_RM/Trends.pdf

Additional background about the roadmap: http://www.inemi.org/2013-roadmap

Photograph of the 2013 Roadmap package (JPEG): http://thor.inemi.org/webdownload/Photos/2013RM_pkg.jpg

About iNEMI

The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative’s mission is to forecast and accelerate improvements in the electronics manufacturing industry for a sustainable future. This industry-led international consortium is made up of more than 100 manufacturers, suppliers, industry associations and consortia, government agencies and universities. iNEMI roadmaps the needs of the electronics industry, identifies gaps in the technology infrastructure, establishes implementation projects to eliminate these gaps (both business and technical), and stimulates standards activities to speed the introduction of new technologies. The consortium also works with government agencies, universities and other funding agencies to set priorities for longer-term industry needs and R&D initiatives. iNEMI is based in Herndon, Virginia (near Washington, D.C.), with regional offices in Shanghai, China; Limerick, Ireland; and Tokyo, Japan. For additional information about iNEMI, go to http://www.inemi.org

ZESTRON will feature the core foundation of its cleaning agents, MPC® (Micro Phase Cleaning) and FAST® (Fast Acting Surfactant Technology).  These innovative formulas are designed to facilitate the complete removal of organic and inorganic residues such as fluxes, solder paste and SMT adhesives.  ZESTRON’s process solutions are effective at low concentrations, thereby extending bath life and minimizing cleaning process costs.

For more information about ZESTRON’s complete product lines, process solutions and services as well as our May free-of-charge webinar “Batch Cleaning Optimization & Effluent Management,” please visit our tabletop exhibit.  Our sales and engineering team stands ready to answer any question you may have.

Ms. Altstadt is a respected industry leader recognized as a visionary with a strong engineering background and has earned an Executive MBA from Case Western Reserve University. She lives with her husband and two sons in Solon, OH.

Libra Industries is a world-class provider of integrated electronics manufacturing services serving OEMs with technologically sophisticated manufacturing requirements in a broad range of industries including industrial, medical, military and aerospace, and instrumentation. In addition to the company’s well recognized quality systems which are certified to ISO 13485 and ISO 9001 standards, Libra Industries recently earned registration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a contract manufacturer of finished medical devices. Libra Industries offers manufacturing flexibility including complete system build, module and subassembly production, as well as printed circuit board assembly. With an ongoing commitment to investment in people, quality systems, and the latest manufacturing equipment and processes, Libra Industries is committed to managing their customers’ products from initial design to full production.

This webinar addresses critical parameters affecting efficient batch cleaning performance as well as a review of cleanliness verification methods. Additionally, options for effective effluent management will be presented.

Mr. Konrad has worked continuously within the electronics assembly equipment industry since 1985. In 1992, he founded Aqueous Technologies, North America’s largest manufacturer of fully automated defluxing and cleanliness testing equipment where he serves as President/CEO. 

The content of this webinar is designed for production line operators, manufacturing and quality managers as well as process engineers within the electronics manufacturing industry.  For more information or to register, please contact ZESTRON at infousa@zestron.com, or visit www.zestron.com

“Arbell is Canada’s largest authorized distributor of production equipment and supplies to our industry,” says Michael McCutchen, Vice President Americas and South Asia. “With their national sales team of dedicated product knowledge experts, coupled with ZESTRON’s application technology engineers and R&D support, we will broaden our sales coverage and improve our service and distribution support to our ever growing customer base throughout the provinces.”

Founded in 1968, Arbell has been successfully serving the electronics industry for over 45 years.  With the industry’s largest stocking levels and access to thousands more through a network of more than 50 industry leading manufacturers, Arbell offers its customers the best selection at competitive prices. “Arbell takes great pride in our assorted quality product lines and our very technical and knowledgeable sales force,” says Lee Wise, President, Arbell.  “With the addition of ZESTRON, we can strengthen our product and service offerings to the electronics industry.”

To learn more about ZESTRON’s complete product lines, cleaning process solutions, services, and learning opportunities through ZESTRON Academy, please visit www.zestron.com.

This webinar explores options for managing the various effluent streams of an inline cleaning process.  Effluent management for each section (wash, chemical isolation and DI rinse) will be reviewed.  Specific filtration techniques including particulate, RO, along with carbon and ion exchange will be explored to facilitate a near zero discharge process.

The content of this webinar is designed for production line operators, manufacturing and quality managers as well as process engineers within the electronics manufacturing industry.  For more information or to register, please contact ZESTRON at infousa@zestron.com, or visit www.zestron.com.

About ZESTRON:

Headquartered in Manassas, Virginia, and operating in more than 35 countries, ZESTRON is the globally leading provider of high precision cleaning products, services and training solutions for the electronics manufacturing industry. With six worldwide technical centers and the largest team of chemical engineers in the industry, ZESTRON’s commitment to ensuring that its customers surpass even the most stringent cleaning requirements is without equal.

For additional information and to tour one of our unparalleled technical centers, please visit www.zestron.com.

ZESTRON will be showcasing MPC (Micro Phase Cleaning) and FAST (Fast Acting Surfactant) Technologies, the principle basis of ZESTRON’s cleaning agents.  These core technologies power ZESTRON’s process solutions and facilitate the complete removal of organic and inorganic residues such as fluxes, solder paste and SMT adhesives.  ZESTRON’s cleaning agents can be effective at low concentrations thereby extending bath life and minimizing cleaning process costs.

For more information about ZESTRON’s complete product lines, cleaning process solutions and services as well as our April free-of-charge webinar “Effluent Management for the Inline Cleaning Process,” please visit our tabletop exhibit.  Our sales and engineering team stands ready to answer any question you may have.

An industry veteran who has covered electronics manufacturing since 1991, Buetow will look at a little-discussed but potentially game-changing trend taking place among OEMS and EMS companies. The keynote will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the lower level exhibit hall at the Gwinnett Civic Center, and close at 10:00, followed by a Q & A session. 

“EMS companies don't sit still. They jump in and out of end-markets; buy and sell companies; move to new regions; and are forever adding services,” Buetow says. “But in the quest for margins, some EMS firms are effectively becoming OEMs. Meanwhile, having outsourced everything from assembly to design to component purchasing, OEMs are finding themselves with little remaining ability to innovate. With their backs against the wall, will OEMs bring assembly back in-house? And is Apple's manufacturing model the roadmap for saving the traditional OEM?”

The Atlanta SMTA Expo is a free event open from 9:30 – 3:30 and features leading suppliers to the electronics industry, technical presentations, and lunch on the exhibit floor. In addition, Georgia FIRST Robotics will provide live demonstrations throughout the day on the exhibit floor.

For more information, please visit http://www.smta.org/expos/#atlanta.

An online course developed by Technology Forecasters, Inc. called DfE Online® may help companies leverage these findings in an innovative way to design energy efficient products. In one module, DfE Online®  discuss energy-reduction uses for graphene.

Design-for-Environment (DfE) is a methodology that has revolutionized the way engineers approach electronics products, increasing their efficiency and decreasing their environmental and social impacts. The many business advantages of DfE include a 1%-5% reduction in Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), increased reliability (80% of DFE principles increase reliability), and increased competitive edge and customer loyalty. As the regulatory burden on electronics products grows, the demand for DfE-trained engineers has increased.

For more information about DfE Online®  visit the SMTA BookStore.

Mr. Sean Mirshafiei was recently appointed Vice President, Global Electronics Marketing by Enthone Inc. 

Mr. Mirshafiei joined Enthone in March of 2012 as Vice President - Global PCB Marketing. With this promotion, he assumes additional responsibilities for the semiconductor copper, wafer level packaging, molded interconnect devices, light-emitting diodes (LED), photovoltaic and other future electronics markets the company may enter.

During his more than fifteen years in the electronics industry, Mr. Mirshafiei has held positions of increasing responsibility in engineering, marketing and business development with Allied Signal, Isola Group, and Rogers Corporation. Since joining Enthone he has brought a disciplined approach towards defining a roadmap for Enthone in the PCB market segment. 

Mr. Rick Reagan, President of Enthone said, “Sean’s extensive experience developing marketing strategies and business opportunities with OEMs, PCB fabricators and assemblers throughout the world, as well as with his understanding of our business opportunities, makes Sean uniquely qualified for this role.”

Mr. Mirshafiei earned a master's of business administration degree with an emphasis in finance and marketing from the University of Southern California. He also holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from California State Polytechnic University - Pomona.

Mr. Mirshafiei is an active member of IPC and the High Density Packaging User Group. He is based out of the Enthone corporate headquarters in Connecticut, USA.

About Enthone
Enthone Inc., an Alent plc company, is a global and leading supplier of high performance specialty chemicals and coatings. Enthone creates customer value by providing innovative and cost-effective technology solutions to the automotive, building hardware, energy, aerospace, jewelry, industrial finishes, printed circuit board and semiconductor industries. For more information, please visit enthone.com.

With over thirty years of industry expertise, Mr. Berger joined Enthone in 1998 as part of a merger with the former the Blasberg Oberflächentechnik GmbH. Throughout his career, Mr. Berger has held increasing management responsibilities in technical service, product management, market development, sales and export. A trained chemical engineer with a passion for the electroplating industry, Mr. Berger was one of the company’s first Six Sigma Champions where he was responsible for working with the Enthone black belt population to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of all business processes that ranged from manufacturing, quality assurance and customer satisfaction.

Mr. Ahrens said, "Uwe's extensive experience is only matched by the respect and trust he has earned with Enthone team members and customers. Under Uwe’s direction, our commitment to providing best-in-class technology solutions to East Europe will be unrivaled."

Mr. Berger is fluent in German and English. He resides in Germany and enjoys photography, programming, and travelling with his family.

The content of this webinar is designed for production line operators, manufacturing and quality managers as well as process engineers within the electronics manufacturing industry.  For more information or to register, please contact ZESTRON at infousa@zestron.com, or visit www.zestron.com

About ZESTRON:

Headquartered in Manassas, Virginia, and operating in more than 35 countries, ZESTRON is the globally leading provider of high precision cleaning products, services and training solutions for the electronics manufacturing industry. With six worldwide technical centers and the largest team of chemical engineers in the industry, ZESTRON’s commitment to ensuring that its customers surpass even the most stringent cleaning requirements is without equal.

For additional information and to tour one of our unparalleled technical centers, please visit www.zestron.com.