SMT007 Magazine

SMT-Dec2016

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December 2016 • SMT Magazine 11 combination of boundary scan and functional test, as well as new technological solution ap- proaches for embedded function tests, and their practical implementation. Frederick Blancas of Integrated Micro-Elec- tronics Inc., on the other hand, writes about sustainability, and how EMS companies, as well as every stakeholder in the supply chain, can do their part to help address societal and environ- mental issues. SMT Magazine is not complete without our columnists. So for this issue, we have Tom Borkes writing about controllable cost contribu- tors presented by indirect, overhead, and gener- al and administrative costs as a function of or- ganizational structure. He provides an example of a new organizational model and its economic impact to an EMS company. Then we have Bob Wettermann writing about updates being done on rework and repair standards in printed boards and electronics as- semblies. To round things up is my interview with Mycronic's Thomas Bredin about the latest de- velopments in jet printing technology as well as Mycronic's recent acquisition of China-based Shenzhen Axxon Automation Co. Ltd. As always, I hope you'll enjoy this month's issue of SMT Magazine. Another year has passed. I hope it has been a good year for all of you. On behalf of my colleagues here at I-Con- nect007, we wish you very happy holidays and a prosperous New Year. Thank you very much for your support throughout the year; we look forward to working more with you in the year ahead. SMT Stephen Las Marias is managing editor of SMT Magazine. He has been a technology editor for more than 12 years covering electronics, components, and industrial automation systems. SELLING SUCCESS IN THE PCBA INDUSTRY Researchers at The Aus- tralian National University (ANU) have found a new way to fabricate high ef- ficiency semi-transparent perovskite solar cells in a breakthrough that could lead to more efficient and cheaper solar electricity. Dr. Tom White from the ANU Research School of Engineering said the new fabrication method sig- nificantly improved the performance of perovskite solar cells, which can combine with convention- al silicon solar cells to produce more efficient so- lar electricity. "The prospect of adding a few additional pro- cessing steps at the end of a silicon cell production line to make perovskite cells is very exciting and could boost solar efficiency from 25% to 30%," Dr. White said. "By combining these two cells, the perovskite cell and the silicon cell, we are able to make much better use of the solar energy and achieve higher efficien- cies than either cell on its own." The new fabrication method involves adding a small amount of the el- ement indium into one of the cell layers during fab- rication. That could in- crease the cell's power output by as much as 25 per cent. The development builds on the state-of-the-art silicon cell research at ANU and is part of a $12.2 million "High-efficiency silicon/perovskite so- lar cells" project led by University of New South Wales and supported by $3.6 million of funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency. Re- search partners include Monash University, Arizo- na State University, Suntech R&D Australia Pty Ltd and Trina Solar. New Way to Make Low-Cost Perovskite Solar Cell Technology

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