40 The PCB Design Magazine • February 2014
PCB007
News Highlights
Innovative Circuits Doubles Capacity
with Drill Acquisitions
"These new drills allow us to use all of our drills more
efficiently," says Russell nolan, manager of drill and
route operations. "This acquisition speeds up our
operations tremendously and increases our ability
to meet our customers' quick-turn demands."
Murrietta Circuits Achieves
ISo-13485 Certification
Albert Murrietta, COO and co-owner, announces
that his company has achieved full iSO-13485 reg-
istration for the medical marketplace. Murrietta is
now one of the few companies in the nation that
can offer a true full turnkey solution, from design
through final assembly, with complete medical
iSO registration.
MFLEX Doubles Sales to New Customers
Reza Meshgin, CeO, commented, "net sales to
our newer customers more than doubled sequen-
tially, and are expected to represent approximately
23% of total net sales. looking ahead to the fiscal
second quarter, we expect a significant sequential
decline in net sales that we anticipate could ap-
proach 40%."
AT&S Named zTE's Best Quality
Performance Supplier
On December 12, 2013 zTe held an awards cer-
emony for excellent Suppliers. in addition to win-
ning the "excellent Delivery" Award in 2012,
AT&S was awarded the "zTe Annual Best Quality
Performance Award 2013" as core supplier.
Impact of Inexpensive Flex PCBs on
Cell Phone Production
using flex circuits as the interconnect choice in the
assembly of cell phones will bring huge benefits.
These boards have low mass and cause cell phones
to be much lighter. They are capable of housing
small conductors with high wiring density, taking
up less space. Being lighter and smaller will result
in an end-product that is more versatile.
IPC: PCB Sales Improving Despite
Weaker orders
"While sales continued to strengthen in the north
American PCB industry compared to last year, or-
ders declined," said Sharon Starr, iPC's director of
market research. "This disparity between sales and
order growth pushed the book-to-bill ratio to its
lowest point since March 2009," she added, "indi-
cating a slow and possibly bumpy recovery going
into 2014."
Spirit Circuits Acquires Lyncolec
After six months of negotiation, innovative PCB
manufacturer Spirit Circuits is pleased to an-
nounce the acquisition of Poole, uK-based PCB
manufacturer lyncolec. The company is well-
known for supplying rigid, flex, and hybrid mul-
tilayer PCBs.
IPC Redefines Microvias, Again
in 2013, iPC changed its definition of a microvia.
Before then, a microvia was defined as any printed
board with holes that have a diameter of equal to
or less than 0.15 mm [0.006 in]. Over time, that
size became common, while more challenging ge-
ometries emerged to alter the definition of micro-
via structures.
IPC's 2013: A year in Review
Within the printed board fabrication arena, iPC
released updates to two of its most popular flex-
ible circuit standards: iPC-6013C, Qualification
and Performance Specification for Flexible Printed
Boards, and iPC-4203A, Cover Bonding Material
for Flexible Printed Circuitry.
PCB Solutions Doubled PCB
Engineering Projects in 2013
PCB Solutions is pleased to announce yet another
year of excellent growth in one of its core services:
engineering design and PCB layout. The company
developed engineering services most of the 2013
year and made great strides in growing its engi-
neering division.
40 The PCB Design Magazine • February 2014
