32 The PCB Design Magazine • August 2014
PCB007
News Highlights
Sunstone Circuits Names Hammer
QA Manager
sunstone Circuits, the leading PCB prototype so-
lutions provider, has named Dennis hammer as
quality assurance manager. in this position, he will
play a vital role in the management of product
quality, continuous improvement, and process
analysis.
Global, China Advanced Rigid
PCB Industry Report
The PCB industry is fairly mature, with the growth
rate generally not more than 6%. The output
value of rigid PCB vendors has long been declin
-
ing—the year 2012 witnessed hard times for rig-
id PCB vendors at a time when the smartphone
and tablet PC market showed unexpectedly rapid
growth. This sent rigid PCB vendors into a fierce
price war, leading to a drop in profit and revenue.
TTM Shanghai Earns Zero Defect
Award from Spansion
TTM Technologies, inc. announced that its silicon
Platforms facility in shanghai received the World
Class supplier—zero Defect Award from spansion
inc. on June 16, 2014 for supplying top quality,
zero defect substrate products in 2013.
Merlin Circuit Installs Latest ITC
Via Plugging Machine
Flintshire-based Merlin Circuit Technology has
completed the installation and testing of the lat
-
est via plugging machine supplied by iTC. The
ThP35 is the most advanced system currently
available and gives the ability to reliably fill all via
types by way of its vacuum head.
Colonial Committed to IP Safeguarding;
Earns IPC-1071QML
iPC's validation services Program has awarded
its first iPC-1071 Qualified Manufacturers list
-
ing (QMl) to Colonial Circuits inc., a full-service
printed board manufacturer in Fredericksburg,
virginia. The facility underwent an intensive au-
dit based on iPC-1071, Best industry Practices for
intellectual Property Protection in Printed Board
Manufacturing.
Schweizer CEo Reappointed Board
Member of ZVEI
At the general meeting of the zentralverband elek-
trotechnik und elektronikindustrie (zvei), the ger-
man electrical and electronic manufacturers asso-
ciation, in Munich, germany, Dr. Marc schweizer,
CeO of schweizer electronic Ag, was reappointed
a member of the board of zvei.
Electronics Industry Leaders Meet
with Policy Makers in D.C.
A healthy electronics industry is critical to the
economy and national security of all nations.
That's why 17 iPC member-company executives
gathered in Washington, D.C. to meet with se
-
nior policy makers as part of iMPACT 2014: iPC
on Capitol hill. Through a series of meetings, the
executives educated lawmakers about the needs
of our industry.
IPC: PCB Industry Growth Slows in May
"While sales growth is slowing, declining orders
pushed the book-to-bill ratio below parity after just
two months of positive ratios," said sharon starr,
iPC's director of market research. "This setback in
the industry's recovery is likely to be short-lived,
given the positive economic outlook for north
America this year," she added.
Newbury Begins Redevelopment Program
newbury electronics has begun the initial phase
of its redevelopment program early this month.
West Berkshire MP Richard Benyon recently vis
-
ited newbury's premises to learn more about its
redevelopment of the site, which will ultimately
provide increased production space, new offices,
and deliver savings in both water and electricity
consumption.
PCBs Enumerated at Category
XI of USML
The u.s. Department of state published a final
rule that enumerates PCBs in Category Xi for Mili
-
tary electronics of the united states Munitions list
(usMl). This is a significant win for iPC which has
advocated for the enumeration of PCBs on the
usMl.
32 The PCB Design Magazine • August 2014
