Few technologies have recently received as much attention as RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification).

In this study, all the exemptions proposed by the electronic industry are reported, all the official exemptions granted by the EU Commissioner are stated, and all the exemptions voted ‘YES’ by the EU TAC but not officially published in the OJ of EU are presented.

Although the United States has been slow to respond, conversion is inevitable, including in high reliability applications. 

With fine pitch assemblies, the accuracy and repeatability of the pick & place equipment become more critical to achieving an acceptable process yield.

The iNEMI Fiber Connector End-Face Inspection Project conducted research to quantify the correlation between fiber optic connector cleanliness and optical performance, with the goal of developing industry-standard criteria.

The industry is expecting that IC package developers will furnish innovative solutions to expand functionality and assure higher performance with each new generation of product offering.
 

Due to the higher melting point of lead-free Sn-Ag-Cu alloy, higher reflow soldering temperatures are required for lead-free PCB assembly. 

Development of an innovative chip technology is not all that is needed to achieve successful market positioning of new products.

The trend of increasing complication in the rework arena continues.

Consumer devices are driving a significant portion of today’s electronics industry growth.

The electronics industry’s transition to lead-free soldering has been characterised by misapprehensions.

When the solder iron pulls away, a solder spike is formed. There is, of course, more to it than that, as my experiments involving flux activity show.

Jetting adhesives for electronics and semiconductor packaging has provided enabling technology for high-throughput underfilling, small fillets and other applications for small, discrete amounts of material used in packaging. 

Printing of electronics is an escape route opening up for some in the troubled printing industry. 

Many words have been written about the impending lead-free transition. During this period of frantic discovery, much has been communicated about reflow and alloy concerns, but the print process, which, let’s face it, is the first process that adds value, is often overlooked. 

The 01005-chip component package, ranging from 0.10 x 0.304mm (0.004” x 0.012”) to 0.20 x 0.40mm (0.008” x 0.016”) depending on the supplier and if the 01005 component is a resistor or a capacitor, is dramatically smaller than the previous smallest component package used for resistors and capacitors, the 0201 (0.60 x 0.30mm (0.0236” x 0.0118”) component package. 

Another year has begun, and with the impending July 1st 2006 deadline for the RoHS Directive rapidly approaching, some companies are experiencing the stresses involved in meeting their obligations.