2008 World Distributor Review
“Companies are investing in technology that catches errors
at the front end of the manufacturing process.”
—David Raby, STI Electronics
partners in What market trends do you see in your
wave soldering systems
Technology territory going forward?
reach the end of their
www.partnersintechinc.com Automated optical inspection (AOI) has really
life cycle they are being
Representing Amistar, moved to the top of everyone’s wish list in 2008!
replaced by smaller more
ARTOS, Bokar Int’l, Botron, AOI has almost become a necessity for most
compact and efficient
Elite, Fritsch, GWS Systems,
contract manufacturers. As smaller parts are being
systems. Some compa-
Heraeus, Hover Davis, IMS,
used in new designs, there is more demand on
nies have gone as far as
I-Pulse, Lakewood Machine
inspection departments. AOI software continues
to eliminate wave solder-
& Tool, Metal Etch, Milara,
to improve and become more user friendly.
ing from their manufac-
Nexscien, OLAMEF,
turing process with the
PACE, Pro-mation, Stone
Don Dennison
What technology trends do you
Mountain Tool, Tamura,
use of paste in hole!
ddennison@comcast.net
observe happening in your territory?
Vision Engineering
Selective soldering was an area that most com-
panies were putting most of their engineering
(NJ, NY, PA)
support efforts into during 2008! Larger wave sol-
dering systems are being utilized less and less. As
Torenko & associates What market trends do you see in your
and nickel. The material
www.torenko.com territory going forward?
can be punched into a
Representing Asymtek, A lot of the business that moved off shore from
preform that is placed
CHAD, Cobar, Essemtec, Mexico is coming back. Major contract shops
between the parts and
Flexlink, Heraeus, IBL, have purchased land and are constructing new
ignited with electricity,
IP Systems, PPL, MRC, plants to handle this growth within Mexico.
thus creating your metal-
Milara, MVP, Precision There has also been a significant surge of ‘Joe the
lurgical bond. This is an
PCB Products, Protektive Plumber’ contract shops within Mexico. They are
exciting technology that
Pak, Samsung, Sciencescope, buying SMT lines for under $100,000 US. OEMs
someday could replace
SEIKA, SMARTsonic, are starting to bring their business back in house.
your traditional SMT
Ron Torenko
Stati-Tech, Teradyne, WSI Mexico and Texas look strong for 2009.
lines.
ron@torenko.com
With the problem of
(AR, LA, OK,
What technology trends do you
voids in BGAs on some dense boards, vapor
TX)
observe happening in your territory?
phase with a ‘vacuum’ in the reflow zone is being
NanoFoil® is being evaluated to replace tradi-
looked at. So far, we have seen one contractor
tional soldering methods. It is a new process
replace their ovens with vapor phase. Vapor phase
where a foil is build up from layers of aluminum
is coming back.
Kirby and Demarest What market trends do you see in your What technology
www.kirbydemarest.com territory going forward? trends do you
Representing Asymtek, Contract manufacturers are seeking higher ASP
observe happening
Aqueous Technologies, products to produce and are investing in newer
in your territory?
Dyconex, Essemtec, SMT equipment to address smaller component
The 2009 outlook is a
FineTech, KIC, Phoenix sizes, effective cleaning and close control of their
toss-up. Needles to say
X-Ray, Pillarhouse, soldering processes. Also, OEMs who contract
there are more variables
Pro-Mation, Technical out their production are investing in prototype
than constants at play
Devices, Universal gear to enhance their development capabilities.
right now. However,
Instruments The medical device market continues to be strong
tough times weed out
Steve Kirby
as the ‘baby-boomer’ generation is putting more marginal performers and
(OR, WA, ID,
steve@kirbydemarest.com
people in need of cutting edge technology at give well managed compa-
MO, UT,)
affordable prices. Some of the market trends that nies with some vision excellent opportunities. I’m
I commented on last year at this time still persist, expecting an upbeat year of modest growth with
(BC)
namely a confluence of the PCB and semiconduc- buyers expending the time & energy necessary
tor worlds involving wire bonding, underfill and to make proper equipment selections that will
imbedded. benefit for years to come.
40 – Global SMT & Packaging – December 2008 www.globalsmt.net
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