May 2008

Watt-Flex Cartridge Heaters Available with External Thermocouple for Accurate Control

Watt-Flex Split-Sheath Cartridge Heaters by Dalton Electric can be manufactured with a groove along the outside of the sheath to accommodate a needle-type thermocouple. This design provides more accurate sensing and control than conventional heaters for temperature-critical processing applications, such as molding heat-sensitive resins.

Unlike those in conventional internal-thermocouple heaters, the Watt-Flex thermocouple can be replaced independently of the heater. And while the thermocouples in conventional heaters are fixed and measure the temperature at either the middle or tip of the cartridge, the Watt-Flex thermocouple is movable, allowing temperature measurement at any point along the heater sheath.

Because of the split-sheath design, Watt-Flex heaters run efficiently, last long and are more easily replaced than conventional heaters, reducing the overall cost of process heating. Split-sheath construction allows each half of the heater to expand independently when energized for good metal-to-metal contact with the surrounding bore. This then maximizes heat transfer even in oversized bores. Greater compaction of magnesium oxide around the coil provides superior heat conduction to the outer sheath, resulting in more responsive sheath temperatures, higher operating temperatures with cooler internal operation, and up to five times longer life. Because of their continuous-coil design, Watt-Flex heaters have no cold spots between sections, and produce a uniform temperature profile along the heater sheath. With no sections to burn out, the entire heater is either on or off. The continuous coil also allows a hot tip option. When the heater is de-energized, the split sheath contracts uniformly for easy removal. In fact, Watt-Flex heaters are warranted removable from bores and sleeves.

Watt-Flex Heaters are available in standard diameters of ¼ inch, 3/8 inch, ½ inch, 5/8 inch, 11/16 inch, ¾ inch and 1 inch, as well as 8 mm, 10 mm, 12 mm, 12.5 mm, 15 mm, 16 mm and 20 mm; in lengths from 11/4 inches to 72 inches; and with operating temperatures to 1,700°F.  Heaters are available in custom lengths and electrical ratings, with hot and cool tips. Customers also have a choice of leads, including flexible stainless-steel hose or braid to protect against frequent flexing and abrasion, straight or right-angle headers, threaded post terminals, extra-long leads, high-temperature leads, fiberglass or silicon-rubber sleeving, an internal ground wire, and a quick disconnect lead with a convenient male plug. Mounting variations include a stainless steel flange, a mounting bracket, an NPT fitting and a puller end plug.

Camera upgrade for EL thermal imaging system

The latest version of the OptoTherm EL thermal imaging system includes a new thermal imaging camera utilizing a 320 by 240 uncooled detector array with <0.05˚C sensitivity and 16 bit digital Camera Link interface. The camera captures and displays images at a rate of 30 frames/second and provides a pixel resolution of down to 70 microns.

The EL system is used to locate shorts, stressed components and other defects. It can also analyze the thermal behavior of individual components. Model Board Comparison enables you to locate defects by comparing the thermal behavior of defective boards to a known good board model.

An EL system is a complete solution for pcba and electronics testing that includes all necessary hardware, thermalyze image analysis software, camera stand, and i/o relay module. OptoTherm offers many additional mounting options for the camera. 

StratEdge Unveils Series of Small Outline Thermally Enhanced Packages for Power Semiconductors

StratEdge, designer and producer of semiconductor packages for microwave, millimeter wave and high speed digital devices, has introduced a new family of small outline thermally enhanced molded ceramic packages for power semiconductors. The new line of packages can be used for silicon, silicon carbide, gallium nitride and other compound semiconductors in power integrated circuit applications. Specific devices include amplifiers, discrete transistors and diodes where greater than 0.5 Watt power is consumed.

These thermally enhanced packages are designed for reliability and to mitigate the inherent stresses of brazing dissimilar materials together. All materials used in the packages have matched coefficients of expansion. They are assembled using a glass-to-metal seal process combined with gold germanium brazing, resulting in a rugged and reliable package. The packages can handle temperatures up to 360°C.  A hermetic seal provides enhanced reliability for the device and offers protection from harsh environmental conditions, meeting military standard requirements. Packages in this series are sealed with metal or ceramic lids that have gold-tin solder preforms.

These packages incorporate copper composite bases or copper inserts for enhanced thermal dissipation.  Devices are mounted directly to the metal bases thus providing excellent electric ground to the backside of the chip. They provide improved electrical performance for frequencies up to at least 6 GHz. For controlled impedance devices, transition designs with higher frequency performance can be utilized.

Packages are available in various shapes, sizes and lead counts. All can be provided with gull wing-shaped leads for surface mounting. A popular package is the two lead G1010M-2C supplied with copper insert. The G1010M-2C has a 0.100 inch square (2.5 mm square) outline with a 0.030 inch (0.75 mm) by 0.055 inch (1.4 mm) die attach area. 
 
“These new packages, combined with our Power Package Series with thermally conductive beryllium oxide (BeO) ceramic, give our customers a variety of packages to choose from to package their high power devices,” said Timothy Going, president and CEO of StratEdge.

Cool Polymers Introduces Next Generation Thermally Conductive Polymers for Heat Sinks

Cool Polymers, Inc. has introduced the next generation of advanced thermally conductive injection molding grade thermoplastics for heat sinks and thermal management solutions.   They have numerous advantages over metal. Among the many benefits of the new proprietary CoolPoly grades are they provide no antenna effect (no amplification of electromagnetic or radio frequency interference and no magnetic coupling), are up to 50 percent lighter than aluminum and provide greater part design flexibility.

These polymers feature thermally conductivity with characteristics previously unavailable in injection molding grade polymers. The E-series grades are electrically conductive and provide inherent EMI/RFI absorption. D-series grades are electrically insulative and produce no signal interference and or magnetic coupling.  

Packaging engineers, designers and OEMs have a choice of ordering either compounds for injection molding, purchasing off-the-shelf parts molded from these polymers, or for unique parts or applications, having Cool Polymers provide complete injection molding services. Applications include electrical and electronics, telecommunications, mobile products, medical imaging, appliance, automotive, controls and power products, among others.

In typical electronic power and air flow environments, CoolPoly thermally conductive plastics provide equivalent heat transfer to aluminum parts. Specifications of the polymers include thermal conductivity of 20 w/mk, thermal diffusivity of 0.1 cm2/sec and density of 1.7 g/cc. Mold shrinkage is minimal. The material allows new design freedom in applications previously restricted to metals.

New Thermoelectric Cooler (TEC) Module Addresses Applications with High Heat-Flux Requirements in Small Optoelectronic Packages

Nextreme Thermal Solutions, a company focused on microscale thermal and power management products for the electronics industry, has released a new thin-film thermoelectric cooler module - the OptoCooler UPF40, which is designed for optoelectronic applications with high heat-flux requirements. The module is ideally suited for the cooling and temperature control of optoelectronic devices such as semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOA) and laser diodes. The OptoCooler UPF40 is the latest module in Nextreme's OptoCooler family of thermoelectric coolers designed for the photonics industry.

The OptoCooler UPF40 module can pump a heat density of up to 72 W/cm2 at 25°C, and as a result, it can move a maximum of 3.7 W of heat with an active footprint of only 5.1 mm2.

With Nextreme's thin-film thermal bump technology at its core, the OptoCooler UPF40 module can be integrated directly into electronic packaging to deliver cooling for a wide variety of thermal management applications. For example, the module can be embedded in a SOA package to maintain proper operating conditions. SOAs are used in telecommunications systems to restore degraded optical signals to their original quality without converting them into electronic signals. SOAs are key components for the future success of high-speed photonic networks.

The module can be used for a number of optoelectronic applications including high-bright LEDs, laser diodes, VCSELs and detectors.

“The new OptoCooler UPF40 module operates with heat fluxes four to five times greater than conventional thermoelectric coolers,” said Dave Koester, vice president of Engineering at Nextreme. “In addition, the module's extremely small footprint opens up new thermal management capabilities in electronics that were previously unavailable.”

Nextreme's thin-film thermoelectric products are manufactured in volume with the Thermal Copper Pillar Bump process, an established electronic packaging approach that scales well into large arrays. The Thermal Copper Pillar Bump process integrates thin-film thermoelectric material into the solder bumped interconnects that provide mechanical and electrical connections for today's high performance/high density integrated circuits. Unlike conventional solder bumps, thermal bumps function as solid-state heat pumps on a microscale. The stack-up of a thermal bump, including the thin-film material, solder and electrical traces, is only 100 μm (microns) high and has a diameter of 238 μm. The thermal bumping process can be implemented at the, package or wafer-level, and is used today to fabricate Nextreme’s discrete modules.

Dylon Lubricant Technologies Co. has developed a new synthetic industrial EP gear lubricant, Dylon LB-447 Synepoil.

Dylon LB-447 Synepoil is a family of ISO grade lubricants that provide operating characteristics for heavily loaded industrial gears and bearings. Their anti-wear and R and O additives, combined with a superior load carrying synthetic base stock, provide service in rugged heavy industry. These lubricants exceed all industry requirements for modern gear lubricants.

The synthetic gear lubricants will normally reduce frictional losses that cause excessive power consumption. Their coefficient of friction is 0.12u. This often will increase output and productivity, decrease operating temperature and reduce wear on bearing surfaces. In addition, this family of lubricants provides thermal stability and cleanliness, low temperature fluidity, as well as high resistance to sludge formation that results in vastly improved cleanliness. These fatures will usually extend service intervals and often eliminate seasonal oil changes due to summer or winter temperature extremes.

Thermal Management and Technology Symposium Program Updates Announced

Click here to download the Preliminary Brochure!

Thermal Management and Technology Symposium 2008 will feature, Evolution of Thermal Management in Electronics, a keynote session hosted by Dr. Richard Hill, director of technology at Laird Technologies. He will discuss innovative approaches to thermal interface materials that require close collaboration between materials and systems designers. You will learn how the increased cost of thermal management will have to be mitigated by integrating multiple functions into the thermal solution.

This keynote is part of a full two-day event offering opportunities for networking, peer discussion sessions and Q&A sessions with leading technology experts in the thermal market.

You can now download the entire preliminary program online! Click here to read more about the presentations and the speakers who are scheduled to participate at Thermal Management and Technology Symposium 2008.

ECD Receives Vision Award for MegaM.O.L.E.20 Thermal Profiler

The SMT China Vision award was presented to ECD at Nepcon China in Shanghai, and was given in the Process Control Tools category, recognizing the MegaM.O.L.E.20 for its innovation and excellence at both engineering and production levels. 

Simplicity and accuracy for the production operator have proved to be two critical requirements for success in China’s electronics assembly industry. A thermal profiler offering 20 channels, and at 7.2 mm, ECD’s MegaM.O.L.E.20 provides both.  It allows the engineer the flexibility to enter the criteria pertinent to the production profile, while giving the production operator a simple, clear, and definitive “Go/No Go” signal by means of the patent-pending OK button. This feature alone saves considerable time and money as the engineers are freed for the more complex tasks requiring their attention.

Also paramount to success in China is the preservation of the valuable “golden boards” and prototypes, which are both costly and logistically difficult to replace.  Using the 20 thermocouples and data-rich flexible MAP software, the MegaM.O.L.E.20 is able to extract data in the needed format with only one pass, reducing wear and tear on these costly-to-replace boards.

Laird Technologies, Inc. Opens India Manufacturing Operation

US-headquartered Laird Technologies, Inc., designer and manufacturer of customized, performance-critical products for wireless and other advanced electronics applications, has opened its first manufacturing facility in India. Laird Technologies, a unit of the UK-based Laird Group PLC, employs more than 14,000 employees in more than 40 facilities located in 14 countries.

The facility, located in the Nokia Telecom SEZ (Special Economic Zone) in Sriperembudur near Chennai, has been inaugurated by Shri. L.K. Tripathi, chief secretary to Tamil Nadu Government and Shri. G. K. Pillai, commerce secretary, Government of India.

With an investment of over $15 Million, Laird Technologies’ 160,000 square-foot manufacturing facility will employ between 1,000 to 1,200 people when in full production. The manufacturing facility will initially produce antennas, battery packs and EMI shielding products for cellular handset applications for its Indian customers. The company also expects to export the products manufactured at the Chennai facility to overseas markets. 

According to Sri Talpallikar, Laird Technologies Managing Director-India, the choice of Chennai as the company’s first location in India was because of the, “availability of a skilled work force, support from the Tamil Nadu Government, the presence of good logistics, excellent infrastructure facilities, lower costs and our ‘close to the customer’ strategy. This new facility will allow us to support our Indian customers with products in a timely and efficient manner.”

Laird Technologies already supplies products to large Indian enterprises in the mobile phone, telecom infrastructure equipment, computer hardware and automotive electronics sectors from manufacturing facilities outside India. By setting up the manufacturing facility in Chennai, Laird Technologies is poised to expand its customer base over the next 12 to 18 months in the rapidly growing market for electronic products in India.

 “Our new manufacturing facility in Chennai is a big step for us in our goal to be local, globally,” said Marty Rapp, Laird Technologies CEO. “Now that the facility is in operation, we look forward to introducing a wider range of our products and servicing the rapidly growing electronics market in India.”

Microchip Technology Ships 600,000th Development Tool to Emerson

Microchip Technology, Inc., provider of microcontroller and analog semiconductors, has shipped its 600,000th development tool to Emerson. Microchip development tools are software and hardware components that are used to design applications using Microchip’s semiconductors.

Today’s announcement reinforces the industry’s continued acceptance of Microchip tools by embedded design engineers, who increasingly look to simplify code development while reducing design-software costs. It follows Microchip’s recent shipment of its six billionth PIC microcontroller.

Applications for Microchip’s devices span all sectors around the world, including industrial, consumer, telecommunications, automotive and office automation. From these market segments, the company serves more than 60,000 customers, located in more than 65 countries across the globe. Examples of final products that utilize Microchip’s semiconductors for embedded intelligence include security systems, exit and emergency lighting systems, electronic meters, washing machines, water heaters, auto-dialers, poker machines and remote keyless entry systems.

A Microchip customer for over eight years, 57 Emerson design centers regularly purchase Microchip Development Tools, with White-Rodgers and Astec purchasing the most. 

The 600,000th development tool shipped is the MPLAB PM3 Universal Device Programmer. This tool is easy to use and operates with a PC or as a stand-alone unit to program Microchip’s entire line of 8-, 16- and 32-bit PIC microcontrollers and dsPIC DSCs.

Included with the MPLAB PM3 Universal Device Programmer is the highly popular, and free, MPLAB Integrated Development Environment (IDE). With this tool, new design activities are simpler to launch, faster to market and can leverage the MPLAB IDE’s unified, easy-to-use interface, which accommodates a generous array of software and hardware components.

“From evaluation kits, programmers, in-circuit debuggers to state-of-the art in-circuit emulators that run full speed with tomorrow’s highest speed technologies, the development tools from Microchip offer simplicity, power and affordability,” said Derek Carlson, vice president of Development Tools at Microchip Technology.  “Microchip stands alone among semiconductor companies by offering a low-cost, universal and truly integrated development environment that supports our entire line of 8-, 16- and 32-bit microcontrollers, and 16-bit digital signal controllers, ranging from 6-pin to over 100-pin devices.”

Thermal Management & Technology Symposium 2008
Sept. 25-26
Hyatt Regency Austin in Austin, Texas

Thermal Management and Technology Symposium 2008 is a conference highlighting the latest advancements in thermal technology for product design, system development and process management, will be held September 25-26 in Austin, Texas.

This event will feature presentations on thermal manufacturing technology, materials and R&D. Topics will include new thermal technology as well as the latest market trends affecting the industry. The conference is designed for design engineers, system engineers, process engineers, material scientists and R&D managers with organizations in a variety of industries and markets whose products, operations and services depend upon sophisticated and precise control of thermal properties and states.

If you are involved in electronics, semiconductor, manufacturing, process industries, food, healthcare, R&D or temperature control industries, this is a must attend event.

Register by May 30th and Save $500. Click Here to register today!

Contact Jeremy Fleming about sponsorship/exhibitor information.

Ecosystems Summit 2008 • Denver, Colo. • June 25-26

The rules are changing in IT alliances and partnerships. Today, more than ever, software, IT and technology companies need to know how to build their ecosystems of strategic alliances and partners, and how best to profit from these relationships.

At Ecosystems Summit 2008, Charles Weaver, President, Managed Services Alliance, will discuss the business drivers behind the growth in companies outsourcing key business processes such as network security, data protection, network administration and more, and what this growing acceptance of the service provider model means for future business opportunities. He'll also offer specific advice on how MSPs and vendors should work more closely together to benefit end-users.

Join alliance & partner program managers, C-level executives, channel managers, VARs, market development and product managers at Ecosystems Summit 2008, June 25-26 in Denver, to learn from the best at developing, managing and profiting from strategic alliances.

Click here to register: http://www.softwarebusinessonline.com/ses_conf08_reg.php.

43rd POWER SOURCES CONFERENCE
Sheraton Philadelphia City Center Hotel, Philadelphia Pennsylvania
July 7-10, 2008

The 43rd Power Sources Conference is scheduled to proceed along traditional lines.  The meeting will focus on energy generation and storage technology (largely, but not exclusively electrochemical) which is of interest to the DoD, other Government agencies, and to the civilian marketplace. As usual, the orientation will be toward devices, but relevant contributions on materials, mechanisms and power management are very welcome, in addition to contributions on prototype development, manufacturing technology, device and system engineering, and economic and environmental considerations.

www.powersourcesconference.com

SEMICON West 2008
July 15-17
San Francisco, Calif.

SEMICON West 2008–Infinite Innovations, Infinite Ideas SEMICON West is the place to see the companies, technologies, and people driving the future of micro design and manufacturing. No other event this year has more new products, more new technologies, and more solutions than SEMICON West.
From the latest developments in cutting-edge materials, to the systems and technologies driving semiconductor designs to the limits of Moore's Law, you'll find everything and everyone in the industry at SEMICON West.

Registration is now open! Plan now to participate and get ready to discover the infinite opportunities shaping the design and manufacture of semiconductors, MEMS, photovoltaics, flexible electronics, and more!

For more information, visit www.semiconwest.org.

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800-803-9488 x 126.

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