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ELECTRONICSTALK
The Independent Weekly Product Information Guide
for Electronics Design, Development and Manufacturing Engineers
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ISSN 1475-2913 - Free subscription
Last week's delivered circulation: over 24,000
Published every Tuesday from the UK.
Issue 160: 13 April 2004
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15861 product announcements and technical articles
on our web site, all fully searchable at
http://www.electronicstalk.com/ - take a look!
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In this issue:
* Editor's Message
* Our Top Ten new Products Selection
[1] Solder eases switch to lead-free processing
[2] Stencil system claims best of both worlds
[3] Building blocks to speed wireless upgrades
[4] PC-based digital pattern generator has long memory
[5] Adapters bring surface-mount relays to old designs
[6] All-analogue sensor aids frugal backlight control
[7] Surf's up for budget digital scope series
[8] A case for carrying
[9] Chip fuse family runs down to 200mA
[10] Reference raises the bar on temperature stability
* New Technical Articles and Case Studies
* ...And take a look at these stories too...
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Laurence Marchini, Editor, writes:
One of the eternal dilemmas in editing a "broadline" electronics news medium such as Electronicstalk is in determining the balance of the technology to be covered.
On the one hand we have the raw sexiness of the latest semiconductor technology; whereas on the other we have the (apologies for not thinking up a better word) "widgets" that hold it all together.
Hopefully, we get the balance right. But I can make no apologies for highlighting the "sexy" end of the market in this column. The fact is that semiconductor technology drives our market, and (as a keen observer) it is fascinating to watch the various strategies by which the semiconductor industry is seeking to weather what looks like the biggest boom for two decades.
Hang on: "weather a boom"? It's a strange phenomenon, but to hear the current posturing of many companies one might be forgiven for thinking that the current climate can lead to nothing but disaster in the near future. And, as one who will ever describe his glass as "half-full" rather than "half-empty", I personally regard such disquiet with amusement.
So while pundits such as Future Horizons will warn the semiconductor industry not to "overshoot the recovery" (see below), I can only applaud today's decision from Toshiba to invest a further US $2.5 billion into 300mm wafer fabrication (in central Japan, no less) to cater for demand for Flash memory.
I only hope that the rest of us can produce enough widgets to keep up with them.
I hope you find this issue of our weekly newsletter useful. In addition to the new products, news and ideas featured here, there are hundreds more on our website and dozens more being added daily, so do take a look if you can.
Alternatively, the full stories behind all the summaries and headlines in this newsletter can be retrieved by email alone: see details below.
In the meantime, if you have any suggestions as to how we might make the site or the newsletter better, email me directly.
Best wishes
Laurence Marchini, Editor
mailto:ne[-email removed-]nicstalk.com
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THIS WEEK'S INDUSTRY NEWS
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To read more, use the web links. Or get the full stories emailed back to you: just send a blank email to the address shown. It's a free service. Try it! It works!
ALPHAMOSAIC RAISES $9 MILLION FOR EXPANSION
Alphamosaic has successfully raised $9 million of working capital from its existing venture capital investors.
Alphamosaic, 9 April 2004
mailto:amo1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/amo/amo105.html
CONCOAT GOES DIRECT TO IRISH MARKET
Customers in Ireland now have direct access to the complete Concoat product portfolio, from materials to electronics reliability measurement test equipment.
Concoat, 8 April 2004
mailto:cnc1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/cnc/cnc110.html
SHANGHAI PLANT COMES ON STREAM
The Kulicke and Soffa 13,500m2 manufacturing plant in the Suzhou-Singapore Industrial Park, located near Shanghai, is now shipping cantilever probe cards to global semiconductor companies.
Kulicke and Soffa Industries, 13 April 2004
mailto:kul1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/kul/kul105.html
SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY MUST NOT OVERSHOOT RECOVERY
The semiconductor industry may ruin its current return to growth by overshooting the sector recovery, a leading semiconductor analyst warns.
Future Horizons, 13 April 2004
mailto:feh1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/feh/feh102.html
ALL CHANGE FOR ONLINE CONNECTOR SOURCING
A new resource aims to save connector sourcing managers both time and money.
XRT (Cross Reference Technologies), 13 April 2004
mailto:xrt1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/xrt/xrt100.html
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OUR TOP TEN NEW PRODUCTS SELECTION
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1. Solder eases switch to lead-free processing
BLT Circuit Services reports considerable success during recent extended trials with its SAC lead-free low-cost solder called LFB/227S. While testing with a large UK wave soldering machine manufacturer this nonpatented solder produced excellent results on a variety of PCBs, and BLT believes this would be a sensible choice of lead-free alloy for most users and could be a good contender as a drop in replacement against the standard 63/37 alloys currently used, while enjoying significant savings against other patented lead-free SAC alloys.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/blt/blt100.html
or send a blank email to mailto:blt1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
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2. Stencil system claims best of both worlds
A novel stencil system is claimed to combine all the advantages of both foils and frames without any of the drawbacks - and the lowest wear rates for lead-free processes. An innovative new development from stencil manufacturing specialist Tannlin offers a viable alternative to both remountable foils and framed stencils in surface mount technology. The company's VectorGuard quick-mount foil technology combines the cost and space saving advantages associated with foils, with the durability and ease of handling provided by frames.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/tnn/tnn100.html
or send a blank email to mailto:tnn1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
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3. Building blocks to speed wireless upgrades
picoChip is developing a WiMax PHY library, to run on its picoArray processor. The company already has a number of OFDM building blocks, and this development integrates them to deliver an end-to-end solution, enabling OEMs to accelerate their development of cost-effective WiMax-certified systems. This complements the company's successful reference designs for WCDMA and HSDPA. The standards agility of the picoArray architecture "future-proofs" today's designs, even as the IEEE802.16 standard evolves to the more complex d and e revisions.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/pco/pco111.html
or send a blank email to mailto:pco1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
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4. PC-based digital pattern generator has long memory
Semiconductor and electronics test and design engineers now only need one instrument to produce digital signals for all common logic families. Strategic Test's UF7221 is a full-length PCI card that provides a maximum output rate of 40MHz on 32 digital channels and can be equipped with up to 4096Mbit signal memory for generating long signals at the maximum output rates. Compared with traditional instruments the UF7221 is less expensive, faster to use and eliminates the need for multiple instruments to output different signal levels.
Request a free brochure by post:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/sra/114/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/sra/sra114.html
or send a blank email to mailto:sra1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
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5. Adapters bring surface-mount relays to old designs
A new range of SOIC adapters quickly and cost effectively provide an upgrade from older Aromat HB2E relays to surface mount TXSS relays while keeping the same PBC layout. Available on 7.62mm (0.300in) DIP centres, the new adapter can be mounted on PCBs with a PCB hole diameter of 0.71+/-0.08mm. The adapters are available with eight leads.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/aie/aie126.html
or send a blank email to mailto:aie1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
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6. All-analogue sensor aids frugal backlight control
A new ambient light photosensor can increase mobile phone battery life by eliminating unnecessary backlighting at half the cost and size of its predecessor device. In addition to mobile phones, Agilent's ambient light photosensors are an ideal power savings solution for PDAs, notebook PCs, portable DVD players, MP3 players, camcorders and digital cameras.
Request a free brochure by post:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/agi/217/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/agi/agi217.html
or send a blank email to mailto:agi2[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
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7. Surf's up for budget digital scope series
New from LeCroy is the WaveSurfer series of low-cost 200-500MHz digital oscilloscopes. Because so much of the value of an oscilloscope is in what the user can see, the new WaveSurfer series contains a bright 10.4in SVGA touch screen display - 250% larger than other oscilloscopes in this class - yet it is only 6in deep and has a small footprint, so location on a bench is easy. The WaveSurfer also provides long record capture - more than 100x the capture time of other oscilloscopes in this class and unparalleled documentation and connectivity capability.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/lew/lew106.html
or send a blank email to mailto:lew1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
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8. A case for carrying
OKW has extended its advanced range of Ergo-Case enclosures with the new smaller size S series. These ergonomic cases will be ideal for housing medical equipment, mobile data recording units, test and measurement devices and much more. Ergo-Case enclosures are unique in being designed from the outset to be carried on the body, for example strapped on the user's arm or around their waist using the optional eyelet and arm/belt strap accessories.
Request a free brochure by post:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/okw/134/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/okw/okw134.html
or send a blank email to mailto:okw1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
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9. Chip fuse family runs down to 200mA
The FCD family of chip fuses has been widened with the introduction of models featuring current ratings of 200mA. The fuses, in 0402, 0603, 0805 and 1206 sizes, can now cover even more applications in equipment such as mobile phones, computer motherboards, hard drives and CD-ROM drives, modems, PDAs and digital cameras. Manufactured using metal film technology on a heat-resistant ceramic substrate, the fuses exhibit much greater tolerance to heat and shock than other subminiature fuses.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/wic/wic114.html
or send a blank email to mailto:wic1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
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10. Reference raises the bar on temperature stability
Xicor's X60008BIS8-50 precision voltage reference raises the temperature coefficient performance bar by guaranteeing 3ppm/C maximum over the full device operating temperature range. For designers, the 5V reference device enables advanced applications for precision industrial and portable systems operating at significantly higher accuracy and lower power levels than can be achieved with conventional technologies.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/xic/xic135.html
or send a blank email to mailto:xic1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
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New Technical Articles and Case Studies
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AUTOMOTIVE LESSONS AID WEEE/ROHS IMPLEMENTATION
(Strategic Environmental Management, 12 April 2004)
Malcolm Fox, AJ Guikema, Chris Harden and Will Martin of MDSMap contend that electronics companies can learn from the automotive industry's experience in implementing the WEEE and RoHS Directives.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/seg/seg100.html
(or email mailto:seg1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
DSP BOARD AIMS FOR LEADING EDGE IMAGING
(Pentek, 13 April 2004)
Researchers at the University of Washington and IBM are using a DSP-based VME platform to help develop a practical technology for imaging the three-dimensional structure of individual molecules.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/pnt/pnt103.html
(or email mailto:pnt1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
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...And take a look at these stories too...
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INVERTER CHIP SIMPLIFIES APPLIANCE MOTOR DRIVES
(International Rectifier, 7 April 2004)
The IR3101 simplifies half-bridge inverter designs for one-, two- or three-phase motor drives for refrigerator compressors, fans and pumps up to 400W (up to 250W with no heatsink cooling).
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/sil/sil184.html
(or email mailto:sil1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
CONTROLLER HAS DDR MEMORY COVERED
(Arques Technology, 8 April 2004)
The AQ9260 is a two-output voltage controller that combines a switching and linear regulator to provide both VDDQ core supply and VTT bus termination voltages to DDR-SDRAMs.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/arq/arq103.html
(or email mailto:arq1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
DSP-BASED TRANSCEIVERS DRIVE FASTER OVER COPPER
(Analogix Semiconductor, 9 April 2004)
A novel line of high-speed physical-layer transceivers uses DSP techniques to eliminate signal integrity problems associated with 5 and 10Gbit/s data transmission over backplanes and copper media.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/alo/alo101.html
(or email mailto:alo1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
MINI POWER RELAY STILL GOING STRONG AFTER 37 YEARS
(Omron Corp, 7 April 2004)
Omron celebrated a manufacturing milestone earlier this year when the 500 millionth MY mini power relay rolled off its production lines.
Free brochure on MY mini power relay:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/oro/106/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/oro/oro106.html
(or email mailto:oro1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
RELAY ELIMINATES HIGH SURGE CURRENTS
(Crydom International, 12 April 2004)
Crydom International has launched a peak switching (PS) series of AC solid-state relays.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/crb/crb110.html
(or email mailto:crb1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
KERNEL TARGETS EMBEDDED ADA95 ON POWERPC
(Aonix, 7 April 2004)
Aonix has developed the first language-specific component of SmartKernel, a memory and time-partitioned kernel designed to provide safety and security protection.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/nwm/nwm107.html
(or email mailto:nwm1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
FASTER TIMING CLOSURE FOR CELL-BASED DESIGNS
(Zenasis Technologies, 13 April 2004)
ZenTime 2.1 brings cell-based designers a three- to four-fold increase in run-time speed, allowing them to achieve timing closure on complex, high-speed, nanometre blocks in a matter of days.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/zen/zen100.html
(or email mailto:zen1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
DESIGN SOFTWARE GOES FREE TO UNIVERSITIES
(Recardis, 13 April 2004)
From May 2004, the novel Regtify software package for bus interface design will be available without charge on request for universities and similar higher education institutions.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/rar/rar101.html
(or email mailto:rar1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
CONNECTORS POWER UP PCI EXPRESS GRAPHICS CARDS
(Molex UK, 7 April 2004)
Mini-Fit is a specially polarised connector system for PCI Express high-end graphics power cards.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/mol/mol160.html
(or email mailto:mol1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
COAX SOCKETS HANDLE HIGH VOLTAGES
(WW Fischer Connectors, 9 April 2004)
Two new 50ohm coaxial sockets feature 90-degree elbows with two panel-fixing nuts designed for securing to a chassis using both a plain hex nut followed by a decorative nut.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/fis/fis106.html
(or email mailto:fis1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
NOVEL INTERFACE IS PERFECT FOR CONVERTOR MOUNTING
(C and D Technologies (NCL), 12 April 2004)
Position Perfect is a novel surface mount interface technology claimed to provide enhanced mechanical integrity and improved mounting accuracy for DC/DC convertors.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/can/can152.html
(or email mailto:can1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
BUDGET SWITCHER TAKES CHARGE OF BATTERIES
(VxI Power, 12 April 2004)
A new entry-level 45W switch-mode power supply unit that is ideal for use as a battery charger in cost-sensitive fire-panel applications.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/vxi/vxi103.html
(or email mailto:vxi1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
PXI CARDS CRAM IN MORE PROGRAMMABLE RESISTORS
(Pickering Interfaces, 8 April 2004)
Pickering Interfaces has expanded its range of PXI base programmable resistor modules with the introduction of the 40-295 and 40-296.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/pck/pck105.html
(or email mailto:pck1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
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Have you seen our other newsletters?
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