KIC Wins Third Vision Award In Four Years (SAN DIEGO, CA) February 2002

KIC is proud to announce that the KIC 24/7 was awarded the 2001 SMT Vision Award in the software category at APEX 2002. The Vision Award for the 24/7 is KIC's second consecutive award and third win in four years.

The KIC 24/7 automated reflow management system enables users to increase manufacturing efficiencies by automating process development and control. The system combines continuous SPC charting, line balancing, documentation, and production traceability into one software package, adding a new level of automation to the thermal process. The KIC 24/7 automatically provides real-time process data to engineers and managers, allowing them to make critical decisions affecting production costs and quality. And the KIC 24/7 includes a zero-defect fail-safe system that alarms before the process drifts out-of-spec.

Process data is automatically charted for all critical process specs: peak temperature, soak time, time above liquidus, etc. The data is plotted on real-time control charts and Process Capability (Cpk) is calculated for each spec. Any process drift outside of the control limits will bring an immediate alarm. This allows the 24/7 to automatically catch potential defects before they happen, rather than discovering actual defects in "Inspection". The KIC 24/7 automatically calculates and records a unique product profile including all process data for every product that exits the oven.

In 1998, KIC's Auto-Predict won, as did the KIC-Pilot self-profiling oven software in 2000. The Vision Awards, presented annually by SMT Magazine, recognize companies that have uniquely advanced surface mount technology or demonstrated "visionary" development of new products to meet the challenges facing the electronics assembly industry.

KIC -- Innovation That Works™

The Asymtek Axiom X-1020 is the Winner of Two Awards:

EP&P Magazine Announces 11th Annual Excellence Awards Winners

Des Plaines, Ill., Feb. 23, 2002 -- EP&P magazine, a Cahners Business Information publication, announced the winners of the 11th annual Excellence in Electronic Packaging and Production Awards during a ceremony at the Hyatt Regency in San Diego, California. EP&P employees Vicky Steen, Greg Reed and Mark Robins were presenters.

The EP&P Excellence Awards were established in 1989 to recognize the most innovative products in the electronics manufacturing industry. Entries are accepted in five different categories and a panel of industry experts evaluates each nominated product based on direct benefit to the user, innovation in design/development, uniqueness, cost effectiveness and quality enhancement. A winning product is chosen from finalists in each category and the single product with the highest overall score receives the Grand Award.

11th Annual EP&P Excellence in Electronic Packaging and Production Awards Winners and Finalists

Electronics Assembly Equipment and Accessories
Winner: Axiom X-1020 Dispensing System - Asymtek
Finalist: FUSION - Aegis
Finalist: 2Di Version 7.0 Software with 2D Easy - DEK
Finalist: Novacure IR - EXFO Photonic Solutions Inc.

On Tuesday, January 22 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency San Diego during APEX, held January 22 through 24, the culmination of a process to find the finest examples of creative advancement in technology was realized. SMT Magazine recognized the innovations of supplier companies and their people for the introduction of new products and services for the electronics manufacturing industry at the 2001 VISION Awards program.

The program was open for entries in the following categories: Adhesives, Coatings and Encapsulants; Assembly Tools; Cleaning; Components; Contract Services; Dispensing Equipment; Inspection; Pick-and-Place Systems; Printing; Rework and Repair; Software; Soldering Equipment; Soldering Materials; and Testing. Only those products introduced between January 1 and December 31, 2001, qualified for the 2001 program.

A panel of industry experts judged each submission based on its ability to meet a significant industry challenge, creative application of a new or existing technology, overall quality and consistency of performance, economic merits, and throughput characteristics. Additionally, the products were judged specifically on their innovativeness, cost-effectiveness, speed and throughput improvements, quality contribution, ease of use, maintainability and repairability, and environmental responsibility.

Each of the winning companies received a crystal display award and will be featured in the VISION Awards spotlight in the March 2002 issue of SMT Magazine.

24.01.2002
phoenix|x–ray takes home prestigious excellence award

San Diego (January 23, 2002) – phoenix|x-ray Systems + Services Inc., innovator of the only commercially available nanofocus X–ray system and first fully automated failure analysis system, today announced it was recognized for excellence in customer service at this year’s APEX trade show in an award presented by Circuits Assembly Magazine and Technology Forecasters, Inc. This is the tenth year of the award series and is presented each year in recognition of superior service and is the only awards that honor customer service in the electronic assembly industry.

phoenix|x–ray, 2 years in the X–ray inspection and failure analysis industry, received top honors for service in the Test and Inspection category of Electronics Assembly Equipment Suppliers. Evaluated by an independent third party forum, the company excelled in key categories determining excellence in service from interviews with 15 customers from each entrant. Customers rated the entrants on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being superior, in areas of dependability, ease of use, responsiveness, technology and “value for the price” scoring high marks.

“It’s an incredible feeling to be evaluated by your own customers,” said Jeff Mirliss, phoenix|x–ray’s customer service manager, “and have no say or influence on what they have to say and then come out on top. It’s a definite testament to what we set out to achieve just over two years ago.

“Through our continued ‘can do’ customer relationship and the introduction of such breakthrough technologies as our nanofocus x–ray system, we will only get better.

Also a premiere for the company, phoenix|x–ray introduced at the show their nanofocus X-ray tube capable of obtaining images down to 0.5 micrometers (500 nanometers), small enough to sharply and clearly image microvias. It is the first of its kind available commercially to the market. Also introduced at the show is the company’s new x-ray inspection system that fills the void between fast automated inline and offline semi-automatic or manual failure analysis systems, the pcba|sentry. The new system is a fully automated microfocus X-ray system for the inspection and failure analysis of area array packages providing powerful BGA and µBGA image analysis by repeatedly determining opens and wetting errors instantly at known levels of confidence, making it the first system of its kind.

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