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SMTA International 2004 Show Preview
December 31, 1969 |Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Co-located with Assembly Technology Expo (ATExpo), SMTA International is organized by the Surface Mount Technology Association (SMTA), and features more than 120 technical papers, 32 tutorials and workshops, an Emerging Technologies Summit, and special symposiums on contract manufacturing and lead-free soldering technology. The conference and exhibition will be held September 26 through 30, 2004, at the Donald Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont (Chicago), Ill.
SMTA International topics include lead-free, system-in-package, process control, flip chip, MEMS, chip scale, ball grid array (BGA) and automotive applications. The conference program is organized into the following tracks:
- Manufacturing and Assembly
- Advanced Packaging
- Substrates
- Soldering
- Test/Inspection/Quality
- Process Control
- Contract Manufacturing/Business Issues.
In its 25th year, ATExpo draws manufacturing, design and production engineers, as well as corporate management. The Electronic Assembly Pavilion (EAP) at ATExpo is free to SMTA International attendees and features more than 200 companies exhibiting electronics assembly products and services. The EAP opens daily at 10 a.m. and will exhibit solutions for every phase of the manufacturing process. Visitors are encouraged to take advantage of the EASi Line, a working assembly line that incorporates sample equipment from different parts of the electronics assembly process.
Tutorials
Experienced industry professionals will lead 29 full- (7-hour) and half-day (3.5-hour) educational courses. Course leaders deliver focused, in-depth presentations on topics of current importance to the industry.
Tutorials are application-oriented and structured to combine field experience with scientific research to solve common problems. Registration fees include breaks, course materials and a certificate of attendance. Tutorials are offered on Sunday, Monday and Thursday, with topics broken down as follows:
- Sunday: Manufacturing and assembly, advanced packaging, soldering, process control, contract manufacturing/business issues.
- Monday: Manufacturing and assembly, advanced packaging, substrates, soldering, process control, contract manufacturing/business issues.
- Thursday: Advanced packaging, test/inspection/quality, contract manufacturing/business issues.
Technical Sessions
SMTA International technical sessions are 1.5-hour programs in which three technical papers are presented under the direction of a chairman. Each paper is presented by the author on a topic related to the main subject of the session, followed by audience questions. Emphasis is placed on original, previously unpublished papers.
Tuesday's topics include manufacturing and assembly and advanced packaging. Topics to be covered on Wednesday are manufacturing and assembly, advanced packaging, substrates, and process control.
Symposiums
Each symposium will feature paper sessions and panel discussions organized by industry experts, and are included with either a VIP or Technical Conference registration.
The Emerging Technologies Summit will take place on Monday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Topics include MEMS technology trends and reliability, emerging IC and 3-D packaging, new materials and processes, and a moderated emerging technologies panel discussion.
The Contract Manufacturing Symposium takes place from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Monday. Topics include managing the business of electronics manufacturing services (EMS) and supplier engineering.
The Lead-free Soldering Technology Symposium takes place on Thursday from 8:30 a.m. until 4:15 p.m. Topics include lead-free and tin whiskers consortia activities, materials in lead-free soldering, as well as lead-free soldering processes and soldering reliability.
Workshops
On Thursday, two half-day (3.5-hour) courses will be taught by applicable electronic industry professionals. Workshops are applications-oriented and serve as both a primer for beginners and as a refresher course for those who need to review and update their knowledge. Both are free for technical and VIP conference attendees.
The first workshop takes place from 8:30 a.m. until noon, and discusses how to create reflow soldering profiles for convection-dominant ovens. The second takes place simultaneously and covers flex circuitry applications, from advanced packaging to low-cost PTF.
Special Events
This year, SMTA International features numerous special events, including:
- SMTA Certification Programs. The SMT Processes curriculum (September 27 to 29) covers SMT materials and components, stencil printing, dispensing, component placement, reflow and wave soldering, test and inspection, and line balancing. The SMT Six Sigma Green Belt curriculum (September 28 to 30) covers statistical process control (SPC), design for manufacturability (DFM), design of experiments (DOE), and problem solving/failure analysis. Each program consists of refresher topics and course materials on the first day and a half and examinations on the following day and a half.
- Job Clearance Center. The Second Annual SMTA Job Clearance Center solicits local and national companies for job openings in the electronics manufacturing and supply industry on Tuesday and Wednesday. This service is free for SMTA members and industry colleagues.
- Opening Session: RoHS Compliance. The free opening session provides an overview of RoHS and its impact from 8:30 to 10 a.m. on Tuesday. Although the elimination of lead will impact SMT assembly the most, it is only one of five substances banned by RoHS. Mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biophenyls (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) also are banned by the European Union effective July 1, 2006.
The session focuses on RoHS compliance with nine quarters and counting to go, as well as solder trends and lead-free soldering issues. The 2003 conference award winners for Best of Conference Presentation, Best Proceedings Paper and Best Inter-national Paper also will be recognized.
- JISSO Panel. On Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. to noon, SMT and Advanced Packaging Editor-in-Chief Gail Flower will present a free panel on JISSO, co-chaired by SMT Managing Editor Christine Della Monaca. JISSO, literally "mounting" in Japan, looks at the interfaces between different industries, including wafer fab, packaging and assembly, and tries to smooth the supply chain between them internationally. This means analyzing technical market trends, identifying problem areas, ensuring a common way of naming devices and assemblies and that standards and guidelines are communicated and harmonized internationally, and that specific issues are tackled. The panel will be comprised of members of the JISSO North American Committee, which represents North American interests to this group. Members from Europe and Japan also have been invited to participate.
- Speaker Presentations. Throughout Tuesday and Wednesday, various presentations are available free to attendees. Some of the many topics include: "Rapid Setup and Changeover," "Lead-free: Where Are We Right Now?" "Can the U.S. Be Com-petitive in the Global Electronic Product Assembly Marketplace?" "Board Talk" (this presentation costs $20/person, with all proceeds from attendance fees going to the Charles Hutchins Scholarship Fund), and "Improvements in Software to Enhance Shop Floor Control."
- Networking Reception. This free reception is scheduled for 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
- SMTA's 20th Anniversary Celebration. Following the reception, the SMTA is hosting a gala from 6:30 to 9 p.m. for all SMTA members (ticket required). Members are invited to join with the SMTA, as well as corporate and chapter sponsors in celebrating 20 years of "sharing the knowledge" with the industry. The FUNtouchables will perform in the style of Chicago in the Roaring '20s.
- NEMI Technology Roadmaps. "Guides for Manufacturing Competitiveness in a Changing World's Electronics Environ-ment" will be presented free to attendees on Wednesday from 8:30 to 10 a.m. The presentation will go into detail of what makes up individual Technical Working Group chapters and how the process works to culminate in a complete NEMI roadmap document. The roadmap forecasts any gaps in projected needs of the OEM "product emulator groups" and the projected capabilities of the service providers tasked with supplying the re-quested capabilities. The forecast period is from 2005 to 2015.
- SMTA Annual Meeting/Keynote Luncheon. On Wednesday from noon to 1:30 p.m., Pamela Gordon of Technology Forecasters will present "China or North America? Choosing the Right Region for the Right Task." The meeting and luncheon is $30 for SMTA members and $35 for nonmembers. Keynote attendees will receive insights on strategic selection of regions, including China, other Asian countries, Mexico and elsewhere in North America.
For the most up-to-date conference schedule, be sure to visit www.smta.org/smtai.