The team consists of experienced industry experts:

• Andres Luna holds a Master’s degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering and brings more than 25 years in electronics manufacturing and sales experience.

• Edgar Enriquez holds a Master’s degree in Finance and an undergraduate degree in Electronic Technology. He brings 20 years of experience in electronics packaging.

• Francisco Villaseñor holds a Master’s degree in Electronics Engineering. He also brings 20 years of experience in manufacturing electronics. Francisco specializes in quality management, energy and SMT manufacturing.

Dee Claybrook, President & CEO of Southwest Systems, said, “It is thrilling to have Andres, Edgar and Francisco rejoin our team in Mexico. The experience and professionalism of this group will be a tremendous asset to our customers and principals.”

Andres Luna, General Manager for Southwest Systems, Mexico, said, “We are very excited to work with Southwest Systems again. The manufacturing market in Mexico is growing and the opportunities are tremendous. Our ability to provide service, support and spare parts stocking will enable our customers to succeed and help us to achieve our goals.”

For more information about Southwest Systems Technology, visit www.swsystems.com.

Advanced Power Electronics Corp. (USA), a leading manufacturer of MOS power semiconductors for DC-DC power conversion applications, has announced the new AP6922GMT-HF-3, a space-saving dual MOSFET for synchronous buck converter applications, with both the high-side (control) FET and low-side (synchronous) FET in one single 5x6mm PMPAK package.

AP6922GMT-HF-3 is a rugged device combining fast switching, low on resistance and cost-effectiveness. The control MOSFET (CH-1) has a drain-source voltage rating of 30V, a maximum on-resistance of 8.5mΩ, and a continuous drain current rating at 25degC of 15A, and has been chosen to optimise switching performance. The synchronous MOSFET (CH-2) also has a drain-source voltage rating of 30V and a continuous drain current rating at 25degC of 25.7A, with a maximum on-resistance of 3.8mΩ to minimise conduction losses. The reduced parasitic inductances as a result of the short internal conduction paths also contribute to improved performance.

Comments Ralph Waggitt, President/CEO, Advanced Power Electronics Corp. (USA): “The AP6922GMT-HF-3 is the first in a family of parts aimed at synchronous buck converter designs, improving the power density and simplifying the layout, saving space while keeping BOM cost low. The devices are packaged in an industry-standard 5x6mm package for easier board-level manufacturing, and are both RoHS-compliant and halogen-free to meet today’s environmental requirements.”

http://www.a-powerusa.com

Advanced Power Electronics Corp. (USA), a leading Taiwanese manufacturer of MOS power semiconductors for DC-DC power conversion applications, has announced a new high input impedance, high peak current capability IGBT suitable for strobe applications with a low duty cycle.

AP28G40GEO-HF-3 features a collector/emitter voltage rating, VCE, of 400V, a peak gate emitter voltage rating, VGEP, of ±6V and a pulsed collector current rating of 150A. Maximum power dissipation at 25degC is 1W. Devices are shipped taped and reeled in RoHS-compliant halogen-free industry-standard TSSOP-8 packages.

Comments Ralph Waggitt, President/CEO, Advanced Power Electronics Corp. (USA): “These IGBTs are ideal for creating short, high-current pulses such as the strobe flash application in digital cameras. The use of the TSSOP-8 package also provides some space-saving on the board when compared with the previous generation of parts in SO-8 packages. ”

http://www.a-powerusa.com

Founded in 1986 and based inBiel,Switzerland, CONCEPT is a developer of highly integrated, energy-efficient drivers for high-voltage IGBT modules. The company’s products are used in a range of high-voltage power-conversion applications including industrial motor drives, renewable energy generation, electric trains and trams, high-voltage DC transmission, electric cars and medical equipment. CONCEPT employs approximately 65 people and holds 14 patents with additional patents pending. CONCEPT’s management team and employees will remain at the company’sBielheadquarters, which will serve as Power Integrations’ center of excellence for high-voltage driver design.

Balu Balakrishnan, president and CEO of Power Integrations, commented: “The acquisition of CONCEPT expands our footprint in the high-voltage power-conversion market, enabling us to bring the same benefits of integration – reliability, efficiency and ease of design – to high-power systems that we have long brought to lower-power applications. CONCEPT is an ideal strategic fit for us and we are delighted that they are now part of our company.”

IR’S new PowIRaudio™ family of integrated power modules simplify Class D amplifier designs

International Rectifier has introduced the PowIRaudio family of  integrated power modules for high performance home theater systems and car audio amplifiers. The new devices integrate a PWM controller and two digital audio power MOSFETs in a single package to offer a highly efficient, compact solution that reduces component count, shrinks PCB size up to 70 percent and simplifies Class D amplifier design.

The combination of an advanced audio controller IC with MOSFETs fully optimized for audio performance results in improved efficiency, THD, and EMI, allowing the IR43xxM  family to operate without a mechanical heatsink over a wide power supply range on either a single or split power supply. High voltage ratings and noise immunity ensure reliable operation over various environmental conditions.

The single channel IR4301M and dual channel IR4302M offer the flexibility and convenience of building stereo amplifier and multi-channel designs in various channel configurations, while the devices’ 5×6 mm and 7×7 mm PQFN packages enhance the benefit of utilizing a smaller size of Class D topology.

Other key features common to the family include over-current protection, thermal shutdown, internal/external shutdown and floating differential input. The IR4302M also offers clip detection.

A wide range of reference designs are available to further simplify the design of systems using these devices.

Production orders are available immediately.  The new devices are MSL2 industrial-qualified and RoHS compliant. Datasheets and an application note are available on the International Rectifier website at www.irf.com

Sid Kalantar, Bourns Vice President Sales, Americas, said, “We are pleased that our strong partnership with TTI management and the high level of engagement by our field sales teams have delivered solid Bourns sales growth at TTI and the result of this achievement is the 2011 Bourns Distributor of the Year Award in the Americas.”

Jeff Ray, Vice President Supplier Marketing, commented, “TTI’s relationship with Bourns spans many decades, and it’s from this history that TTI and Bourns are able to execute so effectively together. In addition to selling the core product portfolio that Bourns is so well known for, TTI is having tremendous success selling Bourns’ new circuit protection, discrete semiconductor, sensor and magnetic products which makes winning the Bourns Distributor of the Year award particularly satisfying.”

http://www.ttiinc.com

As our economy evolves, more and more North American companies are focusing on market niches to create precisely targeted end products. These low volume high value (LVHV) companies face special challenges, particularly when sourcing electronic enclosures.

Part of the problem is rooted in low production volumes, often in the tens or hundreds of units per year. To meet the minimum order quantities specified by traditional enclosure manufacturers they may have to buy enough product for a year or more. This results in a large amount of inventory sitting on the shelf, tying up cash and space.

Slow moving inventory poses a special risk to companies with rapidly evolving products, necessitating costly modifications to enclosure inventory, or even rendering it totally obsolete.

In the past, LVHV manufacturers often chose to use off-the-shelf enclosures, but this has a major drawback because they have to be modified before use. Drilling holes, adding fasteners, printing graphics and labels all add cost and time.

Fortunately, mass-customization manufacturing is a new sourcing option ideal for LVHV. It applies mass production principles to the manufacture of goods at low volumes, down to a quantity of one.

Having pioneered the application of mass customization to sheet metal electronics enclosures,  Protocase also borrowed techniques from lean manufacturing, which means it can produce custom electronic enclosures at volumes as low as one, in as little as two to three days.

As a result, Protocase is extensively used by LVHV companies to solve their supply chain challenges. A blanket order program allows customers to make a purchasing commitment for an annual volume and receive pricing based on that. They then order releases when they want, in the quantity they require.

Each release is rapidly manufactured and shipped to the customer, who is then invoiced only for the product they receive. That way, no excess cash or shelf space is tied up and design changes can be accommodated to dramatically reduce the risk of obsolete inventory.

www.protocase.com

After extensive expansion and refurbishment in 2011, Tioga is not standing still, but continues instead to invest in both equipment and experienced staff.

At the moment, the company is heavily involved in implementing a new factory management system, which is scheduled to go live at the beginning of October. Tioga took the decision in early March to buy the Microsoft Dynamics Nav enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and alongside this, the Microsoft SharePoint package. The aim over the next few months is to put a fully integrated manufacturing system into all aspects of the business including purchasing, production planning and quality control procedures.

Tioga also took delivery this April of the Nikon X-Tek XT V 160, an x-ray inspection system, designed for production and failure analysis of complex assemblies including BGAs, chip-on-chip and QFN packages. Real-time x-ray allows the user to navigate complex printed circuit boards and electronic components to quickly trace potential defects in solder joints.

The new addition helps address the trend for ever more demanding assembly required by customers. In order to place complex packages, it is essential that process controls are conducted at all stages, thus minimising time to market and reducing costly errors. Investing in the XT V 160 demonstrates commitment to these on-going quality systems.

Tioga’s recently appointed manufacturing manager is also beginning to make a positive impact on process flow and controls within the factory. Tioga also intends to invest in more people, in the areas of production engineering, test and general assembly roles. This will see Tioga employ 100 staff, all of whom Tioga expects to demonstrate the knowledge, experience and motivation to deliver quality product, to customers’ demanding requirements.

www.tioga.co.uk

Holding 'just in case' stock used to be an acceptable cost, but is now viewed as expensive

Sourcing on price alone may become tricky in the future, explains Ipro Solutions’ Martin Deas, with issues such as poor quality, late delivery and high MOQs taking precedence instead.

Buyers looking to source in low labour cost countries have predominantly pursued price led sourcing strategies over the last decade. Savings have been so significant that other cost variables such as freight, quality and on-time delivery have often been sidelined and the cost of holding additional stock or inspecting incoming goods have been absorbed within the cost justification.

In recent times however, labour rates have increased, particularly in southern China. Exchange rates, raw materials, wage and food inflation and changes in the Chinese export rebate system have also pushed prices higher. But are these increases substantial enough to cause a mass exodus from the low cost countries yet?

According to research by Ipro Solutions, price continues to be the main driver of sourcing decisions and while other elements are becoming more relevant to the overall sourcing decision, pricing remains the key criteria. It is difficult to make completely true labour cost comparisons between the main low cost countries, but areas such as Shenzhen in China have experienced wage rises at levels well above those seen in the other main sourcing locations.

As labour rates increase in Southern China, suppliers will of course look to improve efficiency, automate or simply move to another location to maintain their competitiveness. Unfortunately, factories are not easy to move and there will be an increasing number of business failures. Buyers however, can move suppliers with relative ease and will do so to countries such as India, Vietnam and Malaysia, or to new areas inside China that can maintain competitive price levels.

Buyers will always search for lower prices and will continue to target year on year price reductions. As prices in traditional sourcing locations such as Southern China are only going to go one way, new suppliers and new sourcing locations need to be found. Many buyers are also looking to move up from sourcing at a component level to higher level assemblies and this may not only recover lost savings, but may drive new savings as the labour content in purchases effectively increases.

Consider total cost

Sourcing is not just about price. Buyers must address the non-price elements within the total cost, as well as giving more consideration to the impact of their decision on their manufacturing businesses. Increasingly it is unacceptable to make allowances within a total cost model for poor quality, late delivery, high MOQs, long lead-times or inflexibility.

Where these factors are basic requirements, they must be addressed as part of the sourcing process, not sidelined because the price is good. If the selected supplier can only be best on price, then it is unlikely that the best supplier has been selected. Management are increasingly likely to say: ‘the price is good, but fix the other issues.’

Freight costs, payment terms, costs of poor quality, inventory levels and lead times are therefore the emerging issues that low cost sourcing strategies have to address. None are as easy to measure as price, but each is just as critical in terms of the overall cost of acquisition.

The cash impact of low cost sourcing on a business is often measured in payment terms and inventory holding. Suppliers in China often demand payment up front, whereas suppliers in India and Malaysia are more likely to provide credit early in the relationship. Holding ‘just-in-case’ inventories is another example of a cost that was was considered acceptable, but is now viewed as expensive and reductions in inventory and lead times are now sought. Supply hubs are becoming a common way to achieve this improvement.

Specialist supply-chain solution providers, such as Ipro Solutions, are providing many manufacturers with design-to-supply services. Instead of managing a few disparate suppliers spread throughout Asia, this offers a more strategic approach to managing all elements of supply in low labour cost countries. It is targeted at providing continuous reductions in the total cost of acquisition.

Improving outcomes

Pricing, supplier management, quality, freight consolidation, inventory holding, cash management and lead-times are all critical elements in a sourcing strategy. Of course price will continue to be the dominant element, but with an ability to deliver on other factors, improved outcomes are possible.

Buyers and manufacturers who are now seeing higher prices must examine their sourcing strategies and think beyond price. For some, low cost sourcing may not be the correct strategy, while for others a shift to new suppliers or to new locations may be the answer. Finding new suppliers takes time and money so third party specialists may become increasingly attractive to shorten the time to market for new initiatives.

Note that one of the problems with the new emerging countries is not labour costs, but a lack of infrastructure, skills and the availability of competent suppliers. Even taking the top 10 emerging economies, with the exception of India, the combined population of these countries is less than that of China, meaning that the number of options available is always going to be significantly less.

Given all the data available we can be sure that when China grows into maturity as a manufacturing base, there is not another China waiting on the sidelines. Buyers may find that there is simply nowhere else to go

Because of continuing deltas between labour rates in east and west, low cost sourcing will be around for years to come and China will continue to be the dominant sourcing location. Assuming pricing remains attractive, then how to deliver the price advantage in an optimum way becomes a new and significant deliverable for buyers, one which can provide strategic benefits to their businesses, rather than just a low price.

www.iprosolutions.co.uk

Every OEM customer has a different dynamic in the way it evolves a product from concept to a ready for sale item. Fibox has therefore developed its services to ensure it partners with each customer at every stage of the process.

The philosophy centres on the ‘value chain.’ Basically, this means that in every OEM company there is a committee of people with different needs who all have an influence over the final decision of where and when to award a contract. It could be two people, or it could be as many 10 or more, all with a valuable input to the decision process.

In order to progress through the customer’s value chain, a supplier must be able to establish the needs of each link, and more importantly, how those links interact with each other within the decision process. An R&D engineer, for example, has a very different remit to a design engineer, despite the apparent similarity in their roles. Equally, a purchasing professional has different goals and objectives to a production or logistics expert. Then, in the middle of the process is the marketing department. If a product is not aesthetically acceptable, price competitive and commercially viable, it will not sell.

Fibox has a firm foundation from which to build its value chain proposals. It has a range of over 1,500 enclosure products all designed to fulfil applications dictated by industry requirements and a continuous programme of new product development. This is backed by a customising and a bespoke moulding service for those instances where something unique is required. Finally, Fibox has also introduced a programme of on-going training for all employees to ensure it is able to deliver the level of service its customers require.

Every value chain is different and in order to ensure it is prepared, Fibox needs to cater for this.

www.fibox.com