Fab News

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL and NEW BEDFORD, MA – Marlo Electronics Inc. and Epec LLC. have partnered to provide a larger range of products and services.
 
Marlo has been serving the printed circuit industry for over 40 years. Recently, the company had been looking for a partner to consolidate with, due to the globalization and the economics of the industry, according to Mark Goodard, president.
 
Epec, in business for over 50 years, produces time sensitive multilayers, quick turn prototypes and large production orders. Over the years, the company has expanded with several manufacturing plants in the US and Asia.
 
The partnership will provide advanced product diversification to an extensive range of customers. Both companies will share orders and technical assistance.

ENDICOTT, NY – Dr. Mark Poliks of Endicott Interconnect Technologies Inc. (EI) has been awarded a FLEXI award by the FlexTech Alliance. He is the director of Research and Development at EI, as well as the director of the Center for Advanced Microelectronics Manufacturing.
 
The award recognizes significant accomplishments in R&D, product development and leadership in education and training.
 
Dr. Poliks received the award for Technical Leadership and Excellence in Education together with Christopher Ober of Cornell University, James Sturm of Princeton and Bahgat Sammakia of Binghamton University  
 
TAOYUAN, TAIWAN – Leading PCB fabricator Unimicron will reenter the notebook PCB market through a subsidiary in China. According to Digitimes, Unimicron will invest in a subsidiary located in Hunan, China in order to return to the notebook PCB market. The company, Chuan-Chang (transliterated name), is currently 40% owned by Unimicron.

Digitimes reported that Chuan-Chang plans to start production in April, with a capacity of 600,000 square feet per month. Initial volume production will consist of six- to eight-layer notebook PCBs. The company is planning to increase production output to 1.2 million square feet in the beginning of the fourth quarter.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Rudolph Technologies, Inc. has been awarded a favorable verdict in its patent infringement suit against Camtek, Ltd.

A jury determined that all models of Camtek's Falcon inspection system infringe on Rudolph's US patent no. 6,826,298 – “Automated Wafer Defect Inspection System and a Process of Performing Such Inspection.” The patent covers the continuous inspection of wafers using strobing illumination.

The jury rejected Camtek’s claims that the patent was invalid and awarded Rudolph $6.8 million.

Rudolph plans to pursue intellectual property protection for this technology outside the U.S.

MIGDAL HA'EMEK, ISRAEL – In the patent infringement case brought by Rudolph Technologies against Camtek, the Court has yet to enter a judgment. The alleged infringement refers only to a U.S. patent and does not have an effect outside of the U.S.

Camtek intends to pursue remedies to overturn or modify the jury's verdict and to oppose or limit the effect of any future injunctive relief. Failing to achieve an overturn or modification, Camtek will appeal the judgment.

“Although we are disappointed by the jury's verdict in this case, we continue to believe that our Falcon products do not infringe on Rudolph's patent and that the patent itself is invalid,” said Rafi Amit, Camtek's CEO.
TAIPEI, TAIWAN – First-tier PCB manufacturers in Taiwan are stepping up their game in China. Companies are beefing up their presence in the China market, competing for handset orders from white-box vendors, reports DigiTimes.
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