TOKYO - The Ibiden Co., is reportedly considering investing another $306 Million in a second phase of its PCB plant in the Penang Science Park.

According to industry reports, Ibiden's executive officer Sotaro Ito said "We have a tentative plan for the second phase that we hope to execute in 2011, if we are successful with the first phase."

The plant will reportedly be ready to begin production by July of next year. Ito has stated that about 900 jobs would be created for the plant's first phase, and a similar number for the second.

"We hope to source raw materials from Malaysian small and medium [sized] enterprises, depending on their capability to meet our needs," he said.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – The IPC 4-11 plating subcommittee is working on an organic solderability preservative specification to be titled IPC-4555. The testing of various OSP finishes is currently in process.

The completed document is scheduled for publication and distribution at 2009’s IPC Printed Circuits Expo, APEX and the Designers Summit in Las Vegas, NV.

The IPC 4-11 plating subcommittee has previously released the IPC-4552, IPC-4553 and IPC-4554 standards, which set specifications for electroless nickel immersion gold, immersion silver and immersion tin surface finishes (respectively).

The documents are intended to specify methods to obtain the best solderable and reliable surface finishes, and are intended for use by chemical suppliers, PCB fabrication houses, electronic manufacturing services and OEMs.