Schroff has introduced a new 12-slot VME64x system that is aimed at applications in demanding environments where the use of COTS equipment is becoming more prevalent, particularly in the transportation and military sectors. Chipsensors, a fabless semiconductor start-up company, has unveiled what it describes as a breakthrough in semiconductor technology that enables the surface of the chip itself to sense parameters such as temperature, humidity, certain gases and pathogens. It was a very common situation: a medical product had been a long and successful time on the market. Now some of its electronic and electromechanical components were retired and ran short. Multi-core processors are driving traditional processors off the market because they can control separate functions simultaneously while boosting performance. Wolfgang Heinz-Fischer reports. Peter Vianden looks at innovative connectivity solutions and design-in expertise for power electronics. The UK’s largest independent contract equipment manufacturer has set up a group to source components from around the world and wants to open this up to non-customers in the UK. Appearances to the contrary, electronic board and equipment manufacturing is not dead in the UK and Europe. There has been a resurgence in manufacturing locally in recent years, driven by the need for better designs and the need for closer links to the factory to get the most cost effective solutions. Nick Flaherty reports. The MMCX connector range has been developed further to demand for even smaller connectors and is considered as the next step in 50ohm micro miniature co-axial connectors. Hundreds of thousands of pounds are being wasted needlessly in PCB production due to contaminants entering the production line. Virginia Panel Corporation has released a versatile, hybrid connector called iCon. One point relating to all PCB manufacturing processes, including selective soldering, is becoming increasingly clear: the use of manual production methods in any phase of production is rapidly declining. IPC and Soldertec Global have announced the 4th International Conference on Lead-Free Electronics and Implementation of the RoHS Directive’ to be held in Copenhagen-Malmo, between April 25th–27th 2006. When a customer approached Photofabrication Services for a quote to produce RFI screening cans, the company found that changing the manufacturing process and specifying a RoHS-compliant finish enabled parts to be formed and spot-welding after plating, resulting in a substantial reduction in both cost and lead-time. Pressures to reduce development time, costs and project risks have generated major interest in commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) approaches for defence applications. In place of defence-rated components and sub-assemblies, the search is on to achieve the same reliability and compliance using commercial equipment. During the past 10 years the clock frequencies of CPUs has increased by a factor of almost 100 and correspondingly the frequency spectrum of interference voltages has shifted to a higher level. next