Latest dummy catalogue available on-line

The new Practical Components catalogue is available on-line. It is full of the latest technology in dummy electronic components and mechanical samples as well as the "old standbys". Look at our Pack on Package offerings starting on page 5 or the FusionQuad® on page 4, or check out our Pac Tech Flip Chips on page 26 or the Cleanliness and Residue Evaluation Test Kit on page 86.

The Practical Components catalogue is designed to help engineers quickly find the key products needed to qualify their technology, train and grow their business. This new catalogue will be of special interest to anyone involved in pcb assembly, training, soldering and surface mount technology.

In an effort to make the catalogue more green and carbon neutral, our sales partners have created a new virtual catalogue with a page flip format. As a user you benefit by being able to view on-line or off, save the complete catalogue to disk, send the complete catalogue or as little as a single page to a colleague, add your own sticky notes and add bookmarks as well as print.

According to Practical President Kevin Laphen:

Our new free virtual catalogue is organised by package type/category with each product accompanied by drawings, description, part number with both lead-free and tin-lead availability and formulations and daisy chain patterns.

Mixing "nano"s: nanotubes, nanofibres, nanoceramics...

In the arena of high technology and high performance materials the uniform dispersal of nano-sized particles in materials such as resin is extremely difficult work. Traditional methods have significant problems – consequently we are pleased to announce a solution in the form of the THINKY ARV-310 Mixer.

The ARV-310 and its larger capacity sibling the ARV-5000 both utilise proven Thinky planetary mixing technology with the added advantage of a vacuum environment. Their powerful acceleration enables uniform mixing as well as simultaneous dispersion and de-aerating for highly active nano-sized particles such as carbon nanotubes (CNT) or particles in epoxy or silicone, nano-ceramic in water, nanofibers in polymer, nanogold balls, yag phosphor in silicone, or for organic materials.

The Thinky ARV units are addressing the really difficult mixing problems in laboratories around the world. Their bi-directional action does not enfold air while the new vacuum environment facility removes existing air or other gases. A good example is CNT dispersion in epoxy, where compared to hand mixing the Thinky process leads to better than halving resistivity in the final material. This is a technology especially suited to small/medium laboratory type quantities.

The Thinky planetary mixing process is considered ideal for nano-polymers, ultra-fine semiconductor elements, molecular devices, biogenic materials, protein solar batteries, organic ELs, intelligent ceramics, functional materials, materials for high-technology electronic devices, carbon nanotubes, nano-carbon black, nano-composite, etc.

CNT dispersion in a viscous epoxy - SEM image (x20,000)

More seminar news

We will be talking about UV Technology for Encapsulation at a seminar on Tuesday next week, March 10, at the Williams F1 Centre, Grove, Oxfordshire.

It is under the aegis of the UK Display and Lighting Knowledge Transfer Network. The network has been set up by the Technology Strategy Board as a means of encouraging networking and knowledge transfer opportunities within the displays, plastic electronics and lighting industry. One of the events arranged for 2009 is a one day seminar on Integrating Plastic Electronics which addresses the issues related to turning plastic electronics technology into products.

Save 30% on your assembly bonding process

That's the promise of a free webinar from our sales partners DYMAX. I am excited by the use of the web for this kind of information sharing. Taking place tomorrow, it is a little late for most UK-based workers, but I will be there.