Industry News
AWR, a leader in high frequency electronic design automation (EDA), announced it has acquired Simulation Technology and Applied Research Inc. (STAAR), Mequon, WI, a developer of 3D parallelized FEM tools for EM simulation of components and subsystems operating at RF and microwave frequencies. STAAR is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of AWR Corp., retaining its operations and facilities in Wisconsin, and under the continued guidance of STAAR founder John DeFord.
Paratek and STMicroelectronics have entered into a strategic relationship to supply RF tunable products to mobile wireless markets. The two companies have been cooperating to advance the next generation of Paratek’s ParaScan™ materials technology for high volume manufacturing and to jointly develop tunable products that improve Total Radiated Power (TRP) for mobile phones, leading to longer battery life and fewer dropped calls. Initial production will take place at STMicroelectronics’ fabrication facility in Tours, France by the end of 2009.
Skyworks Solutions Inc., an innovator of high performance analog and mixed signal semiconductors enabling mobile connectivity, and Ember, a leader in ZigBee® technology, announced that they are partnering to develop the industry’s first portfolio of ZigBee front-end modules (FEM) targeting applications such as smart meters in energy management, home area networks (HAN) and industrial automation. ZigBee is a wireless network standard that solves the unique needs of remote monitoring and control, and sensor-network applications.
Fastrax, a supplier of high performance GPS receivers, GPS software solutions and tracking systems for location-aware devices, and SiGe Semiconductor, a global supplier of products that are enabling wireless multimedia in a wide variety of computing, entertainment and mobile systems, announced that Fastrax has selected SiGe’s SE4120 to power its Software GPS solution. As a result of the collaboration, the Fastrax Software GPS and SiGe Semiconductor’s SE4120 radio front-end makes available a high performance GPS solution, complimented with a reference design to enable easy integration by third parties.
Leader Tech announced the completion of its Phase II, Global EMI Shielding Technology Center expansion. Since the grand opening announcement in May of 2008, Leader Tech has benefited from a notable increase in demand for the company’s board-level EMI Shielding products. The most recent expansion includes the addition of three domestic sales representatives, a new regional sales engineer and a dedicated 45-press manufacturing line.
IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional society, is commemorating its 125th anniversary this year with a variety of activities surrounding the theme of “Celebrating 125 Years of Engineering the Future.” Major anniversary events include the first IEEE Presidents’ Change the World Competition for college and university students worldwide; and a global media roundtable and Webcast addressing emerging, world changing technologies.
Times Microwave Systems has recently obtained AS9100 Registration, an enhanced derivative of the ISO9001:2000 Standard. The AS9100 Standard was developed by the global commercial aerospace manufacturers (Boeing, EADS, UTC, CFM and GE) to incorporate all of ISO9001:2000 Standard, and expand the scope to address aerospace industry issues.
PurecoatNorth LLC recently announced that the company has received its National Aerospace & Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (Nadcap) approval for Aerospace Quality System (AC7004) and Chemical Processing. They are expecting that this will create a new source for customers requiring special processing of precious and non-precious, electroless and non-electroless plating.
HRL Laboratories LLC announced it has become a charter member of the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), the premier association representing the US semiconductor industry.
W.L. Gore & Associates Inc., maker of GORE-TEX® fabric and thousands of other products, has announced it has earned a position on FORTUNE magazine’s annual list of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” for the 12th consecutive year. Gore is ranked No. 15.
Contracts
L-3 Electron Technologies Inc. (L-3 ETI) announced that it has received combined orders totaling nearly $1 M for the development of a high efficiency (> 50 percent) 600 W Ka-band communications helix traveling wave tube (TWT). The orders, which will help enhance US Air Force airborne platform communications technology, were placed by two US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) contractors.
Sypris Test & Measurement Inc., a subsidiary of Sypris Solutions Inc., and Hi-Rel Laboratories Inc. have signed a Joint Services Contract that provides for a single point of contact for customers seeking component testing and qualification services. The partnership benefits customers by offering combined expertise as well as a shared history of more than 70 years of reliable performance with semiconductor and passive component testing services.
Intercept Technology Inc., a leader in PCB/hybrid/RF electrical engineering applications, announced that National Instruments has selected the Pantheon and Mozaix RF design flow on high performance RF designs. Intercept welcomes National Instruments, a leader in test and embedded measurements, to its community of users as a major technology collaborator. Intercept worked closely with National Instruments on the migration of in-process RF designs and the training of RF design and layout personnel in the Intercept user flow.
DragonWave Inc., a supplier of high capacity, wireless native Ethernet backhaul solutions for mobile and access networks, announced that ECAS Telecommunications & Systems Ltd. has selected the Horizon Compact for Internet Protocol (IP) backhaul of WiMAX, 3.5G, Evolution Data Only (EVDO) and Long-Term Evolution (LTE) services in Nigeria. ECAS selected the DragonWave solution for its tremendous throughput, easy deployment and use and low power consumption.
Personnel
ANADIGICS Inc., a provider of semiconductor solutions in the broadband wireless and wireline communica-tions markets, announced the appointment of Mario Rivas as president and chief executive officer. Gilles Delfassy, who has served the company as interim CEO since August 2008, will continue as chairman of the board. Rivas most recently served as CEO of Quartics, a fabless semiconductor and software company based in Irvine, CA. Prior to that, he was a senior executive at AMD where he led the computing solutions group.
The Supervisory Board of LPKF Laser & Electronics AG has appointed Ingo Bretthauer as the new chief ex-ecutive office of LPKF AG effective immediately. Alongside the current members of the Board of managing directors, Bernd Lange and Kai Bentz, Bretthauer will in particular push ahead the global sales of all LPKF products. Bretthauer has a broad experience in sales and marketing of industrial equipment. He previously worked seven years in various positions at AEG. He moved from AEG to Deutsche Bahn, where his last position was chief marketing officer at DB Reise & Touristik.
Twenty-five year microwave industry veteran Nathan Lader has been appointed as the new vice president of military, aerospace and government (MAG) programs for RF systems, a new division formed uniting the Nucomm and RF Central companies and sales teams. In his new position, Lader oversees and conducts the business development, sales and marketing efforts for the MAG division. Prior to his current role at RF Systems, Lader served as a marketing and contract administrator with Hughes Aircraft Co. where he managed budgets, projects and participated in technical and cost articles for government and military customers.
Renaissance Electronics announced the promotion of Michael Snee to vice president of the switch product division. Snee has been with Renaissance for over 10 years in sales and most recently as vice president of procurement, handling purchasing. Snee has been in the RF industry for over 25 years, and will now be responsible overall for the company’s switch product division.
Endicott Interconnect Technologies Inc. (EI) announced that it has created EI Technologies UK Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of EI and located in Chelmsford, UK. Steve Payne has been named director of European sales. Payne will assume the role of managing the newly formed UK office, with EI’s European manufacturing representatives reporting to him. By leveraging EI’s innovative technology and produc-tion capabilities, Payne is also tasked with account penetration of segments targeted for future growth in the European marketplace.
William Shifman joins Reactel with over 10 years of Quality Management and Manufacturing Engineering experience. Shifman’s skills in the areas of continual improvement and waste reduction will propel Reactel Inc. forward in its ability to meet and exceed the high quality expectations of the company’s customers.
MI Technologies announced that it has realigned its European customer support and service function to provide enhanced service and faster, more direct communications. As part of the realignment, the company has expanded its customer support staff in its United Kingdom service center to support customers in the European region. In a related move, the company has discontinued the use of Cal Info Mesure to support European customers. As part of the program to expand European customer support services, the company announced the appointment of Richard Whalley to its customer support staff in the UK. Whalley joins MI Technologies with more than 24 years experience in microwave and RF test and measurement engineering support including extensive field experience.
Rep Appointments
Mouser Electronics Inc. announced it has signed a distribution agreement with Wurth Electronics Midcom Inc., a company that focuses on the manufacture of inductors through its EMC and Inductive Solutions unit. Mouser stock includes inductors, EMC components, common mode chokes, snap-on ferrite line chokes, ferrite beads and modular filtered jacks.
Digi-Key Corp. and Cree Inc. announced that Digi-Key is now stocking Cree’s Gallium Nitride (GaN) HEMT transistors for general purpose microwave applications. Digi-Key’s portfolio of Cree offerings encompasses SiC power components, SiC MESFETs, high brightness and high power LEDs, and now, GaN HEMT transistors. Cree’s GaN HEMT general-purpose transistors, in power levels ranging from 10 to 90 W, are ideal for microwave applications that require high efficiency, multi-octave bandwidth performance.