INDUSTRY NEWS
Calculator Evaluates Potential Outsourcing Savings
An online calculator can be used to uncover costs and potential savings for OEMs considering outsourcing product manufacturing. The utility, which was launched in February, compares the hourly cost of manufacturing for the OEM and contract manufacturer and estimates the total annual savings. Located at www.ventureoutsource.com/contract-manufacturing/information-center/outsourcing-calculator, the Web site also includes a series of articles on offshoring, lean manufacturing, supply chain management, and topics related to electronics outsourcing.
Web Site Highlights Lead-Free Soldering Materials and Alloys
Information on lead-free solder pastes, fluxes, alloys, and other electronics soldering materials is available at the Web site of soldering specialist Cobar B.V. (Brede, Netherlands). Located at www.cobar.com, the site provides materials information in colour-coded charts and matrices and can be viewed in seven languages. It provides a virtual help desk, which details the firm’s capabilities in solder paste stencil printing and dispensing, and provides data on lead-free and VOC-free materials and their applications. A virtual tour of the company’s manufacturing and quality control processes is also available.
Plastic Materials Site Introduces Trade Name Directory
A materials data Web site maintained by M-Base Engineering + Software GmbH (Aachen, Germany) has introduced a trade name directory. Launched at the EuroMold trade show in December 2006, the Material Data Center directory feature references several thousand trade names for plastics and additives. Offered in cooperation with Carl Hanser Verlag (Munich), the directory also offers features such as a numerical search, table generator, and design and calculation programs for flow length, cooling times, and snap fits. Registered users of the Material Data Center have free access to the directory and to the complete CAMPUS datasheets on approximately 6000 engineering plastics. Registration is available at www.materialdatacenter.com.
Research Database Offers Expanded Search Capabilities
A full-text research resource gives users access to more than 8 million full-text scientific, technical, and medical articles. Located at www.sciencedirect.com, the ScienceDirect database from Elsevier (Amsterdam, Netherlands) features recently introduced rapid search technology. According to the firm, the search technology also improves the interoperability of the database with the Scopus abstract and citation database of research literature, which is located at www.info.scopus.com. The full-text collection covers titles such as The Lancet, Cell, and Tetrahedron, and coverage of more than 2000 scientific journals. An expanding online programme of major reference works, handbooks, and e-books is also included.
