NEMI Premieres Latest Roadmap at APEX 2003; Other NEMI forums will review results of the Test Strategy Project and discuss how standards can improve supply chain communication

    HERNDON, Va.--Feb. 4, 2003--The National Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (NEMI), an industry-led consortium focused on strengthening the North American supply chain, will premiere its 2002 roadmap at IPC SMEMA Council's APEX conference in Anaheim, Calif. (March 31-April 2). Other NEMI forums at the conference include a review of results from the recently completed Test Strategy Project, and a discussion of how IPC standards are helping OEMs and EMS providers "span the virtual factory."
    Jim McElroy, president and CEO of NEMI, will discuss highlights of the 2002 NEMI roadmap at the IPC Committee Luncheon on Wednesday, April 2. This roadmap, the fifth one developed by NEMI, features 23 chapters that cover 18 technology, infrastructure and business practice areas and five product sectors: (1) consumer, (2) portable, (3) office systems, (4) large business systems and (5) automotive & aerospace/defense. New in this roadmap are a chapter on connectors, and a single chapter, entitled Product Lifecycle Information Management, which combines the factory information systems, supply chain management and information technology chapters. As in previous years, the roadmap addresses the shifts in each of the technology, infrastructure and business practice areas discussed, along with the related technology gaps and business needs.
    NEMI's 2002 roadmap was completed in late December and will be available on CD-ROM to non-members beginning March 31. Orders can be placed through the NEMI website (www.nemi.org; $250 for non-members) or at the NEMI booth at APEX (#452, Hall E).
    Also at APEX, NEMI's Test Strategy Project will present selected results of a year-long investigation of new strategies for testing high-density printed circuit boards (PCBs). The project team reviewed AOI (automated optical inspection) and AXI (automated x-ray inspection) methods combined with in-circuit test (ICT), using experimental testing to measure the performance of these various methods in the manufacturing environment. The APEX forum will present results for three areas studied: (1) defect detection capabilities of combined ICT and AXI test strategies in reduced access environments when both 2D and 3D AXI systems are used; (2) data showing the capability of AOI and AXI machines to discriminate subtle differences in the quality of solder joints; and (3) a test strategy cost model that can be used to estimate the cost, benefit, fault coverage and yield of test strategies.
    The Test Strategy Project session is featured as an APEX free forum (F07B) and is scheduled for Tuesday, April 1, 3:15 to 5:15 p.m..
    Finally, Spanning the Virtual Factory: Managing Supply Chain Communications (free forum F11) will demonstrate OEM/EMS collaboration using the IPC Product Data eXchange (PDX) standards in conjunction with RosettaNet manufacturing Partner Interface Process(R) (PIP(R)) specifications, all of which were initiated via an IPC/NEMI partnership. The panel, scheduled from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1, will provide demonstrations and discuss lessons learned from implementations.

    About NEMI

    The National Electronics Manufacturing Initiative's mission is to facilitate leadership of the North American electronics manufacturing supply chain. Based in Herndon, Va., the industry-led consortium is made up of approximately 65 electronics manufacturers, suppliers, industry associations and consortia, government agencies and universities. NEMI roadmaps the needs of the North American electronics industry, identifies gaps in the technology infrastructure, establishes implementation projects to eliminate these gaps (both business and technical), and stimulates standards activities to speed the introduction of new technologies. The consortium also works with government, universities and other funding agencies to set priorities for future industry needs and R&D initiatives. For additional information about NEMI, visit www.nemi.org.