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The success of a company can be measured by many different yardsticks. Criteria taken into consideration may include for instance the ability to innovate and to develop high quality products; the expansion of a small group of products into a wide range that provides a complete package for a specific industry; the capacity to cater for a multiplicity of end applications; or growth in sheer physical size that necessitates a move to extensive purpose‐designed premises. Success can be reflected too in the acquisition of an ever expanding market in geographical terms, and in the gaining of a respected reputation worldwide.

Acquisitions. DEK—UIC DEK Printing Machines Limited (DEK) have announced that negotiations have been concluded with Dover Corporation, New York, to acquire the majority of the share capital of DEK. The object of this exercise is to enable DEK and Universal Instruments Corporation (UIC) who are part of the Dover Corporation, to amalgamate and thus further advance their plans to offer a fully integrated package of equipment for the automated hybrid factory.

Alan Hobby has recently been appointed Applications Engineer at DEK Printing Machines Ltd, Weymouth. In 1968 he joined Ferranti at Bracknell and became one of the small team setting up the thick film production unit. Four years later he joined EMI at Hayes as the Production Engineer, where he gained experience in the manufacture of high volume but relatively simple hybrids. In 1975 Alan moved to Marconi Electronic Devices Ltd at Portsmouth, where he was one of the engineers responsible for the company's programme of qualification as a hybrid manufacturer for the European Space Agency and for their BS 9450 approval programme. Since then he has been concerned with the development of printing and firing techniques both at Portsmouth and at Marconi's high volume production unit at Swindon.

Since its early conception, the group has grown from a handful of enthusiastic engineers to the largest trade association in Europe, if not the world, for Surface Mount. As in previous years, SMART will be arranging Seminars, Hands‐on Workshops and Open Forums, giving valuable knowledge for those just entering or those already experienced in SMT. Open forums allow the opportunity for the exchange of information on a variety of different topics, building experience in the technology which would otherwise be unobtainable.

The screen printing and reflowing of solder paste is compared with wave soldering for the attachment of surface mounted devices to PCBs. Both techniques have advantages and disadvantages which are fully discussed. The method chosen for a particular application will depend upon the production facilities available, the principal package types involved in the design, and the anticipated cost. The main advantages of the screen printing process have been found to be a relatively low soldering temperature, freedom from device orientation and package design constraints, and few proximity effects, while those for the wave soldering process have been found to be compatibility with present mass soldering operations, the ability to combine both through‐hole devices and SMDs on the same board, a single soldering operation, and a solder joint volume defined by the joint design. It is concluded that in the long term screen printing and reflow is likely to become the dominant technology, but in the intermediate term wave soldering is likely to remain attractive while manufacturers move from the established through‐hole technology to the more space‐efficient surface mounted technology.

Alpha Metals, supplier of solders and solder related chemicals, has promoted Mr Stan Renals to the position of Sales and Marketing Manager, reporting to the General Manager. Having been with the company for some five years, originally as Southern Regional Sales Manager and latterly in the position of National Field Sales Manager, Mr Renals will take on the additional responsibilities of internal sales, marketing and export sales.

This conference was the second in the National Physical Laboratory series focusing in turn on each of the non‐CFC options for de‐fluxing soldered electronics assemblies. The first conference was on Controlled Atmosphere Soldering and the third will be on New Solvents.

Multicore Solders Ltd have appointed Richard Hart (38) as marketing manager. Prior to accepting his new position, Mr Hart was responsible for marketing at DEK where his career spanned 11 years. During this time he travelled extensively for that company organising, as part of his role, major seminars in India, Singapore, USSR, Israel and the Republic of Ireland, as well as the United Kingdom.

Coventry‐based Shipley Europe have appointed George Allardyce to the newly‐created position of European technical manager. The appointment further strengthens Shipley's research, development and technical support team serving the European marketplace.

Since its early conception, the group has grown from a handful of enthusiastic engineers to the largest trade association in Europe, if not the world, for Surface Mount. As in previous years, SMART will be arranging Seminars, Hands‐on Workshops and Open Forums, giving valuable knowledge for those just entering or those already experienced in SMT. Open forums allow the opportunity for the exchange of information on a variety of different topics, building experience in the technology which would otherwise be unobtainable.