News from Valtronic

Valtronic Newsletter	Volume VIII Issue 4 Winter 2013

In this Issue

:: Company News

:: Industry News

:: Behind the Scenes

:: Events

:: Tech Talk

:: Partners

Company News

A few words from our new CEO, Martin Zimmermann

In 2012 Valtronic finalized its corporate transition phase with a global repositioning. In Switzerland the mechanical workshop was transferred into a brand new building next to the headquarters. Valtronic USA moved its entire operation into a new, spacious building allowing for tripling of the manufacturing floor space. Peter Ruppersberg ended his mandate as group CEO with the finalization of the investments and the revamping of the "Valtronic" brand. He handed the reigns over to Martin Zimmermann, who will lead the Valtronic group in the coming years with a focus on operational excellence and profitable growth.

Valtronic USA was recently recognized with Two Awards:

The 2012 Small Business Innovation Award from the Ohio Aerospace Institute, "OAI" for our work on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner™ Sensor.

Valtronic was also recognized as a Top 25 BioOhio Member in Northern Ohio in recognition of excellence, engagement and collaboration within Ohio's bioscience community.

Industry News

New Material Harvests Energy from Water Vapor

Powering electronics in an implant is always a challenge as the power source is often larger than the implant or is the largest obstacle in a prolonged life of an implant. The possibility of using water vapors opens up a myriad of opportunities.

Visit us on and let us know what you think the possibilities are after reading this article.

Energy from Water Vapor

Behind the Scenes

Meet Paul Cawrse

Production Manager for Valtronic USA

What is the most important part of your job?

The most important part of my job is to make sure that we are building a quality product the way we tell our customers we are building their product, and getting it out on time.

What do you enjoy most about what you do?

I enjoy manufacturing. I like not only identifying problems, but participating in solving them and watching the results make a difference. Sometimes I'm right, sometimes I'm wrong, but regardless I will always learn from it.

What is a typical day like for you?

I start my day in the Production Meeting where we talk through what happened in the last 24 hours and identify what we need for the next 24 hours that affect the business. I try to identify areas of improvement, handle employee concerns, manage the shop floor, and help out wherever needed.

What is your background and how did you enter this field?

I attended Hiram College for Business Management as a working adult. I didn't start working in manufacturing right away but once I got a taste of it I was hooked. I think that manufacturing has a lot of attractive career opportunities.

What is the most important lesson you have learned in your career?

That things aren't always going to be perfect and not every idea is a going to have the desired impact.

Lastly, what do you look forward to doing that is not work related?

I look forward to spending as much time with my family as possible. I hope to never take for granted the amount of time I have available to spend with them.

Valtronic Welcomes

USA

Stewart Guy - Account Manager

Switzerland

Fabrice Staub, Quality Engineer

Anthony Molinari, Quality Control

Adrien Pontarollo, Machine Operator

Clean Room - Switzerland

Events

Tradeshows

USA

Feburary 12-14, 2013, Anaheim California

Visit Valtronic in Booth 1586 at MD&M West in Anaheim California's Convention Center. MD&M West is North America's leading conferences for design and engineering professionals in medical devices. Learn about our US expansion and new capabilities.

Visit MD&M West for more information or to Register. Use promo code BB for free admission to the exhibits.

New this year at MD&M West are the MedTech Innovate Seminars. Valtronic is sponsoring Seminar One - "Design of Implantable Devices" on February 12, 2013 from 10:00-11:45am. Valtronic's CMO Jim Ohneck will moderate the session. Visit Design of Implantable Devices for more information.

Europe

February 26-28, 2013, Stuttgart/Germany

Visit Valtronic in Hall 3 Booth B41 where we will be introducing a new exclusive partnership providing us with a innovative capability sure to add value to your microelectronic manufacturing. Stay tuned for more information!

Valtronic will also present at the Conference on 26 February. Valtronic will present "Purchasing Controls and 21 CFR 820: Impact on Sub-Contractors"

Addressing trends in FDA inspectional and enforcement priorities and their impact on purchasing controls
Providing practical tips on how OEMs suppliers can enhance compliance with 21 CFR 820

Tech Talk

Filling the Power Electronics Gap

Valtronic Morocco invested in heavy wire bonding technology in response to the increased demand driven by the growing field of power electronics.

Heavy Wire Bonder

Working in close collaboration with a customer, whose hybrid product for the solar industry, was used as a test project for driving the qualification. Following tight planning our engineering department handled the complete qualification process including: purchasing, installation, a site acceptance test and final process qualification. The successful qualification culminated in using the heavy wire bonding technology in high volume production for the hybrids starting in September 2012.

With work holder size of 250mm x 115mm and a wire range of 125µm to 400µm the heavy wire bonding equipment M360C offers robust and flexible process for prototyping to high volume manufacturing.

Heavy wire bonding overcomes the issue of high currents flowing in the system which could result in an assembly with high heat. If small diameter wires were employed such heat levels would be beyond acceptable limits.

With higher reliability characteristics the ultrasonic heavy wire wedge bonding process is becoming more and more essential for customers with applications such as power electronics which are required in automotive, airplane switches or solar energy applications.

We now offer this service to all of our worldwide customers.

Partners

Flexmatters Welcomes a World of Flexible Technology

A regional innovation cluster has emerged around the flexible electronics industry in Northeast Ohio. To recognize that cluster and accelerate its growth, NorTech launched its

FlexMatters® initiative in 2010. FlexMatters focuses on low cost, scalable manufacturing of flexible electronics such as electronic writing tablets, switchable eye wear, printed batteries, and medical implants.

The FlexMatters cluster consists of an expanding core group of universities, material suppliers, manufacturers, service providers and end-users. It has over 50 members and is developing innovative technologies in five key markets: aerospace and defense, consumables, commercial and consumer electronics, and bioflex.

The cluster emerged from the breakthrough work of the Liquid Crystal Institute (LCI) at Kent State University and the globally-recognized advances in polymer science at the University of Akron and Case Western Reserve University. When liquid crystals met polymers, flexible electronics were born.

Valtronic is an inaugural member of FlexMatters. Valtronic USA's Head of Technology, Don Styblo, sits on its Advisory Board. Valtronic has participated in various FlexMatters events including "Prototyping and Pilot Manufacturing for Flexible Electronics" and the "Flexible Electronics Roundtable," as well as provided our expertise on packaging flexible electronic circuits.

The FlexMatters vision is to become the global epicenter of innovation and manufacturing of layered structures on polymer substrates for flexible electronics applications. Specifically, the world will look to Northeast Ohio for high-quality, low-cost and scalable manufacturing solutions for flexible electronics which include innovative materials, devices and systems. Most importantly, Northeast Ohio will emerge as a leading producer of flexible electronics products sold globally.

The cluster's potential to attract capital and create jobs in Northeast Ohio has been recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which invested $1.2 million in 2010 and 2011 - $600,000 each year - to support entrepreneurial involvement in the cluster. It also is one of only seven regions across the country that received a $385,000 Regional Innovation Cluster Contract from SBA last October.

The ultimate goal is for FlexMatters to add 1,500 jobs, $75 million in payroll, and $100 million in capital to the Northeast Ohio economy within seven years.