U.S. Tech Global

Federal Electronics Expands Military and Aerospace Cable Assembly and Wire Harness Capabilities: CRANSTON, RI — Federal Electronics, a leading provider of high-reliability electronic manufacturing services (EMS), has expanded its cable assembly and wire harness manufacturing capabilities and production capacity to support the growing needs of military, defense, and aerospace OEMs.

The expansion includes investments in advanced manufacturing equipment, additional production space, workforce development, and enhanced process capabilities, further strengthening the company's ability to manufacture increasingly complex interconnect systems.

A centerpiece of the expansion is the addition of a Komax CR11 automated wire processing system, significantly increasing Federal Electronics' ability to manufacture intricate and large-scale wire harnesses used in military equipment, weapons and radar systems, aerospace platforms, communications equipment, power distribution systems, and other high-reliability applications. The CR11 provides automated marking, cutting, stripping, and wire termination across a wide range of conductor sizes, improving manufacturing consistency, throughput, and repeatability while reducing process variation.

To support continued growth, Federal Electronics has expanded its dedicated cable assembly and wire harness manufacturing area, creating additional capacity for both prototype and production programs. The company has also enhanced its manufacturing environment with a Class 10,000 (ISO Class 7) cleanroom, environmental testing capabilities, and comprehensive electrical testing to meet the stringent quality and reliability requirements of defense and aerospace customers.

These investments are supported by a highly trained workforce that includes certified IPC/WHMA-A-620 Space Addendum trainers and operators, along with manufacturing processes that meet recognized industry standards, including AS9100, ISO 9001, ISO 13485, IPC J-STD-001, J-STD-004, and J-STD-006. This combination of skilled personnel and proven processes provides customers with the process control, traceability, workmanship, and quality systems required for today's most demanding electronic assemblies.

"Our customers are under tremendous pressure to shorten product development cycles, strengthen supply chain resilience, and deliver increasingly sophisticated systems without compromising quality or reliability," said Federal Electronics President Ed Evangelista. "These investments allow us to respond with greater capacity, advanced manufacturing capabilities, and the technical expertise needed to help customers bring their products to market faster and with greater confidence."

For OEMs, these investments provide access to a manufacturing partner with expanded capabilities for cable assemblies, wire harnesses, printed circuit board assembly, and complete systems integration under a single quality management system. By offering these services under one roof, Federal Electronics helps simplify supply chains, improve configuration control, streamline program management, and accelerate new product introductions.

For more information about Federal Electronics, visit www.federalelec.com or contact [email protected].

US Tech Online -> Home/Current Issue April/May 2026

Intepro Intros Ainuo ANEVH(F) Series Power Supply: TUSTIN, CA — Intepro Systems announces the availability of the Ainuo ANEVH(F) Series of programmable DC power supply/load offering models with power ratings from 5kW-30kW in 3U, to industry-leading 50kW in a 4U rack-mounted package. The ANEVH(F) Series is a programmable DC power supply that integrates DC power and feedback load. It can function as a source that outputs power to the outside world. It also functions as a sink that absorbs power and returns it cleanly to the grid to achieve true bidirectional operation. By combining programmable-source and regenerative-programmable-load features into one chassis, the ANEVH(F) Series frees up rack space and reduces generated heat, all while recovering load energy back to the grid.

The ANEVH(F) Series of bidirectional programmable DC test power supplies includes seven (7) voltage levels covering a voltage range from 0V to 2250V, supports the parallel operation of multiple units, and is expandable up to 1MW in maximum power. The power supply’s energy flows bidirectionally with automatic seamless switching. It offers high power density, fast dynamic response characteristics, built-in function generators and standard test curves, and the ability to generate multiple waveforms freely.

“The industry-leading power density of the Ainuo ANEVH(F) enables maximum utilization of rack space while delivering exceptional programmable source/load capabilities,” said Andrew Engler, Intepro's Regional Sales and Marketing Manager.

The ANEVH(F) can be seamlessly interfaced with PowerStar, Intepro’s premier Program without Coding™ test environment. PowerStar is designed to be the complete power supply test software and test development platform for systems, benches and labs. Its hardware-independent test software and fill-in-the-blank programming make PowerStar the ideal platform for engineers who need the ability to customize their programs, without having to write code or assemble graphical components.
Price: Starting at $8730

Availability: 6-8 weeks

For more information about this product, please download the ANEVH(F) data sheet or visit Intepro Systems’ website at: www.inteprosystems.com/dc-power-supplies/anevh-f-series.

US Tech Online -> Home/Current Issue April/May 2026

SMTA International Conference Program Announced: MINNEAPOLIS, MN — The SMTA announced that the technical program of their annual conference, SMTA International, is finalized and registration is now open. The event will be held October 25 - 29, 2026 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL, USA.

The conference includes the latest electronics manufacturing research and technology from major manufacturers such as Celestica, Collins Aerospace, Rockwell Automation, IBM Corporation, John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group, Lockheed Martin, Medtronic, Nhanced Semiconductors, Nokia Bell Labs, Samsung, SLB, Spartronics, several global universities, and more.

90+ presentations are organized into the following technical tracks:

* Additively Manufactured Electronics (AME)

* Breakthroughs in printed electronics, materials, and reliability

* Advanced Packaging (APT)

* New developments in first-level packaging and assembly

* Low Temperature Solder (LTS)

* Enabling reflow soldering at temperatures below 200°C

* Manufacturing for Excellence (MFX)

* Process optimization, productivity, and real-world solutions

* Reliability and Harsh Environments (RHE)

* Validated technologies that perform in rugged environments

* Test and Inspection (INS)

* Advanced techniques to ensure product performance over time

Attendees may also choose from 10 Professional Development Courses for more in-depth training. Courses are spread throughout the conference on Monday, October 26, Tuesday, October 27, and Thursday, October 29. Topics include soldering processes, electronics assembly best practices, AI-driven manufacturing, reliability testing, PCB design, and advanced packaging technologies.

The annual Women’s Leadership Program is planned for Monday, October 26. This complimentary program features presentations from women leaders in the electronics industry, roundtable discussions and a connection reception.

On October 27-29, the SMTA International Exposition will showcase equipment and materials from electronics manufacturing technology solutions providers. Attendees to the expo will also have access to The ASSEMBLY Show, which is co-located at the convention center. More than 500 exhibiting companies and over 5500 attendees are expected to participate across the two shows combined, bringing together one of the largest audiences of assembly and electronics manufacturing professionals in the Midwest.

Registration to attend the conference and expo is now available online at: www.smtai.org/register.

For more information on SMTA International please contact Karlie Severinson: ([email protected]) or +1-952-920-7682 or visit: www.smtai.org.

US Tech Online -> Home/Current Issue April/May 2026

Würth Attends GITEX AI Europe 2026: WALDENBURG/BERLIN, GERMANY — The public debate on artificial intelligence tends to focus on models, parameters, and use cases. At GITEX AI Europe 2026 (Messe Berlin, June 30–July 1, 2026), the Würth Elektronik eiSos Group shifted attention to a more fundamental question: Is the physical infrastructure sufficient to meet these expectations? On stage, Alexander Gerfer, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the group, discussed with moderator Massimo Marioni, form Fortune editor, where the real limits to scaling lie. Their conclusion: the bottleneck is not software, but power supply and the components that make it possible.

According to the International Energy Agency’s “Energy and AI” analysis, data centers worldwide consumed approximately 415 terawatt-hours in 2024, accounting for about 1.5% of global electricity demand. By 2030, that figure is expected to nearly double to about 945 terawatt-hours, or just under 3% of the global electricity demand, more than Japan’s total current consumption. Artificial intelligence is a major driver of this trend, although the energy impact of individual queries varies widely: while a simple text prompt consumes comparatively little power, agent-based and reasoning-intensive applications require significantly more computing power.

Gerfer made it clear that this gap cannot be closed simply by expanding generation capacity. New power plants and grid infrastructure take years to build, but demand is growing month by month. That makes hardware-level efficiency—as close to the computing chip as possible—critical. According to an estimate by Würth Elektronik based on IEA (International Energy Agency) data, even a 1% reduction in energy consumption during power conversion in a data center is equivalent to the electricity supply for two to four million European households. Gerfer used this comparison to show why the biggest lever often lies in components that receive little public attention. The spotlight is usually on the “brain” of AI—the models and the GPUs (graphics processing units). But a brain without circulation is just inert silicon. It is the power supply, the inductors, and the capacitors that deliver power to where the computing takes place. “The most important innovations are often the ones no one sees,” said the CTO.

Efficiency starts with the component

That is exactly where the manufacturer’s product portfolio comes into play. The components support switching frequencies of up to 40 megahertz with significantly reduced losses. The vertical power delivery shifts the conversion directly above or below the chip, minimizing parasitic losses, while integrated passive components combine inductors and filters into compact units designed for server racks with power loads exceeding 100 kilowatts.

Edge AI distributes the load

Not every computing task belongs in a large, centralized data center. Moving intelligence closer to where data is generated—in factories, vehicles, medical devices, and connected infrastructure—reduces latency and energy consumption by eliminating unnecessary trips to the cloud. At the same time, it strengthens the protection of sensitive data. For these applications, Würth Elektronik provides compact power supply modules, solutions for electromagnetic compatibility and shielding, wireless modules for BLE, Wi-Fi, and LoRa, fanless components for thermal management, and sensor technology for signal processing.

According to Gerfer, progress must happen in three areas at once: better components in the form of advanced passive and power electronic components, better chips with optimized architectures, and better models enabled by more efficient algorithms. No single company or technology can tackle this challenge on its own. Würth Elektronik sees itself as a partner that combines component expertise with system innovation and works closely with chip manufacturers, AI developers, and data center planners.

Europe's Location Question

According to another conclusion from the panel, Europe lags behind in both AI adoption and, above all, available computing capacity. Data from the Brussels Competition Report show that the European Union accounts for only about 5% of global computing capacity, compared with about 74% for the United States and 14% for China. Gerfer believes this gap in models can be narrowed; the decisive factor lies elsewhere. Europe’s real strength, he argued, is industrial AI: predictive maintenance, autonomous factories, smart grids, and robotics. In these fields, power electronics, precision manufacturing, and decades of accumulated industrial data combined to create a distinctive advantage that few other regions can match. Those who provide the most efficient physical building blocks for these applications will become indispensable to the global AI supply chain, regardless of who trains the models.

The potential is enormous. According to an analysis by Implement Consulting, widespread AI adoption could boost the EU’s economic output by about 8%—or 1.2 to 1.4 trillion euros—over ten years. A broad consensus from the discussion was that Europe’s position in the global AI race will also depend on an efficient, sovereign infrastructure built on European expertise in components. Technology should not only create economic value, but also help address societal challenges. In that sense, building a sustainable AI infrastructure is also a matter of responsibility. “The task is not to apply old solutions to new problems, but to rethink the power supply from the ground up,” Gerfer concluded.

Würth Elektronik: more than you expect! Further information at www.we-online.com.

US Tech Online -> Home/Current Issue April/May 2026

Rehm Sets New Standards in UV LED Drying: BLAUBEUREN-SEISSEN, GERMANY — UV LED technology is becoming a key technology for electronics manufacturing when conformal coatings, adhesives or potting compounds need to be cured quickly, reproducibly and energy-efficiently. With the RDS UV LED, Rehm Thermal Systems transfers the advantages of modern LED radiation sources into a compact oven concept suitable for inline production. The system was developed for high-precision curing processes and combines short cycle times with controlled, homogeneous exposure as well as a significantly improved energy, space and cost balance.

Compared with conventional UV systems using mercury v***r lamps, UV LED technology requires no warm-up time, is ready for operation immediately and can be precisely controlled. It is mercury-free, does not generate ozone at the relevant UVA wavelengths and reduces heat input into the assembly. This offers clear advantages for future-proof production, especially when processing temperature-sensitive components, meeting increasing sustainability requirements and addressing the growing importance of traceability.

Stationary Full-Area Exposure as the Core of the Process

The central process principle of the RDS UV LED is stationary full-area exposure. While continuous systems can be influenced by transport dynamics, belt speed and position-dependent dwell times, the PCB in the RDS UV LED remains fixed in position during the defined exposure time and is irradiated simultaneously across the entire activated area. This creates reproducible conditions: exposure time, intensity, working distance and active segment areas can be clearly defined and stored in recipes.

This concept enhances process reliability, particularly for assemblies with different component heights. Distance and alignment remain constant during the exposure step; shadowed areas and fluctuations caused by relative motion are reduced. For users, this means uniform curing across the entire usable area and therefore high coating quality, even with demanding layouts and sensitive coating systems.

Homogeneity Through Segmentation and Targeted Overexposure

The RDS UV LED operates with a 500 x 500 mm UV LED exposure field. The LED light source consists of four separately controllable segments, each 125 mm wide, which are activated depending on the defined PCB width. This ensures that only the area actually required is activated. It reduces unnecessary energy input outside the usable area and supports gentle thermal process control.

For the quality of UV curing, maximum intensity alone is not decisive; the uniformity of the radiation distribution is equally important. The system concept therefore provides for targeted overexposure beyond the PCB edge: for PCB sizes of up to 410 x 410 mm, 45 mm of overexposure is available on each side. As a result, the assembly is positioned within the particularly homogeneous area of the exposure field, with homogeneity distribution of up to 95%. As an option, the system can process PCBs up to 500 x 500 mm; when the full exposure field is used, edge homogeneity must be evaluated depending on the application.

Defined Wavelengths for Controlled Curing

UV LED systems do not emit a broad spectrum, but defined wavelengths. The RDS UV LED is designed for modules with 365, 385, 395 or 405 nm. This allows the irradiated energy to be precisely matched to the respective coating or adhesive system. The appropriate wavelength is selected depending on the photoinitiators, layer thickness and material approval. Rehm Thermal Systems points out that switching from broadband UV to UV LED is not simply a matter of replacing a lamp: for stable results, wavelength, dose, intensity, homogeneity, temperature control and material chemistry must be validated together.

The precise controllability of UV LED technology opens up a very robust process window. Since LED modules reach full output without preheating time, they can be activated precisely in line with the production cycle and switched to standby mode during pauses. This lowers energy demand and simplifies process control. At the same time, the long service life of the LED modules, exceeding 20,000 operating hours, reduces maintenance requirements and increases system availability.

Compact, Integrated and Industry 4.0-Ready

The RDS UV LED was developed to meet the requirements of modern electronics production lines. In semi-batch operation, the system combines the advantages of stationary exposure with the requirements of inline production and enables cycle times of just a few seconds. Automatic transport width adjustment covers a range from 50 to 508 mm. The system is designed as an inline solution and prepared for integration into digitalized manufacturing concepts.

Traceable process values may include exposure time, intensity, active UV LED segments, segment temperatures, operating hours and system status messages. Interfaces such as SMEMA, Hermes or MES connectivity allow the curing process to be linked with quality-relevant production data. The user-friendly ViCON software supports operation via touch functions and clearly displays key system and process information.

Sustainability with Economic Benefits

In addition to process quality, the RDS UV LED drying system addresses key economic and sustainability objectives. UV LED technology enables up to 70% lower energy consumption compared with conventional UV lamps and up to 70% less footprint. The exhaust air volume is 500 m³/h, which is significantly lower than in many conventional systems. Since no mercury-containing emitters are used and no ozone is generated, the oven supports environmentally friendly and legally compliant production processes.

“With the RDS UV LED, we think of UV curing as a controlled process – not merely as a light source,” says Manuel Schwarzenbolz, Research & Development at Rehm Thermal Systems. “Stationary full-area exposure, segmentation, homogeneity management and digital process data create the basis for reproducible quality, short cycle times and resource-efficient electronics manufacturing.”

RDS UV LED Product Information at a Glance

The RDS UV LED cures UV conformal coatings, adhesives and potting compounds quickly, uniformly and resource-efficiently. Key elements include a 500 x 500 mm UV LED panel, four segments of 125 mm each, defined wavelengths of 365, 385, 395 or 405 nm, stationary full-area exposure, overexposure of up to 45 mm on each side for high edge homogeneity, low thermal load, LED modules with more than 20,000 operating hours, automatic transport width adjustment from 50 to 508 mm, the ViCON user interface, and compatibility with inline production, MES and Hermes.
Rehm Thermal Systems GmbH
Leinenstraße 7 Blaubeuren-Seißen
D-89143 Germany
P +49 (0) 7344 9606-0
F +49 (0) 7344 9606-525
[email protected]
www.rehm-group.com

US Tech Online -> Home/Current Issue April/May 2026