San Jose, CA - July 20, 1992 - The Surface Mount International Conference
and Exhibition, which will take place here August 31-September 3, is
focused solely on surface mount technology (SMT). Martin Barton,
conference director, calls SMT "The glue that binds the entire electronics
industry. Its significance reaches every household and business in
America, and most every one in the world."

Barton pointed out that the show is the only one in the world dedicated
only to SMT, focusing on technical, professional and managerial growth.
"We've structured the show to keep electronics manufacturers abreast of
issues, technologies and provide real tools to help them survive, improve
and grow in these economically troubled times," he said.

"The show is unique in that most of the issue-oriented keynote, forums and
sessions are free, in addition to a full technical and educational program
for paying attendees. "The show is highly technical, but its implications
will affect our lives through the end of the century, They impact
producers and consumers both, in ways that are broad, diverse and
profound."

SMT is the methodology that takes ever-smaller integrated circuits and puts
them into tiny packages for mounting on the surface of a printed circuit
board, rather than on leads that extend through the board, called
through-hole technology.

"SMT allows components to be much, much smaller, which means that printed
circuit boards can be much smaller, which makes the final product much
smaller. We are already awed by what kind of functions can be contained in
tiny packages. Well, I'm telling you that 'you ain't seen nothing yet!' As
SMT also demands automation of electronic assemblies, the combination of
size reduction and enormous volumes means lower prices, which means more
and more electronics are within reach of the most modest pocket book.

"From a business standpoint, SMT makes for a level playing ground. Everyone
must buy the same equipment, and since SMT is ideal for automation, the
added labor content is very small, which keeps costs low."

Barton addressed the increasing consumer awareness and sophistication
regarding quality. "Automation, when combined with high quality at the
Baldrige Award level, or six sigma, means more of what we have come to
expect when we buy TVs, cameras, VCRs, cellular phones, not to speak of
personal computers and all their peripherals: smaller and smaller products
at lower prices with higher and higher quality. This is the perfect
product --and it's only possible due to SMT!"

APPLICATIONS - HOMES, BUSINESSES AND EVERYTHING ELSE

Between now and the end of the decade, SMT will penetrate virtually every
aspect of electronics. This will range from computers whose
user-friendliness will only become possible through greater integration
and smaller sized components, including the greater usage of software on
silicon, as the more user friendly, the more software required.

Automobiles will be greatly affected, with more reliance on self-diagnostic
and self-repair capability using redundant circuits, made possible only
through SMT. Monitoring devices will check tire pressure, tire balance and
vehicle temperatures. Navigation and communication devices will be built
into vehicles, including faxes, cellular phones, and databases reflecting
the car and owner needs preferences.

Telecommunications is the world's largest industry and the largest user of
electronics. The enormous potential for SMT will be fully realized when
newer switching circuitry will utilize SMT with regard to cost and
reliability, not to speak of functionality. Videophones, now bulky and
very expensive, will be part of business and home usage by the end of the
90's. These national and international communication networks, linked via
satellites (themselves with vastly increased functionality and
reliability), will revolutionize global communications.

The home will perhaps benefit the most from this revolution. Consumers,
already dazzled by modern VCRs, cameras, phones and audio systems, will
have greater choices in the future with respect to type, size and
functionality. SMT will allow the home to be truly "electronic," from the
interconnection of all systems - video, audio, security, appliances,
telephones, lighting and environment - into small, easy to use inexpensive
packages.

PROJECTED GROWTH OF SMT USAGE

The Institute for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits (IPC),
says that based on a recent survey of original equipment manufacturers
(OEMs), that almost 50% of the product dollar value was based on SMT. It
points the way to the future when surface mount could be the only
interconnect technology, and its impact upon size and product cost will be
even greater. Already, IPC says, 61% of the dollar value of all printed
wiring boards (PWBs) produced by independent manufactures were for surface
mount applications.

The history of growth in surface mount applications shows that in 198617%
of all PWBs had SMT applications compared to 70% in 1992. Independent
assembly companies also reflect the dramatic increase in SMT assembly:
with nearly 60% of their production devoted to SMT in 1991.

The economic impact cannot be underestimated, as this affects all existing
and future electronics products. All consumer, computer, equipment,
avionics, telecommunication, audio and video products are impacted.
Undreamed of products, now nascent, such as Apple's Newton personal
organizer, cannot exist without SMT.

For new products, the greater the integration of function onto smaller and
smaller chips, means a greater number of leads to connect to the PWB.
These high lead count devices can only be built using surface mount
techniques, which is where the semiconductor industry is leading. For
example, a paper on a 1024-lead device (!) will be delivered at the
Surface Mount International Conference.

The rule for greater device size reductions is that the more integrated the
device in terms of function, the lower the cost. For example, Intel has
announced its next generation of microprocessors - again, greater
functionality at decreasing cost. The result is more than a 100:1 change
in the size of the early 286 device.

Intel microprocessor integration

   Device   No. of transistors   Year 
   ------   ------------------   ----
     286      130,000            1988
     386      500,000            1990
     486      1.2 million        1991
     586      3   million        1993
     686      7   million        1994
     786      20  million        1996

This implosive size decrease will be reflected in SMT devices,
traditionally half the size of conventional components. This is expected
to fuel developments of new applications now only dreamed of, from
mainframe-sized computers in credit card-sized packages to integrated home
and business electronic centers in packages the size of a deck of cards.

SURFACE MOUNT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION

The Surface Mount International Conference and Exhibition is the largest
event in the world dedicated solely to surface mount and related
technologies. The show is focused on being the primary contact for
engineers and engineering managers for education, technical data, new
products and information relating to surface mount and associated advanced
interconnect technologies.

The theme of the second annual show is "Your Passport to Excellence," which
points to the twin motifs of quality and competition. The two are
inextricably linked to excellence, not only by the demands of the world
economy, but also proven in practice by this year's three winners of the
Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, all members of the electronics
industry (Marlow Industries, Solectron Corp,, and Zytec Corp.).

Surface Mount International has the only technical conference jointly
developed by the industry's leading trade associations, all non-profit
organizations. These are the Electronic Industries Association (EIA),
Institute for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits (IPC), and
the Surface Mount Technology Association (SMTA), along with the trade show
division of Miller Freeman, Inc. This partnership ensures an unparalleled
conference program dedicated to education, training and information on
every aspect of SMT, from basic- to cutting-edge technology.

Surface Mount International takes place yearly in San Jose, California, the
nation's "Silicon Valley," the nation's most vital high technology area.
The area's pre-eminence is based on the number of seminal markets, key
people, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and thriving companies, most of
them involved with, employing or deriving benefits from surface mount
technology as users or manufacturers.

The first Surface Mount International took place last year in San Jose to
positive reviews, attracting over 5,500 people from 30 countries. At the
show, over 412 booths displayed SMT products and equipment, and over 1050
professionals attended the technical conference. This year the show is
much larger, with 550 exhibits, and expected attendance of 8,000, with
1500 attending the technical conference.

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