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For over 15 Years, SIX SIGMA has been advancing lead finish and soldering
technology for the military, aerospace, automotive, medical, and commercial
microelectronics industry.
SIX SIGMA provides value services including
lead finish for component conversions and solderability failure restorations
and related testing as well as ball attach, column attach, and failure
analysis services for the semiconductor and printed circuit board assembly
industries.
Russ Winslow founded Winslow Automation, Inc., in 1986. The original
products were patented soldering fixtures (also known as solder pallets) for
through hole and surface mount semiconductor components. These pallets were
designed to adapt lead tinning of surface mount technology (SMT) IC’s to the
high volume wave soldering process. In addition to pallets, Winslow also
designed custom automation equipment for local semiconductor companies. The
proliferation of SMT technology in circuit assemblies created a need to
provide lead tinning of SMT components that could not be adapted to pallets
or other methods of automated soldering. Recognizing this need led to the
development of the FlexLine® 4-Axis Robotic Solder Dip System.
In 1990, the business was expanded to include a service organization to
process microelectronics through the hot solder dip process for our
customers utilizing the FlexLine® 4-Axis Robotic Solder Dip System. This
service organization is appropriately named SIX SIGMA because of our
uncompromising attention to detail and our understanding that maximizing
product yields through this step of the semiconductor assembly process is
critical to our customers. (At the time, the term SIX SIGMA was barely known
even in the most progressive quality oriented companies. Winslow Automation,
Inc. dba SIX SIGMA provides hot solder lead finish services and related
testing services, and failure analysis services for the semiconductor and
printed circuit board industries. Services like BGA ball attach, reballing,
and column attach have since been added to fill a need in a niche market and
continue to competitively position SIX SIGMA for growth and success in the
microelectronics component finishing market.
Components processed by SIX SIGMA are found in applications that vary
from the most sophisticated missile and satellite guidance systems, to
commercial aircraft engine controllers, to automobile passive restraint
systems, to life sustaining medical electronics. The first customer parts
were processed in December of 1990 and SIX SIGMA has been a profitable and
growing business since its inception. Today SIX SIGMA is a recognized leader
in semiconductor lead finish, processing millions of high reliability
semiconductor components each year. In 1998, the Ball Grid Array Preform was
recognized by Surface Mount Technology Magazine as the 1998 Vision Rework
and Repair Product of the Year. SMT Vision Awards recognize the people and
products within the surface mount industry that serve as benchmarks for
excellence. In 2001, the column attach service was recognized by Advanced
Packaging Magazine for excellence in the interconnection category. To be
successful in winning this award requires diligence, innovation, and
dedication to excellence.
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