Lucent Technologies' Electroplating Unit Starts Up a Research and Engineering Business
Electroplating Chemicals & Services (EC&S, Staten Island, NY), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lucent Technologies, has created a chemical and material diagnostic laboratory focused on providing the plating and surface finishing industry with advanced analytical capabilities and engineering services.
Called EC&S Analytic Solutions, the new unit offers in-depth expertise in product development, process engineering, applications engineering and technical services. Its staff of scientists and engineers uses advanced analytical instrumentation and techniques to provide chemical and material diagnostics, and engineering services, as well as technical services such as surface and thermal analysis that use advanced techniques in chromatography, elemental analysis, metallography and microscopy.
EC&S Analytic Solutions meets a growing need among OEM and contract manufacturers, component producers and job shops for high-technology professional services that can provide end-to-end analysis and advice, said Joe Abys, president of EC&S. "Our customers in the electroplating industry told us that they needed analytical services that not only diagnose their problems, but also recommend solutions that address their manufacturing and supply processes."
According to the EC&S, the company is the world's leading supplier of palladium plating technology. Additional product lines include plating processes using gold and gold alloys; tin and tin alloys; nickel, and rhodium; as well as the PallaTech MLS system for semiconductor packaging applications. The venture, wholly owned by Lucent Technologies, has a worldwide distribution network with representatives in Japan, Singapore, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, India, France, and Canada. EC&S recently developed a new electroplating process for creating a special form of pure tin that can be used in lead-free soldering applications. The lead-free process, called SnTech (pronounced "tin tech") results in a material with superior solderability for electronics manufacturing, and eliminates lead, which is not good for the environment.
"We are pleased to know that Lucent's EC&S venture is expanding its capabilities for customer consultation and engineering," said James Sykes, director, AMP Global Technology. "Their technology represents the next generation for connector finishes, and we believe that their technical staff understands our needs to the fullest."
Edited by Nick Basta
For more information: EC&S Analytic Services. Tel: 1-800-221-6316