Kinetico Inc.,/Continental Circuits Corp.

06/01/1997

FASTech Integration Inc., Lincoln, MA, and Auto-Soft Corp. have initiated a partnership to offer the CLASS MCS product, Auto-Soft`s cleanroom automation material control system (MCS), with FACTORYworks, FASTech`s integrated manufacturing execution system (MES) software. This interface connects an automated material control system with an MES. The FACTORYworks/CLASS MCS solution is expected to increase equipment utilization and operator efficiency by providing a common graphical user interface for customers.

The Engineered Systems Division of Kinetico Inc., Newbury, OH, has entered into a partnership with printed circuit board manufacturer, Continental Circuits Corp., Phoenix, AZ, to engineer and install an integrated water recycling and sludgeless metal recovery system. At full capacity, the system can recycle more than 100 million gallons of water/year and reclaim more than 75,000 pounds/year of copper wastes in nonhazardous form.

The American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA), has accredited the Product Development Laboratory of Fluoroware, Chaska, MN. The accreditation includes tests of control valve integrity, cyclic fatigue, functional capability, hydraulic burst pressure, seat integrity, seal leakage, sensing range, tensile testing, and thermal transition. The accreditation applies to these tests when used to test Fluoroware`s fluid handling devices, device handling systems, and containers.

Ashland Chemical Co., Dublin, OH, a division of Ashland Inc., has acquired Fospur Ltd., a water treatment company based in the UK, from Yorkshire Environmental Ltd. Fospur`s boiler water treatment, cooling water treatment, and wastewater treatment business will become part of Ashland Chemical`s Drew Industrial Division.

FSI International`s microlithography division has moved into a new 150,000-ft2 facility in Allen, TX, a suburb of Dallas. The $21 million facility includes a Class 1 applications laboratory for process development, customer demonstrations, and equipment evaluation; two Class 1000 cleanrooms house checkout and a Systems Integration Lab.

CONCOA (Controls Corp. of America), Virginia Beach, VA, a maker of gas flow

control equipment, has opened a new state-of-the-art cleanroom for assembling high-

purity analytical equipment at its Virginia Beach facility. The cleanroom, which contains a fully functional Class 10 environment, is part of CONCOA`s expansion

of its rare and special gas flow controls.

Exsil Inc., San Jose, CA, is constructing a plant in Prescott, AZ, to provide a reclaim product equivalent to prime test specifications using available technology in film removal, polishing, final cleaning, and technology. The facility is expected to be up and running in 4Q.

Air Products and Chemicals Inc., Lehigh Valley, PA, plans to roughly double the tungsten hexafluoride (WF6) capacity of its Hometown, PA, electronic specialty gas manufacturing facility to about 140,000 pounds/year. Air Prod

ucts maintains the purity of its WF6 by manufacturing, purifying, and packaging the gas in nonreactive nickel vessels and cylinders, preventing metallic impurities from leaching into the product. In January, Air Products opened a new state-of-the-art trace metals laboratory to analyze and further ensure the purity of the WF6.

ASM Lithography (ASML), Veldhoven, The Netherlands, a maker of microlithography systems, has completed expansion of its global headquarters, which now has the capacity to manufacture more than 350 systems/year. ASML`s new building houses 52,000 ft2 of Class 10,000 manufacturing space; a 70,000-ft2 global logistics center, and 37,500 ft2 of office space.

MEGA Systems & Chemicals Inc., Chandler, AZ, a maker of chemical blending and distribution systems, won the Valued Strategic Partner Award from Harris Semiconductor. MEGA supplied to Harris` 200-mm facilities in Mountaintop, PA, chemical distribution/dispense systems, which provide distribution for optimum particle removal during the wafer manufacturing process. Among the installed systems were the MEGApure 100,100SS, and 500SF systems that provide single-pass filtration. The MEGApure 500SF features 0.1-?m recirculation filtration on the drumside with stabilized filtration on the dispense daytank/channel.

Nilfisk of America, Malvern, PA, a manufacturer of vacuum cleaners for industrial, hazardous, and fine powder applications, has established a web site at http://www.nilfiskamerica.com. The site offers an overview of the company with pictures of Nilfisk`s industrial vacuum cleaners, specialty vacuums, and vacuum-assisted power tool systems. The site also offers online a six-page product brochure, specific product information, and a case study section featuring manufacturers who solved their dust and fine powder problems using a Nilfisk vacuum.