OTHER ELECTRONICS & NANOTECHNOLOGY
INDUSTRY UPDATE
January 2020
McIlvaine Company
Table of Contents
SPIE Secures Contract at University of Manchester
Sartorius, German AI Research Center Launch Research Lab
Intervala Expands Manufacturing Footprint with New
Hampshire Acquisition
New Kinpo Group Opens New Factory in Thailand
PCB Completes Construction of CleanRoom Facility
UC San Diego Bringing Nanotechnology to High Schools
Intel Acquires AI Startup
Intel has acquired Israeli AI chip startup Habana Labs for approximately $2
billion.
Habana Labs, whose products are AI training and inference chips for data
centers, was one of the first to deliver working AI accelerator silicon and its
Goya inference chip performed impressively in the recent round of MLPerf
benchmarks. The company is based in Tel Aviv and employs around 150 people in
several offices worldwide.
“This acquisition advances our AI strategy, which is to provide customers with
solutions to fit every performance need — from the intelligent edge to the data
center,” said Navin Shenoy, executive vice president and general manager of the
Data Platforms Group at Intel, in a statement. “More specifically, Habana
turbo-charges our AI offerings for the data center with a high-performance
training processor family and a standards-based programming environment to
address evolving AI workloads.”
Habana Labs will remain an independent business unit reporting to Intel’s Data
Platforms Group, and will keep its current management team. Habana chairman
Avigdor Willenz has agreed to serve as a senior adviser to the business unit as
well as to Intel.
Questions remain about what this acquisition means for Nervana’s product line,
which competes directly with Habana’s offering.
Nervana was acquired by Intel back in 2016 for a sum believed to be around $400
million. It launched its own data center training and inference processors, the
NNP-T and NNP-I last month.
While two competing chip acquisitions may seem like a strange strategy, there is
an awful lot at stake; Intel expects to generate over $3.5 billion in AI-driven
revenue in 2019 (up 20% year over year). It therefore cannot afford to back the
wrong horse. Backing two horses, or even combining the best horse with the best
jockey (likely Habana’s chip with Nervana’s software in this scenario) may be a
better bet.
Habana’s Goya inference chip launched in September 2018 and is commercially
available today. It can process 15,000 ResNet-50 images/second with 1.3-ms
latency at a batch size of 10 while running at 100 W (more than 5x the number of
images than competing platforms).
Habana unveiled its Gaudi training chip in June 2019, which is currently
sampling with hyperscale customers. Gaudi can process 1,650 images per second at
a batch size of 64 when training a ResNet-50 network. This throughput is
delivered at 140 W power consumption.
Both chips have eight VLIW SIMD (very long instruction word, single instruction
multiple data) vector processor cores, which Habana calls tensor processor cores
(TPC), that are specially designed for AI workloads.
One of the key aspects of Gaudi’s architecture is its on-chip RoCE (Remote
direct memory access over Converged Ethernet) network. The chip offers 10 ports
of 100 Gigabit Ethernet directly on the processor silicon, a feature Habana said
at the time was unique in the world of AI accelerators (competing solutions need
extra chips for connectivity; Nvidia previously acquired Mellanox for exactly
this technology).
On-chip RoCE makes for easy scalability; huge training systems with dozens of
chips can be built using standards-based non-proprietary interfaces. This
capability is no doubt attractive to Intel’s data center customers. Habana’s
technology combined with Intel’s access to the hyperscalers, backed by the
computing giant’s extensive resources, will likely prove to be a very successful
combination.
SPIE Secures Contract at University of Manchester
SPIE UK has won an 18-month design, supply, install and commission contract for
a cleanroom at The University of Manchester, as part of a new build being
constructed by Balfour Beatty
In 2012, Manchester University announced an ambitious £1bn, 10-year investment
to create a campus which was to embed sustainability within the estate and
increase the positive impacts the University has on the environment.
SPIE is responsible for the design, supply, install and commission of the
fabric, mechanical and electrical works for a cleanroom, access lobbies and
concourse areas within an envelope of a new build in the University.
As a result of securing this contract, SPIE was also invited to review the
Textiles Laboratory at the University, which also needed critical climate
control.
To ensure the right utilities are brought to SPIE’s working area, means that
those undertaking the planning work are required to coordinate with the general
M&E contractor.
The work taking place within the cleanroom requires vibrations to be kept to a
minimum, and therefore they are located within the basement of a seven-story
building.
Mechanical design
SPIE was awarded the contract based on the organization’s expertise of clean
room environments, the team’s understanding of what architectural elements, such
as paneling system to use, the mechanical design for climate control and
pressure regimes and SPIE’s electrical expertise also proved indispensable for
knowing the correct fittings for use within the clean room.
Steve Farmer, divisional managing director at SPIE UK, said: “SPIE works with a
number of Universities. Earlier this year we were awarded a three-year framework
contract with the University of Dundee, so we were confident that our team was
best placed to undertake the works as part of the contract with Balfour Beatty.
“We are really excited to be working at such a renowned institution as The
University of Manchester and look forward to carrying out the planned additional
works and developing our relationship with the University.”
Aaron Fearon, M&E manager at Balfour Beatty, said: “While looking for a partner
to work on the cleanroom contract, we received several recommendations about
SPIE’s capabilities. So far, we are impressed with what they have brought to the
table.
“Their ability to interrogate existing designs and analyze how it may affect the
ultimate use of the space and potential issues going forward meant we could iron
out any unexpected problems at the outset, preventing any future roadblocks to
the work.”
Sartorius, German AI Research Center Launch Research Lab
Alliance aims to develop and employ machine learning and image and pattern
recognition processes.
Sartorius and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) have
established the Sartorius AI Lab (SAIL) research lab on the DFKI campus in
Kaiserslautern. The lab will use artificial intelligence (AI) in Sartorius
products and platform solutions being experimentally tested and further
developed at SAIL.
“So far, advanced methods of data analysis have been used only to a very limited
extent in the biopharmaceutical industry, in drug research and in production.
This is one of the reasons that development timelines and costs for medical
drugs are ever increasing. Better use of data through AI is a particularly
promising approach for making significant progress in this area. Many customers
are already using the powerful software we have been offering for two and a half
years through our Data Analytics unit for specific applications in
biopharmaceutical production. We aim to strongly expand this business activity
and are therefore glad to have found DFKI, one of the most important
international centers of excellence for AI and deep learning with more than
1,000 scientists, as strong partners to join us in developing such solutions,”
said chief executive officer Dr. Joachim Kreuzburg.
SAIL is assigned to the DFKI research department of Smart Data & Knowledge
Services headed by Professor Andreas Dengel and uses DFKI's deep learning
hardware and expertise, which is unique throughout Europe. As a protected data
room and independent data laboratory, SAIL is also open to Sartorius partners
and customers as part of cooperation agreements, and the first projects have
already been initiated. In addition, Sartorius and DFKI will use SAIL for
training purposes, and DFKI employees will also be able to further their
education in life science applications at Sartorius research sites.
Sartorius and DFKI intend to develop and employ machine learning and image and
pattern recognition processes, among other technologies, for life science
applications. For example, their researchers are working on new deep learning
algorithms and methods for image recognition of cells and organoids, analysis
and modeling of biological systems and for simulation and optimization of
biopharmaceutical production processes. Sartorius provides extensive data for
this purpose and sends specialists from its Corporate Research and Product
Development units to SAIL.
Andreas Dengel, DFKI site manager in Kaiserslautern, said, "The DFKI transfer
labs are developing new service modules with artificial intelligence for various
markets and target groups. For two years, we have been using our AI hardware
equipment, which is unique in Europe, for application-oriented research we
conduct together with renowned companies such as Allianz, Continental, Hitachi
and IAV. I am very pleased that we are entering the life science tools market as
a partner with the global player Sartorius."
Intervala Expands Manufacturing Footprint with New
Hampshire Acquisition
Intervala, LLC, a full-service manufacturer of high-reliability, precision
electronic and electromechanical products, announced its acquisition of Varitron
Hudson in Hudson, New Hampshire. The acquisition enlarges Intervala’s
manufacturing footprint in the Northeast region of the U.S. and expands the
Company’s global customer base.
The acquired New Hampshire operation specializes in high-technology electronics
manufacturing services (EMS) and provides Intervala with expanded capacity to
manufacture complex printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) and other
high-reliability electronic assemblies. The acquisition also enhances
Intervala’s customer and market diversity through the addition of several
top-tier customers in the industrial, medical and military markets.
EMS industry veteran Jon Saunders, who has led the New Hampshire operation since
2016, will stay on to run the location for Intervala. Saunders has more than 25
years of experience in the electronics manufacturing arena and a proven track
record of successfully leading EMS operations.
“Intervala’s acquisition of Varitron Hudson is an exciting and important step in
our strategy to grow and expand our presence in the Northeast region,” said
Teresa Huber, president and CEO. “In keeping with Intervala’s culture, our new
Hudson, N.H., operation is very customer-focused, and we believe it will be a
good fit in both customers and people. The capable Hudson team has built
successful, long-standing relationships with their customers. We welcome them to
Intervala and look forward to serving them with our unwavering commitment to
customer excellence.”
About Intervala
At Intervala, we create customized, intelligent solutions for each customer’s
unique requirements. We are a full-service manufacturer of high-reliability,
precision electronic and electromechanical products for companies in industrial,
medical, transportation, and other technology-driven markets. Customers choose
Intervala because we understand their complex product and service needs. Our
team draws on decades of experience to bring a fresh approach to
problem-solving, combining turnkey manufacturing capabilities and engineering,
materials management, and global fulfillment services to deliver smart,
innovative solutions. Total customer satisfaction is the cornerstone of our
business.
New Kinpo Group Opens New Factory in Thailand
New Kinpo Group (NKG), a leading global electronic manufacturing services (EMS)
and original design manufacturing (ODM) company, announced a new factory in
Petchaburi, Thailand. NKG's parent company, Kinpo/Campal Group, has annual
revenue of more than $30 billion; NKG's annual revenue is $7 billion. The
factory will manufacture printing image products to meet rising global demand.
NKG is investing throughout Southeast Asia in order to offer customers greater
flexibility, lower costs, faster delivery times and world-class product quality.
This is NKG's ninth factory in Thailand and 18th in Southeast Asia. With
manufacturing sites located strategically throughout the world—including not
only Southeast Asia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia, but also the U.S.,
Brazil and Mexico—and a vertically integrated model, NKG is able to achieve
lower manufacturing costs and greater efficiencies than other global EMS/ODM
companies.
"China's labor cost and shortage combined with global shipping expenses have
made it crucial to look for more effective production sites," said Simon Shen,
CEO of New Kinpo Group. "The center of gravity is shifting to Southeast Asia,
where NKG has a unique advantage, having been in this region for more than 24
years. We have 580 assembly lines, 29 product categories and more than 25,000
factory workers in Southeast Asia. This new factory is representative of NKG's
capabilities for producing the world's most in-demand products."
Employing more than 7500 operators and other office workers, the new factory
will run 20 assembly lines. NKG's highly-automated, vertically-integrated
factories greatly reduce cycle time and labor costs while improving product
quality, production output and efficiency.
The new factory is environmentally-friendly, with green walls, water
conservation and recycling, biodiversity for plants on site, and natural and LED
lighting.
NKG's EMS and ODM business spans multiple product lines, including storage,
printers, NAS, wireless and broadband, digital home, consumer electronics,
wearables, 3D printing, robotics, power management and smart grid, industrial,
automotive, security, medical/healthcare and emerging technologies. NKG's focus
and orientation on products have propelled the company to be the world's leading
manufacturer of wireless routers, TV set top boxes, printers and hard disks
drives.
About New Kinpo Group
New Kinpo Group (NKG) is a global electronic manufacturing services (EMS) and
original design manufacturing (ODM) company that offers its customers lower
costs, faster delivery times and world-class product quality. With revenue of
more than $7 billion, the company is heavily invested in Thailand, Philippines,
Brazil, Mexico and the U.S. NKG has one of the industry's broadest product
lines, is the world's number one manufacturer of wireless routers, TV set top
boxes, printers and hard disk drives, and offers end-to-end service.
PCB Completes Construction of CleanRoom Facility
A leading global sensor supplier invests in state-of-the-art pressure assembly
operations
PCB Piezotronics, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of MTS Systems Corporation
(NASDAQ: MTSC), announced the completion of new environmentally-controlled
cleanrooms totaling 4,300 sq. ft. at their Walden Avenue headquarters. Earlier
this year, the sensor manufacturer began assembly of all pressure and force
products in this new state-of-the-art facility.
Sensor elements and other critical assemblies are manufactured within a 1,200
sq. ft. room, which meets or exceeds ISO Class 7 cleanliness standard (less than
10,000 particles per cubic foot). This room is also humidity controlled within a
tight specification. Particle counts are further reduced down to ISO Class 3-4
levels (less than 10 particles / cubic foot) due to usage of laminar flow
benches, High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filtered fume extractors and
other state of the art cleanroom equipment.
A second cleanroom area (3,100 sq. ft.) is designated for final product assembly
and calibration processes. This space is under even stricter humidity controls
to prevent electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage to electrical components.
Laminar flow benches for critical product assembly, and solder stations with
HEPA filtered fume extractors are used throughout this space.
PCB expects that the environmentally-controlled cleanrooms will further enhance
their pressure and force sensor manufacturing and assembly processes. Higher
efficiencies, increased throughput, and improved quality and delivery are just
some of the expected benefits. PCB Design Engineers are already working on the
next generation of high-performance sensors, whose design and manufacturing is
dependent upon a cleanroom environment.
“We are very proud of this new state-of-the-art facility and our continuous
improvement initiatives to provide higher-performing, quality sensor products to
meet the demands of our valued customers” said David T. Hore, President of PCB
Piezotronics. “This large investment in a world-class manufacturing environment
reinforces PCB’s commitment to Total Customer Satisfaction, which is our
company’s long-standing mission.”
About PCB Piezotronics Inc.
PCB Piezotronics, Inc. is a designer and manufacturer of microphones, vibration, pressure, force, torque, load, and strain sensors, as well as the pioneer of ICP® technology used by design engineers and predictive maintenance professionals worldwide for test, measurement, monitoring, and control requirements in automotive, aerospace, industrial, R&D, military, educational, commercial, OEM applications, and more. With a worldwide customer support team, 24-hour SensorLine, and a global distribution network, PCB is committed to Total Customer Satisfaction. Visit https://www.pcb.com for more information. PCB Piezotronics, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of MTS Systems Corporation.
UC San Diego Bringing Nanotechnology to High Schools
At the Nano 3 Laboratory at UC San Diego’s Qualcomm Institute, students can take
a scientific journey exploring the tiniest of structures.
Scientists say the promise of new medicine deliveries to attack cancer cells and
the future of artificial intelligence may lie in nanotechnology. Nanotechnology
is defined as the study of specimens at the nano scale, a scale that is smaller
than the human eye can detect.
Through the invisible beam of a scanning electron microscope in the Nano 3
Laboratory at UC San Diego’s Qualcomm Institute, students can take a scientific
journey exploring the tiniest of structures.
At 60,000 times the magnification of the average classroom microscope, the nano
tech microscopes offer students access into the field of nanotechnology where
scientists engineer structures at the nano scale. Biology teacher, Lesli
Horowitz, says, “the lab at UC San Diego allows the students access to
technologies they would otherwise never have access to.”
Director of Education outreach, Yves Theriault says, “your life is never the
same after seeing nanoscale.”
Through remote access powered by UC San Diego’s undergraduate researchers, the
students analyzed the structures of pollen, shark scales and a gecko foot. One
Kearny High student said, “The shark scales were interesting to me to be able to
see like they were curved that helped them move faster.”
Yu-Hwa-Lo, Director of SD Nanotechnology Infrastructure, said they like students
to know that nanotechnology is not something that is remote, it is part of their
everyday life.
The technology is a part of everything from developing new medicines and
products to engineering filtration systems. Nanotechnology is a critical
component of scientific and technological advancements.
The university’s mission is to immerse nanotechnology into kindergarten through
12th-grade classrooms and implement state-wide science standards. Yves Theriault
says that nanotechnology is not in schools right now and the National Science
Foundation is concerned that kids are missing the boat by having to wait until
college to be introduced to it.
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