Tatung's motors business has been operating for over six decades with sales worldwide. With "Tatung Motors Drive the World" as its theme, the company will showcase various high-efficiency electric vehicle motors at EV Taiwan 2015 (Booth D0509a, Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Hall 1). This marks Tatung's further progress in the electric vehicle market after its subsidiary Tatung Fine Chemicals Co. saw its lithium iron phosphate make inroads into the electric vehicle battery sector.W. S. Lin, chairman of Tatung, emphasizes the company's focus on high efficiency products. As a pioneer of Taiwan's industry, Tatung has always been aiming at lowering material and energy consumption. As reducing energy use and carbon emissions is an inevitable trend, electric vehicles for specific purposes offer great market potential. The company hopes to establish its presence in both the domestic and international markets by continuing to develop key components of electric vehicle - motors and lithium iron phosphate materials.Tatung Motors has already collaborated with related makers and research institutions in developing electric vehicles for various purposes, such as golf cars, electric pickup trucks, electric forklifts, electric all-terrain vehicles, electric garbage truck hydraulic systems, electric pallet trucks, and electric buses. One notable example of Tatung's success is the Xiluo Produce Market, which has utilized Tatung electric pallet trucks for more than three years, accumulating 50,000km in mileage.Looking ahead, Tatung plans to develop electric sedans and large size buses. With Tatung Fine Chemicals Co. having succeeded in selling lithium iron phosphate in the Japanese and Korean markets, Tatung will actively seek to cooperate with powertrain system manufacturers and automakers to establish a foothold in the supply chains of foreign electric vehicle markets.Tatung 72kW motor for electric bus

Although not in 80 days, the challenge faced by "iglidur on tour" for both team and car nevertheless calls for a trip around the world within a year. Since January of 2014, a compact car equipped with polymer plain bearings from the plastic specialist igus, has been on tour across more than 20 continents and three oceans, through deserts, snow, and tropical heat. This demonstration trip showcases the potential and durability of the Cologne-based company's motion plastics - plastics for motion control applications.Motion plastics - iglidur mass production materials for the automobile industryDecades of research and development in the industry's largest test lab for plastic components for motion control applications - e.g. "motion plastics" - has resulted in the mass production of 45 different, reliable iglidur materials, which are already used as plain bearings by the automobile industry more than 200 million times annually. Every second plain bearing made by igus is assembled in automobiles. The self-lubricating plastic blends are characterized by minimum friction and wear, and they are corrosion- and maintenance-free, and therefore have a particularly long service life. Since external lubrication with oil and grease can be avoided, the bearings do not contaminate the environment. The plain bearings are injection moulded and due to this are able to be flexibly adapted to any bearing location. Even for "iglidur on tour," customized solutions needed to be partially developed on the computer and manufactured from bar stock on a total of 56 bearing locations within a compact car where metal bearings were replaced by tribologically optimized plastic bearings. Ranging from the brake pedal, to windshield wipers, window cranks, parking brake, seat console, starter generator, to the choke valve - high-performance plastics were installed in all of these and are currently demonstrating vividly the varied applications, durability, and service life of iglidur.'iglidur on tour' connects peopleEvery kilometer the car travels during the tour will be converted into a donation towards a charitable organization within the corresponding country. In Taiwan for instance, igus Taiwan is supporting the "Eden Social Welfare Foundation" and "Maria Social Welfare Foundation" dedicated to helping anthropogeny delayed children. A detailed impression of the world tour can be seen at blog.igus.de/iglidurontour, with interesting images, videos, and reports. All routes and stop-overs, including trade fairs and customer visits, can be directly followed and commented on.On the Asia side of the tour, the orange-colored convertible travels through Asia's bustling megacities, such as Taipei.Photo: igus Gmbh

Competition in the LED market has been heating up with China-based LED firms aggressively integrating the whole supply chain vertically from chips to packaging to modules. China-based firms are able to provide one-stop-shop services and use low-price strategies to expand their presence in the LED application market. This is negatively impacting Taiwan's LED makers, especially small- and medium-size packaging and module firms, who are experiencing shrinking market share.Against this backdrop, Taiwan-based LED chipmaker Epistar began promoting Co-activation Service three years ago hoping to turn the tide by teaming up with Taiwan-based packaging and module firms.Virtual vertical integration of the supply chainThe core concept of Epistar's Co-activation Service is virtual vertical integration. In this business model, it is Epistar that mainly receives projects from clients and coordinates cooperation with other firms. "We will evaluate the project's needs, find the most suitable packaging and module firms that we can work with, and build an optimized supply chain for partners to sell the products or to provide OEM services," according to Ita Lin, associate vice president of Epistar's Marketing Center.In reality, due to issues concerning the company size, sales, marketing, and brand recognition, it is difficult for Taiwan-based small- and medium-size packaging or module firms to obtain orders from well-known lighting firms or mobile device backlighting suppliers. In contrast, Epistar is a world-leading LED chipmaker and has established a strong brand image and trust within the industry, allowing it to play a leading role in the virtual vertical integration for the Taiwan LED industry in its completion against others in the world.Lowering design barriers for end-market firmsLin added that "to facilitate this cooperation model and maximize the synergy in competition for orders from US- and Europe-based lighting fixture firms, Epistar has been expanding its electric control, industry design, and sales marketing teams, and has now become a supplier for brand-name vendors."However, Epistar mainly applies this strategy in the down lighting market and has been avoiding the light bulb market, which has become a pricing war zone. It has been pointed out that the ex-factory price for the mainstream mid-power 800-lumen LED light bulb has been falling from US$5-6/unit in 2013, to US$2.20-2.50/unit in 2014, and to US$1.80/unit in 2015. This means LED firms have an extremely low profit margin.The co-activation service introduced by Epistar not only integrates Taiwan's LED industry to compete with other regions, it also satisfies the demand of LED lighting fixture firms. Alexander Wang, director of Epistar's Marketing Center Segment Group, noted, "In the traditional lighting era, mechanical design was the most important part, and that was what lighting fixture firms were good at. But in the LED era, electronic design has become the center of lighting fixture development. This means it is difficult for traditional lighting firms to build their own products by integrating the components such as power supply they procure. They need to rely on suppliers to provide a total solution."HV DOB is popular in the marketDue to the demand aforementioned, Epistar currently relies on Co-activation Service to mainly promote driver on board (DoB) solutions with high-voltage (HV) chips. The one big advantage of HV chips is their ability to operate under HV direct current, hence in the process of turning alternative current (AC) into direct current (DC) there is no need to dramatically lower the voltage. This also means the chip does not require expensive drivers but can rely on linear driver circuits. In fact, in the 2014 Frankfurt Light + Building exhibition, some of Epistar's major customers such as Philips and other Europe- and US-based firms showcased HV linear lighting products.The DoB technology is to package power drivers directly onto the circuit board which can help minimize the size of the light source. This means the integration of HV chips into the DoB can greatly lower BoM costs and simplify designs. The DoB module introduced by the Co-activation Service provided by Epistar and its fellow partners can be immediately used after the lighting fixture firm takes delivery and puts two screws on it. This greatly lowers the entry barriers faced by traditional lighting fixture firms in the LED lighting market, and therefore this solution is quite popular.Flexible customized servicesIn addition, in the LED lighting fixture market, competition is mainly based on design differentiation and with Co-activation Service, Epistar can customize special designs for special needs and choose suitable packaging and module firms to join the project. This flexibility allows Epistar to provide lighting fixture firms with quick customized products and services.In addition to DoB, Co-activation Service has also expanded to many other products. More packaging and module firms have joined Co-activation Service due to its profit-sharing advantages. In the face of fast expansion by LED firms in other regions, the virtual vertical integration will help Taiwan's upstream and downstream LED firms to capture more business opportunities.

Environmental and legislative concerns are driving consumers away from products using solders that contain lead (Pb), including solders used in die-attach applications for analog semiconductor assembly. Indium Corporation's BiAgX solder paste technology is a high-melting, lead-free (Pb-free) solder paste technology that serves as a drop-in replacement for the high-Pb solders used in many high-reliability die-attach and electronics assembly applications.BiAgX can survive junction temperatures and high-temperature environments in excess of 175 degrees C with little degradation of the mechanical structure or other properties."BiAgX is the only low-cost, customer-proven, lead-free replacement solder paste that is able to survive J-STD-020 MSL reflow profiles (up to 260 degree C) in the final solder joint," said Indium Corporation's Andy C. Mackie, PhD, MSc, senior product manager for semiconductor and advanced assembly materials. "BiAgX has been qualified by customers at moisture sensitivity level (MSL) 3 up to 1 per IPC/JEDEC Standard J-STD020. Customers are also ramping production to meet their customers' needs for a completely lead-free final assembly."BiAgX is suited for small, low-voltage QFN packages that are used in portable electronics (smartphones/tablets), automotive electronics, and industrial applications. It requires minimal process adjustments and no capital expenditures for customers converting from a standard high Pb-containing solder paste-based process. It is both Pb-free and Sb-free (lead and antimony) and does not contain costly specialty materials, such as nanosilver or sintering aids.BiAgX reflows, solders, wets, and solidifies just like any other solder paste, and is available in both dispense and printing forms. Flux residues are easily cleanable with standard cleaning chemistries and processes.For more information about BiAgX, including technical papers and other technical information, visit www.indium.com/BiAgX.For more information about Indium Corporation, visit www.indium.com or email abrown@indium.com. You can also follow our experts, From One Engineer To Another (#FOETA), at www.facebook.com/indium or @IndiumCorp.

Entegris, Inc. has been recognized as one of 19 companies receiving Intel Corporation's Preferred Quality Supplier (PQS) award for their performance in 2014. This supplier has demonstrated industry-leading commitment across all critical focus areas on which they are measured: quality, cost, availability, technology, customer service, labor and ethics systems and environmental sustainability.Entegris, Inc. is recognized for their significant contributions providing Intel with contamination control, critical materials handling, and advanced process materials, deemed essential to Intel's success."We are truly honored to receive Intel's Preferred Quality Supplier award," said Bertrand Loy, president and CEO of Entegris. "This distinction is the result of the on-going commitment and dedication of the Entegris teams around the world to relentlessly advance our quality systems and our technology. We are committed to helping the world's technology leaders grow in an environmentally and socially responsible manner and we look forward to new opportunities to enable Intel's technology roadmap.""Congratulations to Entegris for winning the 2014 Preferred Supplier Quality Award! Entegris is a key supplier supporting Intel's wafer carriers and filtration technology requirements. Intel recognizes Entegris' dedication in providing excellent performances across Cost, Quality, Availability, Technology and Sustainability. We are looking forward to Entegris' continuing success and partnership in 2015," said Tim Hendry Intel VP and Director of Fab Materials Operations, Intel Corporation.The PQS award is part of Intel's Supplier Continuous Quality Improvement (SCQI) program that encourages suppliers to strive for excellence and continuous improvement. To qualify for PQS status, suppliers must score 80 percent on a report card that assesses performance and ability to meet cost, quality, availability, technology, environmental, social and governance goals. Suppliers must also achieve 80 percent or greater on a challenging improvement plan and demonstrate solid quality and business systems. Additional information about the SCQI program is available at http://intel.com/go/quality.A celebration to honor PQS award winners was held in Santa Clara, California themed "Innovating to Deliver Smart and Connected Devices", which illustrates the contributions this supplier has made in 2014. In addition, there was an announcement on Intel"s website at http://intel.com/.

Iceleads, a performance-based marketing automation company, announces that it has closed a US$3.5 million Series-A funding round from Vortex Capital Partners to accelerate growth and to speed up its global expansion.Iceleads (http://www.iceleads.com/) adds "BuyNow" functionality to brand websites by listing retail online offers for any product. Consumers can instantly complete their purchase while retailers enjoy highly qualified leads and exposure on the brand website. For brands, the BuyNow solution turns browsers into buyers without the challenges of running expensive e-commerce operations.By indexing product inventories of 2,800 retailers in 80 countries, Iceleads offers a global solution that can list retail offers for virtually any product in any market. Tracking leads and sales conversions are additional benefits of the BuyNow solution as it provides brands with clear insights into consumer behavior and ROI: the technology can be used to track the performance of virtually any digital marketing campaign. Current clients include multinational companies like Microsoft, NVIDIA, Lenovo, HP, Asus and Bose. Furthermore leading digital agencies also use Iceleads technology to strengthen the value proposition of the brands they work for.The successful completion of the transaction is an important milestone for Iceleads enabling the company to sustain its leading position in BuyNow solutions worldwide. "The investment we received today enables us to drive innovation and product development, provide in-region support to our clients and to expand into new verticals such as automotive and FMCG", says Joris Kroese, Founder and CEO of Iceleads. Evert Jan de Groot from Vortex Capital Partners confirms: "There is a tremendous growth potential for digital commerce initiatives. Iceleads is very well positioned to play a dominant role in this segment."The shareholders of Iceleads are supported by Deloitte Corporate Finance in realizing the investment.About IceleadsIceleads was founded in 2011 as a subsidiary of Icecat (http://www.icecat.biz/). Altogether the group has over 20 years of channel experience working for 6.000 brands and 34.000 retailers mainly in CE and IT and employs over 100 in staff.About VortexVortex Capital Partners is a Dutch venture and buyout capital firm with a focus on companies active in internet, software and technology enabled services. The team of Vortex Capital Partners is built around successful internet and software entrepreneurs and M&A professionals, aiming to support the entrepreneurs they invest in to accelerate the expansion of their businesses. For more information, visit the Vortex Capital Partners website at http://www.vortexcp.com/Contact Iceleads for more information, or download our press kit here: http://www.iceleads.com/pages/press/press.aspxJoris Kroese, Founder and CEO of Iceleads and Evert Jan de Groot from Vortex Capital Partners

ThroughTek Co., Ltd., a leading IoT (Internet of Things) & M2M (Machine to Machine) total solution provider, sincerely invites you to take part in our IoT Webinar, presented by Machina Research and ThroughTek on 26th March, 2015. AllSeen Alliance has been invited to share some IoT industry insights.Date and TimeThursday, 26 March 201510:00 Los Angeles13:00 New York 17:00 London18:00 ParisFriday, 27 March 201501:00 Taipei02:00 Japan04:00 SydneyRegistration Page:http://view6.workcast.net/register?pak=7735536390433805Topics covered will include latest IoT/M2M industry trends, key capabilities of the Kalay platform, and implementation examples for leveraging Kalay cloud service and AllJoyn platforms in smart home use. With the Kalay platform, users can create seamless connections between devices both within and among multiple domains in applications such as surveillance, building, home automation, home security, and connected vehicles.We look forward to seeing you there!IoT Webinar, presented by Machina Research and ThroughTek on 26th March, 2015.

SCHURTER's popular power entry module, KFA series, is now equipped with an additional ground line choke to suppress high frequency interference arising from ground loops on the ground line. In addition, the newly added ground line choke improves asymmetric attenuation in higher frequencies in medical filter versions. The KFA series with existing common-mode choke on the phase and neutral conductors, together with an additional ground line choke, is well enhanced to address the growing EMC challenges facing compliance engineers today.Ground loops arise through different impedances of different ground line connections in one or multiple pieces of equipment. While all ground connections have the same potential level for the 50 Hz load current, these can have different potential levels for high-frequency interference. The ground line choke, which is wired between the power-inlet connector and the filter output, smartly addresses this phenomenon. Because of its placement directly at the power line input, high-frequency interference currents on the ground line are prevented from bypassing the filter through the equipment housing. The ground line choke isolates the equipment chassis against high frequencies and the equipment ground from the ground on the line power connection. This approach effectively breaks any possible ground loops.Audio equipment for instance is known for being prone to ground loop problems. Often referred to as hum or buzz, the KFA, with ground line choke, is well suited for suppressing interferences that lead to diminished sound quality. The KFA is also well suited for medical equipment required to use low leakage filters for increased patient safety. The reduced Y capacitance to ground, or absence thereof, leads to reduced asymmetric attenuation in higher frequencies. The KFA with ground line choke helps to compensate for this reduced performance.The KFA power entry module includes an IEC C14 power inlet connector with a 1- or 2-pole fuseholder and EMC filter and is available in a wide range of models and designs. The series offers current levels from 1A to 10A at 250 VAC according to IEC and UL standards. The series has ENEC and cURus approvals and is suited for applications according to IEC 60950. Special filter versions, M5 and M80, are available for medical devices according to IEC 60601-1. Wiring is done using quick-connect terminals or wire leads. The KFA is compatible with V-Lock cord sets, designed to safeguard against unintentional disconnection of the power.Technical data- IEC C14 power-inlet connector with 1/2-pole fuseholder and a filter- Filter standard, medical M5 / M80 versions- Rated currents: 1, 2, 4, 6, 10A (ENEC / UL / CSA) at 40°C- Screw or snap-in assembly- V-Lock plug-retention safeguardApplications- For applications with noise on the ground wire- For applications with ground loops- Applications with high asymmetrical attenuation requirements- Suited for medical equipment according to IEC 60601-1SCHURTER's compact power entry module, KFA series, with filter now with ground line choke

HOLUX, a professional designer and manufacturer of GPS products, will showcase its new Heart-Rate Smartwatch and handheld GPS devices for outdoor activities at "Taiwan Excellence Pavilion" in Taipei international cycle show.The WRL-8100 is a heart-rate oriented smartwatch designed for sports and a healthy lifestyle. It integrates the latest fitness monitoring technology to eliminate deviations in calculations due to movement and vibrations, providing precise and continuous heart rate measurements. It is also equipped with pedometer functions, the ability to set predefined distances, calculate calories consumed, fatigue detection, sleep quality monitoring, and will remind you when the daily exercise quota is achieved.The WRL-8100 supports all Android and iOS smartphones via Bluetooth pairing and offers call alert, message notification, and exercise-tracking functions. It tracks the achievement and effectiveness of exercises through the companion phone application, and conducts fitness status analysis and management via cloud integration.HOLUX will also showcase its new outdoor activity GPS products such as the SporTrek 1305, a multi-functional handheld GPS unit that lets you make the most of every sporting activity. Using a 3" transflective and flat touch screen, it provides advanced navigation and performance training. SporTrek 1305 is the perfect companion for touring, competitive cycling and mountain biking. The device displays a wealth of useful activity data, including speed, altitude, calories, cadence, etc. With shock resistance and IPX-7 water resistance built in, the SporTrek 1305 will stand up to any kind of weather. It also connects to Heart-Rate Monitor / Combo (Speed & Cadence) Sensors and displays information via Bluetooth Smart technology.HOLUX is set to unveil its first smartwatch - the WRL-8100

Leading semiconductor test equipment supplier Advantest Corporation (TSE: 6857, NYSE: ATE) has received its first order from Shanghai Haier IC, an IC design company in China that develops microcontrollers, embedded memories and radio-frequency (RF) connectivity semiconductors, for a V93000 Smart Scale tester in the cost-efficient Dragon configuration with a highly compact A-Class test head, Advantest's smallest.Shanghai Haier IC will use the tester in embedded Flash, RF microcontroller (RF-MCU) and digital probe testing for all of the products on its technology roadmap, most of which rely on embedded Flash memory for applications such as smart grid, smart home, the Internet of Things (IoT), industrial controls and consumer electronics."We were looking for a universal platform that could efficiently test our full range of devices while achieving the lowest cost of test and reducing our time to market," said Wang Zhenyu, Operation Director of Shanghai Haier IC. "Advantest's V93000 system has the scalability and flexibility to meet our performance demands while also supporting us in simplifying our supply chain.""For Smart Meter device testing, our V93000 offers higher multi-site efficiency, faster test times and a lower cost of test than the testers Shanghai Haier IC had used in the past," said Hans-Juergen Wagner, senior vice president of the SoC Business Group at Advantest Corporation. "At the same time, the scalability of the V93000 platform allows them to address the broad test challenges of the IoT market. It's this type of industry-leading performance that has enabled the V93000 to reach record sales in the past year, making it the world's most popular semiconductor test platform."The modular V93000 platform can be custom-configured to ensure maximum system loading and provide the highest return on investment (ROI) for each user. It features a universal per-pin architecture for highly efficient multi-site testing of digital I/O protocols, non-volatile memories and A/D and D/A converters, making a dedicated analog card obsolete. In addition, the V93000 tester's capabilities can be extended with an entry Port Scale RF configuration, which enables a 40 percent cost-of-test advantage over PXI-based RF solutions.