News & Stories Behind ESCATEC

ESCATEC Mechatronics in Johor Bahru has boosted its SMT capabilities with the installation of a new ASM DEK-TQ printer and Yamaha YSM20R mounter. 

Below is an important travel advisory for ESCATEC customers, partners, suppliers & employees; who may have been planning to visit ESCATEC's facilities in Penang and Johor Bahru.   In case of further inquiry, please get in touch with your ESCATEC contact or send an email to info@escatec.com.        TRAVEL ADVISORY ENTRY RESTRICTIONS ON FOREIGN TRAVELLERS TO MALAYSIA     1:  Effective 7 September 2020, Malaysia will impose entry restrictions on foreign travellers from countries that have recorded over 150,000 COVID-19 cases. There are currently 23 countries on this "Restricted Entry" list, as below:            United States of America          Brazil          India          Russia          Peru          Colombia          South Africa          Mexico          Spain          Argentina          Chile          Iran          United Kingdom          Bangladesh          Saudi Arabia          Pakistan          France          Turkey          Italy          Germany          Iraq          Philippines          Indonesia   2:  The entry restrictions are applicable on travellers who are citizens of/holders of long term passes of the countries listed above, who are residing in or travelling from those countries.     3:  This measure is part of continuing efforts by the Malaysian government to contain the spread of COVID-19, and is prompted by recent increases in the number of imported COVID-19 cases detected at international points of entry to Malaysia among travellers coming from the listed countries. The restriction is a temporary measure and will be reviewed regularly.        4:  The entry restrictions also cover travellers holding long-term passes from Malaysia including:          Permanent Residents (PR);        Malaysia My Second Home Program (MM2H) pass holders;        All Expatriates (including Employment pass Category I, II and III; Residence              Pass-Talent (RPT); Professional Visit pass; and Dependent pass);        Resident pass holders;        Spouse/Child of Malaysians with long-term social visit pass;        Student pass holders; and        Temporary Employment pass holders.   5:  Exemptions to the entry restrictions may be considered for travellers under the following  categories:          Diplomats and their dependents who are eligible under the Exemption Order. However, for Diplomats or Embassy staff who are entering Malaysia for the first time, and residents in other countries that hold the United Nations (UN) / World Health Organisation (WHO) / United Nations Development Program (UNDP) passport, are required to obtain approval prior to travelling from the Director-General of the Immigration Department through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia.          Ship crew members who are involved in sign-on/joint-ship and sign-off activities. A Letter of Guarantee (LG) and Seaman Book must be provided as additional required documents during entry.  ​            Flight crew members for commercial or private flights. A General Declaration for the next flight operation must be provided as additional required documents during entry; and ​            Professional crew/workers in the oil and gas industry with existing passes and prior entry approval from the Director-General of the Immigration Department of Malaysia.   6:  Apart from the categories in paragraph 5 above, the Director-General of the Immigration  Department of Malaysia may consider exemption appeals, on a case-by-case basis, to enter Malaysia in cases of emergencies and on compassionate grounds.     7:  The enforcement mechanism for the entry restrictions at all Malaysian entry points is as follows:           Inspection of travel documents, including place of issue, departure stamp on passport, and flight ticket;         Travelers holding travel documents/long term visas from the countries listed above, or who are residents of the listed countries, will be prevented from entry into Malaysia;         Travelers who have been denied entry into Malaysia will be directed to the respective airlines to be repatriated.   8:  The entry restrictions do not apply to travellers who are transiting in Malaysia for departure to another country, provided the transit travellers do not leave the departure terminal and do not go through immigration inspection.     9:  Malaysian citizens are exempted from this ruling. Malaysian citizens who wish to return to Malaysia, including from the countries listed above, may do so provided they have a Travel Notice  issued by the Embassy and a Letter of Undertaking to bear the costs of quarantine upon arrival. All Malaysians are also reminded to download, register, and activate the  MySejahtera online app before entering Malaysia. The app can be downloaded via https://mysejahtera.malaysia.gov.my. ​   10:  Travellers denied entry or seeking clarification may call the Operations Room (24 hours) at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at: +603-8776-3681.     Image Credit: Malay Mail, COVID-19 Status in Malaysia as at 6 Sept 2020

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  In another step up the hi-tech ladder, ESCATEC has invested in new technology to advance its capability in MOEMS (micro-opto-electro-mechanical systems), with the objective of meeting current and new customer requirements for cost-effective advanced electronic products.   ESCATEC’s efforts in this regard are led by ESCATEC Switzerland AG, which besides being a hi-tech manufacturing facility, also functions as the Group’s Design & Development Centre and testbed for new technology.   To further develop its MOEMS abilities, ESCATEC Switzerland recently installed a new advanced Tresky T-6000-L/G die bonder for high precision applications.   The die bonder – with a placement tolerance of 1um laterally and capable of 600 placements per hour - has been put to work on “Chip-on-Board” production in an ISO-5 cleanroom environment, and is helping deliver higher precision and yield at a reduced cost    “By advancing its MOEMS capabilities, ESCATEC Switzerland can continue to satisfy current and new customer requirements for products and systems that are compact, highly efficient, highly accurate, high performing, and very cost-effective,” explained Wolfgang Plank, Microsystems & Packaging Specialist at ESCATEC Switzerland.    A typical MOEMS project at ESCATEC begins with a conceptual design and evolves in various phases until a robust production process and product is attained.    The Group’s MOEMS services at present spread across several market applications, including micro-displays for military use, 3D TOF camera for measuring and space applications, highly efficient light engines, micro-assembly, and miniaturisation, for automotive pressure sensors and hearing aids, and highly precise light modules for ophthalmology use.   ``An array of factors must be considered when designing an optimised and properly working MOEMS device. One of the most important factors for robust functionality is a stable production process. This is where ESCATEC's long-term experience as an integrated EMS service provider, especially in complex assemblies, gives us a strong advantage,” notes Wolfgang.    ESCATEC’s MOEMS capabilities involve integrating two major technologies i.e. micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and micro-optics.    MEMS is applied for device miniaturisation and has wide application in sensors and actuators, robotics, accelerometers, microvalves, flow controllers, GPS systems, and component miniaturisation. Market applications include use in space, air, land and sea vehicles, as well as industrial, biotechnology, and consumer electronics.   Taking this a step further, MOEMS involves integrating MEMS and the ability to manipulate optical signals on a very small scale (micro-optics) as a structured process in batch processing similar to integrated circuits and using micro-machining.   At the production level, MOEMS technology is used to fabricate a wide variety of hi-tech devices - such as optical switches, optical cross-connect, tuneable VCSEL, and microbolometers – using materials like silicon, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, and gallium arsenide.     For more information on ESCATEC’s MOEMS services, please contact Key Account Manager Michael Haemmerle. michael.haemmerle@escatec.com     Photo (on the right): A view of the MOEMS facility in ESCATEC Switzerland.   Photos (below): 1:  Production of advanced MOEMS products at ESCATEC Switzerland. 2 & 3: The Tresky T-6000-L/G die bonder in use.  4: The ISO-5 Cleanroom at ESCATEC Switzerland. 5: Wolfgang Plank.