From the inside: STI Electronics
From the inside:
STI Electronics
Nestled on the outskirts of Madison,
Alabama is STI Electronics, a diverse group
that comprises a contract manufactur-
ing/NPI division, analytical services, a
distribution company and an international
training facility. Established in 1982, this
family-owned company has just quadrupled
in size, moving into a 40,000 sq. ft state-of-
the-art factory on a green field site across
the road from their old premises.
The Huntsville region is home to
many of the United States major defense
contractors, providing a rich seem of high
Figure 1. David Raby (president) and Diana Bradford (vice president of operations/training).
reliability, mission critical work for STI.
After his decommission from the US Navy,
AIM, JBC, OK Industries and many more. fitted classrooms. Each classroom is fitted
the company’s founder, Jim Raby, contin-
Ryan Kirk and Sissie Eckstein preside over with equipment to emulate the working
ued his electronics career working on naval
a team of five sales reps, who cover over environment the student uses. Students
missile projects in China Lake, California.
800 active customers in Alabama, Tennes- can choose from OKI, PACE, JVC or
After leaving the government he began STI
see, Georgia and Florida. The reps can Hakko. STI is an IPC accredited training
Electronics, then known as Soldering Tech-
offer process support, where necessary, center, but it also provides NASA certifica-
nology Internationally in San Dimas, CA.
or laboratory services to customers who, tion and bespoke training when requested.
In 1993, Jim moved STI from San Dimas,
for example, cannot justify the cost of a Over 80% of all training is held on-site at
CA, to Madison, AL, with his wife Ellen
dedicated piece of equipment. the customer’s premises.
and son David, a former President of the
Cross-selling to other STI divisions is
SMTA. The Raby family run a tight-knit
encouraged. Currently, two-thirds of train- analytical
company employing over 50 people, some
ing customers, also buy from the distribu- One of the fundamental strengths of
of whom have grown with the company
tion division, which contributes 35% of STI is its extensive laboratory facilities,
since it started in San Dimas.
the turnover at STI. which underpin the manufacturing and
One of the most recent developments test services performed by the company.
Distribution
in the distribution division has been the In the organic contamination laboratory,
Taking a tour of the new facility, we visited
addition of industrial tooling. This is still scientists can measure contamination using
distribution department first. The distribu-
in its nascent stage, but already it is bring- omega meters, ionic chromatographers or
tion arm has been running for around
ing in new customers to STI, providing a spectrometer equipment.
12-13 years. Today it is headed by Sissy
good fit for those companies undertaking A YesTech x-ray system is used to
Eckstein, who manages a huge inventory
final box build. examine ball collapse and voiding in BGAs
of workbenches, solders, pastes, adhesives,
and other interconnection areas, such as
encapsulants and rework equipment,
Training wire bonds, die attach, underfills, traces in
representing some of the household names
Within a short distance we arrive at the PCBs and registration issues.
in our industry: Dow Corning, Henkel,
training department and one of two fully The wetting tester checks for positive
28 – Global SMT & Packaging – June 2009
www.globalsmt.net
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