2
0
1
6
THE
-
Q
3
SAMTEC SIGNAL
Step inside
THE NOOK Sam and Betty Shine visit the new interactive wall
Sam and Betty Shine interact with the Nook
WELCOME 3 5 7 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 25 26
Step inside the Nook News and Updates Costa Rica’s Elements Evan Baumer Bryson Mills Updated Associate Handbook HQ Aquarium Dancing with the Stars Jean Rojas Dave Blankenship Taoist Ground Breaking Ceremony 10 Years for Costa Rica 25 Years for Singapore Out of the Darkness TKO Parkinsons Product Spotlight: SEARAY Customer Spotlight: Axion Biosystems & L3 Communications Around the World Food Truck Friday Announcements Tessie is hiding somewhere in this newsletter! Once you find Tessie, email us at samtecsignal@samtec.com, or stop by HR, and let us know her location. Everyone who finds her will be entered to win a $25 gift card!
3
Ryan Franklin and Matt Perry interact with the Nook
STEP INSIDE THE NOOK An important goal of the remodel of our global headquarters, is to create a welcoming and impactful space for both customers and Associates to experience the Samtec story. Last year, customers equating to $250M in sales visited Samtec, which represents 40% of our total revenue. We expect that number to increase with the completion of this new space, and we also hope to welcome many other visitors, such as suppliers, family members, and community members. It was a challenge to figure out how to package up over a trillion product possibilities, tech centers spanning the entire signal chain, videos, virtual product explorers, web tools and more in a user-friendly interactive experience. A touchscreen video wall, comprised of fifteen 55” multi-touch LCD displays running a custom software built specifically for Samtec enabled us to tell that story. The screen, which is approximately 22 ft wide by 7 ft tall, offers a total display resolution of 9600 x 3240, which is effectively greater than 8K. It is cutting edge technology that provides a virtually seamless surface for us to deliver the content. The six directional speakers, providing a “soundcone” heard only to the user below each one, is the first install of its kind in this type of application. This allows six users at once to all be watching different videos at the same time without distracting one another. It only seemed appropriate to use cutting edge technology to showcase our own. It is not surprising that Planar, the manufacturer of the video wall, is a customer of Samtec’s. Our products are at work in this installation. The nook, which is a big part of the building experience, is only one small piece of the plan.
Once the new lobby is complete, more “wow factor” audiovisual equipment will be in place to tell our story. A 32 ft long “ticker” similar to the one seen today along the production floor will convey our real-time live service statistics from around the globe to our visitors. A vertical 2 story video wall will communicate powerful facts about our work and what we value as a company. A video wall to kick off a building tour communicates who we are and what we are about, with versions for both a technical audience and someone learning about connectors for the first time. From the lobby, visitors will be lead on a tour through the office or breakroom into the nook, where they can dig deeper and explore our products and services at a new level. After that, they will hear about our manufacturing and production capabilities, as they walk past the three monitors currently suspended above the main aisle. The product glamour shots will soon be replaced with footage of our most advanced machines and processes. As they move along in the the tour, most guests will conclude their tours in the room at the entrance to plating. This area, dubbed the “playroom” will be outfitted with samples and products enabling visitors to get hands-on experience with what we have to offer. In this room they will also learn about our vertical integration capabilities with regards to plating, stamping, and molding and get hands-on access to our web design tools and an interactive version of the Samtec business model. We are very excited to take advantage of the opportunities this technology provides in keeping our message and building experience fresh and exciting to our guests.
4
NEWS AND UPDATES
5
This 3D map is a part of the Nook. It shows visitors where all Samtec facilities are located.
AEG New Office in China We are relocating the product, SI and manufacturing engineering teams from the HZ plant to a new location in Dong Guan by Q1 2017. This move puts those teams closer to existing resources and enables us to capitalize on the talent available in the area. Beta-site in Vietnam To diversify our Asian manufacturing footprint and accommodate for future growth, we are testing out a new manufacturing location in Vietnam. The site will consist of 30 operators building core board-to-board products initially, with plans to expand and establish this location over time. New facility in Johor Bahru (aka the “JB Box”) Designed to mimic our Scottsburg facility, construction is underway on a new manufacturing site in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Our existing operation will relocate into the new structure in 2017. This will create a more efficient manufacturing space and provide our Associates with a more modern working environment. nMode/Triton Microelectronics Recently, Samtec acquired two Oro Valley, Arizona-based companies: nMode and Triton Technologies (nMode was a subsidiary of Triton). The primary technology at play in this acquisition is something called Glass Core Technology (GCT.) To grossly oversimplify, GCT is a patented technology used to create substrates for IC packaging on a miniaturized scale not achievable with traditional methods and materials. The addition of GCT to the Samtec Microelectronics toolkit enables Samtec to provide unprecedented design, development and fabrication support for next-generation systems. Samtec South Carolina We recently opened a new Design Center in Columbia, SC to take advantage of the availabl, Signal Integrity talent in the region. There will be a total of 7 SI Engineers working out of this office each having a deep history with server level SI that adds valuable expertise to our Teraspeed group. Headquarters Remodel Update Phase two of the New Albany headquarters remodel is coming along right on schedule. We learned a lot of lessons in phase one and have used those lessons to make the second phase even smoother. Perhaps the most exciting thing about phase two is the placement of the 6,000-gallon aquarium that will adorn our lobby and break room. Upon completion of phase two, we will bring Operations and Purchasing back from the Kids World temporary workspace, and bring Engineering into their new ‘forever home’. We expect Phase Three to be the shortest, smoothest phase and will begin immediately following phase two completion. The target date for phase two completion is November 24, 2016.
6
7
COSTA RICA’S ELEMENTS
Air and road conditions within a few miles from the Volcano
Ash accumulates on car hoods
TURRIALBA VOLCANO Fortunately, Samtec Costa Rica is far enough away from the Turrialba Volcano that it has not been affected much by the continued activity since its eruption in October of 2014. However, we do have Associates that live near the affected areas and deal with the repercussions. The volcano spews smoke, gas and ash mostly, sometimes up to 3,000m (9,840ft) into the air. Even though lava is not actually a threat at this point, ash is a major annoyance because winds spread it across the Central Valley, the most populated area in the country. It has a very strong smell of sulfur (rotten eggs), so you can smell it as soon as you walk outside. If not taken care of properly, the ash clogs gutters, damages car engines and stains fabrics. Sometimes people go to the hospital complaining of breathing difficulties and skin problems. Wearing masks and staying indoors is advised during the worst days. At times, schools are closed and some flights into the country cancelled or diverted as well.
Turrialba Volcano up close. Gabriela Cardenas captured this amazing phonto!
8
EVAN BAUMER Evan Baumer has a Masters of Electrical Engineering Degree from the University of Louisville and has been working at Samtec for several months. His first interaction with Samtec happened during an undergraduate project when he worked with Eric Mings in the Test Lab. He was so impressed with Samtec that he recommended the company to his brother, Aaron Baumer, when he was looking for a job. Evan previously worked for Vogt Power in Louisville, Kentucky. After two years at Vogt, Evan was interested in switching his role to Sales, but the company began laying off employees. Evan started looking at other opportunities and decided the time was right to send his resume to Samtec. Currently working in an Applications Engineering position, Evan has been learning about our core products. He understands the importance of these products as they
9
Evan stands infront of the backlit tiger in the Nook
are the foundation upon which Samtec started. It is also providing him an opportunity to learn the manufacturing process and meet new people along the way. Evan said it was easy to understand Samtec’s vision when you experience our service approach company wide. Duality is a big part of Evan’s role as he uses his engineering background in a sales function with the customer. He enjoys this aspect of his job and looks forward to improving his sales skills in this role. For Evan, the best things about Samtec so far have been the openness, availability, friendliness and the helpful mindset that every Associate he has met has shown him. As a new Associate, there are lots of questions, and Evan is grateful for everyone’s support and responsiveness. The hardest thing for Evan …. all of our acronyms. And doesn’t that sound familiar? Welcome to the Samtec family, Evan!
BRYSON MILLS
Bryson prepares for the next serve
Bryson Mills, currently working as a co-op in Learning and Development, attends IUS and was recently named a 2016 Daktronics-National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Men’s Tennis Scholar-Athlete.
As a senior at IUS, Bryson uses his time management skills almost every day with his very busy schedule. He Rion Paige sings works at Samtec during theX-Factor day, hasfinalist tennis practice for Rauch guests and inspires after work and then goes tomany school in the follow theirevening. dreams no Bryson is working toward a matter Business degree with a face. what obsticles they concentration in HR, Marketing and Management.
In order to be nominated for this award, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and must have achieved junior academic status. Bryson also earned Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC) All- Conference recognition for the third-straight year. He helped lead the IUS Grenadiers to their second KIAC Tournament championship in three years.
Bryson is currently creating interactive training modules for areas such as Handfill, Secondary Ops and recently the Optics area. His other responsibilities include teaching the TigerNet class for new hires and new Associate testing. Bryson is now assisting with the recruiting process for operators as well. Congratulations Bryson on a job well-done – at Samtec, in the classroom and on the court!!
10
ASSOCIATE HANDBOOK
Maternity/Paternity/Adoption Leave – updated to below: Maternity/paternity/adoption leave is a paid leave associated with the birth of an Associate’s own child or the placement of a child with an Associate in connection with adoption. Maternity/paternity/adoption leave is not charged against the Associate’s other paid leave though does count toward the total available time under short term disability and FMLA. The paid days following the arrival of the child are as follows: Week 1 100% of hourly rate (mother and father)
Updates were recently made to the Associate Handbook for all North American Associates, and a brief summary of the changes are below. Please go to TigerNet to view the complete updated Handbook in its entirety. Clocking in/ out – Updated to: The Fair Labor Standards Act requires employers to keep detailed and accurate records on time worked for all employees. Clocking in and out at the start and end of an Associate’s shift, as well as for lunch breaks, is an important component of these records. Associates are paid from the time they are clocked in until their clock out time, less the time clocked out for meal breaks as normal, with no rounding. Associates are expected to arrive and depart on schedule. Clocking in indicates the Associate has completed any personal activities and is ready to begin his/her work. Associates should not enter a time punch more than 5 minutes before their regular shift’s start time without the approval of their supervisor/manager. In the event of a missed clock punch, the Associate should notify his/her supervisor for correction. Workplace visitors – New requirement: Visitors should be escorted by a Samtec Associate while in Samtec facilities. The escort must ensure the visitor does not enter restricted areas without appropriate authorization (e.g., construction areas, ITAR production areas, etc.). Tiger Pause Policy - was removed.
11
Weeks 2-8 Mother following delivery: 60% of hourly rate Mothers adopting and natural or adopting Fathers: Unpaid or may elect to use available vacation days. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows employees up to 12 work weeks of unpaid leave annually. Paid leave under this policy will run concurrently with FMLA leave. After paid leave under this policy is exhausted, the Associate is required to apply any other available paid leave, which will also run concurrently with FMLA leave. Weeks 9 -12 Mothers and Fathers: Unpaid (or may elect to use available vacation days). The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows employees up to 12 work weeks of unpaid leave annually. Paid leave under this policy will run concurrently with FMLA leave. After paid leave under this policy is exhausted, the Associate is required to apply any other available paid leave, which will also run concurrently with FMLA leave. Temporary Associates are not eligible for paid maternity/ paternity/adoption leave under this policy. Continuation of Benefits: Health insurance benefits will continue to be provided during the paid maternity/ paternity/adoption leave under this policy at the same rate as in effect before the leave was taken regardless of length of service. Requirements for Obtaining Paid Leave: The Associate must provide to his/her Supervisor and HR 30 days’ notice of the requested leave (or as much notice as possible under the specific circumstances). Please contact HR for questions or additional information about these changes.
HQ AQUARIUM Every Week Will Be SHARK WEEK! When we decided to remodel the world wide headquarters, there were a few goals we knew we had to accomplish. First, and by far the most important, was the new space needed to accommodate our growing staff and be a welcoming environment for associates in the coming years. Secondly, we needed the building to be a true showcase of all of our technology and capabilities for customer visits. Lastly, we wanted visitors to leave Samtec having had a memorable experience and a better understanding our company and culture. We all know Samtec is a global company, with many moving parts, and everyone who works at Samtec is unique in their own way. Even with all of our different responsibilities, capabilities, and cultures, we’re still one ecosystem. We wanted to show this off in a unique way.
The tank as it was being prepared to move inside
That’s where the idea for an aquarium came in: a beautiful and memorable representation of the ecosystem here at Samtec. While an aquarium has many different species, and is biologically diverse, it is the variety and the ecosystem as a whole that allows an aquarium to thrive. The same can be said for Samtec. We don’t have business units or silos, but instead are one balanced ecosystem working together. We’re greater than the sum of our parts, and when we put all of our strengths and capabilities together – we are truly unique in our industry.
The Semi droping off the tank
Many of us were fortunate enough to watch a small part of the installation process for our new aquarium that will be featured in our lobby and break room. Our aquarium will contain 3 different types of sharks, a shovelnose guitar fish (which is a type of ray) and over a hundred other colorful fish. Our beautiful aquarium should be unveiled in late November, and be a monumental addition to our lobby and break room. Some Associates watch as the tank was being moved inside
12
DANCING WITH THE STARS
DANCING WITH THE STARS
Willie perfroms his routine with his dance partner
One of the biggest fundraising events for Hosparus is Dancing with the Stars. This event features everyday people in the community paired up with local dancers competing for the mirrored ball trophy. This year, Samtec sponsored our very own Willie Lozado as a dancer, and he donated many hours of his time training and practicing to prepare himself for the show. Willie took it back to the ‘70’s with a disco themed dance, and several Associates attended the event to cheer him on. John Travolta has nothing on Willie that’s for sure as he was simply “mahvelous”.
Becky Schladant, Pam Grieb, Sharon Miller, MaryKay Baumann, Angie Eve, Willie Lozado, and Eileen Burrous attend the event and support their co-worker
Hosparus has been serving the needs of our community since 1978 when they accepted their first patient. Hosparus depends on fundraising efforts to ensure all residents in these counties, regardless of their ability to pay, have access to quality, compassionate care at the end of life. Through the support of donations from individuals and fundraisers like the Dancing with the Stars event, Hosparus remains the only full-service, non-profit hospice care provider in this region. This year, they will care for nearly 6,200 patients and their families in the 33 counties they serve in Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Besides the money the dancers raised, there was a live auction as well as several items in a silent auction at the event. The dancers alone raked in almost $80,000 in donations. The event as a whole has collected $135,000, and donations are still pouring in. Thanks to all who supported Willie and this very worthy cause.
13
JEAN ROJAS Jean is a programmer on our web team in Costa Rica and has been with Samtec for 5 years. One of Jean’s responsibilities as a web developer is taking care of our web database in Azure cloud. It is a cloud computing platform created for managing services through a global network of Microsoft data-centers. It allows us to use Microsoft data centers to store our data versus buying and upgrading our own web servers. Cloud computing gives us the opportunity to avoid costly infrastructure server purchases, provides high performance which equates to faster web pages and allows for scalability to purchase more or less space depending on our business demand. When Jean isn’t supporting our website, he trains in taekwondo. Jean has been practicing taekwondo for 10 years and currently has a red with blue belt. He has only one rank, red belt, before he can obtain a black belt. For those not familiar with taekwondo, it is a Korean martial art that was developed during the 1940s and 1950s. The school that Jean trains at is a member of the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) which is the international group that governs the sport. In 1994, taekwondo was adopted as an official Sport of the Olympic Games. According to the WTF, “Taekwondo is one of the most systematic and scientific Korean traditional martial arts that teaches more than physical fighting skills. It is a discipline that shows ways of enhancing our spirit and life through training our body and mind.” Taekwondo is currently one of the most popular martial arts in the world and was created to give people a way to protect themselves without weapons. This is done primarily by headheight kicks as well as jumping and spinning kicks. Jean says he trains a lot to improve his speed and the force behind each kick. Every time Jean wants to change a belt to a higher rank, he has to take a test. One part of the test is a written exam which involves knowing the taekwondo vocabulary that is written in Korean. Once this test is passed, the next phase is called “forms” which is like an imaginary fight. The third phase requires personal defense moves that would be used in dangerous situations. The next event is breaking boards, and the final phase involves sparring with a partner. A taekwondo sparring match is a full-contact event in an area measuring 8 square meters. A match win can occur by points, or if one competitor is unable to continue (knockout). Each match consists of two rounds with 30 seconds of rest between rounds. The entire test takes around 8 hours to complete. If a student passes all phases, they earn a new belt. Jean says that taekwondo is a big part of his routine now, and he hopes to practice and train the rest of his life. Jean practices by sparring with a partner
14
DAVE BLANKENSHIP Dave is timed while completing obstacles
Dave Blankenship has worked at our Samtec Design Center in Harrisburg, PA for 5 years. He is one of our Signal Integrity Test Engineers and has a passion for Autocross. Autocross is a timed competition in which drivers navigate one at a time through a defined course. It differs from road racing and oval racing in that generally, there is only one car on the track, racing against the clock rather than other cars. Autocross courses are typically one to two kilometers long and tend to place demands on car handling and driver skill rather than on engine power and outright speed.
Dave has been participating in Autocross events off and on for over 10 years. He describes it as a horizontal roller-coaster ride. Since drivers compete against the clock and is typically more a race of skill and car handling, Dave enjoys tweaking his vehicle to get the best out of it during competitions. Autocross uses rubber traffic cones to build a course in large parking lots. So, the hazards and barriers to entry are low. This makes autocross one of the easiest and least expensive ways to compete in racing cars. While speeds are generally no greater than those encountered in legal highway driving, the combination of concentration and precision maneuvering leaves many drivers with their heart racing and hands trembling from the adrenaline rush. There are between 10 and 16 local events per year in the Harrisburg area, and Dave recently participated in the Susquehanna Sports Car Club of America event in June at the Pennsylvania Expo Center in Harrisburg. Besides these local Autocross events, there are also several other events within a few hour’s drive. If he wanted to, Dave could be competing almost every other weekend. Drive fast, Dave, and be safe!
15
TAOIST CEREMONY JB Associates perform the Taoist Ground BreakingCeremony at their facilities construction site
Recently, Associates from the Johor Bahru office participates in a Taoist groundbreaking ceremony for their new facility. Taoism originated in China over 2000 years ago. It is a religion of unity and opposites; Yin and Yang. The principle of Yin Yang sees the world as filled with complementary forces – light and dark, hot and cold, etc. Taoism promotes achieving harmony or unity with nature, the pursuit of spiritual immortality, being virtuous and increased self-development. Ground breaking ceremonies are one of many Taoist practices. In a Taoist groundbreaking ceremony, the date and time is considered crucial. During the ceremony, people set off firecrackers, burn paper money, scatter cinnabar, insert peach wood charms and so on, in order to guide “qi” (pronounced “che”) to the site. Qi is the circulating life force whose existence and properties are the basis of many Chinese beliefs.
The Construction process begins
People will also offer fruits and incenses to the God of the Land and the various inhabiting spirits in order to beg their forgiveness for digging the ground and ask for their blessings so that the project goes smoothly. At the precise moment the ground is broken, one person leads in proclaiming “HUAT”, or prosperity, while others echo the word so that good fortune will come to the project and the finished building. Traditionally, an altar will also be placed at the construction site so that continuous offerings can be made to the Spirits of the Land to ensure protection is granted on those working on the project.
Keith Baumann starts the construction by breaking ground
16
10 YEARS FOR COSTA RICA
Costa Rica Associates dance while the orchestra plays
Samtec Costa Rica recently celebrated their 10th Anniversary with a traditional Costa Rican Fair. Costa Rica’s love for a good party is contagious, so Samtec CR’s anniversary party included traditional music, carnival rides, games and contests. Since cattle farming is a major industry in CR, bull riding shows are always popular at fairs. Samtec CR’s party even included a mechanical bull (which was a lot safer than a rodeo, bull fighting or running WITH the bulls through the streets). Ed Messer made a brief speech in Spanish, and Associates applauded his excellent effort. One of the highlights of the event was a performance by a famous Costa Rican tropical orchestra called La Solución. La Solución has produced some of the best Latin music in the industry and is widely regarded as one of the best salsa bands the Americas has produced in the last decade. As you can imagine, a great time was had by all! Pura Vida!
17
Associates rode the bull and tried to hold on as long as they can
25 YEARS FOR SINGAPORE
Singapore Associates gather for a group picture infront of the track
Samtec Singapore recently celebrated their 25th Anniversary with a day at the horse races. Associates had a great time betting on horses … with some even winning a little money. Before dinner, Mike Hynes and Richard Kennedy helped hand out the Years of Service certificates. Both Vince Ng and Sally Tok have been with Samtec Singapore since day one, so they both received their 25 Years of Service Award too! There was even more fun toward the end of the evening with a trivia game. The winner’s table, which happened to be Mike and Richard’s table, answered all the questions correctly. For winning the contest, they were adorned with flowers and stickers.
18
OUT OF THE DARKNESS The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is the leader in the fight against suicide. They fund research, create educational programs, advocate for public policy and support survivors of suicide loss. The Out of the Darkness Walks are proof that when people work together, they can make big changes in the world. These walks are AFSP’s largest fundraiser as they produce millions for suicide prevention programs, unite those who have been affected by suicide and create communities that are smart about mental health. Members of our Samtec family have been unfortunately touched by suicide over the years, and as we are doing many things in support of mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Free mental health services are available as a part of our Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Counseling sessions with an EAP counselor are available to develop a plan of action to address each Associate’s personal concerns. Our EAP facilitator, Wayne Corporation, can be reached by phone at 1-800441-1327. This service is completely confidential and free for our Associates and their family members. More information on our EAP Program can be found in the Associate Handbook as well as in HR. All Samtec First Responders took a Mental Health First Aid course given by Life Spring Health Services earlier this year, which gives them additional skills in assisting in these types of situations. We are also adding the phone number to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-8255, on our updated Emergency Procedure posters.
19
Besides sponsoring two teams in the Out of the Darkness walk, Samtec will be helping this cause by having a shoe drive as well. The local ASFP will be creating a display of shoes for the walk representing every person lost in the state last year. 727 pairs of shoes, 129 of which would be combat boots to represent veterans lost, will be needed to create this sad, but very powerful image. After the walk, the shoes will be donated to various organizations. How can you help? Bring in a pair or two of shoes for the shoe drive. If you are interested in walking with our donating to one of our Samtec sponsored teams, go to www.afsp.donordrive.com and type Team Linda or Team Sean Logan in the Fundraiser Search box in the upper right hand corner of the page. You can also donate directly to AFSP as well by giving your donation to Julie Cook.
Walk with us in Louisville, KY Date: November 5, 2016 Location: Waterfront Park Great Lawn Time: 10am- 12pm
SAMTEC CARES
TKO PARKINSONS A Southern Indiana man is paving the way for a revolutionary new treatment for Parkinson’s sufferers in the Kentuckiana area. Chuck Dismang, owner of Full Moon Martial Arts in Clarksville, IN, always kept a full time job outside of his gym business to make ends meet. After becoming exposed to Rock Steady Boxing, a program developed and refined in Indianapolis, IN to help curb the symptoms of Parkinson’s, he felt a higher calling to devote himself to this cause. In a leap of faith, he quit his full time job and built a 2nd separate gym above Full Moon Martial Arts specifically for the Rock Steady program. Chuck, a prized fighter with a competitive spirit, has found a mission worthy of that energy and drive in bringing this innovative program to Parkinson’s sufferers in this part of the country. Doug Pifer, a Louisville native, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 4 years ago. He started exercising and taking medications but the symptoms of the disease continued to progress and his health declined. A series of routine tests with his doctors conducted every three months reflected the progression of the disease. On a mission to help his father, Doug’s son discovered the Rock Steady program, but at the time it wasn’t available anywhere in the Louisville area. Eventually, the Parkinson’s Support Center of Kentuckiana informed him that Chuck was in the process of getting the training required to start
Members of TKO Parkinsons gather for a picture
his new gym. Doug was their first and only member in June of 2016, and three months later he returned to the doctor for his routine testing on the effects of the disease on his body. For the first time since his diagnosis 4 years prior, his numbers had reversed! He was actually improving his condition! Family, friends, and doctors are convinced of the impact that the Rock Steady gym has brought to his life and his outlook on the disease. There are now 15 full time students enrolled in the program, but still very much in its infancy the gym needs more members in order to survive. To simply sustain itself, it needs 15-20 new members to remain in our area. Part of the challenge is generating awareness for this incredible resource, and making it affordable for those who want to join. Insurance does not cover the program at this point, and monthly memberships are $115. For more information on this Kentuckiana program or how you can help, please join the conversation at www.facebook.com/TKOParkinsons or call 812-2589450. A fundraiser featuring a cornhole tournament, silent auction, food, drinks and kid friendly activities is planned for October 15th. They are still seeking donations and auction items for the event.
20
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT SEARAY™ High-Speed/High-Density Systems Our SEARAY connector system (SEAX Series) should become Samtec’s biggest selling product line this year, with sales of nearly $38 million last year. Why is it so popular? Because it allows customers to address many of their most challenging design problems. First, it is a high bandwidth connector, so it can be used in many newer, cutting edge technologies. Second, it is an open pin field design; this means every pin can be used for a signal, ground or power. Many connectors have footprints that require certain pins be designated signal and others must be ground, etc. The open pin field design gives engineers the flexibility to route the traces in the printed circuit board (PCB) almost any way they want. Third, it is high density, currently up to 500 I/Os. This means designers can dedicate a lot of pins for grounding, which allows higher signal speed. It’s also rugged. The Edge Rate™ contact system is tough; it can handle a lot of cycles, and it’s less prone to damage (i.e., bent pins) when the connectors are mated and unmated. Finally, the SEARAY family offers tons of design flexibility for engineers. It is available in sizes from 40 to 500 I/Os, in 17 different stack heights, in vertical, right angle, elevated, and low profile designs with or without solder charges. Standard pitch is .050” (1.27 mm), and it is also available in a space-saving .8 mm pitch design. Because of its performance and design flexibility, SEARAY has been adopted into numerous industry standards, and the list continues to grow. SEARAY was selected as the interconnect system for FPGA Mezzanine Card (FMC) standard. In this standard, SEARAY connectors are placed on FPGA (a type of semiconductor) Development Boards to help speed developers’ time to market.
21
Features: • .050” (1.27 mm) pitch grid for maximum routing flexibility • Up to 500 single-ended I/Os or 125 differential pairs • Up to 36 Gbps performance • Rugged Edge Rate® contact system less prone to damage when “zippered” during unmating • 7 to 40 mm stack heights • Parallel, perpendicular, and coplanar applications • Solder on each tail for ease of processing • High-speed cable assemblies for 50 Ω or 100 Ω solutions • Press-fit tails available • VITA 42, VITA 57, VITA 57.4 • IPC-A-610F and IPC J-STD-001F Class 3 solder joint
CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT
Our customer, Axion Biosystems, designs and builds high-end medical equipment. Their core technologies are proprietary electronics, microfabrication and biology. One of their specialties is optogenetics – using light to stimulate cells and developing therapies and medical strategies based on how the cells react. Their products are sold to universities, research companies, laboratories and pharmaceutical companies, to name a few. Most of their equipment is used to study cells related to the human heart and brain activity. Pictured below is their LUMOS™ optical stimulation device. It allows researchers to deliver light to the connector plate. This gives them enhanced control while they are doing simultaneous recordings of real-time, functional data. It is also used to help predict pro-convulsent risk. Researchers also use LUMOS for drug screening and to help identify genetic origins of diseases like Epilepsy, Autism, ALS and Parkinson’s disease. Axion uses Samtec’s EPLSP cable assembly and standard .100” pitch headers and sockets, and they are investigating SEARAY™.
Our customer, L3 Communications, designs, develops and manufactures military, aerospace and communications systems. They build ruggedized display systems for the world’s most demanding airborne, shipborne and ground-based applications. L3 leads an International Integrated Product team that designed, qualified and now manufactures the panoramic display for the F-35 stealth fighter jet. This is a high-resolution, high-brightness, night visioncompatible 20” X 8” active matrix liquid crystal display with a redundant display management computer. It provides pilot control and display for all major functions of the jet including flight and sensor displays; communication, radio and navigation systems; and identification systems. Together, the display can provide pilots with total situation awareness. Several HDR cable assemblies are used in their design, including HQDPs, SEACs, and HQCDs. L3 uses our cables to run video signals from their video driver board to the display. Pictured above is the F-35.
22 4
AROUND THE WORLD
SOG - Santa Clara, California A few SOG Associates showed New Albany’s Keith Guetig a local ping pong place, TopSpin, to hang out before dinner.
SME - Colorado Springs
Samtec was cooking something up in Colorado—literally. They had a BBQ in July with brats, pork tenderloins and hot dogs. Grilling out is a great way to celebrate the summertime.
Costa Rica
Samtec Costa Rica has an anniversary this month! To celebrate 10 years, they had a Costa Rican Fair with traditional games, a mechanical bull and a famous Costa Rican tropical orchestra called “La Solución”.
23
New Albany
Because of the remodel at HQ, many Associates have moved next door to “Kids World”, an old children’s day care. A bridge has been installed to create a speedy pathway for Associates in hopes to avoid the elements.
Scotland
Samtec Scotland decided to get in the team spirit for the 2016 Soccer European Cup. They decorated the office with flags and sported jerseys and gear for France, Italy, Belgium and Portugal. Each team provided a lunch for the whole office with a menu that coincided with the country they were supporting. On Italy day, they had pasta, France day was croque monsieur, Portugal day was peri peri chicken and Belgium day had all sorts of chocolatey treats!
Scottsburg
In the lobby at Samtec SB is a shovel in a beautifully crafted case. Why would we have a shovel in our lobby? Because this shovel was used to start the construction of Samtec SB, and Jerry Gambrel, a SB Associate, hand-made the display case.
India
Congrats to Samtec India who awarded the “Leading Emerging Indian Company of the Year Award” from the International Achievers Summit & Awards Ceremony held on Friday,12 August,2016. Ravindra Kumar accepted the award on behalf of Samtec.
Johor Bahru, Malaysia
JB’s construction has begun. Here is the most recent snapshot of their site. The ground has been flattened and the outlined structure is now being put into place.
24
FOOD TRUCK FRIDAY Every quarter, the Engineering and Sales folks at SOG have a get together. Food Truck Friday was their last get together in celebration of the 4th of July holiday weekend. Everyone enjoyed some great Mexican food. The two photos on top are from SOG. Samtec HQ recently had a Food Truck Friday (bottom two photos) as well to celebrate the opening of our new outdoor patio. Carr’s BBQ set up shop in the parking lot selling pulled pork and beef brisket sandwiches. The BBQ was a hit! SOG Associates enjoy Los Jarochos Grill
25
New Albany Associates wait in line for Carr’s BBQ
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Email Us @
samtecsignal@samtec.com
Donate Blood
Thursday
October 13
Send us your photos, stories and more! We would love to spotlight your location.
26
Here is what to expect in the 2016 - Q4 Edition! • • • •
Remodel Update New Associate Spotlights! New Facility Spotlight Much Much More!
Have an idea for the Samtec Signal? Email us at samtecsignal@samtec.com Also, if you have found Tessie, email us at the above address or stop by HR, and let us know her location. Everyone who finds her will be entered to win a $25 gift card! Good Luck!