Pomona, CA January 12, 2001 - Sharing production milestones for custom fixtures with their intended owners is a process innovation that Everett Charles Technologies (ECT) and its TTI Testron Division have recently introduced. Through corporate Internet portals, the industry's two leading fabricators invite test engineers to request design quotations and follow the progress of user specified ATE (automated-test-equipment) fixtures on-line.

The ECT Internet site (ectinfo.com) directs fixture procurement prospects to a quotation web page within the company's Test Fixture Division product line section, and also provides a link to the TTI site (ttitestron.com) which offers additional fixture types and a quotation questionnaire. To access either on-line quote process, the user must apply for User ID and a password by e-mail, or by phoning a customer service number. That same User ID and password is used to enter the job status tracking service; individual jobs are identified by assigned quotation/job orders.

A tracking system in effect at every internal manufacturing center provides customers with real time job-by-job information, a segment of the same scheduling information that ECT fabrication personnel use to assess work assignments and evolving industry requirements. This data appears on the customer's computer screen after a few keystrokes, and can be downloaded or "pasted" into the user's own reports. E-mail or phone contacts address any comments or further questions.

The password-protected web sites also provide customer access to a master database of past projects, which is also behind firewall security in a corporate system, ECT stated.

Vice President Gary St. Onge said that the quotation and tracking service was a great convenience for customers, especially those in different time zones. "Everyone has Internet connections, so individuals can reach our systems and check on orders during their business day, or any time day or night, without going through sales contacts or incurring toll call charges."

He explained that since test fixtures are extensively configured for specific requirements, the systems are not fully automated for e-commerce transactions. "Routine and redundant aspects of processing test fixture contracts are facilitated by an on-line system, and it made sense to offer the Internet as another means of access to our services. We have been operating in this mode with existing customers for nearly a year, and a significant percentage of new orders are logging in at both the ECT and TTI sites," St. Onge noted.

Everett Charles Technologies, a subsidiary of Dover Corporation, is a leading manufacturer of electrical test products and services, including semiconductor test products, bare-board automatic test systems, Pogo® test contacts, and bare and loaded PCB test fixtures. Corporate manufacturing, service, and support facilities are ISO registered with locations in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

The company has been awarded numerous patents and participates actively in developing industry standards. For additional information or product photos, please contact Ellen Santoni, Corporate Communications, at Everett Charles Technologies; 700 East Harrison Avenue, Pomona, CA 91767; (909) 625-9357; FAX (909) 625-9395.

The ECT website is located at https://ectinfo.com

Media Contacts:
Ellen Santoni, Everett Charles Technologies
(909) 625-9357 [email protected]
Patricia Rosenberg, Rosenberg Public Relations
(714) 953-2975 [email protected]

Pogo is a registered trademark of Everett Charles Technologies.