I-Connect007 Editor's Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

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Trade shows and technical conferences haven’t died; they’ve just moved online. The trade show season continues in virtual full force this week, and event coverage dominates the top five this week. Surprisingly, I don’t see events as this week’s theme. No, this week’s theme is “pundits.” We have Walt Custer’s industry outlook, seven experts on additive electronics, a designers conference keynote, and the IPC’s government relations expert. Don’t get me wrong: These folks are asked to speak to the industry for a good reason. They know their subject matter, and they present it skillfully. This week’s top five picks are worth reading.

An Update on Walt Custer’s EIPC Business Outlook Webinar
Published 10/12

Once again, Pete Starkey paints pictures with the agenda of a technical conference, highlighting Walt Custer’s business outlook update, with an emphasis on the European electronics industry, from the EIPC’s webinar on October 2. It wasn’t all bad news; at one point, Custer said, “It was really bleak earlier in the year. There was nothing positive that we could say in March and April. But now, business conditions are finally improving again.”

SMTA Additive Electronics TechXchange Speakers List Announced
Published 10/12

While this online, virtual conference may have already been held on October 15, it was clear that the agenda and speaker lineup caught reader attention. The TechXchange was extremely well attended. Held in San Jose in October 2109, the first Additive Electronics Conference was a success with very engaged attendees. This year’s online version showed that a technical conference could adapt well to the online format, and attendance reflected that, with almost 4X the registered attendees over last year’s conference.

Real Time with… AltiumLive 2020: Eli Hughes’ Full-Stack Hardware Engineer Keynote
Published 10/13

Though he didn’t specifically list James Burke as an influence, something tells me that Eli Hughes, co-founder of TZero and one of the AltiumLive 2020 keynote speakers, is a fan of the classic BBC-produced television series “Connections.” Hughes’ presentation, “Crossing the Chasm: The Road to Becoming a Full-Stack Hardware Engineer,” chose to highlight the gap, whereas Burke’s title concentrated on linking the knowledge, but both were after the same purpose—demonstrating that it takes cross-disciplinary thinking to truly innovate.

Electrolube Develops Plant-Based Epoxy, PU Bio Resins
Published 10/14

Electrolube has a new bio range of resins using locally sourced materials. The cost-driven incentive, led by Electrolube’s Indian and U.K. R&D teams, created a more eco-friendly plant-based isocyanate by using a local material to produce a natural oil perfect for epoxy resins.

The Government Circuit: U.S. and European Lawmakers Eyeing Changes That Would Affect Our Industry
Published 10/14

Chris Mitchell’s column tends to get a lot of reader attention. This week’s column was particularly well-read. If you haven’t caught up with it yet, his topics cover how COVID-19 is affecting the U.S. and European electronics industry, U.S. defense bills aimed at more supply chain resiliency, a pro-industrial-base COVID-19 recovery bill, and decoupling between China and the U.S.

03/24/2023 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007

It’s almost as if upheaval is the new normal. We often describe slow-moving but unstoppable change as moving in “geologic time.” But occasionally–like an earthquake–geology shifts suddenly. Here in my office, tracking the news of the industry, things are moving faster than geologic time, but more slowly than the jolt of an earthquake. The wave seems almost surfable, where before it seemed overwhelming. In this week’s list, we bring news from five different, high-vibration areas in our industry. If you read nothing else this week, these five items will keep you informed.

03/17/2023 | Patty Goldman, I-Connect007

Sarah Czaplewski-Campbell, a materials/product development engineer at IBM, shares her experiences as a young professional who has benefited from the guidance of seasoned mentors alongside her own unflagging drive to expand her industry knowledge. She offers poignant advice for prospective professionals, urging them to assertively seek out advice and experiences that will help them progress in their careers.

03/02/2023 | Pete Starkey, I-Connect007

During an excellent packed-house luncheon on the Monday of IPC APEX EXPO 2023, IPC Chief Economist Shawn DuBravac gave a keynote address titled, “What's New in Tech: The Micro Trends Defining the Future of Electronics,” with an introduction by IPC President and CEO John W. Mitchell.