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Beyond the Rulebook
What happens when the rule book is no longer useful, or worse, was never written in the first place? In today’s fast-moving electronics landscape, we’re increasingly asked to design and build what has no precedent, no proven path, and no tidy checklist to follow. This is where “Design for Invention” begins.
March Madness
From the growing role of AI in design tools to the challenge of managing cumulative tolerances, these articles in this issue examine the technical details, design choices, and manufacturing considerations that determine whether a board works as intended.
Looking Forward to APEX EXPO 2026
I-Connect007 Magazine previews APEX EXPO 2026, covering everything from the show floor to the technical conference. For PCB designers, we move past the dreaded auto-router and spotlight AI design tools that actually matter.
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Aspocomp Starts Change Negotiations on Possible Temporary Layoffs at its Oulu Plant
August 15, 2023 | AspocompEstimated reading time: Less than a minute
Aspocomp starts change negotiations on possible temporary layoffs at its Oulu plant in Finland. On August 15, 2023, Aspocomp has issued a negotiation proposal in accordance with the Act on Cooperation to start change negotiations for production-related and financial reasons at its Oulu plant. The majority of the Oulu plant’s approximately 120 production blue-collar employees are covered by the negotiations. The change negotiations are estimated to last two weeks, and the possible temporary layoffs would last a maximum of 90 days.
With the change negotiations, the company prepares for a possible partial adjustment of production to correspond to temporarily low delivery volumes. Slower-than-expected recovery of the semiconductor cycle and high inventory levels in various parts of the value chain has slowed down net sales. A temporary slowdown in the semiconductor cycle is typical for the industry. The industry's long-term growth prospects are still strong. The cycle of the semiconductor industry is expected to return to growth at the end of the year or the beginning of 2024.
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EDIP Opens the Door: EU Funding Now Available for Defence Electronics Including PCBs and Substrates
04/21/2026 | Alison James and Chris Mitchell, Global Electronics AssociationThe European Commission has published a call for proposals under the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP), and for European electronics manufacturers the message is clear: this is real money for real capacity, and PCBs and IC substrates are explicitly in scope. EDIP's Industrial Reinforcement Actions (IRA) dedicate €122.25 million to key electronic components, covering guidance electronics, propulsion electronics, RF and laser modules, multispectral cameras, avionics, PCBs and IC substrates, lithium-ion polymer batteries, power electronics, and critical semiconductor building blocks
SMTA Announces 2026 STAR Forum Technical Program
04/16/2026 | SMTAThe SMTA announced the finalized program for the High Reliability: Strategic Technology Advancement Research Forum which takes place on May 6-7, 2026 in Olathe, Kansas, USA.
From AI to AEP, an Impressive Array of Keynotes at APEX EXPO 2026
04/17/2026 | Marcy LaRont and Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Each year at APEX EXPO, the Global Electronics Association provides an impressive lineup of keynote speakers to kick off the largest electronics manufacturing event in North America. This year included four keynote speeches, on topics ranging from the promise and peril of AI to the power of electronics, quantum computing, and the importance of heterogeneous integration in advanced electronics packaging.
Breaking the Manual Quoting Bottleneck in Wire Harness
04/15/2026 | Nolan Johnson, SMT007 MagazineArik Vrobel has spent more than 35 years in wire harness manufacturing—starting in EL-Com, his father's shop, building it into a nationally recognized contract manufacturer, and ultimately selling to Aptiv/Winchester in 2021. But retirement didn't last long. Within months, Arik was back, not as a manufacturer this time, but as a technologist. His new company, Cableteque, is building the quoting and data automation platform he always wished existed.
Podcast Hits the Mark in a Materials Market
04/15/2026 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007The base material of a printed circuit board is its literal and functional foundation. Isola, founded in 1912 in Düren, Germany, is one of the longest-standing manufacturers of glass-reinforced laminates in the electronics industry. Originally focused on insulation and fiberglass materials, the company played an early role in supplying the foundational substrates that enabled the growth of PCB technology. As electronics advanced, Isola evolved alongside the industry, expanding from basic glass-epoxy laminates into high-performance copper-clad materials and engineered prepregs.