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We go back to basics this month with a recount of a little history, and look forward to addressing the many challenges that high density, high frequency, adhesion, SI, and corrosion concerns for harsh environments bring to the fore. We compare and contrast surface finishes by type and application, take a hard look at the many iterations of gold plating, and address palladium as a surface finish.
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I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
November 22, 2024 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

Well, we’re officially entering the silly season, i.e., the holidays. Where did the year go? I still have money left on the Starbuck’s gift card I received last Christmas.
In this week’s roundup, I’m highlighting a variety of articles. We have an interview with Jess Hollenbaugh, a recent graduate working for Polar Instruments. We also have an interview with IPC’s Matt Kelly and Devan Iyer, whose white paper may provide a way forward for companies dealing with complex advanced packages. Our newest columnist Tom Yang describes the U.S. PCB industry from the point of view of a technologist from another country, and Dan Beaulieu has a review of Malcolm Gladwell’s follow-up to The Tipping Point. Finally, we have my review of PCB Carolina, a one-day tabletop show that keeps expanding, much like my waistline after eating their catered food. Enjoy!
Meet Polar's New Engineer Jess Hollenbaugh
Published November 21
Jess Hollenbaugh recently joined Polar Instruments, and she was nice enough to sit down for an interview at PCB West. How did a physics major with a love of thermodynamics wind up in the signal integrity software business? It’s great to see young people coming into our segment again, but we need a few thousand more just like Jess.
Advanced Packaging: Preparation is Now
Published November 20
IPC has just released a white paper, “Advanced Packaging to Board Level Integration—Needs and Challenges,” written by Devan Iyer, chief strategist of advanced packaging, and Matt Kelly, chief technology officer for IPC. This paper fleshes out IPC’s silicon-to-systems concept, and Matt and Devan offer our industry a way forward as we face more complex advance packaging challenges.
Global Citizenship: What I’ve Learned About the American PCB Business
Published November 20
Did you ever wonder what our industry looks like to technologists from other countries? After all, we can be a hot mess, but we still manage to lead the way. And as columnist Tom Yang says, the U.S. PCB industry tends to “double down on innovation.” Check it out.
Dan's Biz Bookshelf: 'Revenge of the Tipping Point'
Published November 20
Dan Beaulieu writes a weekly column for us, as well as the occasional book review. I’m a big fan of Malcolm Gladwell (Are you a “connector,” a “maven,” or a “salesman”?), so I’ll have to check out Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering. If you haven’t already done so, read The Tipping Point and Outliers too.
PCB Carolina’s Formula: Industry Experts and Catered Food
Published November 18
Does the food selection at a trade show have any influence on our decision to attend said show? It does for me. I’ve attended PCB Carolina since 2016, and the catered food is always one of the high points of the event. This time we had barbecued brisket for lunch. It’s no wonder PCB Carolina keeps growing every year.
Suggested Items
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
03/28/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007I’ve spent my week recovering from a busy and interesting week in Anaheim for the 25th IPC APEX EXPO. I think back to my first APEX EXPO, and the changes since then are too numerous to count. I first attended in 2004, also in Anaheim, back when there was almost no design content in the conference or expo portions of the show. It was just a few years after the downturn, and attendees and exhibitors alike were skittish, almost afraid to show confidence in our industry. A few unemployed design friends handed out copies of their resumes. Travel budgets were still down, and the aisles weren’t exactly packed with traffic.
Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: MKS' Atotech—Leading Innovations in Semiconductor Solutions
03/28/2025 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOIn this interview, Marcy LaRont speaks with Kuldip Johal, CTO, MKS’ Atotech. Based in Boston, MKS operates in vacuum solutions, photonics, and specifically for the Atotech division, material solutions. MKS significantly impacts the semiconductor industry, supplying components for up to 85% of global semiconductor tools and covers processes and materials for 70% of PCB manufacturing steps.
TTCI and TTC-LLC to Exhibit and Sponsor at SMTA Tech & Expo Forums in Dallas and Houston
03/27/2025 | The Test Connection Inc.The Test Connection Inc. (TTCI), a leading provider of electronic test and manufacturing solutions, and The Training Connection LLC (TTC-LLC) are proud to announce their participation as exhibitors and sponsors at the upcoming Dallas SMTA Tech & Expo Forum on April 1, 2025.
Electronics Industry Leaders Available to Comment on Two-Year Anniversary of Defense Production Act
03/27/2025 | IPCToday marks two years since President Biden issued Presidential Determination 2023-06, which invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA) to stimulate U.S. investment in the manufacturing of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and related technologies.
Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Emphasizing Sustainability in PCB Design with Summit Interconnect
03/27/2025 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOAndy Shaughnessy and Gerry Partida of Summit Interconnect discuss the rising customer interest in sustainability within PCB design. Gerry points out that many designs neglect sustainability, resulting in low yields and higher costs. The conversation stresses the importance of adhering to PCB standards and collaborating with fabricators to tackle design challenges and enhance sustainability.