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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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IPC APEX EXPO 2025: We’ve Got It Covered
April 1, 2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamEstimated reading time: 3 minutes
IPC APEX EXPO is the largest electronics manufacturing trade show in North America, bringing together professionals from all sectors of the supply chain to educate, network, and share their products and services.
I-Connect007 is at the heart of it, and over these next few weeks we're filling our daily and weekly newsletters with the interviews, sponsors, technical insights, information about award recipients, and reviews of keynote speakers, standards activity, the technical conference, and receptions.
Our coverage is found in one easy-to-find location at Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025 and is sponsored by Blackfox, Burkle North America, KYZEN, Mycronic, and Technica USA. Navigate through “Videos,” “Show Coverage” and “Photos” to find what you’re looking for. Check back regularly as more content is added. You won’t want to miss any of our unique coverage.
Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll find:
Real Time with...: This two-station recording studio makes our booth unique. For the past 14 years, we’ve been talking to dozens and dozens of industry influencers about trends in the electronics industry. It’s our goal to record, edit, and make these videos live within 30 minutes. Scroll through this year's listing of more than 80 interviews that span the supply chain, including several conversations with key directors at IPC.
Reviews: IPC APEX EXPO is more than a show floor; it’s a hub for education. To provide extensive coverage from our perspective, we attended the special receptions, talked to the newcomers and industry legends, sat in on the keynotes, and have interpreted what we learn from many of the Professional Development Courses. We’ll also report on the standards development meetings, the new Learning Lounge, and the two special sessions of the Technical Conference.
Interviews: Outside of the Real Time with... interviews, we catch up with several important contributors to the industry, including our exclusive one-on-one interviews with keynote speakers Kevin Surace and Ahmad Bahai. We’ve also talked to the outgoing and new IPC Student Board Members, and winners of the Best Student Paper and Best Student Poster. It’s an impressive group of young professionals and an encouraging look at the future of our industry.
Award winners: The annual awards handed out by IPC recognizes the distinguished efforts of some of the brightest minds in the electronics industry. We’ve spoken to these award winners (including our former publisher Barry Matties, who received the IPC President’s Award this year), and share how they feel about the recognition from IPC and what they’re currently working on.
Photo coverage: You’ve likely seen the IPC photographer, and our own photographer PV Nguyen, roaming the show floor, peeking into receptions, and getting up close to the stage during events in the ballroom. We select the best of the best, giving you a picturesque tour of the whole show. Look for your own booth and your friends in our photo gallery and on the IPC flickr stream.
In the meantime, we will continue to highlight content from our April issues of SMT007, Design007, and PCB007 magazines. With the show now complete, it’s important to continue to tackle the pain points in the industry and provide information that will positively affect your bottom line.
I-Connect007 provides the most comprehensive coverage of the global electronics industry. We’re good for you—and for the industry.
Remember to check back with us regularly as more content will be added in the coming weeks.. You won’t want to miss any of our unique coverage at Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025.
Testimonial
"In a year when every marketing dollar mattered, I chose to keep I-Connect007 in our 2025 plan. Their commitment to high-quality, insightful content aligns with Koh Young’s values and helps readers navigate a changing industry. "
Brent Fischthal - Koh YoungSuggested Items
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
05/08/2026 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007This week, I’ve selected some outstanding interviews that you’ll want to take note of. First, is a roundtable discussion featuring three dynamic industry cybersecurity experts. Please watch this important discussion that affects us all. Following that, I spotlight the IPC-2581 Consortium, which explains why IPC-2581 is the standard to replace Gerber data for manufacturing. Next, I am including my interview with PCBAA and AAM, who collaborated to release a short documentary on U.S. PCB manufacturing.
Hall of Fame Spotlight Series: Highlighting Karen McConnell
05/07/2026 | Dan Feinberg, I-Connect007In 2021, Karen McConnell was awarded the Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame award in recognition of her contributions to the Association and the electronics industry. As a senior staff member and CAD/CAM engineer at Northrop Grumman Enterprise Services, her primary responsibility was to develop a common, shared EDM (Electronic Document Management) library to support the electrical and PCB design tool initiatives across Northrop Grumman Mission Systems.
A Necessary Shift From Gerber to IPC-2581
05/07/2026 | Tracy Riggan, Global Electronics AssociationIPC-2581 is an open, vendor-neutral data exchange standard developed by the Global Electronics Association to streamline the exchange of PCB design information across fabrication, assembly, and test. It replaces multiple legacy formats—including industry standards, Gerber, and ODB++—with a single, comprehensive, XML-based dataset that captures all manufacturing details.
Meet Emerging Engineers: Patrick Owen and Eric Mickenbecker, Summit Interconnect
05/05/2026 | Michelle Te, I-Connect007Patrick Owen and Eric Mickenbecker both work for Summit Interconnect, and are in their second year of the Global Electronics Association’s Emerging Engineer Program with mentor Brian Chislea. They stopped by the I-Connect007 booth at APEX EXPO and shared a bit of their story with me. Patrick has worked at the Hollister, California, plant since 2018, while Eric has been at the Chicago site since 2023. Like many of their peers, they came to the electronics industry from different paths, but are both excited about making an impact.
PCBAA, AAM Take on the Fight to Rebuild U.S. Manufacturing in New Documentary
05/05/2026 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007Throughout most of the 20th century, manufacturing was central to the American Dream of providing stable jobs and pathways to upward mobility. Today, more than 80% of global electronics manufacturing capacity resides in China and greater Asia, raising serious concerns about supply chain resilience and national security.