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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.
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Sunstone Circuits Announces New In-House ENIG Process
March 1, 2016 | Business WireEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Sunstone Circuits has announced the addition of an in-house Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold (ENIG) process to its Mulino, Oregon manufacturing facility. The semi-automated line is custom manufactured by RK Fabrication and will be utilizing chemistry by DOW Electronic Materials. By adding this process in house, Sunstone will be able to decrease the minimum lead time from 1 week to a 2 day minimum on PCBpro Full Feature orders as well as having more control over pricing.
“We are excited to be adding this process to our in-house list of offerings, as it will benefit our customers in many ways,” said Sunstone’s Director of Operations, Nancy Viter. “As the demands on PCBs continue to drive smaller and tighter features, lead-free initiatives and reliability at assembly become even more important. We can now offer one of the most versatile surface finishes to our customers and make it quicker & easier to order, at a greater value.”
The new in-house ENIG Process complements a growing suite of PCB solutions from Sunstone which includes Extended Lead Times for PCBExpress Quickturn, a real On-Time Guarantee, Bundled Assembly, Slots & Cutouts and Expanded Drill Sizes on PCBExpress Quickturn and PCB123®, SMT Stencils with or without nano coating, and ITAR Registration, to name a few. With all of these offerings, Sunstone Circuits is continuing to differentiate themselves as the preferred comprehensive PCB solutions provider within the marketplace.
Sunstone Circuits remains committed to providing the best technical support in the printed circuit board industry. Anyone seeking answers or assistance with the new ENIG Process, or any of our product offerings can reach live technical support representatives 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year, via the web, telephone or via online chat, click here.
About Sunstone Circuits
Sunstone Circuits is the established leader in providing innovative and reliable printed circuit board (PCB) solutions for the electronic design industry. With over 40 years of experience in delivering high quality, on-time PCB prototypes, Sunstone Circuits is committed to improving the prototyping through production processes for the design engineer from quote to delivery. With live on-site customer support every day of the year (24/7/365), Sunstone Circuits provides unparalleled customer service and leads the industry with a real On-Time Guarantee that is the first of its kind.
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Simon Khesin - Schmoll MaschinenSuggested Items
The Journey from Dilution to Zero Liquid Discharge
05/11/2026 | Richard Nichols, GreenSource EngineeringIf you’re familiar with the PCB industry, and a little long in the tooth like me, you may remember the cry, “The water board is here!” (or an equivalent authority). This was the signal for a frantic but regularly rehearsed exercise to turn on all the rinses. This anecdote demonstrates that in the early days of PCB production, prevailing practices revolved around a “dilution is the solution” mentality, in which manufacturers used copious amounts of water to dilute contaminants before discharging them into regulated municipal wastewater systems or natural water bodies.
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.