-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- pcb007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueThe Hole Truth: Via Integrity in an HDI World
From the drilled hole to registration across multiple sequential lamination cycles, to the quality of your copper plating, via reliability in an HDI world is becoming an ever-greater challenge. This month we look at “The Hole Truth,” from creating the “perfect” via to how you can assure via quality and reliability, the first time, every time.
In Pursuit of Perfection: Defect Reduction
For bare PCB board fabrication, defect reduction is a critical aspect of a company's bottom line profitability. In this issue, we examine how imaging, etching, and plating processes can provide information and insight into reducing defects and increasing yields.
Voices of the Industry
We take the pulse of the PCB industry by sharing insights from leading fabricators and suppliers in this month's issue. We've gathered their thoughts on the new U.S. administration, spending, the war in Ukraine, and their most pressing needs. It’s an eye-opening and enlightening look behind the curtain.
- Articles
- Columns
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - pcb007 Magazine
Mark Thompson’s Column
April 17, 2018 | Prototron CircuitsEstimated reading time: 1 minute

Mark Thompson, customer liaison engineer for Prototron Circuits, has returned to Design007 Magazine this month with his extremely popular I-Connect007 column, “The Bare (Board) Truth.”
Thompson took some time off from writing to focus on assisting Prototron’s customers with their engineering support needs.
“Things got really busy at work for a while as we increased our technology and our number of customers, which encompassed a great deal of my time,” said Thompson. “But to tell you the truth, I really missed writing and interfacing with my readers.”
Thompson said he was also motivated to begin writing again by seeing a decline in the quality of the data packages he receives customers.
“At first, I thought that this was problem that only we were experiencing,” Thompson explained. “But after calling a few of my colleagues at other board houses, I realized that this problem is occurring everywhere. It’s an industry-wide epidemic and something that is really affecting our ability to do our job to the best of our ability. Because of the data package issue, I will be especially focused on helping our customers’ designers and engineers gain a better knowledge of how boards are built, and what kind of data we need to build the best PCBs possible.”
Mark Thompson’s latest column appears in the April 2018 Design007 Magazine.
About Prototron
With over 30 years in business, Prototron Circuits is one of the industry leaders when it comes to high-technology quick-turn printed circuits boards. Their continued outstanding performance (98%+ quality and delivery) has made them a true preferred source of all companies needing reliable QTA PCBs. And now with their new global sourcing solutions, Prototron Circuits is truly America’s board source. Prototron has facilities in Redmond, Washington and Tucson, Arizona. Join their LinkedIn group, or click here.
Suggested Items
TT Electronics Achieves ISO 13485 Medical Certification at Mexicali EMS Facility
06/27/2025 | TT ElectronicsThis milestone underscores TT Electronics’ commitment to delivering high-quality, compliant, and reliable manufacturing solutions to its global customers in healthcare and life sciences.
CEE PCB Appoints KT Technical Solutions as North American Sales Representative
06/23/2025 | CEE PCBStrategic Partnership Expands CEE PCB’s Reach into the North American Market with a Focus on Customer-Centric Service and High-Quality Manufacturing
Benchmark Strengthens Presence in Jalisco with Grand Opening of Advanced Manufacturing Facility in Guadalajara
06/21/2025 | BUSINESS WIREBenchmark Electronics, Inc., a global provider of engineering, design, and manufacturing services, celebrated the grand opening of its brand-new manufacturing facility in Guadalajara, Mexico.
PMGC Holdings Signs Letter of Intent to Acquire Profitable U.S.-Based Electronics Manufacturing Company
06/10/2025 | Globe NewswirePMGC Holdings Inc., a diversified public holding company, is pleased to announce the signing of a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) to acquire a U.S.-based, cash-flow positive electronics contract manufacturing company with over 40 years of operational history.
VeriSilicon’s AI-ISP Custom Chip Solution Enables Mass Production of Customer’s Smartphones
06/09/2025 | BUSINESS WIREVeriSilicon recently announced that its AI-ISP custom chip solution has been successfully adopted in a customer’s mass-produced smartphones, reaffirming the company’s comprehensive one-stop custom silicon service capabilities in AI vision processing.