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Miniaturization Continues: Day 3 productronica Coverage
November 15, 2019 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamEstimated reading time: 1 minute

The conversations on day 3 of productronica continued, including topics such as flexibility, 5G capabilities, and increased data and intelligence. The theme from test and inspection equipment providers included increased capabilities in sensing, material handling, and visual inspection technologies. And through it all, one common perspective emerged time and time again: PCB manufacturing is now approaching the levels of line, trace, and component density that were once limited to the surface of a silicon wafer.
What was once a level of precision relegated to the smooth, mirror-like surface of a wafer slice and then sealed in a package, now is expected upon the relatively rough, uneven, and flexible surface of today’s newest materials. Organizations—equipment manufacturers, university research consortia, industry standards organizations, and more—are all collaborating to bring these capabilities to PCB fabrication.
On Thursday, I-Connect007 caught up with the likes of Isola, Koh Young, CyberOptics, ESI, PVA, Mirtec, Hitachi High-Tech, Indubond, Vayo Technology, Meyer Burger, Agfa, Polar, Rogers, and Orbotech. We also report on the IPC Hand Soldering World Championships, which concluded—with much excitement—Thursday afternoon. We will have coverage of the event and the awards ceremony soon.
One more day of productronica coverage still to come.
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05/13/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamIn response to yesterday’s news around new U.S. legislation being put forth by SEMI to support our domestic electronics supply chain–The SEMI Investment Act, or the Strengthening Essential Manufacturing and Industrial Act– I reached out to IPC’s Richard Capetto, chief lobbyist and a principal member of IPCs Global Relations and Advocacy team.
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Navigating Global Manufacturing in an Era of Uncertainty
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Nick Koop Launches IPC Flex Design Class
05/06/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineNick Koop is director of flex technology for TTM Technologies, and he’s been a staple of IPC’s flex committees for decades. He’s also a longtime flex design instructor, and he’s about to debut a new IPC class, Flex and Rigid-Flex Design for Manufacturability, which will run May 12–21. In this interview, Nick tells us about this new class and what attendees can expect to learn.