I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Throughout the pandemic, the youngest of my two grown children has been attending college and, for the past three months, working the kind of first real job that launched so many of us: retail food service. Wednesday night, I agreed to be their ride home at closing time. Once safely ensconced in the car with me, I was greeted with, “Tonight was crazy. Super busy; everybody was spending money, and acting crazy.” At just this moment, I drove out into the open, away from the buildings, and a vivid butter-colored moon filled the sky directly in front of us, shouting its presence. 

“No surprise,” I said, “it’s a full moon.” 

“Oh…my…gosh.” was the stunned response. “They always said weird stuff happens in restaurants during the full moon. They’re right.” 

While the phase of the moon may affect the restaurant business, I’m sure it has nothing to do with the fact that this week’s news was full of equipment purchases, nor the fact that readers gravitated to those very stories. Rather than the phase of the moon, capital equipment purchases are likely due to pent up demand for manufacturing capacity nowadays. And reader interest in this sort of news may suggest that other members of the industry are thinking about following suit. Sort of like how we never notice the car commercials on TV. Then, one day, we notice we’re suddenly paying close attention; it’s the first sign we’re thinking about getting a new car. 

This week, my top five includes two popular press releases on equipment purchases, plus a case study that details another company’s ROI from new equipment. We also bring you Pete Starkey’s latest EIPC webinar writeup, and a bit of historical controversy from Clyde Coombs. Don’t get too crazy out there!  

Siemens Case Study Notes ESCATEC Reduced Re-spin Turnaround Times by 96% 
Published June 18

ESCATEC is a Swiss/Malaysian EMS company. In this case study, Siemens documents how ESCATEC successfully reduced re-spin turnaround times by 96%. This case study certainly got your attention. 

Circuit Tech Invests in Automation with Technosystems 
Published June 18

Circuit Tech and TFE announce the purchase of Technosystem’s advanced automated loader and unloader technology. Technosystem, is an automation developer based in Barcelona Spain. Circuit Tech is an industry leader in PCB manufacturing, operating in Markham, Ontario, Canada.

American Standard Circuits Acquires Orbotech Ultra Dimension 800 
Published June 18

PCB fabricator American Standard Circuits has recently invested in Orbotech’s Ultra Dimension 800 4-in-1 AOI solution. To quote the announcement, “This equipment, combined with the Averatek process, literally brings our company to the cutting edge of technology," stated ASC president, Anaya Vardya. "We feel that this is one of the best and most important investments we have made this year when it comes to equipment that will take us to the next level. We are pleased to now be able to offer our customers this type of technology.” 

EIPC Technical Snapshot Review: Microvia Reliability Issues 
Published June 22

EIPC’s ninth Technical Snapshot webinar on June 16 brought together four leading specialists, each with a significant viewpoint, to present a hugely informative compilation of current knowledge on the theme of microvia reliability. The event was moderated by EIPC technical director Tarja Rapala-Virtanen, who commented that the work of understanding, identifying, and optimising processes for high-reliability applications required cooperation throughout the supply chain, with PCB manufacturers providing feedback and recommendations to designers. 

Hewlett-Packard’s Adoption—and Controversy—of Plated Through-Holes 
Published June 23

“That there was ever a controversy over the use of plated through-holes as an acceptable printed circuit interconnection process seems almost impossible to consider, let alone take seriously today. But in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the PTH was not just a controversial idea; serious product designers considered eyelets a preferred technology. It became a competition, and people took sides…”