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I-Connect Editor’s Choice: Andy’s ‘Top Fives’ for 2021
December 24, 2021 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
We’ve been curating our editors’ picks for about 18 months now, give or take, and readers sure have taken to them. In our Daily Newsletter, the Friday Editor’s Choice feature is often one of the most read news items for that week.
As a result, we thought it would be fun at year-end to take a different approach. This week, I’m posting the top five most-read Editor’s Choice features compiled by Andy Shaughnessy. Seems like a fitting way to look back over the year, doesn’t it? So much has happened this past year that I had a hard time believing it once I started looking back.
Andy and I certainly enjoy bringing these curated “must-read” articles to you. It’s gratifying to see that you, dear reader, like reading them, too. So, without further ado.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
Published June 4, 2021
In this installment, Andy said, “This past week was a busy one. In case you’ve been on the beach with an umbrella drink in your hand, in industry news we saw the soft opening of a new laminate facility and more M&A activity in the PCB fab segment.” We also ran some great content from our regular contributors, with articles on how to save your company money and how to save yourself time in the design cycle.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
Published March 12, 2021
There was a lot going on last spring, and Andy reported that most of it happened at the virtual IPC APEX EXPO. “Sure, it wasn’t the same as being in San Diego, but the show went pretty well, especially for a first-time event.” So, it should be no surprise that our I-Connect007 coverage was about APEX. This is a great opportunity to look back on that virtual event.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
Published May 7, 2021
Finally, Andy reported, it’s May. The snow has melted, and the flowers are blooming. The electronics industry was on the move as well. “This week, we bring you a veritable seafood platter of articles and columns about PCB design, fabrication, and assembly, starting with a David Bergman tribute to his father, Dieter Bergman.” Now, if that doesn’t make you want to read more …
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
Published February 12, 2021
In this “episode,” we were all looking forward to the virtual IPC APEX EXPO, and much was happening. Andy reviewed a how-to guide for PCBA technologists, and he highlighted an interview with members of USPAE about their new consortium dedicated to providing a safe supply chain. Bonus: Joe Fjelstad reviewed The Innovators, a technological history book written by Walter Isaacson.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
Published January 29, 2021
If you remember back to January, we were so glad to turn the corner on 2020 and looked forward to a new year, hoping it would bring us better fruits. Andy quoted Chris Farley in “Tommy Boy” after his character fell off of a mountain, “What in the hell was that about?”
Next week, check in as Andy takes a stab at editor Nolan Johnson’s top five Editor’s Choice for the year. What was your top story of the year?
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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.
Global Electronics Association to Testify at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Panel on Section 301 Structural Excess Capacity
05/08/2026 | Global Electronics AssociationChris Mitchell, Vice President for Global Government Relations at the Global Electronics Association, will testify before the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Panel on Section 301 Structural Excess Capacity on Friday, May 8.
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.
TTC-LLC and TTCI: Smarter Training, Stronger Test at PCB East 2026
04/27/2026 | The Test Connection Inc.The Training Connection LLC (TTC-LLC) and The Test Connection, Inc. (TTCI) will be exhibiting together at PCB East 2026, taking place April 28–May 1 at the DCU Convention Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. Attendees can find both teams at Booth #103 during the main exhibition day on Wednesday, April 29.