Learning With Leo: UHDI—The Next Leap in PCB Manufacturing
Standard of Excellence: Speed vs. Quality in Customer Service
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
July 22, 2022 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
It’s always interesting how certain groups of news emerge in our most-read content. This week, reader interest seemed focused on two distinct themes: Mexico and awards. In this week’s list, we find the inaugural award recipients from iNEMI’s Project Leadership Awards. We also bring you the award recipients from the SEMI FlexTech conference held last week in San Francisco.
News from Mexico includes a new Atotech facility, and an interview with IPC’s David Hernandez and Lorena Villanueva about IPC’s expanding presence in Mexico. Metcal’s new hot air rework system also got a lot of attention, with an abundance of reader interest.
Seems the northern hemisphere is generally sweltering everywhere this week. Be sure to stay hydrated, find a shady spot, and linger over these must-reads.
SEMI FlexTech Announces 2022 FLEXI Award Winners for Outstanding Achievements in Flexible Electronics
Published July 15
“Recognizing innovations and other outstanding accomplishments in flexible hybrid electronics (FHE), SEMI FlexTech, a SEMI Technology Community, presented the 2022 FLEXI Awards at the FLEX Conference and Exhibition, co-located with SEMICON West 2022 Hybrid in San Francisco. The FLEXI Awards spotlight FHE contributions in four categories: R&D Achievement, Product Innovation and Commercialization, Environmental Sustainability Champion, and Industry Leadership.” Missed out on who received the awards for outstanding achievement? Here’s your chance to catch up. These are today’s (and tomorrow’s) leaders, folks!
Atotech Successfully Starts Production and Officially Inaugurates the New Site in Querétaro/Mexico
Published July 18
Geoff Wild, CEO at Atotech, says, “I am pleased to announce the official opening of our new site in Mexico as it marks an important milestone for our company. The Querétaro site will allow Atotech to significantly expand its production capacity and sustainable growth in Mexico as well as the Americas. It also supports the expected rise in customer demand in the coming years. I’d like to thank everyone involved for their support, dedication, and teamwork to get our new site operational.”
Mexico offers some promising options for the microelectronics industry and people are taking notice. What does have Atotech have planned? Click the link to find out.
iNEMI Recognizes Accomplishments of Project Teams
Published July 15
iNEMI has launched the Project Leadership Awards program, and five project teams have been recognized in the first year of this program. “This award recognizes the contributions and accomplishments of iNEMI project teams, specifically the individuals from our member companies who comprise these teams,” says Shekhar Chandrashekhar, iNEMI CEO. “They are doing significant work that directly benefits their own companies but also has a long-term, positive impact on the electronics manufacturing value chain.
These companies, the director says, “accelerate and reduce the risk of adopting new technologies while helping ensure supply chain readiness for the wider industry.” Now that’s something we can all get behind. Click on the headline to see what the recipients are doing.
Metcal Launches New HCT-910 Hot Air Rework System
Published July 19
Metcal launched the new HCT-910 hot air rework system that can generate heat of up to 600 degrees Celsius, which the latest military and aerospace applications demand. New product announcements aren’t as common as we would like, so this particular announcement seemed to garner a lot of reader interest.
IPC Mexico Continues to Grow
Published July 20
Andy Shaughnessy and Barry Matties recently spoke with IPC Vice President of Education David Hernandez and the new IPC Director Mexico, Lorena Villanueva, and about IPC Mexico’s growth, as well as the office’s plans to provide PCB manufacturers the training resources they need to succeed—training in their own language. Lorena has big plans for Mexico and she’s only just getting started.
Share on:
Testimonial
"In a year when every marketing dollar mattered, I chose to keep I-Connect007 in our 2025 plan. Their commitment to high-quality, insightful content aligns with Koh Young’s values and helps readers navigate a changing industry. "
Brent Fischthal - Koh YoungSuggested Items
Target Condition: Distribution of Power—Denounce the Ounce
11/05/2025 | Kelly Dack -- Column: Target ConditionHave you ever wondered why the PCB design segment uses ounces to describe copper thickness? There’s a story behind all of this—a story that’s old, dusty, and more than a little absurd. (Note that I didn’t add “Like many of us.”) Legend has it that back in the days of copper tinkers and roofing tradesmen, the standard was set when a craftsman hammered out a sheet of copper until it weighed one ounce, when its area conveniently matched the square of the king’s foot.
Life Is a Highway: A Family of 8 Turned the Entire U.S. Into a Learning and Working Environment
11/04/2025 | Steven Bowles, Lockheed MartinIt’s 6:45 a.m. in a modern A-frame cabin tucked into the misty edges of the Cascade Range in Arlington, Washington. I’ve just made a quick Nespresso, checked my calendar of virtual meetings, and verified the Airbnb’s Wi-Fi speed is holding steady. In the next room, my wife Lynsey corrals our six kids into breakfast while planning a day trip to Seattle’s Children’s Museum. By 7:30, I’m camera-ready in a makeshift office nook, leading a discussion on HDI PCB design for an IPC standards committee. After a busy day, our Bowles crew, ranging in age from 1 to 10 years old, is hands-on with activities and exhibits in the museum.
TTM Technologies Receives Two Awards from the Global Electronics Association at the 2025 IPC CEMAC Conference
11/03/2025 | Globe NewswireTTM Technologies, Inc. announced that two of its team members received prestigious Asia Steering Committee Outstanding Service Awards from the Global Electronics Association (formerly named IPC connecting global electronics industry) at the 2025 IPC CEMAC Electronics Manufacturing Annual Conference in Shanghai.
TTCI Brings Hands-On Test Engineering and IPC Training Expertise to PCB Carolina 2025
10/31/2025 | The Test Connection Inc.The Test Connection Inc. (TTCI), a trusted provider of electronic test and manufacturing solutions, and The Training Connection LLC (TTC-LLC) will exhibit at PCB Carolina on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, at the McKimmon Center at NC State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Attendees can visit Table 4 to say hello to Bert Horner and Bill Graver, and learn more about their test engineering services and technical training programs.
The Training Connection Continues to Grow with Addition of Veteran IPC Trainer Bill Graver
10/30/2025 | The Training Connection LLCThe Training Connection, LLC (TTC-LLC), a premier provider of test engineering and development training, is proud to announce the addition of Bill Graver to its growing team of industry experts. A respected professional with more than 35 years in electronics manufacturing, Bill joins as an IPC Master Trainer, bringing a wealth of hands-on experience in PCB testing, failure analysis, and process improvement.