Target Condition: Are Autorouters Friend or Foe?
Fresh PCB Concepts: Assembly Challenges with Micro Components and Standard Solder Mask Practices
Elementary Mr. Watson: Retro Routers vs. Modern Boards—The Silent Struggle on Your Screen
PCB West 2022 Draws Biggest Attendance in Years
October 6, 2022 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineEstimated reading time: 1 minute
There were more attendees at PCB West 2022 than I can remember in the time that it’s been held in this wing of the Santa Clara Convention Center.
This week’s event, with the expo held October 5, was the first show since UP Media Group was acquired by of the Printed Circuit Engineering Association. I imagine they’re pretty happy with the results: The show floor was busier than I’ve seen it in years. For the first couple of hours, the aisles were jammed with attendees, even on the outside aisles. You couldn’t walk without squeezing past other attendees. It was a topic of conversation all day: “How about this crowd? Wow.”
I didn’t see any exhibitors packing up early. One exhibitor said he pulled in 70 leads in seven hours. Some exhibitors were still talking with customers at 6 pm when Vice President of Sales and Marketing Frances Stewart announced that the show was officially closed.
The conference classes were also well attended. I checked out classes given by Rick Hartley, Susy Webb, Dan Beeker, Vern Solberg, Kevin Coates, and Gary Ferrari, and there weren’t many empty seats.
Almost everyone I spoke with said their company was having a great quarter, or slightly down after consecutive quarters of growth. And almost everyone is slammed with work, and hiring. One fabricator said a rep from a big OEM came to his booth and said, “Please tell me you have some capacity.”
It was nice to see PCB West pull in such a big crowd. I think it’s a harbinger of a good trade show season to come. People are done with Covid, and it’s time to get back to normal. It’s definitely a great time to be in this industry.
Check out our slideshow of photos from this year's show.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Mesa West, Advanced West Announce Strategic Partnership
06/15/2025 | I-Connect007Mesa West is proud to announce that they have officially joined forces with Advanced West. This strategic partnership brings together two industry leaders, uniting strengths to better serve customers through enhanced capabilities, expanded offerings, and continued commitment to quality.
The French Oil Mill Machinery Company Celebrates 125 Years of Innovation and Manufacturing Leadership
05/28/2025 | The French Oil Mill Machinery CompanyThe French Oil Mill Machinery Company marked its 125th anniversary this week, celebrating a rare legacy of continuous family ownership and manufacturing innovation.
North American EMS Industry Shipments Up 0.2% in April
05/28/2025 | IPCIPC announced the April 2025 findings from its North American Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 1.41.
Mycronic High Flex Changes Division Name to PCB Assembly Solutions
05/20/2025 | MycronicMycronic AB, the leading Sweden-based electronics assembly solutions provider, announced that its division formerly known as High Flex will now operate under the name PCB Assembly Solutions.
Foxconn Joins Global Patent Alliance LOT Network to Strengthen Intellectual Property Protection
05/15/2025 | FoxconnHon Hai Technology Group , the world’s largest technology manufacturing platform service company, announced that it has officially joined the LOT Network ( License on Transfer, LOT ), a global patent licensing platform and non-profit community dedicated to protecting companies from Patent Assertion Entities (PAEs ) lawsuits.