I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
October 21, 2022 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Where did the year go? I can’t believe we’re planning our January and February issues now. It was 84 degrees most of last week in Atlanta, and now it’s 31. I guess I should take my Hawaiian shirts out of rotation!
This week we have quite a variety of articles for you. It’s officially show time and the industry is back in business in a major way. We have some news coming out of last week’s advanced packaging event in Washington, D.C., and an article about navigating SMTA International, which opens on Halloween this year in Minneapolis.
We have a great column on avoiding EMI with good routing strategies, and an article on electrically conductive inks. To top it off, I-Connect007 has published a new book, written by Matt Stevenson of Sunstone Circuits, that posits a new “design for”: Designing for Reality. If you’re a designer, isn’t designing for reality what it’s all about?
See you next time.
Sunstone and I-007eBooks Launch Book on Designing for Reality
Published October 20
There are probably a dozen “design fors” floating around now, with DFM being ubiquitous at this point. But this new I-Connect007 book cuts right to the chase with a new acronym: The Printed Circuit Designer’s Guide to… Designing for Reality. Sunstone’s Matt Stevenson takes designers through the reality of the PCB fab process. Matt basically says, “Here’s what works, and here’s what doesn’t. Let’s go.” Check it out.
IPC Symposium: U.S. Must Address Critical Gaps in Advanced Packaging Needs
Published October 12
As fictional NASCAR driver Ricky Bobby so eloquently put it, “If you ain’t first, you’re last.” When it comes to advanced substrate packaging, North America is definitely not in first place. As Jan Vardaman explains, last week’s IPC Advanced Packaging Symposium in Washington, D.C., represented a call to action. Speakers from across the electronics industry and various branches of the U.S. government addressed this gap in the supply chain which threatens our ability to develop the most cutting-edge fighter planes and weaponry. We’ll keep a watch on this situation.
Time to Go ‘Exploring’ at SMTA International
Published October 19
If you’re getting ready for SMTA International, don’t miss this. Editor Michelle Te has a handy-dandy article that covers how to use the SMTAI 2022 Passport. Ambassador Exhibitors on the show floor will discuss their companies’ technology and stamp your passport, and the most active Explorers and most popular Ambassadors can win various prizes. Grab your pith helmet and start exploring.
Market and Tech Convergence: Electrically Conductive Inks
Published October 17
In this article, Stan Farnsworth of NovaCentrix discusses the development of electrically conductive inks. Now in use in everything from smartphones and medical devices to cars and space suits, these inks can be configured by the OEM and applied in a variety of ways. Stan explains what all this means to designers and fabricators on the cutting edge.
Beyond Design: Routing Strategies to Minimize Radiation
Published October 19
If you’re a designer or design engineer wrestling with EMI issues, this Barry Olney column is just for you. Barry explains how good routing practices can save up to 10 dB of substrate radiation. He addresses things like fanout, mark-to-space ratios, and flight time for microstrip vs. stripline. In case this topic isn’t your strongest suit, Barry summarizes your best way forward. Don’t miss it.
Suggested Items
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: Magnalytix's Services and Trends in the Electronics Industry
05/10/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOMike Bixenman, president of Magnalytix, explains Magnalytix's services, including third-party validation, test boards, electrical testing, and comprehensive reports. He also discusses emerging trends such as power electronics and reliability. Standards and design improvements also form part of this conversation.
Podcast Review: On the Line with… Designing for Reality
05/09/2024 | Duane Benson, Positive Edge LLCAs a technologist, if I were forced to come up with just one recurring theme that I might call a professional “nemesis,” it would be the difference between theory and reality. A lot of technology we have at our disposal works well in theory but falls short when reality hits. That’s not the only reason I chose to listen to and review On the Line with… Designing for Reality, featuring a series of conversations with ASC Sunstone’s Matt Stevenson, but it certainly helped that the title caught my eye.
EMA Webinar: Next Generation MCAD/ECAD for SOLIDWORKS
05/09/2024 | EMA Design AutomationLearn how the MCAD and ECAD experts at Hawk Ridge and EMA can help you solve your MCAD/ECAD integration challenges with this unique collaboration environment.
Sondrel Awarded New Video Processor ASIC Design and Supply Contract
05/09/2024 | SondrelSondrel, a leading provider of ultra-complex custom chips for leading global technology brands, is pleased to announce that it has won a major ASIC design and supply contract for a next generation, video processing chip.
Connect the Dots: Designing for Reality—The Pre-Manufacturing Process
05/08/2024 | Matt Stevenson -- Column: Connect the DotsI have been working with Nolan Johnson on a podcast series about designing PCBs for the reality of manufacturing. By sharing lessons learned over a long career in the PCB industry, we hope to shorten learning curves and help designers produce better boards with less hassle and rework. Episode 2 deals with the electronic pre-manufacturing process. Moving from CAD (computer-aided design) to CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) is a key step in PCB manufacturing. CAM turns digital designs into instructions that machines can use to actually build the PCB.