Global Citizenship: Together for a Perfect PCB Solution
Smart Automation: Odd-form Assembly—Dedicated Insertion Equipment Matters
Nolan’s Notes: Everyone Has Their Eye on India
Trailblazing Substrates in PCB Fabrication
December 6, 2022 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Todd Brassard, vice president and COO at Calumet Electronics, participated not only in the IPC Advanced Packaging Symposium in Washington, D.C., Oct. 11-13, but also met with congressional staffers at the Capitol during his visit. Todd does not back down from a challenge, and the one in front of him is no different. It’s why his company is at the forefront of the conversation, and he plans to keep it that way.
Nolan Johnson: Calumet is showing up repeatedly in the conversation around advanced packaging; you’re established as a company at the forefront. Meredith LaBeau, your chief technology officer, was mentioned and sat on a panel here. You’ve been talking to Senate staff on the Hill as well. That’s a lot of activity. What’s your takeaway?
Todd Brassard: This is the first time IPC has done a microelectronics symposium; today was a new venture for them. There seems to be more than 100 companies here. I am pleasantly surprised and encouraged by the conversations, the depth of the information and the insights that are being shared, and the uniformity of the problem. We’ve seen discussion from the most advanced technologies right down to the fundamentals, and the messaging is consistent: We need to do it in the U.S., and we need to do it fast. There are potentially imminent threats developing, and we must be capable of producing the technologies that keep the country safe and keep the country competitive.
Johnson: It seems like the motivation is strong to ask Calumet how this works and how to get there. You are blazing a trail.
Brassard: If you listen to the dialogue, you hear a variety of “PCB shops can participate or PCB shops can’t participate. They should; they shouldn’t.” We feel that maybe it’s not for every PCB shop, but it’s certainly not out of the bounds for those PCB shops that want to advance. Where substrates are today, that’s where PCBs will be a decade from now. Miniaturization will continue. Things will get smaller. Maybe someday the substrate won’t be the interposer, but the PCB will be the interposer. Because everything is built at the microelectronic scale and the PCB just scales it up to interface with the system. There are many reasons for a PCB shop to explore what they’re interested in.
Johnson: Excellent. Thanks.
Brassard: Thank you, Nolan.
To read more about this symposium, click here.
Share on:
Testimonial
"Advertising in PCB007 Magazine has been a great way to showcase our bare board testers to the right audience. The I-Connect007 team makes the process smooth and professional. We’re proud to be featured in such a trusted publication."
Klaus Koziol - atgSuggested Items
Building Electronics Excellence in India
09/08/2025 | Nolan Johnson, SMT007 MagazineOver two decades, Dave Bergman has helped steer the Global Electronics Association’s work in India, from a single training course to a thriving regional operation with deep government and industry ties. In this interview, Dave explains how the group went from partnering with IPCA to opening its own office in 2010, creating India’s first domestic electronics manufacturing standard, and securing funding for dozens of Indian companies to attend U.S. trade shows.
New Podcast Episode Drop: MKS’ Atotech’s Role in Optimize the Interconnect
09/08/2025 | I-Connect007In this episode of On the Line With…, host Nolan Johnson sits down with Patrick Brooks, MKS' Atotech's Global Product Director, EL Systems, to discuss the critical role that wet processes play alongside laser systems in advancing the Optimize the InterconnectSM initiative. Brooks points to Bondfilm as a key example—a specialized coating that enables CO₂ lasers to ablate more effectively than ever before.
The Global Electronics Association Hosts Successful WorksAsia-AI and Factory of the Future Technical Seminar
09/03/2025 | Global Electronics AssociationOn August 22, 2025, the Global Electronics Association hosted the successful WorksAsia-AI and Factory of the Future Technical Seminar during the exhibition Automation Taipei 2025. The seminar brought together 81 representatives from 58 companies, focusing on the latest applications of AI in smart factories and unveiling four key directions that will drive the electronics industry’s transition toward intelligence and sustainability.
TRI's AI-Powered Inspection Solutions at SMTAI 2025
09/02/2025 | TRITest Research, Inc. (TRI), the leading provider of test and inspection systems, will be joining the SMTA International Exposition & Conference. The event will be held from October 21 – 23, 2025, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL, USA.
More Than a Competition: Instilling a Champion's Skill in IPC Masters China 2025
09/01/2025 | Evelyn Cui, Global Electronics Association—East AsiaNearly 500 elite professionals from the electronics industry, representing 18 provinces and municipalities across China, competed in the 2025 IPC Masters Competition China, March 26–28, in Pudong, Shanghai. A total of 114 contestants advanced to the practical competition after passing the IPC Standards Knowledge Competition. Sixty people competed in the Hand Soldering and Rework Competition (HSRC), 30 in the Cable and Wire Harness Assembly Competition (CWAC), and 24 in the Ball Grid Array/Bottom Termination Components (BGA/BTC) Rework Competition.