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Beyond the Rulebook
What happens when the rule book is no longer useful, or worse, was never written in the first place? In today’s fast-moving electronics landscape, we’re increasingly asked to design and build what has no precedent, no proven path, and no tidy checklist to follow. This is where “Design for Invention” begins.
March Madness
From the growing role of AI in design tools to the challenge of managing cumulative tolerances, these articles in this issue examine the technical details, design choices, and manufacturing considerations that determine whether a board works as intended.
Looking Forward to APEX EXPO 2026
I-Connect007 Magazine previews APEX EXPO 2026, covering everything from the show floor to the technical conference. For PCB designers, we move past the dreaded auto-router and spotlight AI design tools that actually matter.
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East West Manufacturing Acquires Eastprint Inc.
April 17, 2023 | PRNewswireEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
East West Manufacturing, LLC, an integrated design, engineering, manufacturing, and distribution services partner for original equipment manufacturers and distributors throughout North America and Europe, today announced that it has acquired Eastprint Incorporated, a printed electronics solutions provider. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The acquisition of Eastprint delivers to East West differentiated capabilities in printed electronics and human machine interface (HMI) technologies, with applications across membrane switches, printed electronics, in-mold electronics, biosensors, and wearables. In addition, East West will benefit from Eastprint's strong customer relationships in highly attractive end markets, especially medical products, and expand its footprint in Massachusetts and Mexico.
Scott Ellyson, CEO and Co-Founder of East West, said, "We are thrilled to welcome Tom Bianchi and the talented Eastprint team to East West and extend our end-to-end capabilities. As a pioneer in the printed electronics, Eastprint will enable us to enter the highly attractive screen printed electronics and human machine interface space in a meaningful way, putting us in a strong position to accelerate growth. We look forward to supporting our customers with an even broader set of capabilities, from product inception to full-scale production on a global basis."
Tom Bianchi, Vice President and Managing Partner of Eastprint, said, "By joining forces with East West, our team will be well positioned for future growth and to drive innovation. We are excited to bring a more differentiated and comprehensive set of printed electronics and HMI technologies solutions to customers around the world."
Based in North Andover, Massachusetts and founded by the Bianchi family, Eastprint has been designing and manufacturing membrane switches since 1978. Today, its capabilities extend to HMI technologies, including membrane switches, silicone rubber keypads, IML/IMD overlays, and touchscreens, as well as other printed electronics categories, such as screen printed electrodes and capacitive touch films. Eastprint also offers its customers solutions in wearable technology, such as smart clothing and e-textiles, and medical and healthcare devices.
East West provides a comprehensive and integrated set of product realization capabilities to a leading and high-growth customer base. With U.S. operations in Georgia, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Massachusetts and Texas, and international operations in Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico, Vietnam, China, and India, East West uses a global design team, transparent supply chain, on-site quality control, and flexible logistics systems to provide its customers with superior products and competitive cost advantages.
East West addresses the full spectrum of needs of SMB and enterprise customers in high-growth end markets such as automation and robotics, industrial technology, fitness and medical devices, and smart devices and IoT. Its key capabilities include:
- Product design and engineering, including initial product design, advanced product engineering, and ongoing engineering services
- manufacturing, including outsourced product and component manufacturing and assembly on behalf of OEMs
- Supply chain management, including third-party logistics solutions, such as inventory management, reverse logistics, and order fulfillment.
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
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.
Kimball Electronics Reports Q3 Results With Double-Digit Sequential Medical Sales Growth
05/07/2026 | Kimball ElectronicsKimball Electronics, Inc. announced financial results for the third quarter ended March 31, 2026.
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.
IMI Reports Stronger Performance and Return to Profitability in 2025
05/06/2026 | IMIIntegrated Microelectronics, Inc. (IMI) reported a significantly improved performance in 2025, reflecting the positive results of its multi year transformation focused on operational efficiency, portfolio optimization, and strengthening core capabilities.