I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

It’s hot in Atlanta right now. As my mom used to say, “It’s hotter than the hinges of Hell.” That’s pretty warm.

And it’s been hot in PCB design and manufacturing this week! In this wrap-up, we have an article about safeguarding electronics manufacturing workers from hazardous chemicals, and another about additive processes’ green benefits. Kelly Dack discusses how to keep your design on the road through proper tolerance management, and Joe Fjelstad explains why the next big invention is just one step away from what currently exists, the “adjacent possible.” 

And Dan Beaulieu, never one to shy away from a controversial topic, explains why now is the time for your sales team to do some old-fashioned, in-person sales calls. I think he’s onto something. Aren’t you sick of Zoom calls? 

Have a good weekend, and try to get some rest!

Target Condition: Keeping Your Design on the Road
Published July 5

Much of PCB design centers on tolerances, and it’s not always easy for designers to ensure that they’re within the specific manufacturing process tolerances. In this column, Kelly Dack discusses how to stay within tolerances, and why you shouldn’t expect your CAD data to reflect these tolerances.

The Right to a Safe, Healthy Work Environment
Published July 6

Pamela Brody-Heine of the Clean Electronics Production Network has a great article about the organization’s push to safeguard electronics manufacturing workers from hazardous chemicals. Did you know that there are about 160 million cases of “occupational disease” reported annually across all industry sectors? It’s an interesting read. 

It’s Only Common Sense: Back to Basics—the Sales Call
Published July 3

I keep hearing the phrase “Everything old is new again,” most recently regarding the captive shops popping up in North America. And as Dan Beaulieu says, it may be time for your sales team to revisit the tried-and-true sales call. I have to agree. I think now would be a great time to do in-person sales calls. People are sick to death of Zoom meetings. As humans, we crave interaction with other humans, and Zoom, emails and phone calls just can’t replace what you get by sitting in a potential customer’s office. Check it out.

Finding Sustainability in Additive Processes
Published July 5

Additive processes have taken off over the past five years or so, and for good reason. Additive manufacturing can produce traces far tinier than traditional subtractive processes. And on top of that, additive is much cleaner than subtractive etch. Art Wall of NextFlex has a great piece about additive and its potential role in reducing e-waste around the globe.

Flexible Thinking: The Adjacent Possible
Published July 3

In this column, Joe Fjelstad discusses the “adjacent possible,” a term coined by the theoretical biologist Stuart Kaufman. The adjacent possible is one step away from what currently exists, and as Joe says, “One must conquer what is near before they can approach and conquer what’s in the distance.” What new technologies are we one step away from right now?