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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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New Free Online Gerber Viewer Tool from HQ NextPCB Set to Revolutionize Electronics Manufacturing
August 9, 2023 | PRNewswireEstimated reading time: 1 minute
HQ NextPCB, a subsidiary of Huaqiu Electronics, a leading Chinese-based multilayer PCB manufacturer and assembly house, are proud to announce the release of HQDFM Gerber Viewer and DFM Analysis Tool.
HQDFM Gerber Viewer is a completely free, online tool for displaying and reviewing PCB Gerber files and OBD++ files. HQDFM incorporates NextPCB's Design for Manufacture (DFM) algorithms, based on NextPCB's 15 years of high-reliability manufacturing expertise and current industry standards.
The PCB manufacturing industry has and still relies on the Ucamco Gerber format to communicate PCB production to manufacturers, which are often located overseas. While the 2D image format overcomes language barriers, the language of PCB Design for Manufacture is still ambiguous to many inexperienced designers and the division between PCB design and PCB manufacture remains an expensive obstacle leading to missed deadlines, hit-and-miss runs and quick-to-fail products.
This is the problem NextPCB's engineers seek to resolve with HQDFM.
HQDFM is an easy-to-use Gerber Viewer and DFM tool for analyzing PCB production files before hand-off. Unlike EDA softwares' built-in DRC checks, HQDFM allows designers to navigate and analyze the production files and check for design issues that may impact manufacturing or cause long-term reliability issues. With HQDFM, designers are given a manufacturer's perspective and have valuable insights into how they can improve their designs.
Based on the free desktop software HQDFM, the cross-platform online version makes the easy-to-use Gerber Viewer function and DFM check available to everyone, including Mac and Linux users with no download or install and no sign-up. Anyone can freely upload PCB production files to the online interface and view their design in seconds. Try it now.
"There are still many designers that send off their production files without any knowledge of what the files contain. Resolving issues with the fab house becomes a challenge for both sides without the appropriate tools and knowledge to debug the design, which is something we hope to change for everyone's benefit," said HQ NextPCB CEO, Suibai Chen.
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MEIKO Electronics Expands ASEAN Footprint with New Vietnam Subsidiary to Support Growing Demand
04/16/2026 | MeikoMEIKO ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. has announced that, at its Board of Directors meeting held on April 8, 2026, the company resolved to establish a wholly owned subsidiary, MEIKO ELECTRONICS YEN QUANG CO., LTD. (MKYQ), in Phu Tho Province, Vietnam.
Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Begins IPM5 Production at Kaynes Semicon Launch in Gujarat
04/16/2026 | Alpha and Omega Semiconductor LimitedAlpha and Omega Semiconductor Limited, a designer, developer, and global supplier of a broad range of discrete power devices, wide bandgap power devices, power management ICs, and modules, marks a historic expansion of its global manufacturing footprint with the official inauguration of Kaynes Semicon’s state-of-the-art OSAT facility in Sanand, Gujarat.
Podcast Hits the Mark in a Materials Market
04/15/2026 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007The base material of a printed circuit board is its literal and functional foundation. Isola, founded in 1912 in Düren, Germany, is one of the longest-standing manufacturers of glass-reinforced laminates in the electronics industry. Originally focused on insulation and fiberglass materials, the company played an early role in supplying the foundational substrates that enabled the growth of PCB technology. As electronics advanced, Isola evolved alongside the industry, expanding from basic glass-epoxy laminates into high-performance copper-clad materials and engineered prepregs.
Inside Eastek Malaysia: Scalable Manufacturing Built on Trust, Stability, and Technical Expertise
04/14/2026 | Eastek International CorporationEastek International Corporation continues to strengthen its global manufacturing platform through the sustained performance and expanding capabilities of its Malaysia operation.
SMTA Ultra HDI Symposium, Day 1: AI at the Core or Out of the Game
04/13/2026 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007It was a beautiful 81°F morning in Arizona last Wednesday as I headed to the third annual SMTA Ultra HDI Symposium, focused on AI and ultra high density interconnect technology. Strategically held as part of Arizona’s Tech Week, this year’s conference took place in Avondale in Phoenix's West Valley. The event moved from the cozy offices of the Peoria Sports Complex (which paid homage to baseball’s spring training world) to the larger Avondale Conference Center, highlighting the importance of this area for electronics manufacturing investment.