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The End of Solder?
September 28, 2023 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: Less than a minute

The practical question around CHIPS Act development and electronics assembly is, “Will this change how we do business?” Indium Corporation’s Dr. Andy Mackie sat down with Nolan Johnson to share what he sees as emerging answers to that question from his perspective as an expert in electronics assembly and packaging, and as a participant in standards development through IPC, JEDEC, and SEMI.
When we talk about the CHIPS Act, that leads to a discussion about the assembly process, as they seem so interrelated.
Certainly. As the CHIPS Act money started rolling out last year, IPC hosted a conference in Washington, D.C. to point out that semiconductor chips do not exist in a vacuum; they are part of an electronics ecosystem that includes interconnection and protection. Therefore, U.S.-based packaging and assembly would be needed, alongside U.S. chip fabrication. This appeared to be news to many. The role of solder in advanced packaging has been changing over the years, but solder will continue to be needed.
To read this entire conversation, which appeared in the September 2023 issue of SMT007 Magazine, click here.
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American Made Advocacy: Supporting the Entire PCB Ecosystem—Materials to OEMs
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Trump Renegotiating Biden-era Chips Act Grants
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Insights Into a Differentiating Trade/Investment Global Strategy for Electronics
05/27/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamTo better understand the U.S. administration’s actions on global trade policies earlier this spring, Barry Matties and Nolan Johnson met with Richard Cappetto, IPC’s senior director of North American government relations, who highlighted both the challenges and opportunities available to U.S. companies in the recent trade activity. This could include increased domestic manufacturing and supply chain diversification.