I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
October 13, 2023 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
It was fun while it lasted. The Braves broke dozens of records this year, but the Phillies beat them in four games in the National League Division Series. The Phillies did the same thing last year; they seem to have found our “sweet spot.”
While we’re on the subject of sweet spots, in this week’s Top 5, we start with a conversation with Mike Soble, who explains why SEL and Chemcut have such a great partnership. We have a review of SMTA International, which took place this week in Minneapolis. We also have a conversation with the design team at Monsoon Solutions; they explain how they geared their documentation process to the requirements of IPC standards. Mike Morando explains how to qualify your rigid-flex manufacturer. And we have an announcement about the IPC Checklist, a very useful document that I-Connect007 recently published. Check out the checklist.
Have a great weekend!
Chemcut: Blending Capabilities and Culture
Published October 9
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories recently installed a variety of Chemcut machines at the new SEL facility in Moscow, Idaho. In this wide-ranging interview, Chemcut’s Mike Soble explains why their partnership with SEL is such a good match for both companies.
SMTA International 2023 Kicks Off In Minneapolis
Published October 11
SMTA International was held this week in Minneapolis, and the I-Connect007 team was there, meeting with the top engineers and managers of the EMS industry. Check out Editor Nolan Johnson’s review of the show, which was co-located with the MDM&A advanced manufacturing show.
A Standards-driven Design Environment
Published October 12
If you’re designing to IPC standards, this interview is for you. The design bureau Monsoon Solutions has set up its internal documentation systems around the relevant IPC standards, and Jen Kolar and Cory Grunwald walk us through the details.
Selecting a Rigid-flex Manufacturer
Published October 9
With rigid-flex circuits popping up in every segment of the market now, more PCB designers are moving into rigid-flex design every year. In this article, PFC Flexible Circuits’ Mike Morando discusses what you need to know before you start your search for a rigid-flex fabrication partner.
IPC Checklist Has It All
Published October 12 
Speaking of standards, I-Connect007 has just published the IPC Checklist, a handy document that explains which standards cover each segment of the industry, from design through assembly, and much more. This document should be required reading for all new hires.
 
Testimonial
"The I-Connect007 team is outstanding—kind, responsive, and a true marketing partner. Their design team created fresh, eye-catching ads, and their editorial support polished our content to let our brand shine. Thank you all! "
Sweeney Ng - CEE PCBSuggested Items
Real Time with... SMTAI 2025: Navigating Manufacturing Challenges with Akrometrix
11/03/2025 | Real Time with...SMTAIMarcy LaRont and Paul Handler of Aktrometrix share insights from the SMTAI show in Chicago. They address manufacturing challenges, particularly warpage issues, and discuss Akrometrix's solutions. Paul details three optical technologies for measuring warpage and thermal expansion, emphasizing the need for reliability and defect detection in production. The conversation also touches on new industry standards for board warpage, influenced by OEMs.
Caught in the ESG Crossfire: Transparency, Comparability, and Impact
10/31/2025 | Marina Hornasek-Metzl, AT&S AGIn the evolving landscape of corporate responsibility, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting has become a cornerstone of stakeholder communication. Yet, as organizations strive to meet growing regulatory and investor demands, they find themselves caught between the need for robust ESG disclosure, the persistent lack of comparability across reports, and the elusive goal of translating ESG efforts into tangible business value.
Fall 2025 Issue of Community Magazine Now Available
10/20/2025 | I-Connect007Now available! The Fall 2025 issue of Community Magazine delivers another stellar issue packed with member profiles, workforce development and sustainability wins, policy updates, factory data standards, personality features, news from around the world, and much more..
New Course Presents a Comprehensive Guide to IPC Standards
10/10/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007Francisco Fourcade, electronics technology standards manager for the Global Electronics Association, has spent years helping companies understand and implement the standards that keep the electronics manufacturing industry moving forward. In this interview, he shares updates on ongoing standards development efforts and previews a new course, "IPC Standards: A Guide for the Electronics Industry,” which starts Oct. 14.
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.