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PCB Carolina 2023 Breaks Attendance, Exhibitor Records
November 9, 2023 | Andy Shaughnessy, PCB Design007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Call it a good problem to have. PCB Carolina 2023 was so big that that exhibitors were literally spilling out of the show floor at NC State’s MacKimmon Center for Continuing and Lifelong Education.
This year, PCB Carolina drew 1,200 attendees and so many exhibitors that some “overflow” booths had to be set up in a classroom near the show floor, as well as in the registration area. There was no down time on the show floor, even when classes were in session, and whenever classes would end, there was a flood of people onto the show floor. Many of the classes focused on AI, with Cadence’s Taylor Hogan presenting the keynote on AI’s role in PCB design.
Showrunners Randy Faucette, Tony Cosentino, and Lance Oliver of Better Boards Inc. had their hands full yesterday. It was a real family affair, with Randy’s wife Angelisa manning a barista station in the “overflow” exhibitor room.
Where did all these attendees come from? The line for lunch and dinner looked what you’d see at DesignCon. But it was all well-managed, even with this increase in attendance.. Randy has this formula down.
One thing I noticed this year was a big jump in the number of students at the show. The kids I spoke to were really working the show, looking for internship opportunities and networking. Some of the freshmen EE students already know quite a bit about PCBs through the Makerspace at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, which includes testing and soldering stations, a pick-and-place machine, and 3D printers.
Is the “maker” movement helping to “make” PCBs cool again? Maybe. I was struck by what one EE student in Class of ’27 said: “I need to know all about PCBs to do all of these other things I want to do.” I told him there would be plenty of job opportunities for him. It’s great to see so many young people interested in this industry, soaking up everything that we graybeards had to say. I think I was called “sir” 25 times yesterday; we are in the South, after all.
I don’t know how Randy and the gang are going to handle next year’s event. They don’t want to move to a bigger venue because NC State has been so helpful every step of the way. Can they hold it outside under a giant tent? As I said, it’s a good problem to have.
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ICAPE Group Unveils Exclusive Report on Sustainability in Electronics Manufacturing
09/15/2025 | ICAPE GroupICAPE Group, a global leader in printed circuit boards (PCBs) and custom electronics manufacturing, today announces the launch of its 2025 Industry Outlook & Innovation Report: Sustainability in Electronics Manufacturing. This exclusive report is accompanied by fresh insights from a dedicated Statista survey of 100 electronics manufacturing professionals, commissioned by ICAPE Group.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
09/12/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007We may be post-Labor Day, but it is still hot-hot-hot here in the great state of Arizona—much like our news cycles, which have continued to snap, crackle, and pop with eye-raising headlines over this past week. In broader global tech news this week, AI and tariff-type restrictions continues to dominate with NVIDIA raising its voice against U.S. lawmakers pushing chip restrictions, ASML investing in a Dutch AI start-up company to the tune of $1.5 billion, and the UAE joining the ranks of the U.S. and China in embracing “open source” with their technology in hopes of accelerating their AI position.
Machvision Leads Shift to Automated Inline Final Inspection, AOI in North America
09/10/2025 | Ralph Jacobo, all4-PCBSchweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) chose Machvision inspection equipment due to its capabilities and versatility. Machvision of Taiwan offers circuit inspection, hole inspection and measurement, IC Substrate and HDI inspection, and final visual inspection solutions. The best fit for SEL was the 4.0Pro Circuit Inspection for inner and outer layers, and the AFI6 for final visual inspection of finished panels.
Dan Feinberg on Walt Custer: Remembering an Extraordinary Business Associate and Friend
09/09/2025 | Dan Feinberg, Technology Editor, I-Connect007The passing of Walt Custer marks the end of an era for all those who knew him and were helped and impressed by his presence, both personally and professionally. Walt's life was characterized by his unwavering commitment to the industry, his profound wisdom and willingness to share it, and his infectious enthusiasm for everything he did.
Building Electronics Excellence in India
09/08/2025 | Nolan Johnson, SMT007 MagazineFor over two decades, Dave Bergman has helped steer the Global Electronics Association’s work in India, from a single training course to a thriving regional operation with deep government and industry ties. In this interview, Dave explains how the group went from partnering with IPCA to opening its own office in 2010, creating India’s first domestic electronics manufacturing standard, and securing funding for dozens of Indian companies to attend U.S. trade shows.