-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- smt007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueMoving Forward With Confidence
In this issue, we focus on sales and quoting, workforce training, new IPC leadership in the U.S. and Canada, the effects of tariffs, CFX standards, and much more—all designed to provide perspective as you move through the cloud bank of today's shifting economic market.
Intelligent Test and Inspection
Are you ready to explore the cutting-edge advancements shaping the electronics manufacturing industry? The May 2025 issue of SMT007 Magazine is packed with insights, innovations, and expert perspectives that you won’t want to miss.
Do You Have X-ray Vision?
Has X-ray’s time finally come in electronics manufacturing? Join us in this issue of SMT007 Magazine, where we answer this question and others to bring more efficiency to your bottom line.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - smt007 Magazine
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.
Suggested Items
IDC Decreases its Worldwide Smartphone Forecast to 0.6% for 2025 Amidst Uncertainty and Tariff Volatility
06/03/2025 | IDCWorldwide smartphone shipments are forecast to grow 0.6% year-over-year (YoY) in 2025 to 1.24 billion units, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.
Nordson Reports Q2 Fiscal 2025 Results and Q3 Guidance
05/30/2025 | BUSINESS WIRENordson Corporation reported results for the fiscal second quarter ended April 30, 2025. Sales were $683 million compared to the prior year’s second quarter sales of $651 million.
CE3S Launches EcoClaim Solutions to Simplify Recycling and Promote Sustainable Manufacturing
05/29/2025 | CE3SCumberland Electronics Strategic Supply Solutions (CE3S), your strategic sourcing, professional solutions and distribution partner, is proud to announce the official launch of EcoClaim™ Solutions, a comprehensive recycling program designed to make responsible disposal of materials easier, more efficient, and more accessible for manufacturers.
IDC Introduces the Enterprise PC Trust Perception Index
05/21/2025 | IDCThe Enterprise PC Trust Index, International Data Corporation’s (IDC) first independent study of PC vendors in the trust space, was issued.
Eltek Reports 2025 Q1 Financial Results; Revenue Up 8%
05/20/2025 | PRNewswireEltek Ltd., a global manufacturer and supplier of technologically advanced solutions in the field of printed circuit boards (PCBs), announced its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2025.