The Right Approach: Get Ready for ISO 9001 Version 6
Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘Still Broke: Walmart’s Remarkable Transformation'
Driving Innovation: Depth Routing Processes—Achieving Unparalleled Precision in Complex PCBs
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
November 10, 2023 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
This week's edition focuses almost entirely on young people. This in itself is quite a feat as not long ago, there were no young people coming into this industry. Now, we have a small but steady stream of young folks entering the industry, and we’re focusing on providing them with the latest training and education. Our industry, for a variety of reasons, is now attractive to people born in this millennium. Didn’t see that coming!
Without further ado, enjoy this week’s Top Five Must-Reads.
PCB Carolina 2023 Breaks Attendance, Exhibitor Records
Published November 9
It was bound to happen, and this year, PCB Carolina’s exhibits expanded into the classrooms in NC State’s MacKimmon Center. The number of attendees approached 1,200 this year, with about 100 fresh-faced EE students mingling with the industry elders and picking up bags of booth swag. Next year’s event is going to be off the chain, as the kids say.
Meet the New Workforce at IPS
Published November 6
Speaking of young people, Barry Matties brings us a feature with a variety of interviews with young technologists and their mentors at IPS in Cedar City, Utah. As Mike Brask explains, young people’s optimism can be infectious throughout the company. It’s nice to see all these young folks discovering this industry now. It’s a sign our industry is becoming cool again.
A Unique Engineering Space in Mankato
Published November 9
Nolan Johnson has an interview with Associate Professor Rob Sleezer of Minnesota State University’s Twin City Engineering school. As Rob says, this non-traditional two-year school focuses on multiple domains of engineering, graduating technologists who have a well-rounded view of the engineering world.
The New Chapter: Reimagining PCB Design in Education
Published November 6
Not long ago, there were only a handful of PCB design classes at colleges and universities. But that’s changing—slowly, but surely. Columnist Hannah Nelson brings us a column on the expansion of PCB design education offerings at colleges in the U.S. Not long out of college herself, Hannah offers a variety of suggestions to help make these classes more attractive to smart young people.
Smart Factory Insights: Today’s Manufacturing Jobs Require a New Skill Set
Published November 10
There’s been a lot of talk about Smart processes over the past five years or so. But what does it take to train technologists to work in this new arena? Columnist Michael Ford explains the challenges of training new employees in Smart processes, as well as the many benefits. As he points out, this work will never be boring.
Share on:
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
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.
IPS, SEL Raise the Bar for ENIG Automation in North America
09/11/2025 | Mike Brask, IPSIPS has installed a state-of-the-art automated ENIG plating line at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories’ PCB facility in Moscow, Idaho. The 81-foot, fully enclosed line sets a new standard for automation, safety, and efficiency in North American PCB manufacturing and represents one of the largest fully enclosed final finish lines in operation.
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.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
09/05/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007It’s almost fall here in Atlanta, and that means that the temperature is finally dropping. And it quit raining! It’s been raining since March, and I’m so over it, as the social influencers say. Last night we grilled out on the deck, and it wasn’t hot, and we didn’t get rained on. Life is good. It was a busy week in the industry. In this installment of my must-reads, we say goodbye to Walt Custer, the man who made PCB data points interesting for the rest of us.
UHDI Fundamentals: UHDI Technology and Industry 4.0
09/03/2025 | Anaya Vardya, American Standard CircuitsUltra high density interconnect (UHDI) technology is rapidly transforming how smart systems are designed and deployed in the context of Industry 4.0. With its capacity to support highly miniaturized, high-performance, and densely packed electronics, UHDI is a critical enabler of the smart, connected, and automated industrial future. Here, I’ll explore the synergy between UHDI and Industry 4.0 technologies, highlighting applications, benefits, and future directions.