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Current IssueAdditive Manufacturing
In this month’s issue, we explore additive manufacturing technology for the PCB fabricator: where it stands today, the true benefits, and where it seems to be headed.
The Growing Industry
In this issue of PCB007 Magazine, we talk with leading economic experts, advocacy specialists in Washington, D.C., and PCB company leadership to get a well-rounded picture of what’s happening in the industry today. Don’t miss it.
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Sustainability is one of the most widely used terms in business today, especially for electronics and manufacturing but what does it mean to you? We explore the environmental, business, and economic impacts.
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Registration: From Raw Data to Intelligent Manufacturing
November 27, 2023 | Andrew Kelley, XACTPCB LTDEstimated reading time: 1 minute
While previous industrial revolutions have introduced factories, mass production, and computer-controlled systems, the advent of Industry 4.0 and the concept of the Smart factory have ushered in a new era in PCB manufacturing. For the PCB industry it is a very ambitious and aspirational objective to evolve from disconnected processes to an integrated system with automated data capture, real-time data analysis, process visualization, autonomous control, and self-correcting processes.
Industry experts claim that those who fail to engage will rapidly fall behind, however, the paradigm shift that this revolution brings to manufacturing has left many plant managers wondering where and how to start the process of implementation. The reality is that implementation of a Smart factory is not a one-size-fits-all approach, and companies need to adapt their existing systems, process, and infrastructures to embrace this transformation gradually.
In the PCB manufacturing plant, there is a profusion of design and production data that is held in many places and in many different formats. There is an opportunity to incorporate this information with data gathered in real time from manufacturing processes to provide intelligent analysis, derived actions, and control immediately for use throughout the manufacturing process chain. Very few companies will start a Smart manufacturing implementation from nothing. The key will be to understand how to adapt existing systems, process, and infrastructures to the requirements of the Smart factory. A step-by-step implementation focused on key aspects of manufacturing will allow the benefits to be realized soon. Therefore, the smart manufacturing solutions implemented should be modular, scalable, and flexible. This approach allows businesses to establish proof of concept, leverage existing equipment, and strengthen their infrastructure without the need for building entirely new factories. To embark on this journey successfully, it is crucial to harness the power of data and transform it into actionable information and knowledge.
To read this entire article, which appeared in the November 2023 issue of PCB007 Magazine, click here.
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Advocacy: There’s No Time to Waste
05/21/2024 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineIn the late 1990s, I worked for a PCB company ardently working to build manufacturing presences in Malaysia, Taiwan, and eventually China’s mainland. For some of us who had the resources, we followed our OEM customers offshore as they began demanding increasingly greater price concessions from their stateside suppliers. The government was not coming to the rescue of the PCB manufacturer, so we rode the changing economic tide as it turned unwaveringly toward globalism and cheaper labor.
Marcy’s Musings: The ‘Magic’ of Additive Processes
05/21/2024 | Marcy LaRont -- Column: Marcy's MusingsThough modern semi-additive and fully additive technologies are still emerging for PCB manufacturing, additive technology itself is not new. Many PCB fabricators find themselves at a crossroads when deciding whether to change their current processes and go additive or stay the course until something significant compels a change. But change is on the horizon, and it seems to be driven by significant technological advancements in chips and advanced packaging, offering PCB fabricators some additive manufacturing solutions to explore.
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: Custom PCB Solutions With Adura
05/20/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOColumnist Dan Beaulieu and Sumit Tomar, CEO of Adura, discuss the company's comprehensive manufacturing of custom PCBs. The company excels in thermal PCB technology for enhanced conductivity. As Sumit explains, they also plan to venture into power management, leveraging their U.S.-based manufacturing capabilities.
Zentech First to Adopt IPC Apprenticeship National Program Standards
05/20/2024 | Cory Blaylock, IPCIPC achieved a landmark in 2023 by creating an apprenticeship program approved by the U.S. Department of Labor. With such a registered framework in place, industry can work through IPC to secure local, state, and federal dollars for workforce development in a way they’ve never been able to do before. Zentech Manufacturing, headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, with production facilities in Bloomington, Illinois, and Richardson, Texas, is the first employer partner to adopt IPC’s national program. Click here to read their story.
Danutek Celebrates 20 Anniversary
05/20/2024 | DanutekDanutek, a leading supplier of capital equipment and service support to the electronics manufacturing sector in Europe, proudly marks its 20th anniversary this year.