Elementary Mr. Watson: Ensuring a Smooth Handoff From PCB Design to Fabrication
The Shaughnessy Report: Breaking Down the Language Barrier
Connect the Dots: Designing for Reality—Routing, Final Fab, and QC
Electronics Industry Mourns Loss of Colleague and Visionary Michael Ford
January 31, 2024 | I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Longtime I-Connect007 columnist, industry visionary, and friend Michael Ford passed away Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024. “In this time of sorrow, we can take solace in the knowledge that Michael leaves a great legacy of contribution to the electronics industry,” according to a statement from Aegis Software.
Michael was senior director of emerging industry strategy at Aegis. He was a prolific writer and speaker whose work and ideas put him at the forefront of electronics manufacturing. Working for Aegis gave him the opportunity to apply his software for electronics manufacturing experience to further drive technology solution innovation.
In the statement from Aegis, Michael was described as “always envisioning what was needed to achieve an improved manufacturing future before others could see it. What new system, standard, or concept could help move things forward for the better? Michael could move those ideas to the forefront and was always seeking the views and ideas of others in the process. He had a singular gift in helping everyone he encountered see the future with him in his articulate and compelling way that brought everyone into the process, whether an individual or a full conference hall.”
He started his career with Sony, including eight years working in Japan. He was instrumental in creating and evolving software solutions for assembly manufacturing that meet the most demanding expectations. He was an established thought leader for Industry 4.0 and digital Smart factories, and an active contributor to industry standards.
In 2020, Michael was given the IPC President’s Award as recognition for contributions, including CFX, traceability, secure supply-chain and digital twin standards.
In 2021 Michael was awarded the Dieter Bergman IPC Fellowship Award and chose Villanova University’s engineering department as the recipient of the grant which in turn awards a scholarship to benefit the promotion of opportunities for women in the industry.
His column for I-Connect007 was titled Smart Factory Insights, and he frequently took commonly-held ideas and pushed the boundaries of current thinking. He often found ways to improve business operations or create new business models that built off current frameworks.
“Michael has been such a generous and knowledgeable columnist for so long,” says Pete Starkey, a technical editor for I-Connect007. “He was a genuinely lovely man and a worthy recipient of our ‘Good for the Industry’ award. I can’t believe he’s gone.”
One time we asked him for his sage advice and he said, "Always keep an open and progressive mind. Listen to and understand perspectives from all of those around you."
Share on:
Suggested Items
IMAPS and DPC: 21 Years of Elevating Technical Knowledge
03/13/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007The IMAPS 21st Device Packaging Conference (DPC) may have taken place at a conference center located down an idyllic desert road showcasing the best of what native Arizona has to offer, but the topics at this conference were anything but laid-back. This important platform for professionals in microelectronics and advanced packaging set the stage for a technology in high demand. Brian Schieman, IMAPS executive director, says the show was organized to demonstrate their commitment to addressing current technological trends and with significant energy directed toward fostering connections within the supply chain.
Eltek Reports Full Year and Q4 2024 Financial Results
03/13/2025 | EltekEltek Ltd., a global manufacturer and supplier of technologically advanced solutions in the field of printed circuit boards (PCBs), today announced its financial results for the full year and fourth quarter ended December 31, 2024.
ICT Spring Seminar: Nickel Not Welcome Here
03/12/2025 | Pete Starkey, I-Connect007After a miserable, dull, and damp English winter, a really pleasant nearly spring day with the sun shining and daffodils in bloom greeted delegates to the Institute of Circuit Technology Spring Seminar at Puckrup Hall near Tewkesbury, March 5, in Gloucestershire, UK.
Hannah Nelson: The Inspiring Journey of an Emerging Engineer
03/11/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamAt last year’s IPC APEX EXPO, former IPC Emerging Engineer Hannah Nelson had the opportunity to reflect on her inspiring journey into the world of engineering, from her education at Valparaiso University to her internship and her first job at Texas Instruments. From pivotal moments and the unexpected turns that helped shape her early career and passion for electrical engineering, her story highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, taking opportunities that arise early on, finding confidence in one's voice, and the rewards of pursuing one's passions within the engineering field.
Chemcut Corporation Announces Atlantic Micro Tool Expanded Sales Territory
03/11/2025 | Chemcut CorporationChemcut Corporation, the US based manufacturer of Wet Process Equipment, has expanded Atlantic Micro Tools sales territory to include DE, MD, VA, WV, NY, PA, NC, SC, TN, GA, AL, FL, MS, Ontario. Atlantic Micro Tool has represented Chemcut for over 15 years in the States of ME, NH, VT, RI, CT, NJ, New York City MA, NY counties of Nassau, Suffolk, Quebec & Eastern Ontario.