I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
June 7, 2024 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
It’s been a great week. I spent part of the week at PCB East, which was held at the Boxboro Regency in Boxboro, Massachusetts. I haven’t been to Boxboro in about 20 years. The last time I was at PCB East in Boxboro, design instructor Mary Sugden had a hot plate and a supply of bologna in her room, because she preferred fried bologna to anything she could get in a restaurant. Never a dull moment with PCB designers!
PCB East has been growing since it re-opened a few years ago. The conference was well attended, and Wednesday’s expo was busy all day long. These one-day tabletop shows are the way to go, as we’ve seen lately with the success of SMTA’s local shows. I’ll have a post-show write-up next week.
But I’m glad to be home. Here’s a roundup of this week’s top news as you head into the weekend.
Happy’s Tech Talk #29: Bend-to-Install Semi-flex FR-4
Published December 8
Technology Editor Happy Holden has been following the growing development of “bend-to-install” or “semi-flex” materials. In this update, Happy breaks down the details of this process, which, unlike flexible circuits, utilizes standard FR-4 materials and processes. We’re seeing a lot of “hybrid” processes like this now, and we’ll continue to follow this technology.
My Experience as an International Student
Published June 5
It must be really stressful being an international student; I had a hard enough time graduating from college in the country where I was born. But Palash Vyas is a little more of a go-getter than I was, to say the least. In this article, the recent doctoral graduate outlines his path from Mumbai to Auburn University, his volunteer efforts with IPC and SMTA, and winner of Best Poster Award at this year’s IPC APEX EXPO.
The Pulse: Overconstraining: Short, Slim, and Smooth
Published June 6
As columnist Martyn Gaudion says, small is beautiful in high-speed design and high reliability. To avoid overconstraining your high-speed board, Martyn explains why keeping things “short, slim, and smooth” are watchwords and why designers must take cost and DFM into account with each design.
Has It Really Been Survival Mode?
Published June 6
This is a topic that we’ve been hearing about for years: Companies in the EMS industry that are doing well have done so by being in “survival mode” for years. But is that really the case? Mark Wolfe examines this issue, starting with the four questions that each EMS manager answers before accepting every job.
Advancing PCB Technology: A Conversation With John Johnson
Published June 4
In this audio interview, John Johnson of American Standard Circuit discusses the industry’s continued movement toward finer lines and spaces and additive processes, as well as the need for a “mindset shift” and training in order to meet the needs of this new technology. He also discusses the need to focus on cleanliness and material adhesion with ultra-fine lines.
Suggested Items
SMTA Oregon Event Spreads Its Wings
06/25/2024 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Hillsboro, Oregon is home to the largest Intel campus in the United States as the base of operations for most of Intel’s CPU development. Hillsboro boasts experts and teams in IC and PCB physical layout, packaging, and R&D. Intel and satellite companies in its orbit deliver PCB fabrication and PCB assembly as well. So it's no surprise that SMTA Oregon’s annual meeting takes place practically in the shadows of Intel’s Hillsboro campus.
It’s Only Common Sense: Great Stories of Loving Your Customers
06/24/2024 | Dan Beaulieu -- Column: It's Only Common SenseGreat customer care goes far beyond great service. It means truly caring for your customers as if they are your closest family and friends. Consider what that means. Loving your customers is not just a lofty ideal but a fundamental principle for achieving sustained business success. When companies genuinely care for their customers as they would their own families, they go beyond merely satisfying needs; they create lasting relationships based on trust, loyalty, and mutual respect.
Day 2: A Full Day at the EIPC Summer Conference
06/19/2024 | Pete Starkey, I-Connect007Editor's note: This is the third and final report from the EIPC Summer Conference. It was a bright and early start to the second day of the 2024 EIPC Summer Conference at the European Space Centre, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, June 4-5. A short journey by bus from the hotel in Leiden and our security passes from the day before got us through the gate and to our seats in the Newton Room for Session 4, “Material Studies,” moderated by Martyn Gaudion.
IPC Impact Day Recap With Rich Cappetto
06/18/2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamIPC has hosted its annual IPC Impact Day in Washington, D.C., for at least the past decade, with the first event taking place in the 1990s. This popular and important advocacy tool allows an industry segment to meet their local congresspeople, educate them on important issues, and influence new or existing legislation to support their interests. We spoke with Rich Cappetto, senior director of North American government relations at IPC, about the importance of the event and what it means for the greater PCB industry. He also highlighted an important change: There will be several IPC Impact Days throughout the year to allow smaller groups of industry professionals to visit Washington more often with a more targeted message.
Looking Into Space: EIPC Summer Conference, Part 2
06/17/2024 | Pete Starkey, I-Connect007“Innovative Development of PCB Technology and Design” was the theme of the second session of the 2024 EIPC Summer Conference, June 4-5, at the European Space Centre, Noordwijk, The Netherlands.