I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
June 14, 2024 | Nolan Johnson, PCB007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

This week’s must-reads are comprised of news which moves the industry forward. We’ve had quite a lot of news on a global scale, and they’re all good reads. To winnow down to just five, I chose either new information or interesting takes on ongoing industry stories. To that end, we have news about new capital equipment for advanced packaging, discussions of material selection and the imaging process during PCB fabrication, a columnist's ode to the best engineer she knows, and some optimistic news from the semiconductor industry.
ASMPT Combines High-speed Chip Assembly Directly from the Wafer with SMT Placement in a Single Machine
Published June 6
System in package (SiP) technology is not just a thing of the future. It’s here today and ASMPT has announced manufacturing equipment to support SiP. This new system “processes both SMDs from tapes and dies taken directly from the wafer in a single step at speeds of up to 50,000 dies or 76,000 SMT components per hour.” It might not become a mainstream manufacturing method in 2024, but it’s clear packages will be bypassed entirely for certain silicon die in the near future.
Overconstrain? Underconstrain? Selecting Materials for High-speed Designs
Published June 6
No matter the technical sophistication of your PCB design, the evolution of state-of-the-art packages continues to make materials selection a critical step in the design process. So, I-Connect007’s Andy Shaughnessy asked Stephen Chavez, principal technical product marketing manager at Siemens, to share his thoughts on material selection for high-speed designs. Steph discusses material constraints, stackups, and the cut-off point when a “traditional” laminate will (and won’t) work for a high-speed board.
ASC Sunstone Talks Imaging in Latest Podcast Episode
Published June 11
In the latest episode of the podcast series, On the Line With: Designing for Reality, I returned to Sunstone Circuits in Mulino, Oregon, to continue down the manufacturing process with Matt Stevenson.
This series is all about the specifics that can affect your circuit board during the manufacturing process and includes tips and tricks for optimizing design, fabrication, yields, and cost. In this episode, Matt paints a picture of the outer layer imaging process. Since each circuit board is a one-of-a-kind pattern of metal connections representing the specific design for that circuit, how do those unique features get mapped onto the board? Find out in Episode 7.
Global Semiconductor Sales Increase 15.8% YoY in April
Published June 7
This announcement from the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) was interesting enough to make my must-reads based on the numbers alone. But at the risk of spoiling the article, I found this passage most interesting: “SIA today endorsed the WSTS (World Semiconductor Trade Statistics organization) Spring 2024 global semiconductor sales forecast, which projects annual global sales will grow to $611.2 billion in 2024, which would be the industry’s highest-ever annual sales total.” Get all the numbers here.
The New Chapter: Lessons From the Best Engineer I’ve Ever Known
Published June 12
How did you get into this industry? Did you follow in a family member’s footsteps? As columnist Paige Fiet explains, her engineer father played a large part in her decision to become an engineer. In this column, Paige discusses the lessons she’s learned from her father—engineering and otherwise—that have shaped the way she looks at her job and the world.
Suggested Items
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.
SEMI Reports Typical Q1 2025 Semiconductor Seasonality with Potential for Atypical Shifts Due to Tariff Uncertainty
05/19/2025 | SEMIAccording to the Q1 2025 Semiconductor Manufacturing Monitor (SMM) Report released by SEMI in collaboration with TechInsights, the global semiconductor manufacturing industry entered 2025 with typical seasonal patterns.
NEDME 2025 Announces Diverse and Distinguished Speaker Lineup
05/19/2025 | ASC SunstoneThe Northwest Electronics Design & Manufacturing Expo (NEDME) is thrilled to announce the impressive speaker lineup for the upcoming 2025 event. Taking place on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at the Wingspan Event & Conference Center in Hillsboro, Oregon, NEDME 2025 will feature a dynamic array of thought leaders from across the electronics design and manufacturing sectors.
Flexible PCB Market to Reach $61.75B by 2032, Driven by the Demand for Compact Electronics, Automotive and Medical Applications
05/16/2025 | Globe NewswireAccording to the SNS Insider, “The Flexible PCB Market was valued at USD 21.42 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $61.75 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 12.52% over the forecast period 2024-2032.”
The ICAPE Group Announces a 13% Growth in Revenue to €51.1M for Q1 2025
05/15/2025 | ICAPE GroupThe ICAPE Group, a global technology distributor of printed circuit boards (PCB) and custom-made electromechanical parts, announced its sales for the first quarter of 2025.