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
Siemens Announces PAVE360 Support for New Arm Zena Compute Subsystems
06/04/2025 | Siemens Digital Industries SoftwareSiemens Digital Industries Software announced today that it is expanding its longstanding relationship with Arm and adding support for the newly launched Arm® Zena™ Compute Subsystems (CSS) in its PAVE360™ software, designed for software-defined vehicles (SDV).
Datest Receives Its 16th AS9100D Recertification Audit
06/03/2025 | DatestDatest, a trusted leader in advanced testing, engineering, inspection, and failure analysis services, proudly announces sixteen straight years of aerospace-grade perfection. Cue the confetti cannons (ESD-safe, of course).
Elma Electronic Bolsters Quality Management Company-wide with Added AS9100:D and ISO9001:2015 Certifications
06/02/2025 | Elma ElectronicElma Electronic now includes AS9100:D and ISO 9001:2015 certifications at its Horsham, Pa. manufacturing facility, earning the company a multiple site accreditation designation.
Maxar Space Systems Selected to Build High-Power EchoStar XXVI Satellite Share
06/02/2025 | BUSINESS WIREMaxar Space Systems, a trusted partner in satellite design and manufacturing, today announced it has been awarded a contract by EchoStar Corporation to manufacture EchoStar XXVI, a high-power geostationary communications satellite based on the Maxar 1300™ platform.
ispace Completes Success 8 of Mission 2 Milestones
06/02/2025 | ispaceispace, inc. (ispace) (TOKYO: 9348), a global lunar exploration company, announced that the RESILIENCE lunar lander has successfully completed all orbital maneuvers while in lunar orbit and is now being prepared for its landing attempt on June 6, 2025.