I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
August 2, 2024 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
This week, we bring you a veritable smorgasbord of news, columns and articles from the past week.
After getting stuck in an airport during the Crowdstrike outage, our colleague Nolan Johnson has a review of the first-ever THECA trade show in Bangkok, Thailand. We have a column by Matt Stevenson on drilling optimization, and an interview with Schmoll America President Kurt Palmer about what it takes to thrive in this industry. We have an article by SMTA’s Tara Dunn that focuses on the organization’s educational offerings, and news about All Flex joining the PCBAA.
It's been a busy week. I hope you all have a great weekend!
Impressions from THECA 2024
Published July 31
Our weary editor Nolan Johnson brings us his review of the inaugural Thailand Electronic Circuits Asia trade show. Nolan had the bad luck to be heading to the airport when the Crowdstrike snafu first began, turning his already-long trip to Bangkok into a three-day ordeal. He says it was all worth it, and THECA drew a pretty good crowd of attendees, many looking to Thailand for its China+1 potential. Check it out.
Connect the Dots: Navigating the Intricacies of PCB Drilling
Published August 1
Drilling is a fairly simple operation, but it can be one of the most complex tasks in the PCB fabrication cycle. In this column, Matt Stevenson offers various tips and tricks that can streamline your PCB drilling, beginning with pre-drilling planning and preparations.
Schmoll America: Thriving in the Global PCB Market
Published July 31
Is your business thriving? What does it take to thrive in this industry? In this interview with Marcy LaRont, Kurt Palmer, president of Schmoll America, discusses what it takes to not only survive, but thrive.
Training and Education in the Electronics Industry
Published July 31
With many of the “silverbacks” in our industry heading toward retirement, educational resources are in high demand now. Tara Dunn, director of training and education for SMTA, walks us through the organization’s educational offerings, including webinars, in-person classes, technical papers, and much more.
The PCBAA Accepts All Flex Solutions as Newest Member
Published July 31
PCBAA was founded just a few years ago, but it’s been on a continuous growth path, with more companies joining the organization in its mission to advocate for U.S. PCB companies. Flexible circuit maker All Flex Solutions is the latest company to join the organization, which now numbers 61 PCB U.S. manufacturers.
Suggested Items
American Made Advocacy: There's No Substitute for American-made Microelectronics
11/04/2024 | Shane Whiteside -- Column: American Made AdvocacyThe COVID pandemic put a spotlight on the fragility of the global supply chain. Disruption has become the new normal. Companies now see that one political decision or other interruption in Asia could bring the electronics industry to its knees. With 90% of the world’s PCBs and almost all IC substrates made in Asia, the current state of the electronics supply chain continues to present significant risk to the U.S. market.
Tritek Hosts Open House at Advanced West’s Facility
11/04/2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamIn this recent conversation with I-Connect007’s Andy Shaughnessy and Barb Hockaday, Steve Kenney, president of Tritek and Advanced West, discusses their long history serving the PCB industry, dating back to when Tritek sold Shipley chemistry in Southern California. During this interview, recorded minutes before an open house at Advanced West in Corona, California, Steve underscores the company’s customer-centric culture and their drive to meet customers' changing requirements in the PCB space.
It’s Only Common Sense: When Will Big Companies Start Paying Their Bills on Time?
11/04/2024 | Dan Beaulieu -- Column: It's Only Common SenseLet’s address a truth that PCB and PCBA providers across America know all too well and it’s about time that someone talks about this: There’s an alarming and frankly disturbing trend with our customers—especially the larger ones—of not paying their bills on time. For the industry’s small- and medium-sized shops, the impact of these delayed payments isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s creating a severe, often crippling cash flow issue.
Root-cause Analysis and Problem-solving
11/01/2024 | Happy Holden, I-Connect007An essential skill for any process engineer in printed circuit fabrication is the ability to conduct root-cause analysis (RCA) and problem-solving. These are related to TQC and Six Sigma applications and are essential for customer support and continued profitability. All engineers will encounter these methods sooner or later, but it will likely be sooner if you are in product or process engineering in manufacturing.
Discover the Future of PCB and PCBA at the International Electronics Circuit Exhibition
11/01/2024 | HKPCAThe International Electronics Circuit Exhibition (Shenzhen) (HKPCA Show) is one of the largest and most influential trade shows in the PCB and electronic assembly industry. Having already been successfully held 21 times, the Show takes place every December.