Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘In Defense of a Liberal Education’
American Made Advocacy: A Growing Presence in Washington in Turbulent Times
I-Connect007 Editor's Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
September 6, 2024 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
I’ve been reading up on artificial intelligence news for a while now, and there’s a shift in the conversation, toward a more data- and results-driven view of AI and the claims of change it will bring. We’re starting to see research on why AI models behave the way they do (sometimes with behavior that is catastrophic to the AI itself), and what causes them to go astray. I’m collecting this research for an upcoming talk at a conference, and possibly a future article on the topic. Without spoiling my talk, let me just say that we don’t have much to fear about AI taking over the world yet. In the meantime, there are many things that you can control right now. To wit:
This week’s Top 5 starts with steps you can take to cultivate a culture of thriving. We also have bullish news from the global semiconductor sector, advice on how to tease out hidden cost drivers during the PCB design cycle, how the Altium-Ansys collaboration will affect design, and Happy Holden’s version of Occam’s Razor—three simple tools to keep your wet processes in line.
I can also share from personal experience that asking ChatGPT to make a margarita for happy hour will leave you unfulfilled; ask a trained human professional to do that for you instead. Have a great weekend!
Why a Culture of Thriving Matters
Published August 30
In the August issue of SMT007 Magazine, Audrey McGuckin, principal at The McGuckin Group, identifies a problem she encounters regularly in her consulting work: Burnout and disruption. Audrey shares her findings on how to counter burnout and disruptions in this article. Read all about it!
Global Semiconductor Sales Increase 18.7% Year-to-Year in July
Published September 3
Quoting the press release, “The global semiconductor market continued to grow substantially on a year-to-year basis in July, and month-to-month sales increased for the fourth consecutive month,” said John Neuffer, SIA president and CEO. “The Americas market experienced particularly strong growth in July, with a year-to-year sales increase of 40.1%.” Is this a trailing indicator of reshoring or nearshoring? This news item includes sales numbers for other regions also; I’ll leave the answer to that question as an exercise for the reader.
Hidden Cost Drivers in PCB Design
Published September 5
Cherie Litson points out that “everything you’ve read about the cost-saving process is controlled by the project leader’s actions. This article, originally appearing in Design007 Magazine’s August 2024 issue, dives into the project manager’s role as a cost influencer, and why so many design problems originate in that office.
Impact of the Altium-Ansys Partnership on PCB Design
Published September 5
The importance—and effect—of signal and power integrity just keeps growing. Altium’s Josh Moore postulates that while it is necessary to have good simulation tools to help with SI and PI, it is not sufficient. Read here how Josh envisions the Altium/Ansys collaboration will help shift the design cycle.
Happy’s Tech Talk #32: Three Simple Ways to Manage and Control Wet Processes
Published September 3
Optimizing wet process is like flying a helicopter: they can easily fly out of control if you’re not paying attention. In this edition of Happy’s Tech Talk, Happy considers the simple tools which can help you keep an eye on your wet process operating tolerances.
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Julia McCaffrey - NCAB GroupSuggested Items
Statement from the Global Electronics Association on the July 2025 Tariff on Copper Foil and Electronics-Grade Copper Inputs
07/31/2025 | Global Electronics AssociationWe are disappointed by today’s decision to impose a 50% tariff on imported copper foil and other essential materials critical to electronics manufacturing in the United States.
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Target Condition: The 5 Ws of PCB Design Constraints
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Rheinmetall Expands Local Production Activities in Romania
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American Made Advocacy: A Growing Presence in Washington in Turbulent Times
07/29/2025 | Shane Whiteside -- Column: American Made AdvocacyLast month, PCBAA held its fourth annual meeting in Washington, D.C. It was our largest gathering to date and included speakers from the House and Senate, the Department of Commerce, and OEMs Lockheed Martin, RTX, and Northrop Grumman. We also spent a day on Capitol Hill educating lawmakers and their staff about the importance of a secure domestic microelectronics supply chain.