Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Marcy's Musings: Charting the Future

I’m sure we all remember the days when driving somewhere new meant pulling out our handy atlas, or writing down all the specific instructions on how to get there before we left on our trips. Now, modern navigation systems are so sophisticated that they talk you through the process, reroute when you make a wrong turn, and tell you exactly what time you’ll arrive. One of the most beneficial aspects of these maps is hearing your next required move before you get there so you don’t miss a turn or go in the wrong direction. Wouldn’t it be nice if our technology roadmaps did the same, helping prevent missteps and avoid hazards? But deciding where to go and how to get there is completely in our own hands, as is ensuring we actually take the twists and turns we have so carefully laid out in our roadmaps. Therein, I believe, lies the biggest challenge of all.

I recently listened to Only the Paranoid Survive: How to Exploit the Crisis Points That Challenge Every Company and Career, the 1998 book by Andy Grove, former CEO of Intel. A lot has changed since 1998, and at times his book felt a bit antiquated (given that he was predicting the meteoric rise of the internet, for example). But his concepts and insights are still extremely relevant, and it was fascinating to reflect on how his vision has unfolded over the past 26 years.

Grove discusses strategic inflection points: moments of crisis that bring 10x change to a company or organization. They require open-mindedness, candid discussion and debate, and ultimately, clear strategic direction and implementation. His examples include the tectonic shift that occurred in the shipping industry when large shipping containers were introduced, as well as the thoughtful and deliberate way that Hewlett-Packard managed its epic business decision to incorporate Intel chips into its computers rather than continue to use their own. Grove’s premise about strategic inflection points aligns with my belief that the foundational truisms of life and business are immutable and applicable over time. This is particularly appropriate as we look at the dramatic leaps forward in technologies—and the industries that build them.

In the September 2024 issue of PCB007 Magazine, we discuss technology roadmaps and what they mean for our businesses. Our features provide context to these all-important questions: What is my company’s technology roadmap? Is there anything so epic that it will change my business and/or my industry significantly in the near and distant future? What is driving the changes I will make in my facility? And most importantly, how will I implement this vision and reach the intended destination for my organization?Who better to lay out these visions than the organizations that support electronics manufacturing? IPC, IEEE, and iNEMI each take a high-level view of technology trends and the requirements for implementing them. Their unique and thoughtful perspectives can help you navigate those “traffic jams” and unexpected detours ahead.

In this issue, IPC President and CEO Dr. John W. Mitchell likens technology roadmaps to the general messaging of billboards rather than the detail provided by a GPS tool. He lays out four essential questions a company should ask itself in utilizing a technology roadmap for planning.Srikantha Chandrasekaran of IEEE looks at the impact of today’s technology trends on manufacturing, and delves into the critical and ever-increasing need for data governance. Tarja Rapala and Joe Beers get down to it, outlining iNEMI’s PCB roadmap and explaining the current state of the PCB industry regarding technology developments—where we are and where we need to be to successfully navigate these strategic inflection points in the years ahead.

We get a company perspective from Joe Dickson of Wus, a Chinese fabricator, who shares his observations and perspective on the state of the PCB industry through 2026 and beyond from his

geographic lens. Don Ball of Chemcut takes a step back from his columns on chemistry to provide thoughtful commentary on dealing with technology roadmaps. He acknowledges that, ideally, we would all be aware of and ready for future technology demands; but that is not typically what happens in organizations that are not flush with cash. So, what can we do? And, in line with creating your business roadmap and implementing change, Tony Faraci and Jesse Ziomek of DIS discuss the things that led to their company’s expansion into a new facility and decision to enter new markets, as well as a company culture that supports these types of bold moves.

Also not to be missed in this issue are columns by Happy Holden and Shane Whiteside, as well as Mike Carano, who provides a detailed description of the difficult-to-detect interconnect defect (ICD). Atotech’s Mikalai Kuchuk also contributes to this issue with an article on the quality and cost benefits of data-driven solutions, a must-read that provides practical examples for sustainable manufacturing.

Through reading this issue, I hope you gain valuable information and insight, both technically and strategically, toward putting together your company’s own technology roadmap, and are encouraged to embrace the strategic inflection points coming to the PCB fabrication industry as opportunities for transformative growth and ultimate success. The perspectives shared here highlight the importance of foresight and innovation as well as the collective wisdom available to us in steering our businesses toward a sustainable and prosperous future.

This column originally appeared in the September 2024 issue of PCB007 Magazine.