Global PCB Connections: Rigid-flex and Flexible PCBs—The Backbone of Modern Electronics
Flexible Thinking: The Key to a Successful Flex Circuit Design Transfer
Happy’s Tech Talk #29: Bend-to-Install Semi-flex FR-4
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
February 14, 2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Show season is upon us. Recently, Marcy LaRont and I attended DesignCon’s 30th anniversary show, and the expo floor was packed for almost the entire time. Show managers went all out, hosting a welcome party that included a rocking DJ. Much of the event revolved around AI and how to implement it. Is your company utilizing AI now?
Some of the engineers I met with have attended every DesignCon over the past 30 years, which is a great testimonial to the show’s longevity. Coming soon, we are headed to IPC APEX EXPO (the 25th anniversary of that event) and PCB East. You can look here for the industry’s best show coverage.
I’m featuring an abundance of articles from the past week, covering everything from DesignCon presentations to the benefits of volunteering for an IPC committee. If you’ve ever thought about joining a relevant committee, IPC is always looking for “new blood.”
See you again in a few weeks!
Here’s Looking at You, Kid
Published February 13
We’re in the middle of a PCB designer shortage, and it’s likely to get worse before it gets better. We need thousands of young PCB designers and design engineers. Where are we going to find them, and how are we going to train them when we do find them? We asked design instructors Kris Moyer and John Watson to weigh in, and, as usual, they had plenty of great ideas.
Facing the Future: The Evolution of the North American PCB Industry
Published February 12
Prashant Patel, the founder of Alpha Circuit, is one of our newest columnists. He brings us a great overview of the evolution of the North American PCB industry. As he points out, despite the shrinking number of board shops here, this region has quite a few positive things going for it, with resilience and reinvention topping the list.
Happy Holden: How I Became an Engineer
Published February 11
Somehow, I always thought that Happy Holden came from a family of scientists. But as Happy explains in this interview with Marcy LaRont, his father was a dairy farmer, and his mother was a chemist on the Manhattan Project. He’s always an interesting interview. Check it out.
Managing Energy Flow with Proper Stackup Design
Published February 13
Managing a PCB’s energy flow can be a delicate dance, and the stackup can play a big role here. In this interview, Dan Beeker recaps his DesignCon presentation, explaining how thoughtful stackup design can help designers conduct energy where they want it to go, and away from where they don’t want it.
The Secret Value of Committee Work
Published February 12
If you’ve always wondered what happens in IPC committees, you won’t want to miss this interview with Teresa Rowe, the head of standards and practices at IPC. Teresa explains the “secret value” of volunteering to work on these committees; as she says, “standards committee work is not for everyone,” but it might be just what you’re looking for.
Share on:
Testimonial
"In a year when every marketing dollar mattered, I chose to keep I-Connect007 in our 2025 plan. Their commitment to high-quality, insightful content aligns with Koh Young’s values and helps readers navigate a changing industry. "
Brent Fischthal - Koh YoungSuggested Items
Technica USA Advocates for PCBAA Membership Among Printed Circuit Assembly Customers
09/16/2025 | Technica USATechnica USA is actively encouraging its printed circuit assembly customers to join the Printed Circuit Board Association of America (PCBAA), a leading industry organization advocating for increased domestic production of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and substrates.
Knocking Down the Bone Pile: Best Practices for Electronic Component Salvaging
09/17/2025 | Nash Bell -- Column: Knocking Down the Bone PileElectronic component salvaging is the practice of recovering high-value devices from PCBs taken from obsolete or superseded electronic products. These components can be reused in new assemblies, reducing dependence on newly purchased parts that may be costly or subject to long lead times.
Staying on Top of Signal Integrity Challenges
09/16/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineOver the years, Kris Moyer has taught a variety of advanced PCB design classes, both online IPC courses and in-person classes at California State University-Sacramento, where he earned his degrees in electrical engineering. Much of his advanced curriculum focuses on signal integrity, so we asked Kris to discuss the trends he’s seeing in signal integrity today, the SI challenges facing PCB designers, and his go-to techniques for controlling or completely eliminating SI problems.
TTM Technologies to Exhibit at the Electronica India 2025 Exhibition in Bengaluru, India
09/16/2025 | Globe NewswireTTM Technologies, Inc., a leading global manufacturer of technology solutions, including mission systems, radio frequency (RF) components, RF microwave/microelectronic assemblies, and quick-turn and technologically advanced printed circuit boards (PCBs), will exhibit at the Electronica India 2025 trade fair, at Hall 3, booth #H41, from September 17-19, 2025, at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre, Bengaluru, India.
ICAPE Group Unveils Exclusive Report on Sustainability in Electronics Manufacturing
09/15/2025 | ICAPE GroupICAPE Group, a global leader in printed circuit boards (PCBs) and custom electronics manufacturing, today announces the launch of its 2025 Industry Outlook & Innovation Report: Sustainability in Electronics Manufacturing. This exclusive report is accompanied by fresh insights from a dedicated Statista survey of 100 electronics manufacturing professionals, commissioned by ICAPE Group.