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Current IssueDo You Have X-ray Vision?
Has X-ray’s time finally come in electronics manufacturing? Join us in this issue of SMT007 Magazine, where we answer this question and others to bring more efficiency to your bottom line.
IPC APEX EXPO 2025: A Preview
It’s that time again. If you’re going to Anaheim for IPC APEX EXPO 2025, we’ll see you there. In the meantime, consider this issue of SMT007 Magazine to be your golden ticket to planning the show.
Technical Resources
Key industry organizations–all with knowledge sharing as a part of their mission–share their technical repositories in this issue of SMT007 Magazine. Where can you find information critical to your work? Odds are, right here.
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Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Navigating Economic Headwinds in the Electronics Industry
April 8, 2025 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOEstimated reading time: Less than a minute

Shawn DuBravac, IPC Chief Economist, highlights the industry's resilience amid economic challenges, noting ongoing investment despite uncertainty and rising interest rates. Consumer behavior shows caution, with slowing spending and weakening confidence. A global economic overview reveals strengths in the U.S., challenges in China, and struggles in Europe. The discussion emphasizes the negative impact of tariffs and the importance of resilient supply chains.
The 25th IPC APEX EXPO, March 18-20, 2025, at the Anaheim Convention Center in California, has concluded successfully. If you couldn’t make it to the show, don’t worry—the I-Connect007 team has coverage of the entire week’s events. Don’t miss our Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2025 video interviews with the movers and shakers of the electronics industry.
Suggested Items
Elephantech: For a Greener Tomorrow
04/16/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineNobuhiko Okamoto is the global sales and marketing manager for Elephantech Inc., a Japanese startup with a vision to make electronics more sustainable. The company is developing a metal inkjet technology that can print directly on the substrate and then give it a copper thickness by plating. In this interview, he discusses this novel technology's environmental advantages, as well as its potential benefits for the PCB manufacturing and semiconductor packaging segments.
IPC President’s Award: Dr. Thomas Marktscheffel
04/15/2025 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007At ASMPT SMT Solutions, Thomas Marktscheffel, director of product management software solutions, is responsible for the SMT line software portfolio. As a member and leader of several IPC committees, he is also a driving force for global industry standards such as IPC-2591 CFX and IPC-HERMES-9852, which make it possible to provide plug-and-play connectivity for intelligent SMT Factories. In 2015, he participated in the IPC-1782 A-team and subsequently joined the IPC-2591 CFX standard A-team, which became the new SMT industry communication standard following its first release in March 2019.
Marcy’s Musings: Can You Hear the Voices?
04/16/2025 | Marcy LaRont -- Column: Marcy's MusingsTariffs, CapEx spending, the war in Ukraine, and domestic and global economies: I wanted to know what’s on your minds as we launch headlong into Q2 2025. So, this month, I’m highlighting industry voices and how they feel about their businesses, the effects of a new U.S. administration, and where technology is heading.
Cogiscan: A New Era of Leadership, Collaboration, and Innovation
04/14/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineCogiscan, the leading platform provider for factory data focused on the unique needs of PCBA and complex manufacturing ecosystems, has had a lot of news recently. New CEO Martin Drolet, and Benoît Ouellet, VP of technology and operations, discuss their vision for the company’s future through the transition following the retirement of the company’s founders—André Corriveau, Francois Monette, and Vincent Dubois. Martin and Benoît emphasize a commitment to customer-centricity, collaboration, and the integration of cutting-edge technology like AI, with an eye toward the unique demands of high reliability manufacturing ecosystems. These new leaders are poised to continue addressing unique challenges and bright future of the PCBA industry.
Real Time With... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Best Student Technical Paper Winner—Attila Rektor
04/10/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007Attila Rektor, a Ph.D student from Boise State, won the best technical paper award at IPC APEX EXPO 2025. His paper explores enhancing the conductivity of laser-induced graphene for flexible circuits. The research, funded by SAIC, involved modulating surface energy to enable effective copper plating. This breakthrough has potential applications in flexible printed circuit boards, sensing, and biomedical devices.