-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- I-Connect007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current Issue
Beyond the Rulebook
What happens when the rule book is no longer useful, or worse, was never written in the first place? In today’s fast-moving electronics landscape, we’re increasingly asked to design and build what has no precedent, no proven path, and no tidy checklist to follow. This is where “Design for Invention” begins.
March Madness
From the growing role of AI in design tools to the challenge of managing cumulative tolerances, these articles in this issue examine the technical details, design choices, and manufacturing considerations that determine whether a board works as intended.
Looking Forward to APEX EXPO 2026
I-Connect007 Magazine previews APEX EXPO 2026, covering everything from the show floor to the technical conference. For PCB designers, we move past the dreaded auto-router and spotlight AI design tools that actually matter.
- Articles
- Columns
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - I-Connect007 Magazine
Strategic Materials Conference 2025 Spotlights Materials Innovation to Advance Semiconductor Manufacturing
June 2, 2025 | SEMIEstimated reading time: 1 minute
With materials innovation at the core of next-generation semiconductor technologies, the Strategic Materials Conference (SMC) 2025 brings together top executives and technology leaders from the semiconductor manufacturing industry for exclusive insights into the latest trends and advancements. The event will be held on June 23-25, at Hayes Mansion in San Jose, California. Registration is open.
SMC is the industry’s premier event focused on drivers of advanced materials, highlighting key opportunities across the electronics supply chain in growth markets including computing and data storage, wireless communication, automotive, consumer and industrial electronics.
SMC 2025 Keynote Presentations
Accelerating AI Computing with Innovations from Materials to AI Factories
- John Hu, Director, Advanced Technology Group, NVIDIA
Semiconductor Industry – A Logic Technology Outlook
- Carlos H. Diaz, PhD, Senior Director, TSMC
Reinventing the Transistor for the Quantum Age
- Chetan Nayak, PhD, Technical Fellow, Microsoft
Integrated Material Development Modality Enabling the AI Revolution
- Surésh Rajaraman, PhD, Executive Vice President & Business Unit Head, Thin Films, EMD Electronics
Themed The New Era of Materials Innovation, SMC 2025 will feature the following key sessions:
- Market Geopolitical, and Economic Trends
- Materials in Next Generation Memory Devices
- Next Generation FETs
- Materials Innovation Enabled by AI
- Advanced Packaging, Materials Integration & Challenges
- Orbital Foundries for Next-Generation Semiconductors
- SEMI PFAS Update
- Executive Panel: Impact of US Policy on Semiconductor Industry
Presentations at SMC 2025 will feature insights from the following industry leaders:
- AMD
- Applied Materials
- ASML
- Axiom Space
- Ayar Labs
- Boston Consulting Group
- EMD Electronics
- Entegris
- imec
- Intel Corporation
- Lam Research
- Linx Consulting
- Meta
- Microsoft
- Mitsubishi Chemical Group
- Needham & Company
- NVIDIA
- SEMI
- Techcet
- Terecircuits
- TSMC
The event will feature two exclusive networking sessions, offering attendees the chance to reconnect with industry peers and build new relationships with professionals driving materials innovation.
Testimonial
"Your magazines are a great platform for people to exchange knowledge. Thank you for the work that you do."
Simon Khesin - Schmoll MaschinenSuggested Items
AGC's Advanced PCB Material Solutions
04/17/2026 | Real Time with... APEX EXPOAGC's line includes advanced PCB materials for critical industries such as aerospace, defense, and medical. This interview highlights their commitment to North American sourcing, offering solutions to today's challenges. AGC provides specialized automotive PCB materials including fastRise, a low-loss non-reinforced prepreg designed for high-frequency applications like 77 GHz radar.
Indium Faces Complex Soldering Head On
04/17/2026 | Real Time with... APEX EXPOKevin Brennan of Indium Corporation discusses the complexities of soldering diverse component sizes on high-performance computing boards. He introduces DuraFuse LT solder paste, a novel solution designed to address challenges like uneven heating and warpage during reflow. This innovative alloy enables a wider operational window, reducing peak temperatures and enhancing product reliability without requiring board redesign.
Driving Precision: All4-PCB’s Push for Smarter Inspection and Better Boards
04/17/2026 | Real Time with... APEX EXPOAt APEX EXPO 2026, all4-PCB's booth stayed busy until the very end. In this interview, Managing Director Ralph Jacobo highlights what he sees as strong market momentum in North America driven by increased demand for advanced PCB manufacturing technologies. He emphasizes investments in multilayer lamination, propelled by AI infrastructure, aerospace, and HDI complexity, where precision and uniformity are critical.
At KYZEN, Cleaning is All About Reliability
04/17/2026 | Real Time with... APEX EXPOJason Schwartz discusses KYZEN's advanced cleaning solutions for PCB assembly with Dan Beaulieu at APEX EXPO 2026. KYZEN has a 35-year legacy in defluxing, innovative real-time process control, and commitment to ensuring electronic reliability. How KYZEN partners with manufacturers through process audits and lab testing to maintain optimal cleaning standards is part of this conversation.
ESD Alliance Reports Electronic System Design Industry Posts $5.5 Billion in Revenue in Q4 2025
04/15/2026 | SEMIElectronic System Design (ESD) industry revenue increased 10.3% to $5,466.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2025 from the $4,955.2 million registered in the fourth quarter of 2024, the ESD Alliance, a SEMI Technology Community, announced today in its latest Electronic Design Market Data (EDMD) report.