Elementary, Mr. Watson: Rein in Your Design Constraints
Target Condition: Are Autorouters Friend or Foe?
Fresh PCB Concepts: Assembly Challenges with Micro Components and Standard Solder Mask Practices
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
June 20, 2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
It’s been a busy week in this industry, and we have news and articles from the PCB design, fabrication and assembly communities. Some of this news is out of this world.
We may be losing the high ground—the really high ground. Columnist Jesse Vaughan explains how the U.S. seems to be falling behind in space, and how this could affect our ability to defend ourselves in the future. We have an update on the U.S.-China tariff talks, which seem to be moving forward, though sometimes at a snail’s pace. INEMI has expanded its PCB roadmap to now encompass laminates. European Editor Pete Starkey is back on the road, this time covering the EIPC Summer Conference in Scotland. And speaking of Britain, Editor Nolan Johnson brings us an interview with SolderKing’s Chris Ward, who met King Charles after the company received the King’s Award for Enterprise.
Try to get in some vacation time while you can. Show season will be here before you know it!
Beyond the Board: Orbital High Ground—Why Space Superiority Is Slipping Away
Published June 17
Space, the final frontier. Kids like me who grew up watching Star Trek assumed that the U.S. would always be No. 1 in space, keeping order in the galaxy like the Federation. But as Jesse Vaughan points out, we may be falling behind in the space race, and that could have an impact on our warfighting capability tomorrow.
IPC Update on the Latest U.S.– China Trade Announcement
Published June 18
The trade talks between the U.S. and China continue, and the two countries are making progress, but this progress is measured in baby steps. China has agreed to a combined 55% tariff on imports into the U.S.; the legal status of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariffs are still up in the air, though they remain in effect for now.
INEMI Publishes Roadmaps for Board Assembly and Complex Integrated Systems and Expands PCB Roadmap to Include Laminates
Published June 18
Going on the lam: The newest International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (INEMI) PCB roadmap now covers laminates. The organization’s latest guidelines also cover the automation of SMT printing processes, as well as the development of semi-additive technologies and low-CTE materials.
Day 1: Cutting Edge Insights at the EIPC Summer Conference
Published June 17
European Editor Pete Starkey was on the road again, this time covering the EIPC Summer Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland. As always, Pete’s coverage of the event makes you feel like you were right there in the conference room with him. Much of Day 1 focused on sustainability and the next generation of technology, and one topic that will never go away: microvia reliability.
SolderKing’s Successful Approach to Modern Soldering Needs
Published June 18
It’s good to meet the king. Just ask Chris Ward, cofounder of the UK-based company SolderKing, which recently won the King’s Award for Enterprise. In this interview, Chris discusses his meeting with King Charles, and what sets SolderKing apart from the other solder companies.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Hon Hai Reports New June Sales High Amid AI Boom
07/07/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamTaiwan-based manufacturing giant Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. reported on July 5 that its sales for June rose 10 percent from the previous year, driven by cloud and networking growth because of the boom in artificial intelligence (AI), the Taipei Times reported.
I-Connect007’s Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
07/04/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007For our industry, we have seen several bullish market announcements over the past few weeks, including one this week by IDC on the massive growth in the global server market. We’re also closely watching global trade and nearshoring. One good example of successful nearshoring is Rehm Thermal Systems, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in Mexico and the official opening of its new building in Guadalajara.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
06/27/2025 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007While news outside our industry keeps our attention occupied, the big news inside the industry is the rechristening of IPC as the Global Electronics Association. My must-reads begins with Marcy LaRont’s exclusive and informative interview with Dr. John Mitchell, president and CEO of the Global Electronics Association. For designers, have we finally reached the point in time where autorouters will fulfill their potential?
Get the ‘Hole Truth’ in New June Issue of PCB007 Magazine
06/16/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamIn "The Hole Truth," the new June 2025 issue of PCB007 Magazine explores what it takes to build the “perfect” via—and how to ensure its reliability from the start. Featuring insights from Mike Carano, Stefan Rung, Giovanni Obino, and Happy Holden, this issue is packed with expert takes on advanced inspection, precision drilling (yes, we’re talking pico lasers), and whether it’s time to rethink the cross-section.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
06/13/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007Today is Friday the 13th, and in much of Western folklore, this is a day when bad luck is lurking. But while Friday the 13th may top Western superstition charts, the global calendar is sprinkled with its own unlucky legends. In Spain and Greece, the bad juju lands on Tuesday the 13th—a day linked to Mars, the god of war, and naturally, chaos. In Italy, it’s Friday the 17th that is feared, thanks to the Roman numeral XVII, which can be rearranged to spell VIXI—Latin for “I have lived” (a poetic way of saying you’re dead).