Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: 'A View from the Top: Moving from Success to Significance'
The Chemical Connection: The Practice of Doing Business in Foreign Lands
It’s Only Common Sense: Pricing PCBs? It’s All in Their Heads
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
September 5, 2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
It’s almost fall here in Atlanta, and that means that the temperature is finally dropping. And it quit raining! It’s been raining since March, and I’m so over it, as the social influencers say. Last night we grilled out on the deck, and it wasn’t hot, and we didn’t get rained on. Life is good.
It was a busy week in the industry. In this installment of my must-reads, we say goodbye to Walt Custer, the man who made PCB data points interesting for the rest of us. Speaking of data, we have a look at the results of a survey that asked EMS companies to compare what they need from their software with what they actually get.
We have news about the new Design Village that will be launching at APEX EXPO next year, and Denny Fritz does a deep dive into CHIPS Act spending and potential cuts. And IPC instructor Kris Moyer discusses his upcoming six-week class on designing PCBs with emerging technologies. If you’re a senior designer, this should be on your schedule.
Talk to you all soon.
Walt Custer: Making Data Interesting
Published September 3
The industry lost another star this week. Walt Custer passed away August 30, and he hadn’t been feeling well for some time. Walt was famous for his presentations on industry trends, which featured cartoons to spice up what could have been uninspiring data points. Walt really made data interesting, and we’ll miss him.
What EMS Firms Want from Their Software—and What They Get
Published September 3
What do you want from your software? In this article, Thiago Guimaraes of the Global Electronics Association discusses the findings of the 2024 EMS Software Survey, which focused on how electronics manufacturers qualified and selected software. Some of the results will surprise you. Check it out.
The Global Electronics Association Launches Design Village at APEX EXPO 2026
Published September 2
Does it really take a village? We’re going to find out! The Design Village will debut at APEX EXPO 2026, centered around a Technology Pavilion that features technical presentations and panel discussions. If you’re involved in PCB design or design engineering, you won’t want to miss this.
Defense Speak Interpreted: If CHIPS Cuts Back, What Happens to Electronics Packaging Funds?
Published September 2
As we said years ago, we’ll have to keep a close eye on the CHIPS Act, and Denny Fritz is doing just that. In this column, Denny discusses the state of CHIPS Act expenditures, and what could happen in our industry in the event of cutbacks. There are still plenty of projects being funded, but many of these are $20 million projects. As Denny points out, “…$20 million will buy a fair amount of research, a few pieces of equipment each, but not much brick and mortar.” Stay tuned.
Kris Moyer Discusses His Emerging Design Technologies Class
Published September 4
IPC instructor Kris Moyer is known for living in an RV on his property near Sacramento, but we like to joke that he lives in a “van down by the river.” In this interview, conducted from his RV, Kris discusses his upcoming six-week class on designing PCBs with emerging technologies. His class runs from October 7 to November 13 and meets Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you want to be ready for the technologies of tomorrow, this class is for you.
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October 2025 SMT007 Magazine: Upgrading Your Production Software
10/01/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamEMS companies need advanced software systems to thrive and compete. But these systems require significant effort to integrate and deploy. What is the reality, and how can we make it easier for everyone? The October 2025 issue of SMT007 Magazine investigates business operations software and how best to achieve the necessary integrations.
Jiva Leading the Charge Toward Sustainable Innovation
09/30/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineEnvironmental sustainability in business—product circularity—is a high priority these days. “Circularity,” the term meant to replace “recycling,” in its simplest definition, describes a full circle life for electronic products and all their elements. The result is re-use or a near-complete reintroduction of the base materials back into the supply chain, leaving very little left for waste. For what cannot be reused productively, the ultimate hope is to have better, less harmful means of disposal and/or materials that can seamlessly and harmlessly decompose and integrate back into the natural environment. That is where Jiva and Soluboard come in.
It’s Only Common Sense: Pricing PCBs? It’s All in Their Heads
09/29/2025 | Dan Beaulieu -- Column: It's Only Common SenseLet’s talk about pricing—not the math, the spreadsheets, or the cost-plus formula your finance guy loves—but the actual game: perception. If you’re trying to win jobs by being the lowest bidder, you’re not competing; you’re commoditizing yourself. Once you do that, good luck climbing back up the value ladder. You’re no longer a partner; you’re a line item on a spreadsheet.
It’s Only Common Sense: Sales Strategies for a Virtual World
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Variosystems Strengthens North American Presence with Southlake Relaunch 2025
09/15/2025 | VariosystemsVariosystems celebrated the relaunch of its U.S. facility in Southlake, Texas. After months of redesign and reorganization, the opening marked more than just the return to a modernized production site—it was a moment to reconnect with our teams, partners, and the local community.