I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

Last week, the IMPACT conference took place in Taipei, bringing together advanced packaging experts from around the globe to share their knowledge. We’ll be bringing you post-conference coverage over the next few weeks, so look for that in our newsletters, and in the Advanced Electronic Packaging Digest.

Other news seemed to have the U.S. at the center of the global discussions. My picks start in Phoenix, where TSMC, NVIDIA, and Amkor are all scrambling to establish new capabilities. There’s nothing like a strong demand signal to cause build-out, and AI chips are doing exactly that.

In our podcast, On the Line with…, American Standard Circuits’ John Johnson drops a discussion on the role of vias in UHDI manufacturing. Marcy LaRont reports on SMTA International, and Global Electronics Association’s advocacy expert Chris Mitchell provides his analysis of the current global trade environment and its effects on electronics manufacturing.

Quick note: We’re releasing our “Spotlight on Mexico” issue of SMT007 Magazine next Monday, and it’s one to read if Mexico is at all part of your supply chain. Spoiler alert: Your supply chain probably moves through Mexico more than you know. Be sure to check out the November issue. (If you speak Spanish, you’re in for a treat!)

TSMC Fast-Tracks Advanced Chip Technology at Arizona Plant Amid Rising AI Demand
Published October 27

AI product demand is so strong that TSMC is accelerating the rollout of its most advanced chip fab technology at its Arizona facilities. Will this be 3-nanometer, or will TSMC leapfrog to 2-nanometer? That remains to be seen.

Nvidia’s Blackwell Chips Made in Arizona Still Head to Taiwan for Final Assembly
Published October 27

Despite the domestic production, Nvidia’s top-tier GPUs will still travel to Taiwan for advanced packaging. This is true for most semiconductors produced in the U.S. Amkor Technology’s advanced packaging plant in Arizona won’t start operating until 2027 or 2028.

On the Line With… Ultra HDI Podcast—Episode 7: “Solder Mask: Beyond the Traces,” Now Available
Published October 29

John Johnson explains why solder mask application is one of the most pivotal—and often underestimated—steps influencing UHDI performance and reliability. Fabricators must fine-tune their processes to fully realize UHDI’s potential and achieve lasting success in ultra-fine feature manufacturing, and John discusses how.

A New Era for Global Trade and Electronics
Published October 28, 2025

Chris Mitchell, VP of global government relations at the Global Electronics Association, discusses the effects of what appears to be a fragmentation of the long-standing WTO equilibrium. What does that mean to global trade in general and our industry in specific? Mitchell dives into the details.

SMTAI 2025 Review: Reflecting on a Pragmatic and Forward-looking Industry
Published October 27

I-Connect007 Executive Director Marcy LaRont spent the week in Rosemont, Illinois, attending SMTA International. Read her report on the conference, the expo, and the state of the industry as viewed from a leading industry gathering.