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I-Connect007 continues its six-part podcast series with Isola experts titled, PCB Materials: The Backbone and Future of Electronics, with the release of Episode 5, which shifts focus to one of the industry’s most urgent challenges: supply chain resilience.
Building on the foundation established in the first four episodes, the series has explored how PCB materials underpin performance, reliability, and innovation across modern electronics. From the critical role of base laminates in ensuring signal integrity and manufacturability, to the increasing demands driven by AI and high-speed applications, the conversations highlight how materials are evolving to meet next-generation requirements. The series also examines sustainability and the “green circuit” movement, as well as the realities of designing for reliability in harsh environments where strain, thermal cycling, and material behavior over time determine long-term success.
In Episode 5, Isola’s Chief Sales Officer Jim Hartzell draws on lessons learned from recent global supply chain disruptions. The discussion emphasizes that many vulnerabilities were structural, rooted in an industry-wide focus on efficiency over resilience. As supply chain volatility becomes a constant, rather than an exception, the episode explores the need for diversification, scenario planning, strategic inventory management, and stronger supplier partnerships to ensure continuity and long-term stability.
The series will conclude with a sixth and final episode April 30. Listeners can also download a companion guide that brings together key insights from all six discussions. Designed as a practical resource, the guide will help engineers, designers, and decision-makers navigate the increasingly complex landscape of PCB materials.
“PCB materials are often overlooked, but they’re at the core of every breakthrough we’re seeing in electronics,” said Marcy LaRont, host of the series. “This series connects material science to real-world performance, and now, with Episode 5, to the very real challenges of keeping the entire ecosystem moving forward.”
Listen and download today!
