Standard of Excellence: ‘Quality’ Is Your Company's Greatest Competitive Advantage
Powering the Future: From Substrate to System—The Power Module Assembly
Global Sourcing Spotlight: Global Sourcing in the Age of Constant Uncertainty 
The Pentagon’s announcement on Tuesday that CMMC certification is being immediately suspended is the big news of the week. We’ve been covering the CMMC journey since the beginning, and we’ll stick with the story for the duration.
If you’ve followed my list of must-reads, you know that I’m always interested in semiconductor news, and this week had a few good ones. I’ll mention them here, and urge you to read the entire stories: Apple adds to the recent Intel fab agreement by adding to its U.S.-based design and manufacturing agreement with Broadcom; Micron is investing $3 billion to the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem; and Intel announces a 5 billion euro investment in European infrastructure. It’s encouraging to see the investment in U.S. manufacturing, which is sure to have a ripple effect on the electronics manufacturing industry.
In my must-reads this week, I point you to a new podcast I recorded with the authors of a new book from Dow, a preview of this month’s upcoming Advanced Electronic Packaging Digest, the fresh drop of July’s I-Connect007 Magazine, and, of course, the CMMC suspension news.
Department of War Suspends CMMC Phase II Requirements
Published July 14
Why does this matter? “Recent data, including reports from the Small Business Administration (SBA), confirmed that CMMC compliance is forcing innovative companies out of the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) which will delay the delivery of critical capabilities,” the Pentagon announced. It wants the cybersecurity, but without as much overhead and red tape. For companies already certified, this might be a “don’t care”; for those companies finding themselves perhaps priced out of a sector, this is a respite.
Meet the Author Podcast: Exploring the Growing Role of UV Curable Conformal Coatings with Dow
Published July 13
I had the pleasure of hosting Brian J. Chislea and Cody Schoener, PhD, of Dow, Inc., for a recent “Meet The Author” podcast. Schoener and Chislea were kind enough to discuss their new book, The Printed Circuit Designer's Guide to... UV Curable Conformal Coatings. In this engaging conversation, we examine why UV curable conformal coatings are becoming a more practical choice for a wider range of applications and what designers and manufacturers should know before implementing them. The authors explain both how UV curable coatings work and when to use them. This is an excellent way to hear first-hand from the authors and learn how these new coatings will help your business.
July I-Connect007 Magazine: Business Diversification and Display Electronics
Published July 15
What I enjoyed about this month's issue was the exploration of whether to diversify your business. There's a lot to consider. Diversifying might not be right for your business. Maybe you just need to double down on existing capabilities, or it's time to see what else you can offer. On the design side, the issue examines the challenges (and there are some) of designing PCBs for LED display electronics. These displays are showing up everywhere, from stadiums to advanced cockpits, and human perception is everything. Read what our experts have to say about it. That's just the start of what's in this issue, so please check it out.
Power Delivery, AI Infrastructure, and Materials Innovation: What’s Ahead in the Next Issue of Advanced Electronics Packaging Digest
Published July 14
Packaging is rapidly evolving to accommodate ever-smaller passives and ever larger actives. The Advanced Electronics Packaging Digest is our monthly online newsletter for news, articles, interviews, and updates from research and industry. The July issue will cover power, AI, and materials, among other topics. Subscribe now!
An Update on the Printed Circuit Board and Substrates Act
Published July 14
Marcy LaRont and the Printed Circuit Board Association of America’s David Schild discuss the Protecting Circuit Boards and Substrates Act and the association’s remarkable milestones in just five years. There has been significant progress in advancing the bill, and Schild shares details. Similar bills had been put forward in the last two Congressional sessions, but there seems to be more momentum this time around. Learn more about why.
