Trouble in Your Tank: Pre-electroless Causes of Voids
Punching Out: Preparing Your PCB/EMS Business for Sale
It's Only Common Sense: Your Expertise Builds Your Brand
As a longtime journalist, I always find myself pulled in so many directions of curiosity. I’ve often felt like the saying, “A jack of all trades, master of none.” It seems to be the price I’ve paid as a writer and editor, delving into so many different corners of industry, community, and the human condition.
But that’s also why I love this week’s collection of must-reads. From novel flexible circuits to modernizing IPC standards, a trade show in the burgeoning China Plus One region, Mexico’s manufacturing moment, and opportunities for workforce development, we’ve gone around the world and back again. We touch on so many aspects of the industry, and especially the opportunities and challenges of keeping up with change.
It's a holiday weekend here in the U.S., and as it typically does in the Pacific Northwest, I’ll be sitting inside and watching it rain. Some things never change!
IPC-1751 Builds Supply Chain Infrastructure for the Future
Published August 31
Nolan Johnson speaks with Nikki Johnson and N Nagaraj about the newly-revised IPC-1751 and its move from XML to JSON. That may sound like a simple format change, but the implications are much bigger. The new modular structure can connect compliance information across multiple standards, make data easier to exchange, and potentially open the door to greater automation and AI use throughout the supply chain. It’s a great example of how standards have to keep up with technology.
THECA 2026 Review: Innovating PCBs and Advanced Electronics
Published August 31
Marcy LaRont traveled to Bangkok for THECA 2026, where the growth of Thailand’s electronics industry was hard to miss. Now in its third year, the show brought together the PCB value chain and demonstrated how Thailand is also part of the broader China Plus One strategy that’s reshaping electronics manufacturing. Marcy interviewed several companies that were represented at the show, including Ben Huang of FSQuality. Be sure to check out his interview here.
September SMT007 Magazine Examines Mexico’s Manufacturing Growth
Published September 1
From Thailand, we jump across the globe to another manufacturing region getting plenty of attention. The September issue looks at Mexico’s expanding role in North American electronics manufacturing, where companies are adding capacity and reconsidering sourcing strategies. It makes sense, of course, what with the proximity to the United States, and considering Mexico’s trans-oceanic supply chain route called the CIIT. What opportunities lie ahead for Mexico and how will the government respond by investing in infrastructure and workforce? Lots of questions still remain and that’s what makes this a story worth following.
Beyond Federal Dollars: How State and Local Funding Powers Workforce Growth
Published September 2
Workforce development is a persistent industry challenge, but Victoria Hawkins of the Global Electronics Association points employers toward resources they may be overlooking. As federal funding becomes more constrained, state and local grants can support apprenticeships, employee upskilling, certifications, and partnerships with schools and workforce organizations. Filling the necessary roles in manufacturing has always been a challenge, so it’s encouraging to see how the Hawkins is working to connect the dots between government and industry.
Micro-robot Exoskeletons With Rigid-flex PCBs
Published September 3
Just the word imagery of this headline was enough to pique my interest. Anaya Vardya explores some fascinating applications for rigid-flex PCBs in insect-scale robotics, where traditional wiring, connectors, and structural components can be too heavy. Applications can range from search and rescue to environmental monitoring and medical diagnostics, and this one really stretched my thinking about what a PCB can do.
