Global PCB Connections: Rigid-flex and Flexible PCBs—The Backbone of Modern Electronics
Flexible Thinking: The Key to a Successful Flex Circuit Design Transfer
Happy’s Tech Talk #29: Bend-to-Install Semi-flex FR-4
Navigating the Global Materials Supply Chain: A Roundtable Discussion
December 3, 2015 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 15 minutes
Shaughnessy: Mark, we'll start with you. What would you say are some of the biggest challenges you face in dealing with customers from a varied base?
Goodwin: Really, everything outside of Asia is now a quick-turn, high-mix business. We have to have the right materials in the right place to supply our PCB customers like Schoeller, generally speaking, with a very short lead time. That ranges from a few hours to a couple of days, but not much longer than that. I'm here to provide technical support and backup services to those customers as well. That includes full lab service capability to enable us to verify our products and our customers’ prices.
Keuthen: I absolutely agree with that. What comes out of the industries, specifically out of the automotive industries, logistically is now brought into the supply chain anyway and whatever logistical concepts we need to fulfill for our customers. Things like VMI and managed consignment stops without customers—all of these things actually need to go into our supply chain and be integrated vertically down to our suppliers as well. That's why for us it is very important having more than 1,300 different materials on stock (which sometimes is not even sufficient in daily business), to have reliable suppliers that are able to support our logistical system and have the right materials, of course.
Pattie: Yes, I can see that. Increasingly, with complexities that you have in materials, PCB manufacturers really have to be in partnership with their laminate suppliers. I think for a few reasons. One: we're all in this quick-turn market, so if you don't have material in stock, you lose that opportunity and your competitor may have that. That's very important. We become our customers’ inventories at times.
I think also the partnership with the PCB factory is very important because we need to know what direction you’re going so that we can plan. It's such an increasingly competitive market that if you're going to live on “me too” products, you're not going to be very successful in that company. We're always looking for where to guide the technical direction of our company so that we can plan for not now, but for five years from now. The partnership is really important in many different ways.
Page 2 of 6
Share on:
Testimonial
"Your magazines are a great platform for people to exchange knowledge. Thank you for the work that you do."
Simon Khesin - Schmoll MaschinenSuggested Items
TTCI Brings Hands-On Test Engineering and IPC Training Expertise to PCB Carolina 2025
10/31/2025 | The Test Connection Inc.The Test Connection Inc. (TTCI), a trusted provider of electronic test and manufacturing solutions, and The Training Connection LLC (TTC-LLC) will exhibit at PCB Carolina on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, at the McKimmon Center at NC State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Attendees can visit Table 4 to say hello to Bert Horner and Bill Graver, and learn more about their test engineering services and technical training programs.
The Training Connection Continues to Grow with Addition of Veteran IPC Trainer Bill Graver
10/30/2025 | The Training Connection LLCThe Training Connection, LLC (TTC-LLC), a premier provider of test engineering and development training, is proud to announce the addition of Bill Graver to its growing team of industry experts. A respected professional with more than 35 years in electronics manufacturing, Bill joins as an IPC Master Trainer, bringing a wealth of hands-on experience in PCB testing, failure analysis, and process improvement.
Electronics Industry Warns Mexico Tariffs Could Undercut U.S. Manufacturing and Supply Chain Resilience
10/24/2025 | Global Electronics AssociationAs negotiations over U.S.–Mexico trade policies near an October 29 deadline, the Global Electronics Association released a new policy brief, From Risk to Resilience: Why Mexico Matters to U.S. Manufacturing.
Knocking Down the Bone Pile: Revamp Your Components with BGA Reballing
10/14/2025 | Nash Bell -- Column: Knocking Down the Bone PileBall grid array (BGA) components evolved from pin grid array (PGA) devices, carrying over many of the same electrical benefits while introducing a more compact and efficient interconnect format. Instead of discrete leads, BGAs rely on solder balls on the underside of the package to connect to the PCB. In some advanced designs, solder balls are on both the PCB and the BGA package. In stacked configurations, such as package-on-package (PoP), these solder balls also interconnect multiple packages, enabling higher functionality in a smaller footprint.
New Course Presents a Comprehensive Guide to IPC Standards
10/10/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007Francisco Fourcade, electronics technology standards manager for the Global Electronics Association, has spent years helping companies understand and implement the standards that keep the electronics manufacturing industry moving forward. In this interview, he shares updates on ongoing standards development efforts and previews a new course, "IPC Standards: A Guide for the Electronics Industry,” which starts Oct. 14.