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Driving Innovation: Traceability in PCB Production
The European Angle
Column from: Pete Starkey
Pete Starkey, a longtime industry editor based in the UK, joined I-Connect007 as its technical editor in 2008. Previously, Pete served as technical editor for both the Good PCB Guide (UK) and Printed Circuit News. Most recently, he was Products Editor and Europe Editor for CircuiTree Magazine.
Pete has more than 30 years experience in the PCB industry, with a background in process development, technical service and technical sales with PCB process vendors Shipley, Dynachem and MacDermid, followed by 15 years as technical director of Forward Group (prior to its acquisition by Viasystems).
He is a Fellow of the Institute of Circuit Technology, a member of the SMART Group Technical Committee and an active supporter of the European Institute of Printed Circuits.
Connect:
July 19, 2017
CircuitData: A New Open Standard for PCB Fab Data Exchange
An enormous amount of information is needed to precisely and unambiguously define all of the fabrication details for a PCB and ensure that it is manufactured, tested, qualified and delivered exactly as the customer specified. Widely reported recently has been the development of a new open standard for exchanging printed circuit fabrication data by an independent international task group with members from the entire supply chain. Initiated by Norway-based Elmatica, the CircuitData standard is designed to enhance your Gerber, ODB++ and IPC-2581 files, and not replace them.May 31, 2017
I Never Realised It Was So Complicated!
How many designers or assemblers have ever set foot in a PCB fabrication shop? Nowhere near enough! An initiative by SMART Group, the technical trade association dedicated to promoting education and innovation in electronics assembly technologies, and Amphenol-Invotec gave a group of engineers from design, assembly and quality assurance positions the opportunity to learn a little about the realities of high-end PCB manufacture.May 22, 2017
The European Angle: Institute of Circuit Technology 43rd Annual Symposium
Time marches on and change is inevitable. Here we are anticipating the consequences of a Fourth Industrial Revolution—new technologies are blurring the lines between physical, digital and biological worlds, with the potential to fundamentally alter the way we live, work, and relate to one another. But where and when did the original industrial revolution begin?May 15, 2017
Ventec International Group's Martin Cotton Celebrates 50 Years in PCB Design
This column by Pete Starkey celebrates Martin Cotton’s 50 years in PCB design. Amongst Cotton’s more significant design achievements was to successfully tackle the challenge of reducing the layer count of the PCB for the IBM PS/2-30 personal computer in 1986. He transformed a four-layer multilayer into a double-sided PTH that fitted two to a panel, resulting in substantial cost savings.March 21, 2017
Reporting on the Institute of Circuit Technology Spring Seminar
There has long been debate over the exact location of the geographical centre of England, but the village of Meriden has traditionally laid claim to the title, and it offered an appropriate Midlands venue for the Institute of Circuit Technology 2017 Spring Seminar, which followed the Annual General Meeting of the Institute.February 08, 2017
EuroTech: Raw Materials Supply Chain—Critical Challenges Facing the PCB Industry
In response to growing concern from members about cost increases and potential availability restrictions affecting copper-clad laminate and prepreg supplies, the EIPC 2017 Winter Conference in Salzburg included a special panel discussion on critical issues facing the raw materials supply chain for the PCB industry worldwide, particularly the availability of copper foil as a consequence of rapidly increasing demand from the manufacturers of lithium batteries for electric vehicles.January 30, 2017
EuroTech: ENIPIG—Next Generation of PCB Surface Finish
MACFEST is a multi-partner project co-funded by Innovate UK to develop an electroless nickel/immersion palladium/immersion gold (ENIPIG) “universal surface finish” for printed circuit boards. Project partners are University of Leicester, MTG Research, C-Tech Innovation, A-Gas Electronic Materials, Merlin Circuit Technology and the Institute of Circuit Technology.December 08, 2016
EuroTech: Institute of Circuit Technology Northern Seminar 2016, Harrogate
A new location for the Institute of Circuit Technology Northern Seminar: Harrogate, the elegant and historic spa town in North Yorkshire, England. And an impressive venue: the chandeliered drawing room of the palatial and stately Majestic Hotel, dating from the Victorian era.May 14, 2014
ECWC 2014 Market Session: Connecting the World
On the first day of the 13th Electronic Circuits World Convention, delegates gathered to hear four of the world's leading experts on PCB markets and market trends make their analysis of what the future held for the industry. Introduced and moderated by IPC's Marc Carter, the session included presentations from Dr. Hayao Nakahara, Walt Custer, Michael Weinhold, and Bill Burr.April 29, 2014
Reliability Testing and Failure Analysis: Lessons Learned
In the first of a series of workshops organised by EIPC and IPC, attendees aimed to build their knowledge and understanding, to learn about material selection, current electronics research, and failure analysis case studies to gain insight into design considerations for advanced assembly processes and modern analytical techniques for materials characterisation. Pete Starkey reports.April 22, 2014
Sustainable Solder Flux from Novel Ionic Liquid Solvents
An interested member of the audience at the ICT Winsford Seminar when Dr. Andrew Ballantyne described research at University of Leicester exploring the potential benefits of ionic liquids as replacements for conventional soldering fluxes, Technical Editor Pete Starkey accepted an invitation to visit the university and sit in on a project review meeting, where the latest developments were revealed, explained, and discussed.December 11, 2013
Cleanness Assessment Using Solvent Extract Conductivity to Improve Circuit Reliability
Technical Editor Pete Starkey reports on an informative webinar presented by Ling Zhou, National Physical Laboratory specialist in electronic circuit reliability and metal-corrosion-induced failure mechanisms, on cleanness assessment using solvent extract conductivity.December 04, 2013
An Inside Look: High-Temperature Electronics Manufacturing
Moderator Bob Willis explains, "High-temperature electronics is not just about solder, it's about all of the parts that make up an electronics product. Substrates, components, connectors, cables, solders, and assembly processes all need to be considered." Technical Editor Pete Starkey provides an in-depth looks at Willis' latest seminar.November 12, 2013
PCB Technology the Focus of ICT Darlington Seminar
The Institute of Circuit Technology (ICT) Darlington Seminar, held November 5, 2013, was split between advances in PCB technology and the mechanisms available to help promote the transfer of technology and the development of export business. Technical Editor Pete Starkey gives an inside look.October 15, 2013
An Inside Look: SMART Group European Conference 2013, Day 2
The second—and intensely technical—day of the SMART Group 2013 European Conference highlighted lead-free solders, the return of cleaning, alloy development, failure analysis, and bath process monitoring and control. Technical Editor Pete Starkey concludes his report.October 15, 2013
An Inside Look: SMART Group European Conference 2013, Day 1
This year's conference hosted eminent guests from the electronics manufacturing community travelling from far and near to network with peers and increase their understanding of material and process selection and yield improvement techniques. Technical Editor Pete Starkey reports on day one.October 08, 2013
IeMRC 8th Annual Conference: Innovation and Sustainability
The 8th annual conference of the Innovative Electronics Manufacturing Research Centre (IeMRC) at the UK's Loughborough University featured 11 informative and highly-technical presentations grouped into four sessions: Accelerating Innovation, Flexible Electronics, Sustainability, and Nanoelectronics. Pete Starkey reports.October 01, 2013
ICT Hayling Island Seminar: Young People Don't Lick Stamps
The ICT Hayling Island Seminar has become a must-attend UK PCB community event. Breaking with tradition this year: The programme offered an alternative to conventional "grey suit brigade" contributions with a focus on the importance of bringing new, younger minds to the industry. Pete Starkey reports.September 04, 2013
Behind the News: Tripod Selects Semblant's Plasma Finish
Technical Editor Pete Starkey knows what an arduous task it can be to get a new finish recognized, qualified, and specified: "I was favourably impressed to read Semblant's announcement and delighted to then have the opportunity to seek the comments of VP of Worldwide Sales and Marketing Steve McClure." Read on to learn more about the company's plasma-based surface treatment process.July 09, 2013
EIPC Summer Conference, Day 2
A well-rested and bright-eyed audience reassembled for an early start to the second day of the EIPC Summer Conference in Luxembourg and enjoyed an intense programme of 12 technical papers in three sessions: Advanced PCB Research Projects, PCB Design, and Novel Technologies. Pete Starkey continues his in-depth report.July 03, 2013
EIPC Summer Conference, Day 1
A small landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany, Luxembourg covers an area of less than a thousand square miles and has a population of little more than half a million. The world's only remaining grand duchy, with the world's highest gross domestic product per capita, Luxembourg was the location for the 2013 Summer Conference of the European Institute of Printed Circuits. European Editor Pete Starkey reports.June 26, 2013
SMART Group UK Seminar: Focus on Design, Manufacture, and Test of High-reliability Electronics
Orchestrated by Technical Committee members Ian Fox and Bob Willis, and hosted by Aero Engine Controls, this SMART Group Seminar on the design, manufacture, and test of high-reliability electronics proved to be a truly international event, attracting a sell-out crowd with delegates from Denmark, The Netherlands, Italy, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England. Pete Starkey reports.June 10, 2013
An Inside Look: ICT's 39th Annual UK Symposium
The ICT Annual Symposium has become a must-attend conference and networking event for the UK printed circuit industry, which was remarkably well represented, with an impressive collection of fabricators and suppliers gathered to absorb up-to-date knowledge from eminent presenters, to renew acquaintances, and to share information. Pete Starkey reports.April 02, 2013
An Inside Look: SMART Group's "Back to Basics" Workshop
It would be a perfect world if electronics assembly processes could consistently achieve 100% yield without the need for rework and repair. In real life, rework is an essential activity in even the best-run production facilities. Editor Pete Starkey reports.March 13, 2013
An Inside Look: Innovative PCB Tech at ICT Glasgow Seminar
Not since the golden days of the Northern UK Circuit Group had such a gathering of the great and the good of the British PCB industry been seen north of the Scottish border. Editor Pete Starkey reports on an excellent technical program, which included microwave design techniques, presented at the Institute of Circuit Technology seminar in Glasgow, March 5, 2013.February 18, 2013
Semblant at Stevenage: The SPF Process Up Close
Editor Pete Starkey visits Stevenage Circuits' UK plant to meet with Technical Director Tim Gee and see the Semblant SPF process in action. A working partnership formed between Semblant and Stevenage in September 2012 made Gee's company the first European PCB fabricator to install and operate the SPF process commercially as part of Semblant's Premier Partner program.February 19, 2013
EIPC Winter Conference: Specialization - Europe's Advantage, Part II
Delegates from 16 countries packed the EIPC Winter Conference to exchange information on market conditions and future innovations, and Technical Editor Pete Starkey was there. In the second half of his report on the event, five presentations on aspects of novel plating and patterning processes are summarized.February 12, 2013
EIPC Winter Conference: Specialization - Europe's Advantage, Part I
Delegates from 16 countries packed the EIPC Winter Conference to exchange information on market conditions and future innovations, and Technical Editor Pete Starkey was there. Following two excellent, sobering keynote presentations on world market trends, the technical program commenced with a session on new substrates and surface finishes.February 11, 2013
An Inside Look: UK's ICT Arundel Seminar
The Annual General Meeting of the Institute of Circuit Technology was held in the historic town of Arundel and was followed by a well attended evening seminar. Attendees received updates from two RTD partners in the ASPIS FP7 project, a look at developments in re-usable electronics, and a user view of a revolutionary solderable finish. Pete Starkey reports.February 06, 2013
EIPC Winter Conference: The Keynotes
A truly international event, the 2013 EIPC Winter Conference in Berlin, Germany, was opened by Chairman Alun Morgan who welcomed over 90 delegates from 16 countries to a program of two keynote speeches and 17 technical presentations. Pete Starkey details the opening presentations by two industry veterans: Dr. Hayao Nakahara and Walt Custer.January 29, 2013
The Rainbow Process: Up Close and Personal
For our Technical Editor Pete Starkey, an impromptu meeting at an ICT seminar late last year resulted in an invitation to visit Rainbow Technology Systems' facility in Glasgow, Scotland, to see the complete process line in full operation. Starkey admits this is one process that definitely lives up to its promises.January 15, 2013
An Inside Look: IPC's PCBA Cleaning & Contamination Testing Webinar
IPC organized a free webinar January 10, 2013 focused on the practical process issues related to cleaning printed circuit board assemblies and the failure modes that may be experienced during manufacture and in operation. Technical Editor Pete Starkey fills you in on all the details.November 13, 2012
An Inside Look: ICT's Annual Northern Seminar
Hartlepool's Historic Quay was the new venue for this year's Institute of Circuit Technology Northern Seminar. Technical Editor Pete Starkey attended this evening seminar and provides a detailed account of the excellent and informative featured presentations. The section on designers' tendency to be "stubbornly resistant to change" alone is worth a read.November 05, 2012
Meeting Soldering Challenges of Miniaturization
Although minimum solder joint sizes have stabilised in the 0.3 to 0.4 mm range and soldering technology is currently under control, it is projected that joint sizes could reduce to the 0.1 to 0.2 mm range by 2020. What would be the consequences on manufacturability and reliability?October 15, 2012
NPL Webinar: Practical Applications for Nanoelectronics
The Nanocarbon Electronic Interconnects project is a collaboration between NPL and University of Surrey, aimed at developing characterisation tools for nanointerconnects based on nanocarbon. Researcher Vimal Gopee presented a webinar October 10, 2012 and Technical Editor Pete Starkey fills you in on the many topics covered.October 08, 2012
Invotec and Printed Electronics: The Story Behind the News
Technical Editor Pete Starkey recently met with Invotec Managing Director Tim Tatton and PEL Technical Director Dr. Neil Chilton at their offices in Tamworth, UK, to discuss the significance of their strengthened partnership and the new opportunities it would create.October 05, 2012
A Walk on the Technical Side: SMART Group's 2012 European Conference, Day 2
The second day of SMART Group's 2012 European Conference got underway in Thame, Oxfordshire, UK with a second grouping of industry experts ready to present and attendees eager to learn. Technical Editor Pete Starkey made the trip for I-Connect007 and continues his detailed report.September 25, 2012
A Walk on the Technical Side: SMART Group's 2012 European Conference
Thame, a charming old market town close to the Chiltern Hills in the county of Oxfordshire, was the venue for SMART Group's 2012 European Conference. As always, Technical Editor Pete Starkey made the trip for I-Connect007 and reports, in his usual amazing detail, on the presentations given, new information revealed, and areas of study.September 19, 2012
EIPC's Summer Conference in Milan: Day 2
The Ramada Plaza in Milan, Italy was venue for the 2012 Summer Conference of the EIPC which drew delegates from 10 European countries, as well as from the U.S. and Israel, to meet, network, and learn from an intense two-day programme of 21 presentations and a factory tour. In his typical fashion, Technical Editor Pete Starkey provides an excellent review of Day Two.September 17, 2012
EIPC's Summer Conference in Milan: Day 1
The Ramada Plaza in Milan, Italy was venue for the 2012 Summer Conference of the EIPC which drew delegates from 10 European countries, as well as from the U.S. and Israel, to meet, network, and learn from an intense two-day programme of 21 presentations and a factory tour. In his typical fashion, Technical Editor Pete Starkey provides an excellent review of Day One.September 12, 2012
IeMRC Conference: One Day of Education to Last a Lifetime
Henry Ford College at Loughborough University was quite an appropriate venue for the 7th Annual IeMRC Conference which immersed attendees in a sea of information. Technical Editor Pete Starkey provides in-depth coverage of all presentations given, covering an amazing range of PCB fabrication, design, assembly and packaging, and military/aerospace topics.September 07, 2012
An Inside Look: UK's Hayling Island ICT Seminar
Thankful for a respite from three months of miserable English summer weather, over 100 printed circuit enthusiasts made the journey to attend the Institute of Circuit Technology (ICT) Seminar in Hayling Island, now firmly established as the venue for a not-to-be-missed annual event on the PCB industry's technical calendar. Pete Starkey details the presentations made.April 18, 2012
Printed Electronics: From R&D to Commercialisation
Last week, Dr. Steve Jones delivered a thought-provoking keynote presentation at the IeMRC Seminar on Plastic and Printed Electronics in Loughborough, UK. I-Connect007 Technical Editor Pete Starkey took the opportunity to sit down with Jones and invite him to expand on some of the observations he made.October 19, 2011
An Inside View: The Wurth Elektronik Design Conference
I spent many years as a PCB fabricator actively encouraging designers to try to understand what we could and could not achieve, what was cost-effective and what not, and to involve us in discussion at the earliest possible stage of the design project. The recent Wurth Elektronik Design Conference in Manchester, UK, seemed to share this objective!September 27, 2010
IeMRC Conference in UK: Five Years of Innovation
Our European Technical Editor Pete Starkey recently made the journey to Loughborough, UK to attend IeMRC's fifth-annual conference. He reports on a myriad of topics and new technologies addressed, including: Flip-chip bonding; packaging materials for high-temperature electronics; maskless electrochemical pattern transfer in micro-fabrication; and the electrical and morphological characteristics of PEDOT:PSS.January 26, 2010
Adventures in Non-Conformance at SMART Group Seminar
With Rockwell Collins' high-reliability, flight-critical equipment, non-conformance is a non-starter. Doug Pauls and Dave Hillman of Rockwell Collins shared case studies in non-conformance during their recent SMART Group Seminar keynote address.November 05, 2009
Institute of Circuit Technology's Darlington Seminar a Success
An enthusiastic audience, and speakers from as far afield as Japan, Germany, Scotland and Cumbria, gathered to share the latest knowledge on high-speed laminates and advanced conductor finishes at ICT's Circuit Technology Seminar on Tuesday.September 15, 2009
Bulk High-Temperature Superconductors for High Field Apps
At the fourth annual IeMRC conference, David Cardwell, Professor of Superconductor Engineering at the University of Cambridge, gave a presentation illustrated with live demonstrations of magnetic levitation accompanied by dramatic smoke effects from the liquid nitrogen he used to cool his superconductor samples.September 02, 2009
Glass as an HDI Substrate?
Have you ever considered glass as an HDI substrate? At a recent symposium, Dr. David Hutt of Loughborough University described work being carried out by his team to investigate the practicability of using glass as an alternative to organic substrates in the fabrication of multilayer HDI devices.May 01, 2009
SMART Group Seminar on Materials and Finishes
"I never realised it was this complicated!" That was just one of the comments overheard during Tuesday's SMART Group seminar on printed circuit materials and finishes, held in Arundel on the south coast of England.February 23, 2009
EIPC Winter Conference Review
It's rough out there right now. But, as attendees discovered at the EIPC Winter Conference in Amsterdam, many European PCB makers are continuing to innovate through the down cycle.January 23, 2009
The A-Z of Lead-Free Reliability: SMART Group workshop at NPL
The NPL recently hosted a workshop entitled "A-Z of Lead-Free Reliability," organised under the auspices of SMART Group, which provided the opportunity for members of Hunt's team to update a full-house audience of electronics industry professionals on a series of current NPL investigations and studies, many of which were Joint Industry Projects with external partners.July 21, 2008
Inside the Orbotech European PCB Executive Forum
Orbotech has evolved in two dimensions--deeper into technologies related to PCB engineering, imaging, inspection, repair and process control and broader into applications in flat panel displays, PCB assembly, recognition solutions and medical imaging.June 20, 2008
Flying Start for National Electronics Week
With the underlying theme of "Learning & Discovery," NEW brought together over 350 exhibitors to present the latest innovations in electronic design, silicon, hardware systems, software design, components, test tools, assembly equipment, production systems, contract manufacturing services and distribution.June 06, 2008
Europe Update: The 2008 EIPC Summer Conference in Dresden, Germany
An international audience--83 delegates from 13 countries--of decision makers and leaders of the packaging and interconnection industry, met to exchange information on market trends and technical innovations and enjoyed an intensive program of 23 expert presentations over two days.June 05, 2008
Review: The 34th Annual Symposium of the Institute of Circuit Technology, June 2008
The 34th Annual Symposium of the Institute of Circuit Technology had a distinctly Scottish flavor. The venue for the symposium was Tweed Horizons on the Scottish borders and the keynote speaker was Dr. Peter Hughes OBE, Chief Executive of Scottish Engineering, who spoke with infectious enthusiasm about the opportunities that exist in Scotland's electronics industry.March 18, 2014
Standing Room Only at ICT's Winsford, UK Seminar
The Institute of Circuit Technology's (ICT) Winsford Seminar attracted a sell-out audience for standing-room-only attendance in the seminar room. Technical Director Bill Wilkie introduced a programme of four presentations on a diversity of subjects: Bonding treatment, soldering, trace metal removal, and semiconductor packaging. Pete Starkey reports.March 25, 2014
Conformal Coating Inspection Defects: Causes and Cures
Conformal coatings are increasingly used to protect electronic assemblies from contamination and corrosion in harsh or extreme environments, but correct selection and implementation is key to providing enhanced reliability. Technical Editor Pete Starkey reports on the NPL/SMART Group webinar presented by Bob Willis.April 16, 2014
NPL/SMART Group Conformal Coating & Cleaning Experience
By far the best-attended seminar-workshop event at an excellent National Electronics Week (NEW) show was the NPL/SMART Group Conformal Coating and Cleaning Experience, seamlessly organised, coordinated, and managed by SMART Group Technical Director and showman extraordinaire Bob Willis. Pete Starkey reports.April 22, 2014
Sustainable Solder Flux from Novel Ionic Liquid Solvents
An interested member of the audience at the ICT Winsford Seminar when Dr. Andrew Ballantyne described research at University of Leicester exploring the potential benefits of ionic liquids as replacements for conventional soldering fluxes, Technical Editor Pete Starkey accepted an invitation to visit the university and sit in on a project review meeting, where the latest developments were revealed, explained, and discussed.April 29, 2014
Reliability Testing and Failure Analysis: Lessons Learned
In the first of a series of workshops organised by EIPC and IPC, attendees aimed to build their knowledge and understanding, to learn about material selection, current electronics research, and failure analysis case studies to gain insight into design considerations for advanced assembly processes and modern analytical techniques for materials characterisation. Pete Starkey reports.May 14, 2014
ECWC 2014 Market Session: Connecting the World
On the first day of the 13th Electronic Circuits World Convention, delegates gathered to hear four of the world's leading experts on PCB markets and market trends make their analysis of what the future held for the industry. Introduced and moderated by IPC's Marc Carter, the session included presentations from Dr. Hayao Nakahara, Walt Custer, Michael Weinhold, and Bill Burr.May 20, 2014
ECWC 2014: The Base Materials Session
A highlight of the second day of the 13th Electronic Circuits World Convention in Nuremberg, Germany, was the session on base materials, with presentations exploring the realities of fire retardancy and flame retardant additives, the introduction of a new low-loss laminate, and a study of the mechanical properties of resins. Technical Editor Pete Starkey reports.May 27, 2014
ECWC 2014: The Embedded Technology Session
The Embedded Technology session on the second day of ECWC 2014 attracted an enthusiastic audience, keen to learn about PCBs with embedded RFID and magnetic cores, embedded thin-film capacitors, and flexible microsystems with ultra-thin embedded silicon chips. Technical Editor Pete Starkey reports.June 03, 2014
ECWC 2014: The Metal-base PCB Technology Session
Technical Editor Pete Starkey reports from the 13th ECWC in Nuremberg, Germany, where the session on metal-base PCB technology was well-attended. Delegates learned about life cycle cost optimisation, latent short circuit failure, and a particularly innovative alternative approach to manufacturing electronic assemblies.June 10, 2014
ECWC 2014: The Drilling and Routing Session
Notable amid the vast array of information and knowledge shared at the 13th Electronic Circuits World Convention in Nuremberg, Germany, was the highly-informative session on advances in drilling and routing, with a focus on the technology of cutting tools. Technical Editor Pete Starkey reports.June 10, 2014
SMART Group Webinar: Electronics in Harsh Environments
The organization recently presented a webinar to introduce issues related to harsh environments to be explored in depth at a later seminar to be held at the NPL. Technical Director Bob Willis moderated a programme of four presentations from Technical Committee specialists Sue Knight, Richard Boyle, Chris Hunt, and Ian Fox. Technical Editor Pete Starkey reports.June 24, 2014
Pete Starkey Reports: ICT 40th Annual Symposium
The Institute of Circuit Technology (ICT) celebrated its 40th anniversary with a diverse conference programme addressing management of human resources, market trends, and developments in PCB technology. Fellows, members, and associates, old and new, assembled this month in the Daniel Gooch Room of the Great Western Railway Museum of Steam in Swindon, Wiltshire, UK to learn the latest.July 08, 2014
SMART Group Seminar: Harsh Environments & Electronics
An international audience assembled at NPL in Teddington, London, July 2, 2014, for SMART Group's seminar on Electronics in Harsh Environments. The audience had the benefit of the most up-to-date information from leading industry experts and the opportunity to engage in interactive discussion and networking with their peers. Technical Editor Pete Starkey reports.August 05, 2014
The Story Behind the News: ESA Approval at Invotec
Aware of the high standards demanded by ESA, and that very few PCB fabricators have been successful in gaining approval, Technical Editor Pete Starkey visited Invotec Managing Director Tim Tatton at the company's Tamworth, UK headquarters to learn about the challenges his team had faced and overcome during the qualification programme.July 21, 2014
An Inside Look: Ventec Europe Revisited
Pete Starkey recently had a chance to visit Mark Goodwin, chief operating officer, Europe and USA, for an update on developments at Ventec Europe's UK Distribution Centre. The company's European operation is now fully accredited to AS9100C, complementing the existing accreditation in Suzhou, and is in the process of extending approval to include North American facilities.September 01, 2014
ECWC13:
First held in London, UK, in 1978, and triennially since then, the 13th Electronic Circuits World Convention came to Nuremberg, Germany, running in parallel with the SMT Hybrid Packaging Exhibition. Technical Editor Pete Starkey reports on the keynote presentations delivered during the event.September 30, 2014
Up Close: ICT's Hayling Island, UK Seminar
"Manufactured in the UK" was the theme of this year's Institute of Circuit Technology Hayling Island seminar in Goodwood, UK. Topics ranged from details of the European PCB market and an educational programme aimed at teaching PCB technology in schools to innovations in ink-jet printing, thermal management strategies, and the evolution of solder resist materials. Pete Starkey reports.October 22, 2014
SMART Group Webinar: Advances in AOI technology
SMART Group recently presented a webinar to clarify the fundamentals of AOI technology and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the equipment options currently available. Chairman Keith Bryant drew upon many years' experience as a specialist in X-ray and AOI techniques to give a clear and comprehensive overview, with detailed explanations of attributes and applications.October 28, 2014
HASLEN: An Obituary to Black Pad
A webinar recently presented by ITRI Innovation introduced a new solderable finish known as HASLEN, which combines features of two established technologies to deposit solder directly on to electroless nickel by hot air solder leveling, and made possible by novel fluxes based on deep eutectic solvents. The HASLEN finish claims to reduce cost and offer overall improvements in the longevity and reliability of PCB assemblies when compared with ENIG. Pete Starkey reports.November 25, 2014
Institute of Circuit Technology's 2014 Darlington Seminar
Editor Pete Starkey recently made a trip to the Northeast of England for the Institute of Circuit Technology (ICT) annual Darlington Seminar. Highlights included a presentation from Ventec's Martin Cotton on practical design considerations for high-speed PCBs--"Design once, make many times" was his main message--and a talk from Dr. Andrew Cobley addressing the rise of wearable technology.December 09, 2014
J-STD-001 & IPC-A-610 Updates for Conformal Coating: An Insider's Guide
SMART Group recently offered a "direct from the committee" technical guide to the changes being made to J-STD-001 and IPC-A-610, presented by Doug Pauls, Principal Materials and Process engineer at Rockwell Collins and chair of IPC Cleaning and Cleanliness Committees, in a webinar organized and moderated by Bob Willis. Technical Editor Pete Starkey reports.December 30, 2014
Top 10 SMT Tech Tuesday Articles of 2014
Technical Editor Pete Starkey presents his list of the top 10 SMT Tech Tuesday articles for 2014. The year's topics cover a wide range and include printed electronics, lead-free processes, preventing tin whiskers, stencil printing challenges, and thermal management issues.December 30, 2014
Top 10 PCB Tech Tuesday Articles of 2014
Another year has come and gone. To mark a year of innovations, Technical Editor Pete Starkey presents his list of the top 10 Tech Tuesday articles for 2014. Each item on the list provided innovative information to the industry.December 16, 2014
An Inside Look: 3D AOI of Electronic Assemblies Seminar
This UK event brought together experts from leading AOI suppliers, to discuss and explain different approaches to three-dimensional inspection and to present the latest in technology to those with a collective interest in yield improvement, process control, and quality assurance. All were welcomed by SMART Group Chairman Keith Bryant, who introduced the speakers and moderated the panel discussions. Pete Starkey reports.October 14, 2014
Update An Inside Look: UK Collaborative Research Project Dissemination Conference
The headquarters of the Surface Engineering Association in Birmingham, UK, was the venue for a one-day conference to disseminate the results of a number of UK and European collaborative research and development projects with direct relevance to the electronics manufacturing, surface engineering, and metal finishing industries. Pete Starkey reports
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