Global Sourcing Spotlight: How Global Sourcing Drives Innovation
One World, One Industry: IPC APEX EXPO 2025 Marks a Special Anniversary Year
Nolan’s Notes: Your Golden Ticket
The Changing Landscape
October 31, 2019 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 1 minute
As I write this column, I’m in Chicago, wrapping up our coverage of SMTA International 2019 with other members of the I-Connect007 team; it was a productive, news-rich show. We’ll be bringing you video and written interviews, articles, and—when the publication moratorium is lifted—some of the most impactful technical papers presented at the SMTAI technical conference sessions.
I couldn’t help but be continuously reminded at SMTAI of the theme for this issue. Our theme is “Landscape of the Industry” with the implication that it’s changing, which certainly fits the current state of our market. Factory automation continues to move forward. New developments are being introduced, which are based upon improved AI and data analysis (as opposed to simply capturing the data). And multiple tiers of equipment suppliers are introducing capital equipment and add-ons to enable Industry 4.0 for (nearly) everyone.
SMTAI featured two keynote speakers: Adam Steltzner, a NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) engineer who led the Mars Science Laboratory's Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) Phase for the Curiosity rover and the chief engineer for the Mars 2020 Project; and Dr. Mike Hawes, Lockheed Martin Vice President for Human Space Exploration and Orion Program Manager. The energy at both keynotes was palpable. We’re returning to extra-orbital space with human crews, and the demands of such missions drive innovation.
However, human factors in our industry are changing; as the “gray tsunami” of retirements begin to deplete the industry’s hard-won wisdom in printed circuit fabrication and assembly, our work will need to be done in a different way. New technology and product R&D is being driven by emerging applications (e.g., automotive, medical, and the return to space), and new applications are being enabled by leading-edge technologies. Together, these dynamics create an upward spiral and a wider view of how innovation can change our world.
This issue launches a multi-month, thoughtful look at our industry across all of our magazines.
To read this column, which appeared in the October 2019 issue of SMT007 Magazine, click here.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Intel Appoints Lip-Bu Tan as Chief Executive Officer
03/13/2025 | Intel CorporationIntel Corporation announced that its board of directors has appointed Lip-Bu Tan, an accomplished technology leader with deep semiconductor industry experience, as chief executive officer, effective March 18.
IMAPS and DPC: 21 Years of Elevating Technical Knowledge
03/13/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007The IMAPS 21st Device Packaging Conference (DPC) may have taken place at a conference center located down an idyllic desert road showcasing the best of what native Arizona has to offer, but the topics at this conference were anything but laid-back. This important platform for professionals in microelectronics and advanced packaging set the stage for a technology in high demand. Brian Schieman, IMAPS executive director, says the show was organized to demonstrate their commitment to addressing current technological trends and with significant energy directed toward fostering connections within the supply chain.
KYZEN Announces the Retirement of Longtime Executive Vice President Tom Forsythe
03/13/2025 | KYZEN'KYZEN, the global leader in innovative environmentally responsible cleaning chemistries, announces the retirement of Tom Forsythe, Executive Vice President, effective December 31, 2024, after more than three decades of service to the company and the electronics manufacturing industry.
Technica USA Celebrates 40 Years of Excellence in Electronics Manufacturing
03/13/2025 | Technica USATechnica USA, a leading provider of materials, equipment, installation, and services for the printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication, PCB Assembly, substrates, MEMS, and semiconductor industries, proudly announces its 40th anniversary in 2025.
INEMI Launches Study of AOI Inspection for Fine Pitch Substrates Seeking Industry Participation
03/11/2025 | iNEMIThe fine lines and spaces of increasingly popular heterogeneous SiP packages, coupled with larger panel sizes and more substrate layers, demand increased capabilities from automated optical inspection (AOI) equipment to accurately detect, characterize and reject true defects without over-rejections.