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I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
August 26, 2022 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineEstimated reading time: 2 minutes

This week we have quite a variety of articles for you. There has been so much electronics industry news coming out of Washington, D.C., that it can be hard to keep track of what’s going on. So, Editor Michelle Te compiled a handy-dandy reference guide to recent legislation news, including our exclusive coverage. We need to keep an eye on these senators and representatives. They’ve been talking about the importance of our industry for the past year, but this is an election year, after all. They’ve been known to say one thing and do another.
We have some good news in the EMS segment, but it’s tempered with some not-so-good news. Isn’t that how it goes lately? We also have a great article by Cherie Litson on design techniques that can cut manufacturing costs, and an IPC call for participation in upcoming eco-design guidelines. We also featured an interview with ACE’s James Hofer about board shop pricing—is it time to raise your rates? James shares a few interesting ideas for board shops to consider when yet another supplier announces a price increase.
North American EMS Industry Up 22.7% in July
Published August 26
There’s a bit of good news in the EMS world, with July EMS shipments up 22.7% year-over-year. A high book-to-bill ratio of 1.39 is a good harbinger. But orders were down YOY in the first half of the year. The supply chain is still a big challenge, but we’re seeing improvements every month.
What’s Going On in Congress? Your Handy Guide to PCB Legislation Headlines
Published August 22
There’s been a lot of action in Washington, D.C. lately, as legislators and bureaucrats begin to understand the importance of our industry. At least they’re talking about supporting the domestic electronics manufacturing industry. Editor Michelle Te put together this handy compendium of the recent electronics industry news coming out of the capital of the free world.
IPC Issues Call for Participation: Help Shape the Future of Design for Environment Standards
Published August 22
IPC wants you! The 1-14 DFX Committee is reviewing IPC-2231A and plans to revise it within two years, and the group wants your input. They plan to create an eco-design for electronics guideline, so if you have experience in green PCB design or manufacturing techniques, get in touch with the committee.
Board Pricing Challenges and Opportunities
Published August 24
As we all know, the price of everything is going up, and if you own a board shop, you’re at least considering raising your rates, if you haven’t already. We asked Accurate Circuit Engineering General Manager James Hofer to share his thoughts on board pricing—the challenges and the opportunities.
Design Tips for Lowering Costs of Fab and Assembly
Published August 25
Our friend Cherie Litson of Litson1 Consulting has a great article full of design tips for cutting fab and assembly costs. Some of these ideas may seem counterintuitive, such as adding layers and using higher-temp materials, but they may reduce overall costs in the end. Design is a game of trade-offs, isn’t it? Check it out.
Suggested Items
LITEON Technology Reports Consolidated June Sales of NT$13.6 Billion, Up 16% Y-o-Y
07/08/2025 | LITEON TechnologyLITEON Technology reported its June consolidated revenue of NT$13.6 billion. Thanks to the growth from power management in cloud computing, advanced server, and networking, the revenue is up 2% M-o-M, 16% Y-o-Y. The cumulative sales for January to June totaled NT$76.8 billion, up 24%, Y-o-Y.
Niche Electronics Announces Major Manufacturing Upgrade
07/08/2025 | Niche ElectronicsNiche Electronics, a leading electronics manufacturing services company, announced today that it has completed installation of Yamaha’s newest SMT lineup at its Pennsylvania production facility.
Hon Hai Reports New June Sales High Amid AI Boom
07/07/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamTaiwan-based manufacturing giant Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. reported on July 5 that its sales for June rose 10 percent from the previous year, driven by cloud and networking growth because of the boom in artificial intelligence (AI), the Taipei Times reported.
Electronics Industry Wrestles with Cost Pressures and Weaker Profitability
07/07/2025 | Global Electronics AssociationElectronics manufacturers are facing rising material and labor costs according to the Global Electronics Association’s June Sentiment of the Global Electronics Manufacturing Supply Chain Report.
Naprotek Appoints James Eisenhaure as Chief Financial Officer
07/07/2025 | Naprotek LLCNaprotek, LLC, a leading provider of mission-critical electronics technology solutions, today announced that James Eisenhaure has been appointed Chief Financial Officer, effective June 30. Eisenhaure has been serving as interim CFO since earlier this year and now formally steps into the role.