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I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
March 17, 2023 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineEstimated reading time: 2 minutes

The captive shop used to be the rule, not the exception. Until outsourcing caught on, that is. North American captive shops went the way of the dodo bird, and the PCB market hasn’t been the same since. Even R&D went out the window, or offshore, if you want to be technical about it.
But Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) is something of a wild card. The company recently opened a new captive facility in Idaho, and the industry is paying close attention.
This week, Nolan Johnson goes deep with an interview with SEL technologists, who discuss the new facility and their plans for the future. Is the captive format the way forward for PCB manufacturing, or is this an anomaly?
We also feature an interview with designer Adam Thorvaldson, who came in second in the IPC Design Competition, and Pete Starkey’s thorough review of the ICT annual general meeting. Don’t forget to read Mark Laing’s state of the union for the EMS industry, and Kelly Dack’s twist on “The Tale of Five Monkeys,” or in this case, CAD monkeys.
Schweitzer: Building Inner Strength
Published March 15
How many captive shops are there in the U.S. now? We’re about to have one more, as Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) ramps up production on its new captive facility in Boise, Idaho. Nolan Johnson conducted this interview with three SEL managers, who outline their plans for this state-of-the-art North American facility.
Runner-up Discusses IPC Design Competition
Published March 16
PCB designer Adam Thorvaldson had quite a run in the IPC Design Competition. He came in second place, despite being quite new to the EDA tool. But he plowed ahead and took care of business. He even came close to winning the competition. Check it out.
ICT Seminar 2023 Review: Energy, Thermals, and Assistive Technology
Published March 16
Technical Editor Pete Starkey has been busy lately—he’s our “go-to guy” for covering industry seminars in Europe. He recently attended the annual general meeting of the Institute of Circuit Technology, which culminated in Rex Rozario OBE receiving an ICT Honorary Fellowship. Among the news to come out of this event: Europe’s share of PCB production has plummeted in the last 20 years, but revenues have remained fairly stable.
The EMS ‘State of the Union'
Published March 15
Following on the heels of the presidential State of the Union address, Mark Laing of Siemens Digital Industries Software offers this SOTU of the American EMS segment. As he points out, high-mix is the watchword of the day, and EMS providers are now stocking inventory to preclude future supply chain snafus.
Target Condition: The Tale of Five CAD Monkeys
Published March 16, 2023
You may have heard “The Tale of Five Monkeys,” which deals with a handful of primates learning new behaviors through negative reinforcement. Columnist and noted folklorist Kelly Dack brings us a new twist on this story, now focusing on five PCB designers—or CAD monkeys. Grab a banana and read on!
Suggested Items
The Government Circuit: Three Inescapable Conclusions About Global Trade Policies
07/17/2025 | Chris Mitchell -- Column: The Government CircuitAmid a series of recent moves by U.S. President Donald Trump to escalate trade policy pressure on key U.S. partners, including Europe, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Malaysia, the Global Electronics Association’s recent report on global trade flows in the electronics industry is overflowing with relevant insights. The main message is that electronics supply chains are more globally integrated than any other industry, surpassing even the automotive sector in cross-border complexity.
The Wire Association International’s Wire Expo to Co-Locate with the Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo (EWPTE)
07/16/2025 | Global Electronics AssociationThe Wire Association International Inc. (WAI) announces plans to co-locate its biennial Wire Expo with the Wiring Harness Manufacturer’s Association (WHMA)/Global Electronics Association’s Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo (EWPTE) May 6-7, 2026. The two shows will co-locate at the Baird Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
The Pulse: Design Constraints for the Next Generation
07/17/2025 | Martyn Gaudion -- Column: The PulseIn Europe, where engineering careers were once seen as unpopular and lacking street credibility, we have been witnessing a turnaround in the past few years. The industry is now welcoming a new cohort of designers and engineers as people are showing a newfound interest in the profession.
Flexible Circuit Technologies Welcomes Regional Business Development Manager Derek Rossberg
07/15/2025 | Flexible Circuit TechnologiesFlexible Circuit Technologies a Minnesota-based flexible circuit and advanced electronics contract manufacturer, welcomes Derek Rossberg as Regional Business Development Manager.
IPC Hall of Fame Spotlight Series: Highlighting Lionel Fullwood
07/15/2025 | Dan Feinberg, I-Connect007Many IPC members who have contributed significantly to IPC and our industry have been awarded the IPC Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame (HOF) Award. Though many early HOF members have passed away and are unknown to today’s IPC membership, their contributions still resonate. This special series on IPC Hall of Fame members provides a reminder of who was honored and why. As a bonus, for those who are still around, we get to find out what these talented individuals are up to today.