-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- pcb007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueAlternate Metallization Processes
Traditional electroless copper and electroless copper immersion gold have been primary PCB plating methods for decades. But alternative plating metals and processes have been introduced over the past few years as miniaturization and advanced packaging continue to develop.
Technology Roadmaps
In this issue of PCB007 Magazine, we discuss technology roadmaps and what they mean for our businesses, providing context to the all-important question: What is my company’s technology roadmap?
Wet Process Control
In this issue, we examine wet processes and how to obtain a better degree of control that allows usable data to guide our decisions and produce consistently higher-quality products.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - pcb007 Magazine
Global Banking Crisis Continues; Inflation Rates Remain Stubbornly High in Both Europe and the United States
May 4, 2023 | IPCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Economic data over the last month indicates that while inflation remains stubbornly high, economic growth is slowing. The base case scenario for the United States right now suggests a recession in the middle two quarters of the year. The U.S. economy should grow about 1.2 percent this year, but growth in the back half of the year will be weak.
Germany recently raised its economic growth forecast for the year to 0.4 percent, up from the previous 0.2 percent, but the environment in both the United States and Europe remains persistently difficult. It remains uncertain how sharply higher interest rates will fully impact the economy.
“Supply constraints are easing everywhere which on the surface looks like a good thing. But it likely also means that backlogs will wane in the second half of the year. In the absence of new demand, output will likely be weak,” said Shawn DuBravac, IPC chief economist.
Additional data in the April 2023 IPC Economic Outlook show:
- The U.S. economy grew 1.1 percent in the first quarter, coming in below an expected rise of 1.9 percent. However, the headline number masks underlying strength in the economy.
- U.S. manufacturing sentiment contracted for the fifth consecutive month in April. The manufacturing PMI rose 0.8 percentage points in the last month, but not enough to move back into expansionary territory.
- The European economy grew during the first quarter of the year, edging up 0.1 percent in the euro area and up 0.3 percent in the EU. The economy is up 1.3 percent in both areas compared to the first quarter of last year.
- In the EU, manufacturing output in electronics end markets rose in February, increasing 1.3% from the prior month and 2.9% from the year-ago period.
Suggested Items
All Flex Solutions Invests in Assembly Inspection Automation
10/17/2024 | All Flex SolutionsAll Flex has acquired an Omron VP9000 3D Solder Paste Inspection System and an Omron VT-S1080 3D Automatic Optical Inspection System for their flexible circuit assembly facility in Bloomington, Minnesota. These acquisitions are one part of All Flex Solutions’ four-year SMT Roadmap to expand the scale and capability of their assembly operations.
Calumet Electronics Leads US Organic Substrate Technology Innovation with KLA Corporation
10/17/2024 | Calumet ElectronicsCalumet Electronics of Michigan today announced it is pioneering organic substrate technology in the United States in collaboration with KLA Corporation, which also has a Michigan headquarters.
BOOK EXCERPT: The Printed Circuit Designer’s Guide to... DFM Essentials, Introduction
10/16/2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamDesign for Manufacturing (DFM) is defined as the practice of designing printed circuit boards that meet not only the capabilities of the customer’s assembly manufacturing process, but also the capabilities of the board fabrication process to provide the highest reliability at the lowest possible cost.
Avnet Announces Release of Autodesk Fusion Integration
10/16/2024 | AvnetDesign engineers can now access thousands of reference design schematics, lead time and pricing trends, and fast alternate guidance with the launch of the Avnet App, an add-in for Autodesk Fusion.
Marcy’s Musings: Destination Metallization
10/17/2024 | Marcy LaRont -- Column: Marcy's MusingsTo reach your intended destination, you must have some form of pathway or route upon which to travel. It is much the same with the metallized traces and features on a printed circuit board. They are how electrical signals and power are carried from one point to another in an electronic device. Copper is the most prevalent metal conductor, but other metals are also used to a lesser degree, including gold, silver, tin, and palladium.