Latest Articles

One Partial HDI Technique: mSAP 

Chris Hunrath, vice president of technology at Insulectro, believes that mSAP just might be the trick for designers considering partial HDI. As Chris explains, the materials and equipment required for the mSAP process are easily available, and the process is well established. This could be a great option for designers working with BGAs that have a pitch of 0.5 mm or less.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

It’s been a busy week in PCB design, fabrication, and assembly. We published some mixed news about the EMS segment, and an article about the supply chain. Are companies holding onto too much inventory? After the recent supply chain snafus, I can certainly understand why they might. We have an article about liquid metal ink, a cool new technology developed by LDQX, formerly known as Averatek. We also have an article about fighting advanced counterfeiting methods, and news about an acquisition by Siemens.

Partial HDI: A Delicate Balance

Partial HDI can be the perfect solution for designers faced with escape routing from tight-pitch BGAs. But there are a variety of material, signal integrity, and DFM trade-offs to understand before you get fully into partial HDI. We asked Stephen Chavez to explain the fundamentals, as well as the details, of this promising process. Are you using partial HDI?

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

Just this month, the Fall issue of IPC Community was released, spotlighting the global activities of IPC and its members. SMT007 Magazine covers the scary situation around counterfeit components. Design007 Magazine is not playing tricks with its hard-hitting discussions about “partial HDI.” (If you are asking yourself what that is, you really need to take a look.) Finally, PCB007 Magazine’s alternate metallization issue offers some real treats, including an interview featured this past week with Carmichael Gugliotti of MacDermid Alpha. In you’re in the U.S., here’s to an early Happy Halloween.

Book Excerpt: The Printed Circuit Designer’s Guide to... DFM Essentials, Ch. 1

The guidelines offered in this book are based on both ASC recommendations and IPC standards with the understanding that some may require adjustment based on the material set, fabricator processes, and other design constraints. This chapter details high-frequency materials, copper foil types, metal core PCBs, and the benefits of embedded capacitance and resistor materials in multilayer PCBs.

AEMS: Expanding Del Mar’s Vibe into Anaheim

In the final hours of the Anaheim Electronics & Manufacturing Show (AEMS), I spoke with show managers Doug Bodenstab and Connor Good. Doug, a longtime surfer, is also the founder and manager of the Del Mar Electronics & Manufacturing Show at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. I asked Doug and Connor to discuss how the Anaheim show got started and the impact it’s making on the industry.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

Occasionally, I’ll intentionally select items for this list that follow a theme. Sometimes, as they did this week, themes assert themselves. The component supply chain and sourcing seem to dominate our coverage this week. We’ve got an update from IPC Government Relations, an interview with counterfeiting watchdog ERAI, the 10 global sourcing rules, a course on AI and machine learning in the EMS sector, and warehouse management.

Optimizing mSAP to Produce Flex for Biofluid Sensor Probes

Improvements in flexible printed circuitry technology offer solutions that enable advancement in other technologies, enabling new circuit design and capability possibilities for customers’ applications. This article will overview advancements developed and implemented to produce a flexible circuit that meets new and challenging requirements for a customer’s medical application. This discussion will highlight development ideas more than details about the final processing scheme.

Back to School With Jonathan Studinka

At the Anaheim Electronics & Manufacturing Show, I spoke with Jonathan Studinka, a student in John Watson’s PCB design class at Palomar College. In this interview, Jonathan shares his experience, highlighting how John’s class has broadened his understanding of PCBs and sparked his interest in mechatronics. Despite having no prior electronics training, Jonathan says he finds the coursework manageable by taking it step by step.

BOOK EXCERPT: The Printed Circuit Designer’s Guide to... DFM Essentials, Introduction

Design 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. 

Fall 2024 Issue of IPC Community Now Available

There’s so much happening at IPC, so be sure to open the latest issue of IPC Community, brimming with must-read features on members of the electronics industry who are making a difference in their own unique way. Just for starters, our member profiles feature Virginia-based Weidmuller, a heart-warming story from E-Tron, and you’ll discover how the owners of Out of the Box Manufacturing are successfully tackling workforce talent challenges.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

This week’s roundup is a duke’s mixture of news items and interviews with industry experts from design, fabrication and assembly. There’s a lot going on in electronics now. We’ll be bringing you full coverage of SMTA International the week of Oct. 20-24, so stay tuned.

It’s a Wrap for PCB West 2024

PCB West 2024 wraps up Friday, Oct. 11 at the Santa Clara Convention Center (SCCC) in sunny Santa Clara, California. The SCCC is situated next to the “new” Levi’s Stadium, home to the San Francisco 49ers, and directly adjacent to California’s Great America amusement park—both noteworthy landmarks for natives like me. The technical conference, Oct. 8-11, featured 50 technical presentations by 39 different speakers.

UHDI Fundamentals: ‘UHDI’ Bleeding-edge Entertainment Applications, Part 1

As soon as we cross below the 1-mil (0.001") line width threshold, we need to stop talking in terms of mils and ounces and begin talking in terms of microns. For reference, a 3-mil trace is 75 microns, so a 1-mil trace is 25 microns. In general terms, ultra high density interconnect refers to line and spaces on a printed circuit board that are sub-25 micron. In the context of this article, ultra high-definition interconnect (UHDI) refers to the technology and infrastructure used to transmit and connect ultra high-definition signals, typically 4K, 8K, or even higher resolutions, across devices like displays, cameras, servers, and processors.

Partial HDI: A Complete Solution

We recently spoke with IPC instructor Kris Moyer about partial HDI, a process that’s recently been growing in popularity. Partial HDI allows designers to escape route out from tight-pitch BGAs on one layer, where a mechanically drilled plated through-hole is not an option, while avoiding the complexity and expense of sequential lamination cycles. As Kris explains, this process doesn’t add much to the cost, and it’s fairly straightforward. But there are some competing signal integrity and fabrication requirements to contend with. We asked Kris to walk us through this process.

AEMS: Third Time’s the Charm

You’ve probably heard of the Del Mar Electronics & Manufacturing Show (DMEMS). Since 1995, PCB design and manufacturing technologists have flocked to this seminal event at the Del Mar Fairgrounds near San Diego. Originally a regional show, Del Mar has grown yearly and attracts an outsized group of attendees and exhibitors. So, event founder Doug Bodenstab took his vision northward and launched the Anaheim Electronics & Manufacturing Show (AEMS).   

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

Fall presents us with a lot of tradeshow activity, such as the Anaheim Electronics & Manufacturing Show, which kicked off the month in California. Our intrepid managing editor Andy Shaughnessy has been on the scene and I look forward to hearing more about the show from him. Next week, we’ll be at PCB West in the Bay Area, followed by SMTAI in Chicago the following week. For me, it feels like a proper launch into standard Q4 craziness highlighted by the end-of-year sales hustle and frenetic finalization of 2025 budgets. October also brings a stark reminder that the holiday season will soon be upon us. So, let the crazy begin.

Silicon to Systems: Collaboration Between IC and PCB Design Continues

The walls are coming down between the designers of chips and PCBs. Because of the complexity of electronic systems, IC designers and PCB designers are increasingly finding themselves in need of information from technologists upstream and downstream, from silicon through the system level. Stephen Chavez, senior product marketing manager at Siemens, shares his thoughts on this silicon-to-systems approach and what it means for PCB designers, EDA tool providers, and system-level developers as well.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

If you know Dave Hoover of TTM, then I am honored to inform you that he has retired from the industry as of this week. But we can keep tabs on him through his weekly online blues radio program “Groovy Hoovy’s Different Shades of Blue Radio and Video Show.” Congratulations on your transition to “civilian” life, Dave.

Silicon to Systems: A Wake-up Call for the Industry

Duane Benson, founder of Positive Edge, has been working with silicon and packaging for longer than some of our newer readers have been alive. We asked him to share his thoughts on silicon to systems, which Duane says is much more than a buzzword—it’s a wake-up call for the industry.

Book Excerpt: The Printed Circuit Designer’s Guide to... Thermal Management with Insulated Metal Substrates, Vol. 2, Chapter 4

Direct-bonded copper (DBC) with a ceramic base is a commonly used assembly technology. While advantages include excellent solder crack compensation due to similar CTE values between component and substrate, the construction is fragile and therefore places limits on size and exposure to vibration. Small assemblies in basic shapes such as a rectangle can be done, although larger, more complex shapes become difficult.

Cross-domain Design: The Key to Managing Complex Methodologies

For years, Cadence Design Systems has been developing EDA tools that enable the design of ICs and PCBs. Now, as systems continually become more complex, the lines are blurring between these disciplines, and EDA companies are providing designers of PCBs and ICs the ability to understand what’s happening upstream and downstream. We asked John Park, product management group director for advanced IC packaging at Cadence, to discuss this ongoing convergence of domains, as well as what it all means to designers and design engineers.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

It’s been a busy week in the world of PCB design and manufacturing. In this week’s roundup, there’s a little bit of everything. We have a look at PCB technology of tomorrow, an interview with an engineer who designs both PCBs and ICs, and government relations news from Washington, D.C. We also have an article on dispensing technology, and a final installment of our podcast on “designing for reality.”

PCB Designers: ‘Level Up’ IC, Packaging Knowledge

Soo Lan Cheah is kind of a unicorn in the industry. She is an IPC instructor based in Malaysia, and she has years of experience designing integrated circuits and printed circuit boards. I knew I had to get her thoughts for this issue on silicon-to-systems. I asked Soo Lan to discuss her cross-discipline background and what silicon-to-systems means to her.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week 

At the top of my list is “Silicon to Systems,” an interview with technology experts from IPC: Matt Kelly, Devan Iyer, and Kris Moyer. Also, this week, we hear from I-Connect007 Managing Editor Nolan Johnson, who’s been in Mexico for SMTA Guadalajara. Speaking of Mexico, I want to highlight an interview that appeared in IPC Community between Lorena Villanueva and Barjouth Aguilar of Flex, who talk about the importance of sustainability. I wrap up my recommendations with articles about solder printing and wet process control.

From Silicon to Systems

For the past few years, IPC has been championing the term “silicon to systems.” More than a buzzword, it has become a slogan—and even a kind of roadmap—for the organization. The term comes in especially handy when IPC is advocating for this industry in Washington, D.C., often addressing politicians who have little understanding of electronics technology.

I-Connect007 Editor's Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

This week’s Top 5 starts with steps you can take to cultivate a culture of thriving. We also have bullish news from the global semiconductor sector, advice on how to tease out hidden cost drivers during the PCB design cycle, how the Altium-Ansys collaboration will affect design, and Happy Holden’s version of Occam’s Razor—three simple tools to keep your wet processes in line.

Impact of the Altium-Ansys Partnership on PCB Design

There’s a saying in electronics hardware design: “There are two types of electronics designers: those who have signal integrity problems and those who will.” This adage emphasizes the inevitability of encountering and the need to address signal integrity (SI) and power integrity (PI) issues.

Hidden Cost Drivers in PCB Design

I recently taught a CID+ course, and if you’ve ever taken a CID or CID+ course, you know that we discuss cost adders quite a bit. When I asked the class of 15 design engineers their ideas on the biggest cost adders, the first and strongest response: the project manager. Are you surprised by their answer? After over 40 years in the industry, I wasn’t. If you step back and look at the process of product development, you’ll see that many decisions that affect costs down the line really do take root with the project manager.

Dan Beeker: Outstanding in his ‘Fields’

At PCB East, I met with Dan Beeker, technical director at NXP Semiconductor, and a speaker at the conference. Dan always gives a spirited interview, so I asked him to discuss his class and challenges in the industry today.

I-Connect007 Editor's Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

There’s a lot going on in our industry right now. As you’ll see in today’s must-reads, there’s even innovation taking place in drill bit development. We also have articles on cutting costs during the design process, as well as a handy guide to each country’s tech sweet spots, and what it takes to thrive in this segment. Don’t miss our ode to the CAM department, which is where the rubber meets the road for every PCB. 

In Honor of the U.S. Labor Day

Sept. 2, is Labor Day in the United States, always observed the first Monday in September. In its official declaration, we learn that “Labor Day is an annual celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers. The holiday is rooted in the late 19th century when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being.”

Asymmetric Hybrid Printed Circuit Board Design: Warpage Considerations

The printed circuit board (PCB) accounts for a significant portion of the PCBA’s (printed circuit board assembly) BOM (bill of material) cost. Designs with hybrid PCB stackup are adopted to reduce the cost of the PCB by using less expensive laminate materials in layers that do not have routings for high-speed signals (e.g., power and ground layers). The conventional hybrid PCB stackup design is symmetrical in the middle. This engineering technique has been employed in the data center industry for quite some time. To extend the idea and optimize the purpose of hybrid PCB stackup design, the feasibility of an asymmetric hybrid stackup is currently being studied.

Why You Need to Take This New ‘Semiconductor Essentials’ Course 

Recently, Andy Shaughnessy and Nolan Johnson met with Soo Lan Cheah, the developer of a new IPC course geared toward PCB manufacturing professionals who have little to no knowledge about semiconductor manufacturing. With her background in PCB and IC design, Soo Lan brings a circumspect vision of these disciplines and how they are inter-related. You don’t need to know a lot of math to take this course, and you’ll come out with a much better understanding of the whole silicon-to-systems approach.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

It is the last weekend before the much-celebrated Labor Day holiday, also known as the official end of summer. Though I am not yet ready for pumpkin spice lattes and heinously early Christmas decorations, I do relish the end of the heat. But the heat in our industry is not set to die down anytime soon, nor should it. Just about one month shy of the end of Q3 2024, things are looking positive for many industry members, so let’s make sure to keep the metaphorical pedal to the metal for a strong quarter-end and a great upcoming trade show season.

Navigating Cost Drivers and Sustainability in PCB Production: A Comprehensive Guide

In May, I had the privilege of presenting "Cost Drivers in PCB Production" to attendees at the SMTA Wisconsin Expo. This presentation, one of our most popular, received tremendous feedback, inspiring us to share our insights more broadly through a comprehensive white paper on the subject. One of my favorite examples to share from this white paper which really illustrates the impact of both cost and sustainability is panel utilization.

A French Design Community

The French IPC Designers Council is a unique conglomerate of 250 members from all parts of the industry: EEs, designers, CAD engineers, PCB manufacturers, EMS suppliers, OEMs, and even some in component packaging, that encourages individuals to freely exchange their design issues without commercial considerations. Thomas Romont, a PCB manufacturer’s rep with more than 20 years of experience, especially in the design for manufacturing (DFM) process, leads this association with support from IPC.

Cost-optimize Your PCB Design and Specifications

Knowledge is the key to identifying the small details that makes the big cost difference for your printed circuit board. There are many types of printed circuit boards and multiple choices between the development of schematic and BOM to PCB technology selection, electronic PCB design, mechanical and physical properties, and PCB specification.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

People are on the move, new books are being released, and a new PCB manufacturer is making waves. This week, I'm highlighting the latest ASC/Sunstone book on DFM essentials, our 40th book in the I-Connect007 library and a must-read whether you're a new or seasoned member of industry. I'm also including leadership news from NextFlex, a discussion on integrated passives from Joe Fjelstad, and a new processor chip from Intel meant specifically for automotive applications.

Hidden (and Obvious) Design Mishaps With Big Cost Impacts

At Monsoon Solutions, we provide PCB layout services for the full lifecycle of products, from one-off prototypes to items manufactured in production volume. We also manage manufacturing and assembly for prototype and smaller production runs for both customer-produced and in-house layouts. As a result, we see various manufacturing data packages and work with many different manufacturers. I asked our PCB design engineers and program managers to share the cost adders and cost savers that designers can affect, and it was interesting to see that in addition to more technical responses, some of the biggest culprits were rather simple.

UHDI Fundamentals: UHDI Applications for Aerospace

Ultra high density interconnect (UHDI) technology refers to advanced manufacturing processes used to create extremely compact and highly efficient electronic circuits at the sub-1-mil line and space level. In aerospace applications, UHDI is crucial due to the stringent requirements for weight, reliability, and performance in a challenging environment.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week 

We’ve finished the first full week of August, and now more than midway through summer. This week brought us quite a lot of military and aerospace news, with headlines from Airbus, Rocket Lab, AST Space Mobile, Menlo Microsystems, CACI, and L3 Harris. In other news, Pete Starkey takes us on a tour of RoBAT in England, highlighting the ever-important topic of high-technology SI testing.

Keys to Successful ECAD-MCAD Collaboration

As PCB designs grow in scope and complexity, collaboration between the electronics and mechanical domains is a necessity. At the same time, smaller IC packages and more tightly packed PCBs compel electronics system development companies to think more about the mechanical form factor of items and recognize the importance of collaboration between MCAD and ECAD.

Real Time with… THECA 2024: The Software Perspective at THECA 2024

Because Polar Instruments is a software provider, and has been present in the Thai market for 17 years, Mohd Fadzil, sales and service manager for Asia Pacific, has a distinctly different perspective on the recent growth in Thailand. Fadzil shares his market insight, as well as Polar’s growing and evolving support programs.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

After getting stuck in an airport during the Crowdstrike outage, our colleague Nolan Johnson has a review of the first-ever THECA trade show in Bangkok, Thailand. We have a column by Matt Stevenson on drilling optimization, and an interview with Schmoll America President Kurt Palmer about what it takes to thrive in this industry. We have an article by SMTA’s Tara Dunn that focuses on the organization’s educational offerings, and news about All Flex joining the PCBAA.

Elevate Your Career With Technical Skills Training

Countless working individuals across the globe seek employment opportunities that foster personal and professional growth. According to Gallup research, 87% of millennials—the largest working generation in the U.S.—emphasize the importance of professional development and career advancement opportunities. Are you one of them?

Evolution of a Career in Tech

About five years ago, Sunstone Circuits partnered with George Fox University, both based in Oregon. Nolan Johnson worked for Sunstone at the time and helped several students with their capstone projects. We recently met with two of those young professionals, now five years past graduation, to see how their career trajectories have played out. What do they think about working in the industry? How did their education prepare them to work, and what are they passionate about?

Exploring the Interdisciplinary World of Mechatronics

Dylan Nguyen grew up with a father who worked as a mechanical engineer, and he’s been exploring his engineering interests through FIRST Robotics programs. Now, having completed his first year at Oregon State University, Dylan is rethinking his mechanical engineering path as he becomes exposed to the wide range of disciplines in engineering, known collectively as mechatronics.

McCauley Design Group Spreads the CAMM2 Gospel

At PCB East, I met Charlene McCauley and Terrie Duffy of the McCauley Design Group. The duo was leading a class on designing with the new CAMM2 DDR5, a JEDEC specification and standard created by Dell, which is due to replace the aging SO-DIMM in laptops. The CAMM2 (Compression Attach Memory Module) is solderless and frees up lots of real estate that SO-DIMM famously requires.

Real Time with… THECA 2024: STARTEAM—Bringing Smart Factory Practices to Thailand

Daniel Jacob (CEO) and Martin Schneider (CTO) share insights on STARTEAM Global's fabrication facility in Thailand and detail the development of AI-driven smart factory and digital twin tools throughout their facilities. Along with the fabs in China, Thailand, and their newest location in Italy, STARTEAM sees a significant opportunity to serve the automotive sector worldwide.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

This week, I’ve been attending Thailand Electronic Circuits Asia 2024. This is the inaugural event, hosted by Thailand Printed Circuit Association (THPCA) in collaboration with the Hong Kong Printed Circuit Association (HKPCA). Thailand has supported a PCB industry for some time—mostly automotive applications—but the China Plus One dynamic has definitely taken root here.

Enhance Your Electronics Expertise Through IPC Courses in August

As the global leader in standards, training, and certification for the electronics industry, IPC is pleased to announce an array of upcoming online instructor-led courses this August. These courses are designed to equip professionals with the latest skills and knowledge required to excel in the ever-evolving field of electronics manufacturing and design. Whether you want to deepen your expertise in PCB design and manufacturing, understand the intricacies of intermetallic compounds, or learn about counterfeit part mitigation, IPC has a course tailored for you.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

Are you ready for the weekend? Fin de semana? I think we all are! In this week’s roundup, we have one article on what it takes to thrive in the industry today, as well as an interview that discusses one student’s drive to succeed as a PCB designer. We also have an article by our newest columnist, Tom Yang, who introduces us to his family-owned PCB company. Columnist Hanna Grace brings us an interview with her mentor, and Anaya Vardya continues his UHDI coverage with an article that explains UHDI’s use in the RF/microwave arena.

A Great Recipe: Collaboration, Motivation, and Design Classes

John Watson, CID, is a professor at Palomar College near San Diego. John teaches a basic PCB design class and an advanced class, and graduates from these classes are ready for their first PCB design job. These appear to be the only classes of their kind in the U.S., and as more designers retire, the demand for classes like this will continue to rise. I recently spoke with John and one of his students, Mehdi Kacem, a junior embedded systems engineer intern at Avempace in Tunisia. In this interview, Mehdi explains how his desire to collaborate and his motivation to succeed helped him get the most out of John’s courses.

UHDI Fundamentals: UHDI for RF Microwave Applications

Ultra high-density interconnect (UHDI) technology has significant potential for RF (radio frequency) microwave applications. Its advantages lie in its ability to provide high-density routing and integration, which are crucial for complex RF circuits. Here are three key UHDI benefits in RF microwave applications:

THECA: Thailand’s Coming-out Party

Swaek Prakitritanon is vice president and general secretary of the Thailand Printed Circuit Association (THPCA), and we recently spoke about the inaugural Thailand Electronics Circuit Asia (THECA) trade show, July 24–26, in Bangkok. Among the six specific benefits cited for THECA attendees are valuable insights into the technology transfer to the China + 1 Asian region, specifically Thailand, as a ripe investment opportunity for PCB and PCBA companies. 

Do You Collaborate With Your Component Supplier?

Mention the word “collaboration” to a group of designers, and a few of them might acknowledge working closely with their fab and assembly partners. But how many designers consider their component providers to be true stakeholders in the process and collaborate with them regularly? Duane Benson, founder of Positive Edge, has a long history of working on the component side of things. I asked Duane to weigh in with his thoughts on collaborating with component suppliers.

New Issue of IPC Community Now Ready for Your Summer Reading Pleasure

If you’re like most of us in this industry, you have a passion for your work—and it shows. In the new issue of IPC Community, which publishes online today, we feature multiple examples of individuals and companies passionate about their jobs and their work in electronics manufacturing. They truly care about #buildingelectronicsbetter.

IPC-2581 Consortium Welcomes Big Names

At PCB East, I spoke with Hemant Shah, chair of the IPC-2581 Consortium. In this interview, we discuss the new associate and corporate members of the consortium, including Panasonic Connect, Beta CAE, Quilter.ai, and Apple. Shah explains how EMS providers can benefit from IPC-2581, which is now connected to the IPC-CFX manufacturing format. He also lays out a plan for skeptical PCB designers to migrate over to IPC-2581 slowly, and not necessarily quitting Gerber “cold turkey.” Are you handing off data in a digital format yet?

The Value Side of Training, Part 1: Five Easy Ways to Measure the ROI on Training

The best thing about a good investment is the yield it provides. This series of articles on the value side of training will focus on how to effectively measure the return on your investment (ROI) when training your staff. I will offer practical, quantifiable metrics you can apply today. Think of it as a quick checklist for every effective training program.
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