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

I don’t have a scorecard, but I do have a weekly wrap-up of must-reads that I think deserve another “bite of the apple,” so to speak. IPC’s Rich Cappetto shares his perspective on everything from tariffs to the CHIPS Act. Columnist Josh Casper discusses the use of AI in 3D AOI systems and the immediate benefits that AI can bring about. Columnist Anaya Vardya explains how technologies like AI can improve our customer service, as well as our manufacturing processes.

Standards: The Roadmap for Your Ideal Data Package

In this interview, IPC design instructor Kris Moyer explains how standards can help you ensure that your data package has all the information your fabricator and assembler need to build your board the way you designed it, allowing them to use their expertise. As Kris says, even with IPC standards, there’s still an art to conveying the right information in your documentation.

High-frequency EMC Noise in DC Circuits

EMC isn’t black magic, but it’s easy to understand why it seems that way. When looking at a schematic like that in Figure 1, it looks like you’re only dealing with DC signals all across the board. There’s a 28 VDC input that goes through an EMI filter, then gets converted to 12 VDC power. Except in extremely rare circumstances involving equipment sensitive to magnetostatic fields, DC electricity will never be part of an EMC problem.

Defining the Ideal PCB Design Data Output

At the heart of delivering successful, manufacturable printed circuit boards lies a vital question: What should your design data output package include to best support manufacturing? The answer: It depends. There are many factors to consider regarding the specific category you’re designing for—such as mil/aero, space, medical, and commercial. Other factors that need to be considered are requirements and engineering intent.

U.S. Holiday: Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a U.S. federal holiday dedicated to remembering and grieving for military personnel who died serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Held on the last Monday of May, it also marks the unofficial start of summer.

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

In the electronics manufacturing industry, the global PCB market is estimated to reach $86.5 billion by 2029, a 5.9% annual growth, per IPC’s Global Market Forecast, and the global new cycle is still being dominated by U.S. news. This week, we are talking about the status of the CHIPS Act and what the new tax and incentives bill does and does not include. We also take a minute for some marketing wisdom to shed light in a challenging and noisy market environment.

Advancements in High-reliability Alloys for Automotive and High-performance Applications

At IPC APEX EXPO, MacDermid Alpha Electronic Solutions showcased its latest innovations in SMT assembly materials designed to meet the growing demands for reliability and sustainability in automotive and high-performance applications. In this interview, Ebad Rehman, business product manager, discusses the evolution of high-reliability alloys, spotlighting ALPHA Innolot, a proven solution developed in response to the automotive industry’s increasing expectations for durability and performance under harsh operating conditions.

Zero Touch Data Package: The Future of Seamless PCB Manufacturing

Imagine a day when a design data file—not a traditional documentation package—is output directly from the eCAD system, transmitted to selected fabricators, and automatically loaded into their engineering/CAM systems, initiating tooling and production without any human intervention. This is zero touch data transfer in action. By eliminating manual processes, front-end personnel at fabrication facilities can be redeployed to strategic areas such as R&D and customer engagement.

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

My picks for the week include—as a complement to the trade agreement news—SEMI's public support of a bill including new tax credit eligibility for semiconductor manufacturers. This provision feels quite similar to the current PCB investment bill that's been introduced to the current Congress; here’s hoping Congress takes a more holistic approach to electronics manufacturing. 

I-Connect007 Technical Library: Your Ultimate Free Knowledge Resource

I-Connect007’s technical library was created in 2016 with the launch of its first title, "The Printed Circuit Buyer’s Guide to AS9100 Certification." Created to satisfy a need for readily available, free technical resources, the library has become a powerful knowledge hub for the printed circuit board and electronics manufacturing supply chain.

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

Trade show season is wrapping up as we head into summer. Where has the time gone? I hope you all get the chance to take a vacation this year, because I know you’ve earned one. Speaking of which, when was my last vacay? If I can’t remember, it’s probably time for one. It’s been a busy week in electronics, with fallout from the back-and-forth on tariffs taking up most of the oxygen in the room. We have quite an assortment of articles and columns for you in this installment of Must-Reads. See you next time.

RF PCB Design Tips and Tricks

There are many great books, videos, and information online about designing PCBs for RF circuits. A few of my favorite RF sources are Hans Rosenberg, Stephen Chavez, and Rick Hartley, but there are many more. These PCB design engineers have a very good perspective on what it takes to take an RF design from schematic concept to PCB layout.

The Right Blend: Mixed Wireless Technologies

A common trend recently is to employ as many radios as possible on a single PCB. With the increase of wireless standards and the downscaling of PCB size, it can be difficult to know what the most critical design parameters are to focus on. In this article, we’ll discuss the most important considerations to make when designing with mixed wireless technologies, such as Bluetooth, GPS, and Wi-Fi, on a single PCB. These considerations include antennas, frequencies, FCC compliance, shielding, and layout with and without transition vias.

Nick Koop Launches IPC Flex Design Class

Nick Koop is director of flex technology for TTM Technologies, and he’s been a staple of IPC’s flex committees for decades. He’s also a longtime flex design instructor, and he’s about to debut a new IPC class, Flex and Rigid-Flex Design for Manufacturability, which will run May 12–21. In this interview, Nick tells us about this new class and what attendees can expect to learn.

PCB East Continues to Expand

It was a perfect week for a conference and trade show in metropolitan Boston, with high temperatures in the 70s. PCB East took place at the Boxboro Regency Hotel and Conference Center April 29­­–May 2, with the expo on April 30. PCB East has been expanding since its relaunch a few years ago, with conference and show attendance rising each year.

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

In our industry, this week’s must-read features include CEE’s Tom Yang and his perspective on having a global business amidst tariff talk and other challenges. Joe Fjelstadt talks to the “Flexperts,” Nick Koop of TTM and Mark Finstead of Flexible Circuit Technologies. Nolan Johnson interviews the McGucken Group about the importance of empathic leadership in BANI times. NCAB’s Ryan Miller writes about reliability and compliance for building PCBs for medical applications, and surprise, more news from Siemens.

A Visit With ‘Flexperts’ Mark Finstad and Nick Koop

At IPC APEX EXPO 2025, I chatted with seasoned flex experts Mark Finstad and Nick Koop about "Flexperts" and their roles as leading educators and in the realm of standards development for this increasingly indispensable electronic interconnection technology. They have been teaching about lessons learned and how to successfully navigate the “seas” of flexible circuits to help their students avoid the hazards that have taken down many of their predecessors in the past.

Tips to Master the ‘Black Magic’ of RF Design

For this issue on RF design, I reached out to Zach Peterson, founder of Northwest Engineering Solutions, an engineering design services company in Portland, Oregon. You can find some of Zach’s RF design presentations on YouTube; he does a great job breaking down these complex ideas for PCB designers who are new to the RF side of things. I asked Zach to discuss the challenges facing RF designers, the relevant material considerations, and the layout tips and techniques that can help RF designers master this “black magic” technology.

New RF Materials Offer Options for RF Designers

The RF materials arena has changed quite a bit in the past decade. The newest thermoset laminates boast performance numbers that are almost competitive with PTFE, but without the manufacturability challenges. At IPC APEX EXPO this year, I spoke with Brent Mayfield, business development manager at AGC Multi Material America. Brent walked through some recent innovations in RF materials, advances in resin systems, and the many design trade-offs for RF engineers to consider for each material set.

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

I’m highlighting a discussion on the positive potential coming from the recent changes in global trade policy—from IPC’s Government Relations team, and from TTM CEO Tom Edman. In the realm of designers and purchasers realm, there’s news from Screaming Circuits and ASC/Sunstone Circuits to share. Finally, additive manufacturing and the release of CFX 2.0 highlight just some of the news coming to the shop floor as well.

Driving Sustainability in PCB Design

Filbert (Fil) Arzola is an electrical engineer at Raytheon. He’s smart, entertaining, and passionate about PCB design. As it turns out, he’s also passionate about “Mother Earth,” as he calls her. Born and raised in Southern California, he freely admits that he turns the water off when he brushes his teeth and yells at his brother for throwing batteries in the garbage. But when looking at the issue of sustainability and PCB design, he urges his audiences to ponder what sustainability looks like. Can PCB designers, he asks, make any impact on sustainability at all? 

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO: Silicon Geometry's Signal Integrity Impact on PCBs

At IPC APEX EXPO 2025, Kris Moyer addressed the importance of understanding the impact of silicon geometry reduction on signal integrity and PCB performance. Kris says signal integrity considerations are necessary for so many designs today, regardless of clock frequency. He discusses valuable insights from attendees regarding embedded resistor technology and the effects of radiation on smaller silicon features in aerospace applications.

Learning to Speak ‘Fab’

Over the years, I’ve seen many PCB designers make DFM mistakes. At DownStream, I work with design and fabrication, and sometimes it feels as if the two segments are speaking completely different languages. But once designers learn to speak “fab,” many of these DFM challenges disappear.

UHDI Fundamentals: UHDI Drives Unique IoT Innovation in Farming

The combination of UHDI's high-bandwidth capabilities and IoT's real-time data processing can lead to more efficient, immersive, and smarter IoT systems. This convergence of two revolutionary technologies is enabling quantum advancements in some very “unconventional” applications. The typical discussions around UHDI focus on our standard electronics industry market segments like milaero, medical, consumer electronics, etc. IoT is all about machines talking to other machines, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, but again, typically applied in our PCB and assembly operations.

Material Selection and RF Design

Innovation rarely sleeps in this industry, and the RF laminate segment offers a perfect example. RF materials have continued to evolve, providing PCB designers much more than an either/or choice. I asked materials expert Alun Morgan, technology ambassador for the Ventec International Group, to walk us through the available RF material sets and how smart material selection can ease the burden on RF designers and design engineers.

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

It’s been a busy week in our industry. Never a dull moment! If you’ve been paying attention to our tariff tumult with China and its effect on the stock market, especially if your company does a lot of business with China, you might be tempted to call in a Xanax refill about now. But hang tight. This is still early in the first quarter. This brouhaha serves to underscore our need to manufacture critical laminates and components in the U.S. In this week’s must-reads, we have a potpourri of articles covering tariffs, the next generation of HDI, the three-year anniversary of IPC Mexico, a novel green technology, and emerging design trends.

IPC APEX EXPO 2025 Learning Lounge: Education on the Show Floor

The conference portion of IPC APEX EXPO has been providing educational opportunities for attendees since the first show. But recently, show managers decided to expand education onto the show floor.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Emerging Trends in Design and Technology

Andy Shaughnessy speaks with IPC design instructor Kris Moyer to discuss emerging design trends. They cover UHDI technology, 3D printing, and optical data transmission, emphasizing the importance of a skilled workforce. The role of AI in design is highlighted, along with the need for understanding physics and mechanics as designs become more complex. The conversation concludes with a focus on enhancing math skills for better signal integrity.

EDA Tools and RF Design Techniques

High-speed PCB design is complex enough, but RF design can be a whole new ball game. RF designers have to contend with tuning and other ideas that traditional PCB designers don’t have to worry about, as well as crosstalk, parasitic capacitance, and material limitations. Most PCB design tool companies now offer RF design options, so designers no longer have to use pureplay RF design tools for anything but the most cutting-edge designs. Cadence Design Systems expanded its RF EDA offerings by acquiring the RF software company AWR a few years ago. We asked David Vye, product management director at Cadence, to share his thoughts on EDA software, RF design, and what new RF designers and engineers need to understand.

The Key to First-pass Success in PCB Design

In the dynamic world of PCB manufacturing, achieving first-pass success hinges on more than just cutting-edge equipment and skilled teams. At Summit Interconnect, we have seen countless successful launches of advanced HDI designs that can be traced directly to engagement between designers and fabricators early in the design phase. Unfortunately, collaboration in the PCB industry often begins only after problems arise—such as field failures, assembly fallout, or low fabrication yields. This reactive approach is the wrong starting point for collaboration.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Leadership in Training—Insights from EPTAC's Helena Pasquito

Helena Pasquito shares her recent leadership award and discusses the relocation of EPTAC's main office to a larger space in Salem, New Hampshire, featuring new classrooms and a conference room for hybrid learning. She highlights the mentor program for new instructors and the focus on hiring younger talent. Helena also emphasizes the importance of a five-day hand soldering certification course for newcomers and reflects on the industry's evolution and networking.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Innovating Design—IPC's Vision for the Future

Peter Tranitz leads the IPC Design Initiative, which aims to enhance design offerings and engage the community, including the Design Leadership Council guiding future strategies. Peter talks about the IPC-hosted European electronics design conference, featuring peer-reviewed content and global participation. IPC's design initiative also tackles challenges, such as semiconductor scaling and AI integration, focusing on innovative co-design solutions.

IPC APEX EXPO Special Sessions: A Focus on Advanced Electronic Packaging

The IPC Technology Solutions team hosted two special sessions on Thursday, March 20 at IPC APEX EXPO 2025 focused on advanced electronic packaging. The first session focused on AI/data center applications and the second on power electronics applications. The day kicked off with opening remarks on strategic direction of IPC in the area of advanced electronic packaging from Matt Kelly, IPC CTO, and an overview of the current landscape of component and system level packaging by Devan Iyer, PhD, IPC chief strategist, advanced packaging.

A Look Into the Future With Futurist Kevin Surace

In this interview after his keynote address at IPC APEX EXPO 2025, futurist Kevin Surace reflects on important lessons learned and how they shaped his own future. He also makes some bold predictions for the use of AI in PCB board design, fabrication, and assembly—and what the common household will look like in 10 years. It’s an exciting and adventurous step into a future where humans work alongside robots, all for the betterment of everyone.

Bridging the Gap Between PCB Designers and Fabricators

With today’s advanced EDA tools, designing complex PCBs in the virtual world does not necessarily mean they can be built in the real world. This makes the relationship between a PCB designer and a fabricator pivotal to the success of a project. In keeping with solid design for manufacturing (DFM) practices, clear and frequent communication is needed to dial and lock in design constraints that meet expectations while addressing manufacturing concerns.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Insights into PCB Design and Manufacturing with Polar Instruments

Erik Bateham discusses Polar's latest book, which enhances insights for PCB designers and manufacturers. The book, "The Designer's Guide to... More Secrets of High-Speed PCBs," features a guest chapter on 2D via design modeling. Erik highlights the industry's shift towards UHDI and the challenges in measuring at micron levels.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Maximizing Cost Savings in PCB Design With NCAB

Kelly Dack and Lonnie Port discuss NCAB's role in the printed circuit board industry. With 30 years of experience, NCAB emphasizes the importance of customer involvement during the design process to achieve significant cost reductions.

IPC APEX EXPO 2025 Review: Shifting My Focus to the Show Floor

IPC APEX EXPO 2025 marked a significant milestone as it celebrated its 25th anniversary. (Personally, I don’t think it looked a day over 20.) If you didn’t attend this great event, why not? This was my 10th anniversary of attending, and it had a distinctly different feel. There was a celebratory atmosphere as both veterans, like myself, and first-time attendees, were drawn into a celebratory occasion marking the significant milestone of the 25th anniversary. 

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Discover Comprehensive PCB Solutions with American Standard Circuits

Anaya Vardya, CEO of American Standard Circuits, highlights the company's dedication to offering complete PCB solutions. The company provides free design packages and caters to various sectors, including military and telecommunications.

IPC APEX EXPO 2025: We’ve Got It Covered

IPC APEX EXPO is the largest electronics manufacturing trade show in North America, bringing together professionals from all sectors of the supply chain to educate, network, and share their products and services. We’ve put all our coverage of the show in one easy-to-find location. Just click on “Videos,” “Show Coverage” and “Photos” to find what you’re looking for. Check back regularly as more content is added. You won’t want to miss any of our unique coverage. 

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

I’ve spent my week recovering from a busy and interesting week in Anaheim for the 25th IPC APEX EXPO. I think back to my first APEX EXPO, and the changes since then are too numerous to count. I first attended in 2004, also in Anaheim, back when there was almost no design content in the conference or expo portions of the show. It was just a few years after the downturn, and attendees and exhibitors alike were skittish, almost afraid to show confidence in our industry. A few unemployed design friends handed out copies of their resumes. Travel budgets were still down, and the aisles weren’t exactly packed with traffic.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Emphasizing Sustainability in PCB Design with Summit Interconnect

Andy Shaughnessy and Gerry Partida of Summit Interconnect discuss the rising customer interest in sustainability within PCB design. Gerry points out that many designs neglect sustainability, resulting in low yields and higher costs. The conversation stresses the importance of adhering to PCB standards and collaborating with fabricators to tackle design challenges and enhance sustainability.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Transforming Engineering With Digital Solutions from Zuken

Bob Potock discusses Zuken's focus on digital engineering and a move away from traditional document-based processes to model-based designs. This change improves product definition, reduces design errors, and optimizes product parameters. Bob notes that the IPC-2581 standard is crucial for connecting designs, while AI enhances design efficiency.

Take the Next Step With IPC’s Spring Session of Instructor-led Courses

IPC continues to lead in professional development within the electronics industry, offering a diverse lineup of online instructor-led courses. These courses are designed to help professionals master new skills, stay ahead of technological advancements, and meet the challenges of today's dynamic industry environment.

IPC Community Unveils Spring 2025 Issue: A Celebration of Innovation and Excellence

Spring is in the air, and so is the latest issue of IPC Community. From roadsters in southern California to automotive standards in China, a focus on Germany’s largest electronics manufacturer, and interviews with some of today’s industry influencers, this issue rounds the bend into a world of innovation, leadership, and community.

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

IPC APEX EXPO has wrapped up another successful year, and the 25th anniversary proved to be another great event with record attendance, a robust technical conference, and interesting professional development tracks. In addition, dozens of standards development committees were in session, and we look forward to what comes of those. Can we get some virtual applause for our 100% volunteer standards committee members?

Just Because You Can, Doesn’t Mean You Should

Decisions are usually made by gathering information and differing opinions, then making the best choice based upon that information. The same process is used when designing flexible circuits and rigid-flex circuits. For example, when designing a flex circuit or rigid-flex circuit, we consider some basic factors.

Calling All Designers: The Latest Design Technology and AI  

Advanced design technology and AI were in the spotlight at the annual Design Town Hall, held March 19 during IPC APEX EXPO 2025. Speakers included IPC’s Peter Tranitz, Matt Kelly, Devan Iyer, as well as a panel on the use of AI in PCB design moderated by Susan Kayesar of Siemens.

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

Inside the industry, it feels like we’re getting ready for a big party holiday, and I’m feeling the whole Mardi Gras vibe. This weekend, IPC APEX EXPO kicks off with standards development committees and the Technical Conference before the Expo starts on March 18. We’ll be sneaking out of our network of evil lairs scattered around North America and convening at the I-Connect007 booth in the middle of the Anaheim Convention Center. Be sure to stop by and say hello.

Speaking the Same Language as Your Fabricator

We do indeed have a failure to communicate; designers and fabricators often seem to be talking past each other, which can lead to jobs being put on hold. We asked Jen Kolar, VP of engineering for Monsoon Solutions, and columnist Kelly Dack to share their thoughts on ways that we can break down the communication barrier between design and fabrication. As they point out, a design kickoff checklist and a solid review process can be invaluable tools in a designer’s toolbox.

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

It’s been a busy week. My must-reads include articles and news items on global trends and challenges, groundbreaking technology, the hunt for the elusive young PCB designers, and some personnel changes. We also have a great column on the value of following up and keeping promises. We’re all guilty of “dropping the ball” from time to time, aren’t we?

Finding and Training the Next Design Engineers

There are a lot of job openings for PCB design engineers, and not enough young people in the pipeline to fill these jobs. How are we going to attract this next generation of design engineers to this industry, and what’s the best course of action for continuous training of these EEs? I asked Bill Hargin, founder and “director of everything” at Z-zero, to share his thoughts continuous training and what the future may hold for design engineers of the future.

Recruiting the Next Generation of PCB Designers at Garmin

Laura Beth (LB) Yates, PCB design engineering manager at Garmin, discusses the company's innovative approach to recruiting the next generation of PCB designers. As she points out, the best part of her job is “going to work every day with my friends and making cool stuff.”

UHDI Fundamentals: UHDI Advances Neurotechnology

Ultra high density interconnect (UHDI) technology is revolutionizing the field of neurotechnology and brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) by enabling unprecedented levels of miniaturization, complexity, and performance in neural devices. Here’s an in-depth look at how UHDI contributes to these domains.

One Designer’s Journey With IPC Apprenticeships

If you’d told Steve Chirpich a year ago that he would be designing printed circuit boards, he might have been surprised. After deciding to make a career change to follow his passion for technology and PCB layout design, Steve took a leap into the high-tech world of electronics manufacturing.

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

As the U.S. grapples with the short-term fallout of DOGE and what it could mean for existing programs, unemployment, and the U.S. domestic economy, in the private sector of electronics manufacturing, we could be facing higher costs from tariffs and potential supply chain disruptions as we hopefully capitalize on new opportunities. Here are the top five must-read items from this past week's electronic manufacturing news and information.

Don’t Rush: Get ‘Acclimated’ With Each Level of SI

During DesignCon, I met with Al Neves, the founder of Wild River Technology, and a serious fly fisherman as well. As Al explains, some engineers are getting ahead of themselves by rushing to take on complex SI challenges before they’ve mastered their foundational knowledge. Like climbers on Mount Everest, these engineers need to spend more time getting “acclimated” at base camp before heading for the summit.

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

When I first started covering trade shows for I-Connect007 about six years ago, my calendar would see me attending shows 13 of the 23 weeks over the winter. Much has changed since the pandemic, and I bring this up because my picks for the week reflect on that. Which makes sense, because we’re already launched into a new and important trade show season. From Brittany Martin’s invaluable tips for making the most of your marketing efforts, to SMTA’s new scholarship, there’s a lot of information to be had. I hope you read it the first time around, but if not, it’s worth checking out. Share it with your colleagues. Let’s get this news out there.

New EDA Tool Company Embraces AI and Code

At DesignCon 2025, we met with Duncan Haldane, CEO and co-founder of the EDA software company JITX, based in Berkeley and San Jose, California. This PCB design tool runs on AI and software code, which Duncan says can accelerate your design cycle by up to 25x. We asked Duncan to explain how this software came to be, how it works, and what this could mean to the future of PCB design.

Revolutionizing Supply Chain: The Cofactr Solution

Cofactr was co-founded by Phillip Gulley and Matthew Haber, originally as a small PCB assembly house. Recognizing a greater need, they transformed Cofactr into a supply chain execution platform that automates and optimizes manufacturing processes. The company integrates early design data with supply chain information to identify potential issues, provide risk abatement, and streamline procurement. I met with Phillip at DesignCon and asked him to walk me through the company’s background. He explained how Cofactr helps companies ensure compliance and achieve efficient material management, allowing engineering teams to focus on design rather than logistics. 
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