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

The word for this week (again) is tariffs. Another week has gone by, and the tariff mandates continue with neither the U.S. or China backing down on a course that could be disastrous for businesses and the economy in the short term. As we all wait and watch the geopolitical volley, our businesses forge ahead. As one industry leader recently said, “We’ve been through this before.” Well, maybe not exactly this, but the resilience of our industry and business leaders has been proven over and over, decade upon decade. Check out our coverage of the latest IPC tariff webinar, which includes a snapshot of the tariff situation as it stands now.​​​​​​ But it's not over, not by a long shot.

IPC Webinar Review: Tariff Tensions Influence Electronics Supply Chain

IPC continued its important discussion of the operational impact of new tariff policies on the electronics manufacturing supply chain by addressing a primarily European audience in a webinar on Thursday, April 10. This webinar focused on critical developments in global trade policy affecting Europe, and how trade tensions are influencing strategic decisions across the electronics supply chain.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Benmayor Group—Resistance is Futile: Automation Is the Future

Jeff Brandman, president of Aismalibar North America, and Eduardo Benmayor, CEO of Benmayor Group, discuss Benmayor Group's role in electronics and automation, focusing on how automation addresses labor shortages. Jeff, notes that many businesses struggle to find workers for manual tasks, emphasizing the need for various automation solutions to boost productivity. North America lags in automation compared to other regions, which impacts efficiency. Jeff recommends a step-by-step approach to scaling automation, and there's growing acceptance of robots in the workforce, leading to a positive outlook for the future.

Real Time With... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Best Student Technical Paper Winner—Attila Rektor

Attila Rektor, a Ph.D student from Boise State, won the best technical paper award at IPC APEX EXPO 2025. His paper explores enhancing the conductivity of laser-induced graphene for flexible circuits. The research, funded by SAIC, involved modulating surface energy to enable effective copper plating. This breakthrough has potential applications in flexible printed circuit boards, sensing, and biomedical devices.

IPC Hall of Fame Spotlight Series: Highlighting Walt Custer

This Hall of Fame spotlight features a long-time associate of mine, Walt Custer. Now retired, Walt is well known in the industry for his decades of work as part of Custer Consulting Group, presenting his market research and business analyses at trade shows and conferences around the globe. As I mentioned in my spotlight on Gene Weiner, Walt and I were in that group that reported to Gene back in the old Dynachem days. Under Gene’s tutelage, we became deeply involved in IPC and were eventually honored with the Hall of Fame award.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Advancements for Flexible Circuit Technologies

Mark Finstad and Chris Clark from Flexible Circuit Technologies discuss their new marketing campaign for catheter circuits, featuring larger formats and advanced specifications. They explain the development of in-house materials for high-density circuits, enhancing cost competitiveness. They highlight the opening of a new facility in China for advanced assembly services, along with focused training sessions to fill industry education gaps and promote early customer engagement for better project outcomes.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Exploring Ventec's Innovations

Mark Goodwin highlights Ventec's global distribution network and recent expansions in service and equipment offerings. He emphasizes the company's expertise in coating technology for thermal management, specialized materials, and its agility in creating customized solutions for customers.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Pluritec's Expansion and Innovations in North America

Maurizio Bonati from Pluritec discusses the company's growth in North America. He highlights investments in infrastructure and customer support, along with product advancements like X-ray drilling machines and increased automation to boost production efficiency.

Pioneering the Future of Substrate Manufacturing for North America

In a rapidly evolving manufacturing landscape, the shift toward substrate technology has become a focal point for some companies in the PCB industry. Ralph Jacobo, technical sales and application engineer at all4-PCB, says all4-PCB has its roots in via-filling technology, has successfully navigated various market changes, and is now keenly focused on the demands of substrate manufacturing in North America. Ralph shares insights into the company's historical journey, current initiatives, and the innovative steps being taken to address the complexities of modern substrate processes.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: IEC Competes Effectively Gaining Market Share

Kelly Dack speaks with Chris Hrusovsky of IEC at IPC APEX EXPO. IEC, a 60-year-old distribution company, operates in the U.S. and Canada, sourcing U.S.-made products like chemicals for printed circuit boards. Despite previous pandemic-related sourcing challenges, IEC has ensured a steady supply, while addressing customer concerns about tariffs and pricing.

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.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: CEE PCB's Expansion Plans—New Factory in Southeast Asia

Tom Yang, CEO of CEE PCB Technology, employs about 4000 people at their facilities inside and outside of China. He outlines the company's operations and plans for a new factory in Thailand, set to open in Q1 2026, and explains his plan to address workforce challenges in that area. Tom discusses the impact of recent tariff changes and emphasizes the importance of cultural integration in cross-border manufacturing.

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

There was big news throughout the week on a global economic scale. Everything is moving so fast it’s hard to follow. I sat in on a webinar about the U.S. tariff changes announced on April 2, and even the policy wonks, whose life’s purpose is to be expert in these things, couldn’t keep up. One speaker was checking government information websites, and listening to the news on the television even as she gave her update.

Observations on Palladium as a Final Finish

Not much has been published about palladium as a final finish, but it’s experiencing a renaissance as a liquid metal for metallization of copper in ultra HDI and as a final finish. It was very popular in the 1970s because of its corrosion resistance, as the only other final finishes were tin-lead reflow, Ni/Au, OSP, or immersion tin. Palladium was very popular with the automotive industry then and Photocircuits of Glen Cove, New York, was a major supplier of boards.

Raymond E. Pritchard IPC Hall of Fame Award: Peter Bigelow

IPC’s most prestigious award honors an individual’s long-term distinguished service and contributions to IPC and the electronics manufacturing industry. Peter Bigelow is president of FTG Circuits in Haverhill, Mass., focusing on the military, RF/microwave, and aerospace markets. He also has extensive experience in general management, marketing, operations, and sales with large publicly traded and privately held manufacturing companies in the printed circuit, electronics, and instrumentation industries.

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.

IPC APEX EXPO Newcomer: Faith DeSaulnier of TTM Technologies

During the Newcomer’s Welcome Reception at IPC APEX EXPO, the I-Connect Editorial Team spoke with several first-time attendees. The following is our interview with Faith DeSaulnier, a process engineer based at TTM Technologies’ facility in Forest Grove, Oregon. 

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Uyemura—Inside the Specialty Chemicals Market

Rich Depoto discusses Uyemura's focus on specialty chemicals and market trends, particularly the shift towards HDI and UHDI products. Rich highlights innovations in surface adhesion and micro etches for copper, essential for high-speed transmission.

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.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: MivaTek is Revolutionizing Circuit Board Manufacturing with DART Technology

Brendan Hogan from MivaTek Global discusses the company's focus on direct imaging for circuit boards and semiconductors. MivaTek is introducing DART technology for dynamic feature size adjustments. This technology enhances precision, improving registration and throughput.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Tariffs and Supply Chains in U.S. Electronics Manufacturing

Chris Mitchell, VP of Global Government Relations for IPC, discusses IPC's concerns about tariffs on copper and their impact on U.S. electronics manufacturing. He emphasizes the complexity of supply chains and the need for policymakers to understand their effects.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Revitalizing the U.S. Microelectronics Industry with PCBAA

PCBAA president David Schild discusses his experience in the PCB and aerospace sectors, focusing on the mission of the PCBAA and its collaboration with IPC. He highlights the decline in PCB manufacturing in the U.S. and the importance of public policy in restoring capacity.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Highlighting Global PCB Trends and Technologies with all4-PCB

Andy Shaughnessy and all4-PCB's Ralph Jacobo discuss global distribution trends in the PCB industry, focusing on new technologies in plasma etching and final inspection. Ralph highlights the importance of IC substrate buildup technology and partnerships in the market.

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. 

IPC APEX EXPO 2025 Review: Expecting the Unexpected

One of the best things about trade shows is not the scheduled meetings but the chance meetings that come up unexpectedly. Just because you happened to go down one aisle instead of the next, you bump into an old acquaintance that you have not seen for years, or you happen to talk to the guy in line next to you to get a $5 Pepsi, and it turns into a great, new connection.   
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