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IPC Community Exclusive: The Ongoing Banking Crisis

On May 1, First Republic Bank became the latest addition to the growing list of failed banks, making it the third major bank to collapse in recent months. Previously the 14th largest bank in the United States, First Republic Bank now holds the unenviable title of being the second largest bank failure in U.S. history. Silicon Valley Bank, which was the 16th largest bank in the country, and Signature Bank, the 29th largest bank in the U.S., also collapsed recently. These two bank failures mark the third and fourth largest bank collapses in history. Since the 1970s, more than 90 banks with assets over $1 billion have failed in the United States. Three of the four largest collapses have occurred in the past few months.

American Standard/Sunstone Merger: ‘We Want to Grow the Technology’

On July 13, 2023, American Standard Circuits announced the acquisition of Sunstone Circuits. I-Connect007’s Nolan Johnson connected with ASC CEO Anaya Vardya and Sunstone Vice President and General Manager Matt Stevenson to discuss this new partnership. They detail what the partnership means for each facility, how it affects management, sales, and suppliers, but mostly what the new benefits for customers.

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

This week’s must-reads follow the trend toward iterative and ongoing improvements and advancements. The must-know news this week includes coverage of SEMICON (based on reader interest), updates on the EU’s Chips Act and ongoing advocacy for the printed circuits sector, design tips from an aerospace engineer, and a PCB fabrication merger.

Burkle North America: Service With a Smile

It’s a given: Capital equipment, especially equipment that runs hard, will need service. The larger the installed base of equipment, the more service support that will be required. Burkle North America's Service Manager, Evan Howard, discusses how Schmoll’s service organization has grown in response to equipment sales in the region, a conversation that touches on hiring, training, spare parts logistics, and potential future growth. It’s clear that this company intends to keep its service team ahead of the curve.

PCB Technologies Invests in Advanced Packaging

Jeff De Serrano, president of PCB Technologies North America, gives an update on the company’s recent move into advanced packaging—a move that stemmed from company leadership and vision for the future. He also shares his forecast on the PCB market, specifically around rigid-flex, along with some of the challenges the industry still faces.

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

It’s been hot in PCB design and manufacturing this week! In this wrap-up, we have an article about safeguarding electronics manufacturing workers from hazardous chemicals, and another about additive processes’ green benefits. Kelly Dack discusses how to keep your design on the road through proper tolerance management, and Joe Fjelstad explains why the next big invention is just one step away from what currently exists, the “adjacent possible.” And Dan Beaulieu, never one to shy away from a controversial topic, explains why now is the time for your sales team to do some old-fashioned, in-person sales calls.

The Right to a Safe, Healthy Work Environment

As we enter a new decade characterized by global transparency, companies are increasingly compelled to prioritize the protection of workers, not only within their own facilities but throughout complex multi-national supply chains. Process chemicals are increasingly being viewed as a human rights issue, as millions of workers in the electronics global supply chain are using process chemicals. The U.N. Special Rapporteur on Toxics (2018) reported that there are approximately 160 million cases of occupational disease reported annually across all industry sectors.

Major U.S. Holiday Today: Independence Day

Today marks the 247th Independence Day of the United States of America. Also known as the Fourth of July, this day commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress, as well as the declaration by the Congress that the American colonies are free and independent states.

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

It’s a heady time here in the U.S. between the summer holidays of Memorial Day (last Monday in May) and Independence Day (July 4). This four-week period straddles the Northern solstice, boasts the longest days of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. This is the high season for outside activities, which may be pulling you away from the office. Am I right? Never fear, I-Connect007 is here to deliver the “must know” news stories.

Are You Still Over-materializing?

During the recent IEEE IMS2023 Exhibition in San Diego, we caught up with James Hofer, general manager of Accurate Circuit Engineering (ACE). The company is a prototype manufacturer of bare printed circuit boards that specializes in high-mix, low volume with an emphasis on RF, microwave, and antennas. A few years ago, we talked to James about the over-materialization of boards. In this recent discussion, we wanted to know if anything has changed regarding materials and approach. James also shares his thoughts on the changes in the design community.

EIPC Summer Conference 2023: Day 2 Review

We had an early start to the second day of the EIPC Summer Conference on Friday, June 16 in Munich. Delegates had returned home safely from the downtown conference dinner and most had successfully avoided late-night networking in the hotel bar. Bright-eyed and attentive, they eagerly awaited the opening session, while casting admiring glances at Alun Morgan who had finally received his baggage and was now splendidly attired in a smart suit, collar and tie.

Isola Changing With the Times

Changing market conditions require changes in approach. I-Connect007’s Barry Matties and Nolan Johnson speak with Isola’s Travis Kelly, Sean Mirshafiei, and Kirk Thompson about Isola’s recent responses to market conditions. In this interview, Kelly, Mirshafiei and Thompson outline recent changes to Isola senior leadership, optimizing manufacturing to meet the needs of the global market, and the strategic importance of advanced packaging to the global economy, and to the U.S., in particular.

Fire Your Hiring Habits

The title of John W. Mitchell’s new book, Fire Your Hiring Habits, says it all. Hiring and retaining talent is an ongoing challenge for our industry that requires unconventional thinking, casting a wider net, and addressing the real issues at hand. John shares his thoughts behind the book and why we need to rethink the entire hiring process.

EIPC Summer Conference 2023: Day 1 Review

Mid-morning on June 15 in Munich, after the conclusion of an informative and thought-provoking keynote session, the EIPC Summer Conference got under way with a series of presentations on Smart manufacturing, introduced and moderated by EIPC board member Dr. Michele Stampanoni, vice president strategic sales and business development at Cicor Group.

EIPC Summer Conference 2023: The Keynote Session

My trips to Munich usually involve my reporting at productronica, which takes place in November, where I’m most often enveloped in the gloom and drizzle of late fall. For EIPC’s recent Summer Conference, it was nice to be in Munich for blue skies, warm sunshine, and longer, brighter evenings. I thoroughly enjoyed being in the Schwabing area, north of the city.

Omron Discusses SPI, AI and More

At the recent SMTA Oregon Tech Forum and Expo, Tim Anderson, a senior account manager at Omron, shares his insights on SPI, the latest trends in the industry, and some solutions to consider. As he points out, the SPI, AOI and AXI systems of today do far more than simply catch defects.

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

June 21 marked the first official day of summer, and it’s the longest day of the year. I’m wearing by best Hawaiian shirt right now. But we’ve been too busy to hit the beach yet. There’s a lot going on in our industry right now. In this week’s Top 5, we have our coverage of the recent SMTA Oregon Expo & Tech Forum, a show that drew a good crowd of technologists.

Mexico and IPC On the Move

There’s a saying that highly successful people have three things in common: motivation, ability, and opportunity. The same can be said for electronics manufacturing and assembly in Mexico: We have the motivation, the ability, and the unique opportunity to take this industry to the next level.

Engagement Begins Before Employment

Employee engagement is a major contributor to an organization’s productivity and results. In fact, it’s crucial for the long-term success of any business. That’s because an employee who is truly engaged tends to be more productive, committed to, and loyal to their employer. They typically bring more discretionary effort to the table and create less risk than their disengaged counterparts. Raise your engagement levels and you’ll tend to produce better results.

It’s a Team Effort: Final Episode in Sustainability Series Out Now

Available on I-007e and Spotify, Episode 6 of I-Connect007’s podcast, On the Line with… features an interview with Siemens’ Jonathan Fromm, product owner in predictive analytics, who introduces us to the “eight R’s” of sustainability. Fromm also draws parallels between the idea of thinking globally and the act of crafting holistic sustainability initiatives.

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

It’s always interesting to see what themes emerge from reader interest in our news coverage over the past seven days. This week, there are two: making plans and Southeast Asia. Our curated list of must-read content includes planning for the following items: new courses from IPC, a new listing on the NYSE, a new manufacturing facility for materials in Southeast Asia, brand-new inspection equipment solutions for SEMICON West, and new air traffic management systems in Indonesia.

An Exclusive Review of the Institute of Circuit Technology’s Annual Symposium

After a long crawl through heavy traffic on the M42 motorway, it was a great relief to exit at Junction 6 and arrive at the National Conference Centre for the 2023 Annual Symposium of the Institute of Circuit Technology on June 6. The conference center is co-located with the historic National Motorcycle Museum and situated in the heart of the UK midlands, a stone’s throw from Birmingham International Airport. The delegates were welcomed by technical director Bill Wilkie.

The Journey to IPC-1791 Validation

How does a company protect its most valuable electronics manufacturing information? How can designs and processes be kept safe? IPC-1791 is an industry-driven and industry-written standard that focuses on protecting two things: controlled unclassified information (CUI) and controlled technical information (CTI)—the information that would be devastating for a company to lose.

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

It’s summertime, but the industry is staying pretty busy. This week, we have news about our industry putting pressure on our elected officials to provide funding for U.S. companies under the CHIPS Act, and a counterfeit parts symposium presented by SMTA in Maryland next month. We also bring you articles about ultra HDI design and material selection, and our most recent On the Line with… podcast with Zac Elliott of Siemens.

Slash Sheets: Don’t Fall Into the Trap

Slash sheets can be confusing, and this is a big topic, so let’s start big and drill down from there. Here’s the big picture regarding slash sheet references: They were designed to provide handy groupings of PCB materials (laminates, polyimides, etc.) that go into a stackup. These groupings are designed around mechanical characteristics to provide insight for PCB fabricators to identify similar laminates with similar properties.
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