Latest Articles

Getters, Thermal Management, and High-Reliability Packaging: What’s Ahead in the Next Issue of Advanced Electronics Packaging Digest

The upcoming issue of Advanced Electronics Packaging Digest explores several technologies shaping the future of advanced packaging, from maintaining stable environments inside hermetic packages to managing heat in increasingly complex 3D architectures. The issue also examines packaging innovations for aerospace, defense, and automotive applications, as well as broader connections between semiconductor interconnects and the systems they support.

From Dilution to ZLD: Optimizing Used Process Water Management

Last month, we began discussing the journey from dilution to zero liquid discharge. I highlighted that approximately 70% of the used process water (UPW) is generated from the dilute stream. This significant volume underscores the necessity for effective treatment processes that ensure the safe return of water into the production cycle while minimising environmental impact.

BOOK EXCERPT: The Printed Circuit Designer’s Guide to... UV Curable Conformal Coatings

Chapter 1: Options for Protecting Electronic Assemblies and a Deep Dive into UV Conformal Coatings. Electronics, depending on fit and function, have different protective options including conformal coatings, potting materials, encapsulants, protective enclosures, sealing and gaskets.

Rewriting Metallization, One Ink at a Time

Additive manufacturing has long promised to reshape how electronics are built, but that promise has remained just out of reach for many in the PCB industry who are limited by materials, performance trade-offs, and real-world manufacturability. Electroninks aims to change that equation by rethinking metallization at the chemical level by developing metal-complex inks that challenge established approaches and open new possibilities for advanced packaging, interconnects, and beyond.

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

It’s Friday, the sun is out here in Arizona, and AI is on my mind (and always in the news). So, AI seems like a good place for me to focus this week. My first recommendation for this week is an article I wrote about the e-glass (and copper foil) shortage now plaguing laminate and PCB fabricators as a result of the global market’s very heavy focus on AI-related tech, hardware products, and supporting infrastructure.

Manufacturing Readiness and Scaling Flex–Packaging Integration, Part 4

Parts 1–3 of this series examined the technical foundations, application landscape, and strategic imperatives surrounding the convergence of flexible PCBs and advanced semiconductor packaging. Part 4 turns to the factory floor: What must change in manufacturing processes, equipment, and quality systems to bring this convergence from prototype to production scale?

Five Questions With… Sydney Xiao, President, East Asia Region, Global Electronics Association

AI infrastructure is reshaping the electronics industry, shifting demand from consumer products to high-performance computing systems and driving new opportunities and challenges across the global supply chain. In this edition of “Five Questions With…,” Sydney Xiao highlights the growing importance of talent development, supply chain resilience, collaboration, and standards as companies navigate rapid technological and geopolitical change.

How to Classify Your Product: Is It Defence, Dual-Use, or Civil?

In my previous article, I discussed the importance of documenting and vetting your supply chain. But even the most transparent and controlled supply chain will not protect a company that does not properly classify its product. Sooner or later, every company operating within technology, electronics, aerospace, drones, telecommunications, software, or defence-related manufacturing will face a question that sounds simple, yet it is often difficult to answer: Is your product defence, dual-use, or civil?

My Trip to Schneider Electric: AI, Data, and the Need for More Power

AI is pushing power infrastructure to its limits, and many of those same challenges, particularly around power delivery and heat management, parallel what the electronics industry faces in building and scaling advanced microelectronics. Yet when it comes to AI and hardware, we typically only see a small piece of the total picture. So, when Schneider Electric invited me to tour a modern AI data center still under construction, I jumped at the opportunity. This became a fascinating technical journey I’m excited to share.

The AI Tipping Point: Transforming Global Material Supply Chains

While the AI revolution has the world focused on the promise of solving our most complex challenges, some laminate and PCB fabricators are raising concerns that the high-performance materials used to build AI data centers will gobble up the precious resources needed to produce them. PCB industry expert Mark Goodwin, COO of Ventec International, a laminate and equipment supplier, has expressed his concerns about the critical shortage of glass and copper, which he believes will worsen.

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

This week’s picks all seem to circle around one bigger reality: The electronics industry is rebuilding itself in real time. Whether it’s investing in workforce development, reshaping manufacturing processes, modernizing how we communicate with readers, or strengthening domestic advocacy, there’s a noticeable shift from simply reacting to challenges toward actively building long-term infrastructure.

Direct Metallization: A Strategic Enabler for Advanced PCB Manufacturing

The increasing power and complexity of electronics systems are intensifying the demands on printed circuit boards and IC substrates. Applications that include AI infrastructure, high-performance computing, electric vehicles, and next-generation consumer electronics require higher interconnect density and uncompromising reliability. At the same time, PCB fabricators are navigating a manufacturing environment shaped by supply chain volatility, sustainability mandates, and ongoing cost constraints.

Meet Emerging Engineers Ahmon Brooks-Starks and Nicolas ‘Cole’ Gregory, Summit Interconnect

While attending the Newcomers Reception at APEX EXPO 2026, I visited with Ahmon Brooks-Starks and Nicolas “Cole” Gregory, two new members of the Global Electronics Association’s Emerging Engineer Program. You might be a bit surprised at their backgrounds, but (hint) having a foundation in science has translated well into their jobs at Summit Interconnect.

Don't Buy AI, Learn It: A Fabricator's Guide to Getting Started, Part 1

The first hard truth about AI in PCB fabrication is that you can buy software, but you cannot buy capability. You can sign a contract, schedule demos, put a few logos on a slide, and tell your team you now have an AI strategy. Plenty of companies are doing some version of that right now. But if the people in your plant do not know how to use AI in real work, then your purchase was more akin to buying a gym membership and never going. (Don’t take that as criticism; it’s just how it works.)

Memorial Day Office Closure

Memorial Day is, in my opinion, one of the most meaningful holidays observed in the United States. The holiday began as “Decoration Day,” when communities gathered to place flowers on the graves of fallen Civil War soldiers. Over time, the observance evolved into a national day of remembrance honoring all U.S. military personnel who gave their lives in service to the country. Today, Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May and is recognized as a federal holiday nationwide.

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

It’s been a busy week in the news. I could legitimately have published another five items because there were so many meaningful topics. So, I start with attorney James Kim, who returns to update us on metals tariffs. Brian Chislea and Cody Schoener from Dow recently published a book on UV curable conformal coatings. The Taiwan Printed Circuit Association has launched a PCB-specific AI knowledge base. SEMI FlexTech is seeking proposals for advancing flexible hybrid technologies, and the Global Electronics Association has launched the Global Electronics Policy Council, unifying its advocacy voices.

An Active, Growing PCB Industry Tilts Toward High-Complexity Leaders

Recent PCB market conditions point to an industry that is active and still expanding in important segments. Demand tied to AI infrastructure, servers, high-layer-count multilayer boards, HDI, ADAS, and defense-related programs remains an important driver of the market. These segments are helping sustain momentum even as conditions in other areas remain more mixed. The result is not a uniformly rising market, but one in which enough high-value activity is flowing through to keep much of the industry on a solid footing.

Innovative Flash Copper Plating Technology

The continuous push toward higher functionality, miniaturization, and performance in modern electronic devices—such as smartphones, wearables, and advanced computing platforms—has intensified the demand for high-density interconnect (HDI) printed circuit boards. Central to HDI performance is the reliable formation of blind microvias (BMVs), which serve as critical interlayer connections in modified semi-additive processes (mSAP).

Webinar Review: Europe Moving to Strengthen Defence Industrial Base

Europe is seeking to establish a more sovereign, coordinated, and resilient defense industrial base in response to mounting political pressure, especially following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, through the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP). Renauld Hock of DG DEFIS outlined the efforts in a webinar last week hosted by the Global Electronics Association. Electronics manufacturers and PCB-related companies will have an opportunity to apply for funding through the program to support specific defense systems by supplying critical enabling components.

PCB East 2026: AI Infrastructure, Advanced PCB Technologies, and the Future of Electronics Manufacturing

After attending PCB East 2026, it became clear to me that the electronics industry is entering a major transition driven by AI infrastructure, increasing power density, and growing system complexity, extending far beyond semiconductors alone. What stood out was how critical PCB technology, materials science, thermal management, and advanced manufacturing have become to the future of electronics. The industry is now facing many challenges, including tighter manufacturing tolerances, material shortages, rising costs, and growing pressure to digitally transform engineering and manufacturing operations.

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

When you work in the news business, even in trade media, you can never really get that far away from it. We never want to miss something important. Chances are, even the books we take on our “vacations” end up having to do with the business. For example, my colleague Michelle Te recommended “Creativity, Inc., by Ed Catmull, a business skills study wrapped up in stories about Pixar, which I brought with me on a trip through the stunning U.S. Mountain West. Now, I’m back, and here are my recommendations for the week.

New Book Explores How UV Technology Is Transforming Electronics Protection, Efficiency, and Sustainability

I-Connect007 proudly announces the recent release of The Printed Circuit Designer’s Guide to…™ UV Curable Conformal Coatings. Authored by respected industry technologists Brian Chislea and Cody Schoener, PhD, of Dow, Inc., this new volume offers a comprehensive exploration of UV-curable conformal coatings and their expanding role in improving the protection, performance, and sustainability of electronic assemblies.

Separating Fact from Fear on the FCC ‘China Lab Ban’

Recent news headlines have suggested that the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has “banned all testing laboratories in China and Hong Kong.” Understandably, this has created concerns around PCB testing, material approvals, UL listings, and the continued use of established test laboratories in Asia. The good news is that for most PCB, PCB material, and PCBA testing, nothing has changed. Let’s separate fact from fear.

New Courses: Advance Your Electronics Expertise in June and July

Stay current with design, manufacturing, and quality standards by enrolling in one of these online instructor-led courses starting in June and July from ElectronicsU at the Global Electronics Association, designed to help professionals at every level sharpen their skills and advance their careers. These live, expert-led sessions combine flexibility with real-time interaction, allowing participants to learn directly from seasoned industry professionals while collaborating with peers worldwide. Access to all applicable IPC standards is included in the courses.

I-Connect007 Announces Upcoming Issue of Advanced Electronics Packaging Digest

The next issue of Advanced Electronics Packaging Digest examines the materials, architectures, and integration strategies shaping the next phase of electronics innovation, from reinforcement materials under thermal and frequency pressure to heterogeneous integration and advanced packaging as a system-level scaling factor.
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