Fresh PCB Concepts: Traceability in PCB Design
The Shaughnessy Report: Back to the Future
Designers Notebook: Addressing Future Challenges for Designers
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
September 27, 2024 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
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. Dave and I met about six years ago, at a conference, when we were introduced by my colleague Andy Shaughnessy. We quickly established a shared love for American blues music; we even had mutual music industry friends. Dave has been a wealth of industry knowledge for me, just as he has influenced so many of us throughout the years. I’m sure I speak for all who know him that he’ll be missed in the industry. 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.
This week’s editor’s picks are a real potpourri of industry news items and a bonus column. There's a lot happening in our segment of the electronics world. We'll be covering the Anaheim Electronics Manufacturing Show next week, PCB West after that, followed up by SMTA International. We hope to see you there.
Biden-Harris Administration Announces First CHIPS Award to Polar Semiconductor, Establishing U.S. Foundry
Published September 25
The CHIPS Act money is starting to roll out. In this case, the funds will be used to expand and update the fab in Bloomington, Minnesota. Undoubtedly there will be more news like this in coming weeks and months, and we’ll bring you that news. It will be interesting to see just how much impact the CHIPS investment will have on U.S. manufacturing.
Connect the Dots: Designing for Reality: Outer Layer Imaging
Published September 26
ASC/Sunstone’s Matt Stevenson has been documenting the PCB fabrication process in great detail lately. If you haven’t listened to his podcast series at “On The Line With..” you should (find it at most of the major podcast sites). In this column, Matt adds additional detail on outer layer imaging. If you’re a designer, you should give this a read.
AI to Boost Wafer Foundry Market by 20%
Published September 19
The wafer foundry market is expected to see a recovery in 2025, with an estimated annual growth of 20%, up from 16% in 2024. This is happening while many components have had their manufacturing scaled back to meet lessened demand. But components specific to AI infrastructure are at the root of this growth number. Learn more here.
iNEMI Announces End-of-Project Webinar for PCB Connector Footprint Tolerance Project
Published September 23
Designers and assemblers may find value in this webinar, scheduled for Sept. 30, 2024. The project’s objective was to equip product designers with the necessary information to ensure predictable quality levels when using high-bandwidth connectors. Through a comprehensive literature review and the expertise of the project team, potential risks were identified, followed by the creation of a survey designed to assess supplier capabilities for quality mitigation in the PCB industry.
North American PCB Industry Sales Up 35% in August
Published September 23
That headline is very large when it comes to sales numbers. The 35% refers to the previous year comparison (not to spoil the surprise). The rest of the report might be less rosy, but the news is not exactly bad. Read more here.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Altium, AWS Partner to Train Indian Engineers in Electronics Design & Cloud
02/21/2025 | AltiumAltium LLC, a global leader in software and solutions for the electronics industry, announces a collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) India Private Limited* to transform tech education across India.
TTI Announces Global Distribution Partnership with Samtec
02/19/2025 | TTI, Inc.TTI, Inc. a leading authorized, specialty distributor of electronic components, announced the company is now an authorized distributor of Samtec, Inc. products. With this new partnership, TTI will provide a global channel for Samtec’s cables and connectors used in electronic applications.
One World, One Industry: Mapping the Future of the Electronics Workforce
02/21/2025 | John Mitchell -- Column: One World, One IndustryWhen we think of everything that impacts the world economy, I can’t help but think of electronics. They impact everything. As you have heard me say over the past few years, electronics is no longer a vertical, it’s a horizontal. As practically every industry sector relies on natural resources like water and fossil fuels, they also rely on a manmade resource—electronics. From agriculture to automotive and AI to aerospace, I can’t think of any industry that does not rely heavily upon electronics as it maps out the future.
J.A.M.E.S. Explores the Future of Additive Manufactured Electronics
02/18/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007Andreas Salomon is chief scientist at J.A.M.E.S, a joint venture of Nano Dimension and HENSOLD. In this interview he discusses the evolving landscape of additively manufactured electronics, highlighting the integration of cutting-edge technologies, such as micro-dispensing and ink jetting. These technologies enhance capabilities in signal integrity and miniaturization. He also talks about the importance of sustainability, the need for standardized testing, and collaboration among industry leaders that will drive innovation and transform the future of electronics manufacturing through IPC’s standards development.
Würth Elektronik: PCB Threaded Connections Using Press-fit Technology
02/18/2025 | Würth ElektronikWürth Elektronik, manufacturer of electronic and electromechanical components for the electronics industry, presents its “REDCUBE PRESS-FIT for Automotive”, a new range of threaded connections specially optimized for the automotive industry.