Schmoll: Decades of Technology Evolution
It’s Only Common Sense: The Danger of Overthinking
Punching Out: Fewer Than 150 PCB Shops Remain in North America
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
February 14, 2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Show season is upon us. Recently, Marcy LaRont and I attended DesignCon’s 30th anniversary show, and the expo floor was packed for almost the entire time. Show managers went all out, hosting a welcome party that included a rocking DJ. Much of the event revolved around AI and how to implement it. Is your company utilizing AI now?
Some of the engineers I met with have attended every DesignCon over the past 30 years, which is a great testimonial to the show’s longevity. Coming soon, we are headed to IPC APEX EXPO (the 25th anniversary of that event) and PCB East. You can look here for the industry’s best show coverage.
I’m featuring an abundance of articles from the past week, covering everything from DesignCon presentations to the benefits of volunteering for an IPC committee. If you’ve ever thought about joining a relevant committee, IPC is always looking for “new blood.”
See you again in a few weeks!
Here’s Looking at You, Kid
Published February 13
We’re in the middle of a PCB designer shortage, and it’s likely to get worse before it gets better. We need thousands of young PCB designers and design engineers. Where are we going to find them, and how are we going to train them when we do find them? We asked design instructors Kris Moyer and John Watson to weigh in, and, as usual, they had plenty of great ideas.
Facing the Future: The Evolution of the North American PCB Industry
Published February 12
Prashant Patel, the founder of Alpha Circuit, is one of our newest columnists. He brings us a great overview of the evolution of the North American PCB industry. As he points out, despite the shrinking number of board shops here, this region has quite a few positive things going for it, with resilience and reinvention topping the list.
Happy Holden: How I Became an Engineer
Published February 11
Somehow, I always thought that Happy Holden came from a family of scientists. But as Happy explains in this interview with Marcy LaRont, his father was a dairy farmer, and his mother was a chemist on the Manhattan Project. He’s always an interesting interview. Check it out.
Managing Energy Flow with Proper Stackup Design
Published February 13
Managing a PCB’s energy flow can be a delicate dance, and the stackup can play a big role here. In this interview, Dan Beeker recaps his DesignCon presentation, explaining how thoughtful stackup design can help designers conduct energy where they want it to go, and away from where they don’t want it.
The Secret Value of Committee Work
Published February 12
If you’ve always wondered what happens in IPC committees, you won’t want to miss this interview with Teresa Rowe, the head of standards and practices at IPC. Teresa explains the “secret value” of volunteering to work on these committees; as she says, “standards committee work is not for everyone,” but it might be just what you’re looking for.
Share on:
Suggested Items
MKS’ Atotech and ESI Participate in CPCA Show 2025
03/25/2025 | AtotechMKS Instruments, Inc., a global provider of enabling technologies that transform our world, today announced that its strategic brands ESI (laser systems) and Atotech (process chemicals, equipment, software, and services) will showcase their latest range of leading manufacturing solutions for printed circuit board (PCB) and package substrate manufacturing at CPCA Show being held at National Exhibition and Convention Center from March 24-26, 2025.
Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: LPKF's Advancements in Laser Depaneling Technology
03/25/2025 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOIn this recent interview, Jake Benz from LPKF Laser and Electronics discusses advancements in laser depaneling technology, focusing on speed and quality. He highlights the previous negative reputation of laser depaneling and shares insights from nearly two decades of experience. As customer needs evolve, traditional companies are exploring laser technology.
Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Expanding Horizons—Technica's New Partnership and Innovations
03/25/2025 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOFrank Medina and Juan Arango share their enthusiasm for a new partnership that expands Technica's territory and product offerings under EMC's ownership. They highlight unique technologies like laser inspection, which offers faster solutions than traditional methods.
American Made Advocacy: Reshoring—About Trust, Not Just Geography
03/25/2025 | Shane Whiteside -- Column: American Made AdvocacyIn today’s chaotic political environment, you might have missed the fact that Congress allocated nearly $3 billion to rip out and replace key components in America’s telecommunications networks. The funding is to remove equipment from networks nationwide because of cyberattacks on internet routers and cellular networks enabled by a Chinese company that makes more than half of the routers sold in the U.S. We know from prior experience and similar transgressions that we cannot trust that Chinese components aren’t being used for nefarious purposes.
The Test Connection, Inc. (TTCI) Joins PCBAA as First and Only Test Engineering Company
03/24/2025 | TTCIThe Test Connection Inc. (TTCI), a leading provider of electronic test and manufacturing solutions, proudly announces its membership in the Printed Circuit Board Association of America (PCBAA), becoming the first and currently the only test engineering company to join this vital consortium dedicated to strengthening domestic PCB manufacturing and supply chains.