Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

It’s been a busy week in this industry, and we have news and articles from the PCB design, fabrication and assembly communities. Some of this news is out of this world.

We may be losing the high ground—the really high ground. Columnist Jesse Vaughan explains how the U.S. seems to be falling behind in space, and how this could affect our ability to defend ourselves in the future. We have an update on the U.S.-China tariff talks, which seem to be moving forward, though sometimes at a snail’s pace. INEMI has expanded its PCB roadmap to now encompass laminates. European Editor Pete Starkey is back on the road, this time covering the EIPC Summer Conference in Scotland. And speaking of Britain, Editor Nolan Johnson brings us an interview with SolderKing’s Chris Ward, who met King Charles after the company received the King’s Award for Enterprise.

Try to get in some vacation time while you can. Show season will be here before you know it!

Beyond the Board: Orbital High Ground—Why Space Superiority Is Slipping Away
Published June 17

Space, the final frontier. Kids like me who grew up watching Star Trek assumed that the U.S. would always be No. 1 in space, keeping order in the galaxy like the Federation. But as Jesse Vaughan points out, we may be falling behind in the space race, and that could have an impact on our warfighting capability tomorrow.

IPC Update on the Latest U.S.– China Trade Announcement
Published June 18

The trade talks between the U.S. and China continue, and the two countries are making progress, but this progress is measured in baby steps. China has agreed to a combined 55% tariff on imports into the U.S.; the legal status of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariffs are still up in the air, though they remain in effect for now.

INEMI Publishes Roadmaps for Board Assembly and Complex Integrated Systems and Expands PCB Roadmap to Include Laminates
Published June 18

Going on the lam: The newest International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (INEMI) PCB roadmap now covers laminates. The organization’s latest guidelines also cover the automation of SMT printing processes, as well as the development of semi-additive technologies and low-CTE materials.

Day 1: Cutting Edge Insights at the EIPC Summer Conference
Published June 17

European Editor Pete Starkey was on the road again, this time covering the EIPC Summer Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland. As always, Pete’s coverage of the event makes you feel like you were right there in the conference room with him. Much of Day 1 focused on sustainability and the next generation of technology, and one topic that will never go away: microvia reliability.

SolderKing’s Successful Approach to Modern Soldering Needs
Published June 18

It’s good to meet the king. Just ask Chris Ward, cofounder of the UK-based company SolderKing, which recently won the King’s Award for Enterprise. In this interview, Chris discusses his meeting with King Charles, and what sets SolderKing apart from the other solder companies.