Defense Speak Interpreted: The Impact of Venture Capital-backed Defense Contractor Firms
American Made Advocacy: Don’t Build Our AI Economy on Foreign-sourced Components 
The Right Approach: The End of an Era—DoD Proposes MIL-PRF-31032 Cancellation
Frankly, there were so many worthy news items this week, it quite a bit of whittling to get it down to my five must-reads. For example, this week we showcased Schweitzer Engineering Labs’ new manufacturing facility in Moscow, Idaho. Marcy LaRont launched an On the Line With… podcast on materials, and the February issue of I-Connect007 Magazine features the annual APEX EXPO preview. With the show on the horizon, we also discussed the efforts of the standards development team at the Global Electronics Association. Finally, American Standard Circuits announced that not only is it manufacturing UHDI interconnects in the U.S., but it's also shipping them.
I’ll see you again on Friday, March 13, on the threshold of the APEX EXPO week.
SEL Begins Work on New Electronic Device Manufacturing Facility in Moscow, Idaho
Published February 16
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) continues to build U.S. domestic manufacturing for its portfolio of electronic devices, bringing previously overseas contract manufacturing back to the U.S. The announcement does not explicitly say what they will be building in the facility, but its close proximity to the PCB factory suggests assembly and/or box build. Read more here.
I-Connect007 Launches Six-Part Podcast Series Highlighting the Critical Role of PCB Materials
Published February 19
Marcy LaRont’s six-part series, “PCB Materials: The Backbone and Future of Electronics,” kicked off this week. Marcy interviews Sean Mirshafiei of Isola, about why proper material selection is a key to successful manufacturing. Marcy hosts each episode, which offers listeners a practical, engineering-focused look at why laminate selection remains on of the most consequential decisions in any PCB build, often determining success or failure long before fabrication begins. Put this one on your playlist.
I-Connect007 Magazine: APEX EXPO 2026 Preview Plus AI Tools Designers Are Watching
Published February 17
The February 2026 issue of I-Connect007 Magazine spotlights exhibitors, technical conference sessions, standards development, and other informative programs you can take advantage of in Anaheim in March. For PCB designers, what AI tools are available beyond the dreaded auto-router? We explore this issue with commentary from Zuken, Siemens, and AllSpice.io. Download the magazine and get all the details.
American Standard Circuits Manufactures IC Substrate Designs Featuring 5–7 Stacked Microvias
Published February 13
American Standard Circuits announced this week it will be manufacturing and shipping UHDI IC substrates with up to seven stacked microvias. While you’re at it, catch up on our 12-part “On The Line With…” podcast with ASC’s John Johnson covering the specifics of ultra high density interconnect (UHDI).
IPC Standards: The Heart of the Electronics Industry
Published February 16
Standards committees are like an Olympic sport: Out of the limelight, work goes on daily to move things forward, but it’s the periodic public forum that gets all the attention. With APEX EXPO and the annual standards committee meetings next month, I visited with the team from the Global Electronics Association who are supporting the great work of volunteers helping develop industry standards. You’ll learn more about the process and find out what new standards are being worked on. We’ve also published the latest standards and revisions so you can be sure you’re operating with the most current information. New IPC Standards Released has details on cable and wire harness assemblies, terms and definitions for interconnect and packaging, and guidelines for in-system programming.
