Beyond Design: How Signals Survive the Hostile PCB Environment
Connect the Dots: What Designers Should Know About Non-conductive Via Fill
Target Condition: The Modern Masters of Signal Integrity and AI-driven Design
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.
In contrast to upstream supply chain issues, I’d like to point you to another article, this time about Schneider Electric. It’s an interesting look at the modern AI data center, something we don’t normally get a glimpse at.
With tariff actions and trade negotiations strong in this week’s headlines, it seemed fitting to include the article by Didrick Bech of CONFIDEE, who poses an important question on product classification that directly affects a company’s’ export liability. He feels assemblers often answer too quickly and without adequate consideration.
Looking to add something a bit lighter, I have once again chosen to include one of Dan Beaulieu’s book reviews with a title I can personally endorse. Hot off the digital press is the June issue of SMT007 Magazine, which focuses on reliability in cleaning.
To that end, Adam Klett of Kyzen presents a compelling discussion on the criticality of choosing the right aqueous cleaning solution to help ensure contamination mitigation is adequate in high density designs.
I hope you enjoy my picks and have a great weekend!
The AI Tipping Point: Transforming Global Material Supply Chains"
Published June 1
The e-glass shortage is real. Just last week, I saw yet another LinkedIn post about Kingboard Laminates and Nanya. Will 7628 prepreg, a long-time stackup staple in the PCB fabrication industry, truly no longer be manufactured? My article in the May issue of I-Connect007 Magazine addresses this concerning issue. Chips are at the core of the AI era, and the PCBs and substrates that support them are finally getting their due attention as an important part of the technology stack. But the opportunity that AI presents to the broader market will have negative fallout for some things that do not derive a direct benefit from it. This will ultimately increase prices for end customers. This article is a good overview of how we got here and where we seem to be headed.
My Trip to Schneider Electric: AI, Data, and the Need for More Power
Published June 2
My recent trip to Buffalo, New York, to visit Schneider Electric’s facilities was beyond interesting and provided me with a much deeper understanding of the technology that goes into supporting all that is AI, as well as the challenges that surround it: heat, power and water. In a prelude to an AI data center feature article in the July issue of I-Connect007 Magazine, please enjoy my review of a special conference at Schneider and a tour of Schneider’s Motivair cooling technology center. You’ll get a solid overview of the technology and the market drivers required to support it.
How to Classify Your Product: Is It Defence, Dual-Use, or Civil?
Published June 2
Didrick Bech of CONFIDEEe asks this important yet often difficult question for many companies to get right. If not, they face potential “legal, financial, and reputational risk.” This is an important issue that rears its ugly head far more today in the world of ever-changing import/export and tax liability: classifying your products properly. Despite what you believe to be the proper classification for your work product, you may still end up in hot water with the export authority, so manufacturers need to be sure. Didrick presents four core questions that should help a company figure out where they really stand. This is a must-read for business owners and managers.
Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘Atomic Habits’
Published June 3
I really enjoy Dan Beaulieu’s book reviews. He is a voracious reader (something I envy), and his short summaries give you just enough to make an informed decision about whether the book under discussion is a good read for me. In this case, I have read an abridged version of Atomic Habits, and loved it. James Clear “explains how habits compound, just like interest,” Dan writes. “You don’t see the results right away, which is why most people quit. But over time, those small improvements stack up into something significant.” If you need a boost in the productivity and organization columns, or if you just want to optimize your life for maximum productivity and effectiveness, I recommend this week’s book review.
Key Considerations When Selecting an Aqueous Cleaning Agent
Published June 4
“Cleaning is an under-appreciated, possibly under-considered step in the PCB assembly process,” declares Nolan Johson in his column for the June issue of SMT007 Magazine. In the feature article by Adam Klett of Kyzen Corporation, he declares that cleaning is not only important but has become even more critical in the era of highly dense designs and assemblies. Cleaning is at the forefront of the assembly discussion for HDI, UHDI, and advanced manufacturing assemblies. It should be taken seriously. Thus, choosing an aqueous cleaning agent to mitigate unwanted contamination is worth careful consideration. Adam explains several key things that assemblers should understand and reflect on before making that decision.
