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I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

Today is Friday the 13th, and in much of Western folklore, this is a day when bad luck is lurking. But while Friday the 13th may top Western superstition charts, the global calendar is sprinkled with its own unlucky legends. In Spain and Greece, the bad juju lands on Tuesday the 13th—a day linked to Mars, the god of war, and naturally, chaos. In Italy, it’s Friday the 17th that is feared, thanks to the Roman numeral XVII, which can be rearranged to spell VIXI—Latin for “I have lived” (a poetic way of saying you’re dead).

IPC Hall of Fame Spotlight Series: Highlighting Bob Neves

Many IPC members who have contributed significantly to IPC and our industry have been awarded the IPC Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame (HOF) Award. This Hall of Fame spotlight features industry veteran Bob Neves, who joined IPC in 1986 and was inducted into the IPC Hall of Fame in 2007.

Preventing Surface Prep Defects and Ensuring Reliability

In printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication, surface preparation is a critical process that ensures strong adhesion, reliable plating, and long-term product performance. Without proper surface treatment, manufacturers may encounter defects such as delamination, poor solder mask adhesion, and plating failures. This article examines key surface preparation techniques, common defects resulting from improper processes, and real-world case studies that illustrate best practices.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

Maybe you’ve noticed that I’ve been taking to social media lately to about my five must-reads of the week. It’s just another way we’re sharing our curated content with you. I pay special attention to what’s happening in our industry, and I can help you know what’s most important to read about each week. Follow me (and I-Connect007) on LinkedIn to see these and other updates.

Efficiency Unleashed: Breaking Down Lean and Six Sigma

As a child in the late 1970s, I lived near Fremont, California, the home of the GM automotive manufacturing plant. At the time, GM had a terrible reputation for producing poor quality cars that were dwindling in popularity. I toured the GM plant while in elementary school. Each child received a pair of safety glasses before our group was escorted around the plant with our teacher. I remember seeing the car pieces on the line, and workers using blow torches to assemble the car together.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

I don’t have a scorecard, but I do have a weekly wrap-up of must-reads that I think deserve another “bite of the apple,” so to speak. IPC’s Rich Cappetto shares his perspective on everything from tariffs to the CHIPS Act. Columnist Josh Casper discusses the use of AI in 3D AOI systems and the immediate benefits that AI can bring about. Columnist Anaya Vardya explains how technologies like AI can improve our customer service, as well as our manufacturing processes.

Insights Into a Differentiating Trade/Investment Global Strategy for Electronics

To better understand the U.S. administration’s actions on global trade policies earlier this spring, Barry Matties and Nolan Johnson met with Richard Cappetto, IPC’s senior director of North American government relations, who highlighted both the challenges and opportunities available to U.S. companies in the recent trade activity. This could include increased domestic manufacturing and supply chain diversification.

U.S. Holiday: Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a U.S. federal holiday dedicated to remembering and grieving for military personnel who died serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Held on the last Monday of May, it also marks the unofficial start of summer.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

In the electronics manufacturing industry, the global PCB market is estimated to reach $86.5 billion by 2029, a 5.9% annual growth, per IPC’s Global Market Forecast, and the global new cycle is still being dominated by U.S. news. This week, we are talking about the status of the CHIPS Act and what the new tax and incentives bill does and does not include. We also take a minute for some marketing wisdom to shed light in a challenging and noisy market environment.

OKI Launches 124-Layer Circuit Board Technology

During PCB East, OKI Circuit Technology unveiled its latest innovation: a 124-layer printed circuit board. In this interview, “Dennie” Kazuo Kawahara, president of OKI Data Americas, and Eiichi Aki, sales and marketing specialist at OKI Circuit Technology, shared their insights into this feat. With plans for mass production starting in October, this board is designed for high-bandwidth memory applications, accommodating the demanding requirements of AI chips.

Key Insights on Photoresist for Defect Reduction

In PCB manufacturing, understanding the intricacies of the photoresist process is crucial for achieving high-quality results. Industry experts Josh Krick, a technical service engineer at IEC, and Tim Blair, a PCB imaging specialist at Tim Blair LLC, share their knowledge on the essential stages of photoresist application, highlight critical advancements in materials, and discuss common defects encountered during production. They share best practices and innovative solutions to enhance the manufacturing process, reduce defects, and ensure efficiency and reliability in high-tech applications.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

My picks for the week include—as a complement to the trade agreement news—SEMI's public support of a bill including new tax credit eligibility for semiconductor manufacturers. This provision feels quite similar to the current PCB investment bill that's been introduced to the current Congress; here’s hoping Congress takes a more holistic approach to electronics manufacturing. 

Pluritec: Growth Depends on Developing Next-gen Products

Maurizio Bonati, VP of sales at Pluritec, says a new generation of products has driven strong business performance and a significant backlog. However, there’s a concern about the potential negative impact of tariffs. Pluritec is taking proactive measures to minimize these effects by focusing on enhancing equipment capabilities, automating processes, and expanding customer support.

From DuPont to Qnity: A Bold Move in Electronics Materials

DuPont has announced the intended spinoff of a public independent electronics company, Qnity, which will serve as a solutions provider to the semiconductor and electronics industries to enhance competitiveness and innovation in advanced computing, smart technologies, and connectivity. In this interview, Jon Kemp, Qnity CEO-elect and current president of DuPont’s Electronics business, shares his insights on the strategic separation from DuPont.

Accurate Circuit Engineering: Be Nimble, Quick, and Open to Change

James Hofer, general manager of Accurate Circuit Engineering (ACE) in Southern California, shares his insights about his specialty, quick-turn company, the market, and the interesting times in which we find ourselves. James remains optimistic about bringing manufacturing back to the United States and takes great pride in the work that ACE does to support military, defense, and aerospace. As James looks toward a prosperous 2025, he reflects on his 40 years in the business and learning that the secret to success is not trying to be everything to everyone.

I-Connect007 Technical Library: Your Ultimate Free Knowledge Resource

I-Connect007’s technical library was created in 2016 with the launch of its first title, "The Printed Circuit Buyer’s Guide to AS9100 Certification." Created to satisfy a need for readily available, free technical resources, the library has become a powerful knowledge hub for the printed circuit board and electronics manufacturing supply chain.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

Trade show season is wrapping up as we head into summer. Where has the time gone? I hope you all get the chance to take a vacation this year, because I know you’ve earned one. Speaking of which, when was my last vacay? If I can’t remember, it’s probably time for one. It’s been a busy week in electronics, with fallout from the back-and-forth on tariffs taking up most of the oxygen in the room. We have quite an assortment of articles and columns for you in this installment of Must-Reads. See you next time.

Voices of the Industry: Alpha Circuit

Prashant Patel, founder and president of Alpha Circuit, takes a pragmatic approach to doing business: “Commerce always wins out,” he says. How will potential tariffs and shifts in the economy affect PCB manufacturing? Prashant offers sound advice.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

In our industry, this week’s must-read features include CEE’s Tom Yang and his perspective on having a global business amidst tariff talk and other challenges. Joe Fjelstadt talks to the “Flexperts,” Nick Koop of TTM and Mark Finstead of Flexible Circuit Technologies. Nolan Johnson interviews the McGucken Group about the importance of empathic leadership in BANI times. NCAB’s Ryan Miller writes about reliability and compliance for building PCBs for medical applications, and surprise, more news from Siemens.

Ensuring a Strong and Reliable Supply Chain

Kelly Davidson, vice president of NCAB Group USA, discusses the company's stable performance in 2024 and positive outlook for 2025. She highlights NCAB's strategy of organic growth and strategic acquisitions amidst tariff concerns and global political uncertainty. Kelly emphasizes the importance of supply chain diversification, strong supplier relationships, and customer education, and notes NCAB's focus on defense production and maintaining a reliable supply chain.

Choosing the Right Strategic Path

Tom Yang, CEO of CEE PCB, discusses the current economic challenges, noting reduced purchasing power post-pandemic. He highlights the growing demand for HDI in consumer electronics due to AI growth. Tom also expresses concerns about tariffs under the new U.S. administration, prompting CEE to diversify production locations, including new plants in Southeast Asia. He emphasizes the need for PCB manufacturers to adapt strategically amidst rising costs and fierce competition, particularly for mid-sized shops facing unique challenges in the industry.

Rising Star Award: Paavo Niskala, TactoTek

Paavo Niskala joined the IPC community in 2022 as part of the inaugural steering group for in-mold electronics. He led the development of standard IPC-8401, Guidelines for In-Mold Electronics, chairing the project from its inception to its publication in 2024. Currently, Paavo serves as vice chair of the D-84A Plastronics Accelerated Reliability Testing Task Group, contributing his expertise to advancing reliability standards in the field.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

I’m highlighting a discussion on the positive potential coming from the recent changes in global trade policy—from IPC’s Government Relations team, and from TTM CEO Tom Edman. In the realm of designers and purchasers realm, there’s news from Screaming Circuits and ASC/Sunstone Circuits to share. Finally, additive manufacturing and the release of CFX 2.0 highlight just some of the news coming to the shop floor as well.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Empowering IPC North Asia—Leadership and Future Goals

Nolan Johnson catches up with Sydney Xiao, the IPC North Asia President, who leads a team covering China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea. IPC's North Asia regions 800 members are focusing on standards, training, and advocacy to enhance quality and profitability. The adoption of IPC standards by Toyota in 2021 highlights this increased regional engagement. IPC prioritizes workforce development, with over 7,000 professionals in certification programs and school partnerships.

Learning to Speak ‘Fab’

Over the years, I’ve seen many PCB designers make DFM mistakes. At DownStream, I work with design and fabrication, and sometimes it feels as if the two segments are speaking completely different languages. But once designers learn to speak “fab,” many of these DFM challenges disappear.
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