John W. Mitchell: Fire Your Hiring Habits

On the Wednesday of IPC APEX EXPO week, IPC President and CEO Dr. John W. Mitchell stylishly delivered his keynote address, “Fire Your Hiring Habits!” to a packed ballroom full of round tables all immaculately laid for a sit-down lunch.

Advancing in a New Era

What goes down must also come up. This is not the idiom we’re used to hearing, but I’d like to apply it to IPC APEX EXPO 2023. After a few years of lower attendance numbers due to the COVID pandemic, 2023 ushered in a re-invigorated group of attendees, exhibitors, speakers, event contractors, and staff to the show floor and meeting rooms. IPC APEX EXPO 2023 was fueled by the possibilities of new advances in electronics manufacturing.

A Promising Future for Automation

This year, I had the great opportunity to come to IPC APEX EXPO in San Diego as a contributing member in Chemcut’s booth. Being an exhibitor is always interesting because you never know what you will learn or who you will meet. Truly, it seems that every IPC APEX EXPO is an eye-opening experience. This was the second show I attended, and last year I was amazed to see how in-depth and interconnected the electronics industry is. Seeing how many different companies contribute to manufacturing today’s core technology never fails to impress me.

Optimizing Communication Between Fabricators and Designers

During DesignCon, I spoke with James Hofer from Accurate Circuit Engineering about some of his customers' biggest challenges. We discussed various ways to increase the level—and quality—of communication between designers and fabricators. James also offered some interesting observations about bridging the gap between designer and fabricator. How often do you communicate with your fabricator?

The Summit View of the Marketplace

Investments, staffing, cybersecurity, and a peek into his crystal ball—John Vaughan, vice president of strategic markets at Summit Interconnect, sits down with Nolan Johnson to talk about it all. Business is good, by the way, thanks to Summit’s portfolio of military contracts, and he has sound advice to offer for smaller shops in the United States, and their real ability to make a difference in PCB fabrication.

The Automated Future of PCB Fabrication

I have always felt that automation has the potential to make a big difference in our PCB industry, especially domestically, where labor is at premium. For the past year, I have been looking for the story of how automation can and will make a significant difference in established PCB shops. I was fortunate enough to find that story in Multicircuits, located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Only a few short years ago, this company was considered a “plain vanilla” PCB fabricator holding its own in our industry; now it has suddenly assumed a true leadership position in the industry in terms of capability, technology, operations, and profitability.

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

The captive shop used to be the rule, not the exception. Until outsourcing caught on, that is. North American captive shops went the way of the dodo bird, and the PCB market hasn’t been the same since. Even R&D went out the window, or offshore, if you want to be technical about it. But Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) is something of a wild card. The company recently opened a new captive facility in Idaho, and the industry is paying close attention.

Sarah Czaplewski-Campbell: Ready to Take Flight

Sarah Czaplewski-Campbell, a materials/product development engineer at IBM, shares her experiences as a young professional who has benefited from the guidance of seasoned mentors alongside her own unflagging drive to expand her industry knowledge. She offers poignant advice for prospective professionals, urging them to assertively seek out advice and experiences that will help them progress in their careers.

Runner-up Discusses IPC Design Competition

PCB designer Adam Thorvaldson of Innovex was a finalist in this year’s IPC Design Competition at IPC APEX EXPO. He came in second place in this final heat, which is quite a feat, considering that the contest started last fall with 49 contestants from around the globe. We asked Adam to share his thoughts on the competition, what it means to be one of the winners, and any ideas about improving the contest for 2024 in Anaheim.

ICT Seminar 2023 Review: Energy, Thermals, and Assistive Technology

Widely believed to be the traditional Centre of England, Meriden was a popular venue for a gathering of the UK printed circuit community this month. They braved the forecast of heavy snow for the Institute of Circuit Technology’s annual general meeting to learn about current developments and challenges in a thought-provoking technical seminar and to network with industry peers and contemporaries. Thankfully, the forecasted heavy snowfall did not reach Meriden until after the event; we only had a few flurries, although the weather caused considerable disruption elsewhere in the country.

Paige Fiet: Forging a New Path

As a young industry professional, Paige Fiet, a process engineer at TTM Logan, sees mentorship as a formative component of her success in IPC. Alongside the support and guidance of her mentors, Paige has distinguished herself as an emerging leader who brings a fresh perspective to the many topics currently of interest to the industry.

Six Money-saving Material Properties When Designing PCB Stackups

Stackup decisions are critical to every PCB and electronic product, but they don’t always get the attention they deserve. With better stackup planning focusing on six key parameters, designers can select the best materials early in the design process and minimize the risk of under- and overdesigning their PCB.

Thomas Marktscheffel: Collaboratively Revitalizing the Industry

Thomas Marktscheffel, director of product management software solutions at ASMPT GmbH & Co. KG, reflects on the evolution of industry-wide standards and how his multidisciplinary approach to the development of CFX has been crucial to its success. With the advent of digitalization, cultivating a collaborative spirit is now more than ever an essential component of standards development. Patty Goldman recently spoke with Thomas about what this award mean to him

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

I try to not talk about the weather in this space, but this week I feel compelled. I’m based in the Pacific Northwest, and we’re relatively used to it being wet and rainy. But just south of us in California, the state has gone from what I read has been called the driest period in the West in the past 1,200 years to a right proper drenching. This week’s news cycle felt like one of those California-style “atmospheric rivers.” There was so much worthy reporting worthy that I was a bit overwhelmed in making my final selections. Suffice it to say that, this week, there is quite a bit of news that’s worth your time to read.

Shrinking Silicon, Growing Signal Integrity Challenges

What happens when die sizes shrink? As IPC design instructor Kris Moyer explains, quite a bit. Shrinking silicon can mean rising signal speed and rise times, and traditional PCB designers may find themselves dealing with problems formerly only seen by RF engineers. We asked Kris to discuss the pros and cons of silicon shrinkage and some of the techniques and trade-offs that PCB designers and design engineers need to understand as they find themselves entering the RF arena.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: Importance of Additive Manufacturing

Nolan Johnson meets with Luca Gautero, product manager at SUSS MicroTec, developer of the SUSS JETx solder mask printer. Luca discusses why additive manufacturing is important and the role SUSS plays in this area.

Schweitzer: The Captive Partnership

In this conversation with Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, we spoke with John Hendrickson, engineering director; Frank Harrill, vice president of security; and Jessi Hall, senior director of vertical engineering. We wanted to learn more about the best practices they developed while specifying, selecting, and preparing to install an entire facility’s worth of equipment all at the same time.

Curtis Grosskopf: Lasting Connections Fuel Progress

Dieter Bergman IPC Fellowship Award winner Curtis Grosskopf, a senior engineer at IBM, reflects on the evolution of IPC committees and the vital importance of their work, especially in collaboratively creating industry-wide standards to guide the work of professionals in every sector. This commitment to multidisciplinary cooperation is a mindset that should be fostered at the start of every career.

Meet Henry Crandall: New IPC Student Board Member

Barry Matties sits down with Henry Crandall, the newly minted Student Board Member on the IPC Board of Directors, to talk about how Henry became the first PhD student in electrical engineering in his family, as well as how his role on the IPC Board will allow him to represent the voices of students and young professionals interested in shaping the future of both IPC and the industry.

A Week-long Industry Extravaganza

We were back in San Diego, maybe for a “long vacation,” as IPC APEX EXPO is in Anaheim next year. Before we get to Anaheim, though, let’s talk about the show: It was a great week. I spent Sunday and Monday visiting some excellent Professional Development courses. As you know, this is a fast-changing industry, and we have to keep learning to stay ahead. On Monday, I attended the Microvia Weak Interface/Reliability subcommittee, and on Tuesday, the Ultra-HDI Technology Committee.

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

It’s been a busy week in our industry. We have a duke’s mixture of news and columns in this week’s Editor’s Choice, starting off with some good news for the American electronics manufacturing industry. In his State of the Union speech, President Biden signaled his support for the CHIPS Act and the U.S. electronics industry, and he promised that Washington would put its money where its mouth is this time. Is it going to happen? Don’t bet the rent money.

Shrinking Silicon, EMI, and SI

Dr. Todd Hubing is a longtime EMC instructor, president of LearnEMC, and a professor emeritus of the Electrical and Computer Engineering program at Clemson University. I asked Todd to discuss the challenges that shrinking silicon can present for traditional PCB designers, as well as the opportunities and benefits of smaller chip features.

Time to ‘Finish the Job’ on PCB Funding

In his State of the Union address in early February, President Biden departed from his usual topics about education and the economy to mention the new CHIPS Act, as well as supply chain and infrastructure issues. For perspective on those remarks, Nolan Johnson chats with David Schild, executive director of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America (PCBAA).

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: The Growing Demand for Automation

Nolan Johnson talks with Jeff Brandman of TFE and Moritz Hertfelder of ERBO about the growing demand for vacuum systems and automation in PCB facilities. Jeff and Moritz shared information on their solutions to meet this need.

IPC APEX EXPO Keynote Review: Shawn DuBravac

During an excellent packed-house luncheon on the Monday of IPC APEX EXPO 2023, IPC Chief Economist Shawn DuBravac gave a keynote address titled, “What's New in Tech: The Micro Trends Defining the Future of Electronics,” with an introduction by IPC President and CEO John W. Mitchell.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: IPC Offers Free Training Courses

Guest editor Hannah Nelson speaks with IPC’s David Hernandez about new benefits IPC members can expect in its training programs. These complimentary courses will help workforce development and companies to reduce training costs and standardize training across their organizations.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: IPC's Sustainability Initiative

Michelle Te talks with Dr. Kelly Scanlon about IPC's Sustainability for Electronics Initiative, which will provide direction and ensure realistic and appropriate tools for the electronics manufacturing industry.

A First Look at IPC-CFX Box for Legacy Equipment

Although the prevalence of IPC-CFX in the electronics manufacturing industry has increased since the standard’s launch in spring 2019, the committee responsible for the standard has recognized legacy equipment in the field as a significant barrier to widespread industry adoption. To address this, an A-Team under the IPC-CFX Standard Task Group spent the past year working on a project that provides simple, readily available IPC-CFX hardware with supporting SDK that can act as an IPC-CFX endpoint for existing legacy equipment.

Alpha Takes the Greenfield Route

Alpha Circuit is a PCB fabricator located in Elmhurst, Illinois. Given that the launch of a new PCB fab is a rare occasion these days, we caught up with the senior team—Prashant Patel, president and CEO; Steve Smith, general manager; Steve Ryan, sales and direct support—guiding the buildout of Alpha Circuit’s brand new 44,000 square foot facility. They discuss what goes into equipment selection and line design, and the timing couldn’t have been better. At press time, the new facility was on schedule for test production by the end of January 2023.

A Post-show Marketing Plan

After you’ve exhibited at a trade show, then the work really begins. Where do you begin? How do you best capitalize on the leads and other contacts you’ve made? We asked Kiki Shimomae, sales and marketing coordinator for Taiyo, to discuss her pre- and post-show plans for a show like IPC APEX EXPO, and the importance of staying visible on social media.

EIPC Winter Conference 2023, Day 2 Review

Day 2 of the EIPC Winter Conference at the Groupama Stadium in the Décines-Charpieu region of the Metropolis of Lyon in eastern France included a privileged visit to the Bugey Nuclear Power Plant for those who were registered and passed their security clearance. Such was the interest that the party was split into morning and afternoon groups. EIPC board member Martyn Gaudion, CEO of Polar Instruments, made a fine job of moderating Session 6 twice over.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: SVHC and REACH’s Effect on Solder Mask

Pete Starkey and Ashley Steers of Electra Polymer discuss SVHC, REACH and changes to solder mask processes and products.

EIPC Winter Conference 2023: Day 1 Review

The EIPC Winter Conference returned to the Metropolis of Lyon in eastern France this month. In 2018, the venue was Villeurbanne in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Five years later the setting was the Groupama Stadium in Décines-Charpieu, and leaders of the European printed circuit community gathered in expectation of a spectacular programme of 16 presentations, a visit to a nuclear power station, and an invaluable networking opportunity. They weren’t disappointed.

Another Successful STEM Outreach

The IPC Education Foundation (IPCEF) hosted its annual STEM Outreach Event over the course of two days at IPC APEX EXPO 2023 in San Diego, accommodating more than 550 students on Wednesday, Jan. 25 and Thursday, Jan. 26. This was IPCEF’s largest event to date. The event created awareness of the many careers available in the electronics manufacturing industry and helped future talent engage and connect with industry professionals.

Coreen Blaylock: Opening Doors for New Professionals

Coreen Blaylock, recipient of the IPC Excellence in Education Award, is project management and ping operations at Lockheed Martin. She shares her unconventional introduction to the industry and how her work in STEM education and building industry partnerships has been instrumental in reinvigorating the manufacturing workforce. Lockheed Martin’s commitment to continuous education has provided veterans and displaced workers the training and financial support they need to be successful in our exciting industry.

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

This week, I used my super sleuthing skills to select news and articles that are both driven by numbers and themes. Let’s see if my selection matches up with yours. We know our readers are opening our daily and weekly newsletters, scanning the important news of the day. The numbers tell me that. But it’s the content within those clicks that help me lock in on a clear line of thought. This week, the topic of the week: investments.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: PFAS and TSCA Regulations

IPC’s Suhani Chitalia sits down with Pete Starkey to discuss PFAS regulations in the U.S. and TSCA in the EU. Also discussed is U.S. reporting and record keeping requirements for EU REACH updates.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: The Supply Chain and Markets

Ventec International Group COO EMEA Mark Goodwin gives Pete Starkey a comprehensive overview of what’s new at Ventec.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: PCB Automation

Robert (Bob) Berg, vice president of business development at Matrix Electronics, talks about PCB automation trends with guest editor Jesse Vaughan. He also talks about upcoming issues, including retrofitting new process automation solutions with existing equipment and process footprint, and recommendations for implementation.

The Industry Is Back and Better Than Ever

To say that anticipation had been building prior to this show would be an understatement. Bearing in mind the various unknowns as we emerge from the worst of the pandemic, IPC APEX EXPO 2023 stood apart as a beacon of cautious optimism. Overall, I don’t think anyone left the show disappointed. There was a real air of resurgence on the show floor related to the many new technologies, innovations, materials, and Smart manufacturing solutions being developed in the industry.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: Arlon's Growth Continues

In this interview, Andy Shaughnessy meets with Mark Carlson, global OEM marketing manager for Arlon EMC, to discuss Arlon’s expansion and integration with EMC, as well as products they are releasing in 2023.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: Emergence of Printed Electronics in Circuits

Nolan Johnson speaks with Kevin Miller of Insulectro about the emergence of printed electronics in circuit interconnects.

Show & Tell Magazine: Reflecting on Another Unforgettable Year

There’s always a sense of heightened expectation as we prepare for another show, and then a bit of a collective sigh when it’s over—a sigh of relief, maybe, but mostly a sigh of contentment at another job well done. Thank you for a week of unforgettable memories. The close of the show also means it’s time for our annual Real Time with… Show & Tell Magazine, the only post-show guide you’ll need. Why? Because it isn’t just a comprehensive look at what happened at the show—it’s so much more. We have exclusive interviews with IPC award winners, thoughtful observations on the show from industry leaders, pages of image galleries, special STEM event coverage, and a complete listing of the nearly 80 Real Time with … interviews conducted and posted during the show.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: Industry Trends With American Standard Circuits

PCB fabricator Anaya Vardya and guest editor Geoff Leeds discuss important developments at American Standard Circuits and a variety of industry trends.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: IPS Investing in People

Mike Brask, president of Integrated Process Systems (IPS), discusses his success in recruiting new employees, as well as training and empowering them to support the manufacture and installation of the company's range of automated wet processes and material handling systems.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: The Buzz About Automation

Lino Sousa of Pluritec explains to Pete Starkey that with all the buzz about "automation," PCB manufacturers need to consider automation in a broader context and understand how to take real advantage of its capability.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: We Can All Learn Something

Dylan Nguyen speaks with Charlene Gunter du Plessis, senior director, IPC Education Foundation, about careersinelectronics.com, a newly designed information-driven, industry-focused career website from the IPC Education Foundation.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: Highlights of a Successful Tech Conference

IPC chief technologist and vice president of tech solutions Matt Kelly visits with Nolan Johnson to share his immediate feedback on the Technical Conference at IPC APEX EXPO 2023, as well as other ongoing technical programs and highlights from the show.

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

This week, we published a variety of articles, columns, and news items. But let’s have a special round of applause for Reps. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Blake Moore (R-UT), two members of the House of Representatives who sent the DoD a letter detailing the need for more production of PCBs and IC substrates in the United States. Republicans and Democrats have been mixing like oil and water lately, so it’s promising to see these two reach across the aisle and try to get something accomplished for the greater good.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: Overseas Production

David Bishop, south regional sales director at ICAPE Group, talks with Andy Shaughnessy about overseas production, specifically out of China, as they respond to customer demand.

Real Time with... IPC APEX 2023: Flex Innovation

Casey Krueger from MKS Instruments speaks with Andy Shaughnessy about increasing yields and via quality in high-volume production manufacturing. They also discuss innovations in flex and improving the material work surface to increase via quality, and their integration with MKS’ Atotech, a company MKS acquired in 2021.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: DART NextGen Technology

Brendan Hogan from MivaTek Global describes recent developments in direct imaging technology, particularly the capability to achieve on-the-fly scaling and feature-size control with digital adaptive rasterization technology (DART).

Printed Circuit Boards Have Champions on Capitol Hill

House Resolution 7677 from the 2021/22 Congressional session may have run out of time before the election cycle, but that hasn’t ended the effort to help fund the printed circuit board industry alongside the semiconductor industry. IPC vice president of global government relations, Chris Mitchell, shared this letter, sent to DOD on Wednesday by Reps. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Blake Moore (R-UT), which insists DOD must “leverage all available resources, including the use of Title III of the Defense Production Act (DPA), to increase domestic production of PCBs and IC substrates.”

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: Reduction Assisted Immersion Gold

In this interview, Richard DePoto, business development manager at Uyemura, explains how his company has overcome the challenges presented by world circumstances during the past two years, and discusses developments in specialist metallic finishes to benefit high-frequency and high-reliability applications.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: PCBAA Legislative Update

PCBAA Chairman Travis Kelly and Editor Nolan Johnson discuss the association’s activities, including legislation in the range of $3 to $5 billion that follows the CHIPS Act, and why Congress needs to support the PCB industry as they did the semiconductor segment.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: Challenges of New Product Development

John Ekis, market segment director, Aerospace and Defense, Rogers Corporation, discusses with Pete Starkey the importance of close applications engineering relationships in understanding and responding to the requirements and challenges of specialist new product development.

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

We have new projects in the U.S. Army space programs, research on gold thickness and solderability, a call for papers throughout 2023 from SMTA, an investment in Korean facilities by ASM, and an adjustment in TTM’s assignation with the U.S. DoD. All together, these five must-reads represent the hurtling trajectory that R&D seems to be following in 2023.

TTM Technologies Reports Fiscal Q4, 2022 Results

TTM Technologies, Inc., a leading global manufacturer of technology solutions including engineered systems, radio frequency (RF) components and RF microwave/microelectronic assemblies, and printed circuit boards (PCB), reported results for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2022, which ended on January 2, 2023.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: Latest Trends in High-end Lamination Processes

Ralph Jacobo of all4-PCB discusses consumable products for high-end lamination processes with Pete Starkey. Ralph talks about reusable press pads and release films capable of the high temperatures associated with the bonding of high-frequency materials.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: Flat Flex Cable a Potentially Disruptive Idea

Managing Editor Andy Shaughnessy and Jason Michaud, VP of sales and marketing for Miraco, discuss the company's flat flex cable, which could replace the flexible circuit in certain situations. Jason explains why the company is happy to offer customers less expensive options, even if it costs them money in the short run.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: Automotive Electrification

Nolan Johnson talks with Senior Product Manager Chris Nash of Indium Corporation, who discusses Durafuse LT, a novel solder paste mixed alloy system with highly versatile characteristics that enable energy savings, high-reliability, low-temperature, step soldering, and assemblies with large temperature gradients. It also provides superior drop shock performance to conventional low-temperature solders, outclassing BiSn or BiSnAg alloys, and performing better than SAC305 with optimum process setup.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: Front-end Automation Solutions

Guest editor Chris Bonsell interviews Anthony Faraci from DIS Inc. about the optical lay-up of multilayers and optical alignment of rigid-flex boards. Over the last few years, DIS has redesigned their product line and introduced a robotic serialized pinless solution. If you were unable to attend IPC APEX EXPO 2023, don't worry. We're bringing you coverage of the week's events in San Diego, from ribbon cutting to teardown.

Why Gold Layer Thickness in ENIG Matters for Soldering

The main task of the final finish is to protect the copper pad from tarnishing or oxidation while simultaneously keeping the surface active for the assembly. Electroless nickel/immersion gold (ENIG) is a widely accepted finish in the market that provides a good solderability and capability for Al-wire bonding. A main function of the gold layer is to prevent the oxidation of the nickel layer.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: EMS Leadership Discussion

Guest editor Geoff Leeds meets with John Vaughan of Summit Interconnect to discuss his participation representing the PCB industry on the supply chain panel at the EMS Leadership Summit and the DoD roundtable, as well as trends he’s seeing in those market segments.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: Next-Generation Personnel

Pete Starkey talks with Chris Hrusovsky of International Electronic Components (IEC) about the work they have done with their business partners, Sigma Mecer & ASS-Luippold, and the next generation of personnel within IEC. If you were unable to attend IPC APEX EXPO 2023, don't worry. We're bringing you coverage of the week's events in San Diego, from ribbon cutting to teardown.

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

It’s Feb. 3, 2023—2/3/23—and now we know the results of yesterday’s Groundhog weather forecast straight from Gobbler’s Knob in Pennsylvania. Punxsutawney Phil says six more weeks of winter. If you’re watching the ongoing ice storms blanketing much of the United States at present, that seems like a safe bet. Also a safe bet is that the most-read news this week is IPC APEX EXPO related. Additionally, this week IPC published its EMS and PCB numbers for December. All told, lots of industry news to read this week.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: Wise Continues Expansion With Technica Partnership

Andy Shaughnessy sits down with Massimo Passerini, founder of Wise, and Technica's Jason Perry, to discuss Wise's latest PCB manufacturing automation. They also focus on the company's distributor partnership with Technica, which is moving into the PCB fab market. If you were unable to attend IPC APEX EXPO 2023, don't worry. We're bringing you coverage of the week's events in San Diego, from ribbon cutting to teardown.

Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2023: Coating With Robotic Technology

Paige Fiet sits down with Steve Keller of Taiyo America to discuss the benefits of using robotic technology such as Taiyo Circuit Automation's AT-100 for coating PCBs. If you were unable to attend IPC APEX EXPO 2023, don't worry. We're bringing you coverage of the week's events in San Diego, from ribbon cutting to teardown.

The Impact of Chip Packaging

When talking about chip packaging impacts on substrates and electronic manufacturing services (EMS) providers, the focus mostly lies on large packages and very high I/O, fine pitch components; rightly so in most cases. However, several current packaging trends offer a new path forward to simplification and, thereby, cost reduction in both the printed wiring board (PWB) and EMS supply chains.

Don't Blink: The IPC APEX EXPO Time-lapse

It’s a tradition here at I-Connect007 to set up a time-lapse for IPC APEX EXPO. There’s something satisfying, mesmerizing even, to watch the show floor build out and see the moment when the doors open and visitors fill the exhibit hall. Based on what others have said over the years, I know I’m not the only one whose favorite part is when the carpet gets rolled out and the whole character of the exhibition changes. This time lapse starts on the Saturday prior and continues through the Thursday tear-down phase.

DFM 101: Final Finishes—Electrolytic Nickel/Gold

One of the biggest challenges facing PCB designers is not understanding the cost drivers in the PCB manufacturing process. This article is the latest in a series that will discuss these cost drivers (from the PCB manufacturer’s perspective) and the design decisions that will impact product reliability.

IPC APEX EXPO Wrap-up

IPC APEX EXPO 2023 is over, and I think it was a successful show no matter how you slice it. There was barely a break in traffic on the show floor on Tuesday and Wednesday, and even on Thursday I saw people sprinting to close one more deal. Some committee meetings had nearly 200 participants; the meetings I sat in on were anything but boring.

NIST Resources for CHIPS Act Participants

At the recent IPC Advanced Packaging Symposium, Dr. Frank W. Gayle, deputy director of the Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office, an interagency team with core staff hosted at the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), gave a presentation on the work NIST has recently undertaken in support of both the semiconductor and R&D sectors, and the CHIPS and Science Act.

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

This week, the IPC APEX EXPO event has cast a long shadow across the news feeds. No, that’s not the right metaphor. No, not a shadow; shadows are dark. It would be more accurate to say IPC APEX EXPO cast a beam of illumination upon the news feeds for the electronics manufacturing industry. To that end, the APEX EXPO news makes a prominent appearance in this week’s editor’s picks.

Advanced Packaging Means Advanced Routing Issues

In today’s ever-shrinking world of electronics designs, the use of BGA parts with very fine pitch features is becoming more prevalent. As these fine-pitch BGAs continue to increase in complexity and user I/O (number of balls), the difficulty of finding escape routes and fan-out patterns increases. Additionally, with the shrinking of silicon geometry leading to both smaller channel length and increased signal integrity issues, some of the traditional BGA escape routing techniques will require a revisit and/or adjustment to allow for not only successful fan-out, but also successful functioning of the circuitry of the BGA design.