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In this issue of PCB007 Magazine, we talk with leading economic experts, advocacy specialists in Washington, D.C., and PCB company leadership to get a well-rounded picture of what’s happening in the industry today. Don’t miss it.
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Sustainability is one of the most widely used terms in business today, especially for electronics and manufacturing but what does it mean to you? We explore the environmental, business, and economic impacts.
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This issue previews many of the important events taking place at this year's show and highlights some changes and opportunities. So, buckle up. We are counting down to IPC APEX EXPO 2024.
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I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
March 11, 2022 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
It’s Friday, and I’ve spent the last few days breaking in my new laptop. It’s a Mac, and it’s been a while since I used one of these.
It occurred to me that the last time I used a Mac, there was no email and no internet. I was editor of my college newspaper. I had just voted for Clinton, because that’s what you did in your 20s. We had Apple Classic II monitors with screens the size of a postcard, and we were on the cutting edge of desktop publishing.
Students submitted articles on 3.5” loppy disks or on notebook paper, sometimes written in pencil. That’s where I learned to edit, and to do it quickly. We won awards every year. Good times.
Now I’m on a new MacBook Air, and it’s slamming fast. It just feels tight, like nothing was left to chance. After 30 years of Microsoft equipment, I’m accustomed to computers that just freeze up for no reason. But this Mac just works the way it should. What a concept!
So, it’s been a good week, and a busy week in our industry as well. As we head into the weekend, enjoy a variety of recently published articles and columns. See you next time.
Institute of Circuit Technology: A Novel Approach to Recycling PCBs
Published March 10
We all love our cool electronic devices, but we can’t keep tossing them into landfills when they wear out. Editor Pete Starkey brings us a great review of an ICT webinar that focused on the technical and regulatory problems associated with recycling electronics. Presented during the organization’s annual meeting on March 2, this webinar featured speakers Emma Hudson, Jack Herring, and Colin Martin.
Planning Your Design Education Strategy
Published March 9
Once you land a job as a PCB designer, you realize that you need to continue your education and training throughout your career. But where do you start? We asked Eric Bogatin to share his thoughts on setting up your lifelong design education strategy. As a college professor and a signal integrity instructor, Eric has a pretty circumspect viewpoint on this topic.
IPC APEX EXPO From a College Student’s Perspective
Published March 8
One of the highlights of IPC APEX EXPO 2022 was seeing all the young people who have recently joined our industry. One of these is Hannah Nelson, an electrical engineering major at Valparaiso University. In this article, Hannah discusses her role as the new student director on the IPC Board of Directors, and some of her takeaways from IPC APEX EXPO 2022.
Smart Factory Insights: CFX IIoT Open-Source Hardware
Published March 9
IPC’s Connected Factory Exchange standard (CFX) is taking manufacturing to the next level, but much of the industry is still using old, “dumb” equipment. If a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, can CFX become fully optimized with these older machines? In this column, Michael Ford explains how CFX can actually bring out the best in your not-so-new equipment and provide visibility across the shop floor.
It’s Only Common Sense: A Frictionless Future
Published March 7
Is impatience a good thing? It can certainly lead to some positive outcomes. In this column, Dan Beaulieu addresses our need to have everything right now, and how this impatience is driving companies in our industry to do better each day. And don’t say it can’t be done. As Dan points out, “Every time someone says that something is impossible, a damn fool goes out and does it.”
Suggested Items
Seeking Employment: Meet Parker Capers
04/18/2024 | Barry Matties, I-Connect007Parker Capers, a cybersecurity professional with a decade of experience in the SMT industry, earned a bachelor’s degree from DeVry and is CompTIA Security Plus certified. He is open to various industries but has a strong affinity for manufacturing due to extensive familiarity. Parker appreciates smaller companies where personal connections matter. Are you hiring?
SEMI Applauds CHIPS Program Office Progress to Diversify U.S. Semiconductor Industry Workforce
04/18/2024 | SEMIThe SEMI Foundation, the arm of SEMI dedicated to supporting economic opportunity for workers and the sustained growth of the microelectronics industry by creating pathways and opportunities for job seekers, applauded strides made by the CHIPS Program Office to diversify the U.S. semiconductor industry workforce and its release of the First Annual Report Regarding the Opportunities and Inclusion Activities Undertaken by the Department of Commerce.
VDMA: Machine Vision Navigating Through Uncertain Times
04/18/2024 | VDMAFor over a decade, the European machine vision industry has reported steady growth, with turnover increasing by an average of 9 percent annually between 2012 and 2022. Despite a temporary setback in 2020 (minus 4 percent) due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the industry rebounded strongly in 2021 (plus 17 percent) and 2022 (plus 11 percent).
IPC Bestows Posthumous Hall of Fame Award to Industry Icon Michael Ford
04/18/2024 | IPCIPC honored the late Michael Ford, Aegis Software, for his extraordinary contributions to the global electronics manufacturing industry with the IPC Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame Award at IPC APEX EXPO 2024. IPC’s most prestigious honor, the Hall of Fame Award is given to individuals who have provided exceptional service and advancement to IPC and the electronics industry. Ford, an industry leader and valued IPC volunteer, died suddenly in January 2024.
On the Line With... Podcast Talks With Cadence Expert on Manufacturing
04/18/2024 | I-Connect007In “PCB 3.0: A New Design Methodology: Manufacturing” Patrick Davis returns to the podcast to talk about design rules. As design considerations become more and more complex, so, too, do the rulesets designers must abide by.