-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- pcb007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueThe Growing Industry
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.
The Sustainability Issue
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.
The Fabricator’s Guide to IPC APEX EXPO
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.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - pcb007 Magazine
Rising Star Award Winner: Radu Diaconescu
April 5, 2021 | Radu Diaconescu, Swio.ioEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Last year’s IPC APEX EXPO, which took place in sunny San Diego, seems to have taken place in a different world. This was a world where talks were held in front of a large crowd, not a monitor, and travelling to the other side of the world wasn’t considered a reckless risk.
By February 2020, however, we were starting to grasp the seriousness of the situation. Back then, there were a lot of things that we didn’t know, and more importantly, there were a lot of things that we had no clue that we didn’t know. The concept of “knowing what you don’t know” or figuring out the areas where one lacks knowledge is probably as important as acquiring the knowledge itself.
Coming “back to the future” and attending the IPC APEX EXPO 2021 virtually, it seems that we as an industry start to finally understand and discover the things that we don’t know. From the integrity and resilience of our supply chain to the failed digital transformations of the past, it seems that the electronics manufacturing industry starts to realize that change is difficult, but also inevitable.
Changes, Revolutions, Evolutions
Ever since the term “Industry 4.0” was coined back in 2015-16, there were several technologies that seemed to lead the way to the “promised land” of transformation. We believed that big data, IoT, IIoT, AI, ML, autonomous vehicles and so many other technological advances would radically change our operations and deliver the holy grail of billions of dollars of savings. While being a firm believer in the benefits of all these technologies, the reality, as we were brutally reminded in the past 12 months, is much more complex. At the end of the day, to paraphrase Travis Hessman’s keynote speech, digital transformation was never supposed to be a revolution, but rather an evolution.
There’s no silver bullet that will magically solve all of our problems and I think the 56% of manufacturing companies that are still waiting for the right use case for digital transformation or the 60% of digitization projects stuck in the “proof of concept” stage are a testament to that. Revolutions are tough, but evolution is a continuous process. Instead of focusing on Industry 4.0, 5.0, or whatever might come next, we should adapt our mindset to one of a continuous evolution and treat digital transformation the same way we treat quality.
To read this entire article, which appeared in the 2021 edition of Show & Tell Magazine, click here.
Suggested Items
Elevating PCB Design Engineering With IPC Programs
04/24/2024 | Cory Blaylock, IPCIn a monumental stride for the electronics manufacturing industry, IPC has successfully championed the recognition of the PCB Design Engineer as an official occupation by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). This pivotal achievement not only underscores the critical role of PCB design engineers within the technology landscape, but also marks the beginning of a transformative journey toward nurturing a robust, skilled workforce ready to propel our industry into the future.
Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2024: Going Vertical: SCHMID's Advanced Solutions for Printed Circuit Boards
04/24/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOEditor Marcy LaRont chats with Bob Ferguson, the president of SCHMID, about advanced solutions for PCBs and the equipment they are highlighting at this year's show. He delves into vertical no-touch handling systems and the prospect of achieving sub-10-micron lines. Inspired by SCHMID's technology, Bob expresses excitement about where the industry is today.
Big Win for Defense Production Act Budget Allocation in FY24 Budget
04/23/2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamOne year ago, President Biden issued a determination that chips and packaging are critical for national security. Since that time, much work has been done to continue the conversation in Washington, elevating the importance of the entire chips value chain, and including printed circuit boards and substrates, without which chips cannot operate.
Zentech’s Board of Directors Announces the Return of Matt Turpin as President and CEO
04/22/2024 | Zentech ManufacturingTurpin draws upon over 35 years of experience in the electronics industry and has an 18-year history with Zentech. He previously served as President and CEO from 2006 to 2019 after which time he has remained active in the EMS industry as an advisor to Zentech and other industry organizations.
Aaron Woolf, Dylan Peterson Join SIA Team
04/22/2024 | SIAThe Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) announced Aaron Woolf and Dylan Peterson have joined the SIA team. Woolf will serve as director of global policy for economic security and Peterson will be a communications associate. SIA represents 99% of the U.S. semiconductor industry by revenue and nearly two-thirds of non-U.S. chip firms.