I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
February 23, 2024 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
It’s not spring, but we must be getting close. It was 70 yesterday here in Atlanta, and I was able to wear a Hawaiian shirt, shorts, and sandals for the first time this year. If you’re wearing a Hawaiian shirt, you know it’s going to be a good day.
It was a good week in PCB design and manufacturing as well. In this week’s wrap-up, we have news about an uptick in EMS shipments in January, a look at the current M&A climate, some guidance on investing in your company in order to stay competitive, a primer on designing with embedded capacitance materials, and a roadmap for the industry to embrace sustainable PCBs in the future.
As many of you have told me at recent trade shows, it's a good time to be in this industry. Have a good weekend!
Catching Up With Industry M&A Expert Tom Kastner of GP Ventures
Published February 21
Dan Beaulieu recently interviewed Tom Kastner, our resident mergers and acquisitions expert. Here they discuss the current M&A climate, and whether CFIUS (the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States) regulations prohibit Chinese companies from acquiring U.S. tech companies. (Apparently, yes.) Check it out.
Standard of Excellence: Moving Into the Future by Growing Your Technology
Published February 21
Is your company growing every day? As columnist Anaya Vardya points out here, in this industry, if you’re not growing, you’re dying. In this column, Anaya discusses the need for fabricators to invest in their businesses, and he lays out a roadmap for this investment as well.
Beyond Design: Embedded Capacitance Material
Published February 22
More and more designers are working with embedded components. If you’re considering moving into this arena, you probably have a lot of questions. In this column, Barry Olney addresses many of your concerns about embedded, particularly regarding signal integrity and embedded capacitance materials. On the plus side, embedding components often provides better signal integrity.
North American EMS Industry Up 2.6% in January 2024
Published February 23
Our industry seems to be in a pretty good spot right now. At trade shows, company managers from all sectors tell me that they’re optimistic about the rest of 2024, and this news backs up that confidence. With North American EMS shipments up 2.6% over the same period last year, things are looking good.
Recycling PCBs: How NCAB is Navigating Challenges and Embracing Opportunities
Published February 22
There’s been a lot of talk about sustainability in this industry, and each year we see more environmental regulations designed to steer manufacturers into producing sustainable PCBs. But as Jan Pedersen points out, regulations alone won’t get the job done. In this article, Jan discusses some of the technologies that he believes will lead us into a world of fully recyclable PCBs.
Suggested Items
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On the Line With… Talks With Cadence Expert on SI/PI for PCB Designers
05/02/2024 | I-Connect007In “PCB 3.0: A New Design Methodology—SI/PI for PCB Designers,” subject matter expert Brad Griffin, Cadence Design Systems, discusses how an intelligent system design methodology can move some signal and power integrity decision-making into the physical design space, offering real-time feedback.
The New Industry: Will the Growth Continue?
04/30/2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamHow sustainable are the primary financial models in the United States regarding PCB fabrication shops? In this interview with economic experts Shawn DuBravac and Tom Kastner, we explore what’s happening with U.S. printed circuit board shops in today’s market, how consolidation affects the industry, and what can be done.
TTM’s High Tech Expansion and Industry Innovation
04/30/2024 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineTom Edman has been the CEO of TTM Technologies since 2014 and has an extensive background in electronics and manufacturing. TTM is a leading global manufacturer of technology solutions, including mission systems, RF component and RF microwave microelectronics assemblies, and quick turn and advanced technology printed circuit boards.
U.S. Companies Invest Heavily in Robots
04/30/2024 | IFRManufacturing companies in the United States have invested heavily in more automation: total installations of industrial robots rose by 12% and reached 44,303 units in 2023. Number one adopter is the car industry followed by the electrical and electronics sector.