-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- design007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueLevel Up Your Design Skills
This month, our contributors discuss the PCB design classes available at IPC APEX EXPO 2024. As they explain, these courses cover everything from the basics of design through avoiding over-constraining high-speed boards, and so much more!
Opportunities and Challenges
In this issue, our expert contributors discuss the many opportunities and challenges in the PCB design community, and what can be done to grow the numbers of PCB designers—and design instructors.
Embedded Design Techniques
Our expert contributors provide the knowledge this month that designers need to be aware of to make intelligent, educated decisions about embedded design. Many design and manufacturing hurdles can trip up designers who are new to this technology.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - design007 Magazine
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
March 18, 2022 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
This week seems jam-packed with holidays, both major and minor, doesn’t it? We started with “International Pi Day” on March 14. With all the obligatory pricing specials on most all things “pie” here in the U.S., suffice it to say, I’ve got a short stack bake-at-home pizza “pi” in my freezer, thanks to the one-day-only sales price of $3.14. Personally, I’m glad they didn’t make the promotional price = pizza diameter * Pi.
Then there was March 15, the Ides of March. Not so much a holiday as a notable day in history. Though, I guess if you’re a supporter of Roman Senate uprisings, it’s a still a day to celebrate. March 15 also happens to be my mom’s birthday, so for my family it’s a holiday. Happy birthday, Mom!
Plus, the U.S. is all in a tizzy about “March Madness.” For our readers who are unfamiliar, March Madness refers to the NCAA college basketball championship series. The structure is a single-game elimination bracket, starting with 32 teams and ending with the crowned champ. To get a sense of the excitement, imagine World Cup soccer compressed into 29 games spanning just over a week. It’s a sports fan frenzy.
And then… ho, boy, St Patrick’s Day on March 17. Wear the green. Get a touch o’ the Blarney, everybody. As my Norwegian American friend, Erik, said this week, “On St. Paddy’s Day, everybody is a little Irish. Except the Norwegians; we’re still Norwegian.” Irish or not, March 17 is a holiday that touches many of us in some way or another. Even if it’s just to cause us all to reflect on our own respective cultural heritages.
In the news this week, there was much to consider. Hot on the heels of our March issue of SMT007 Magazine, “The State of the Industry,” where we investigated governmental strategic investment around the globe. And this week, we saw news of forward progress. Intel investing not just in the U.S., but also in the EU; the U.S. Congress passing a bill that includes funding for lead-free R&D; a conversation with Alison James from IPC Europe, published in March SMT007; additive/semi-additive implementation work at Calumet; and a RF design/simulation conversation with Ben Jordan. So, if you were too busy observing all the holidays, this week’s top picks has just what you need to keep you informed.
Electronics Industry Praises Congress for Providing $7.5 Million for Lead-Free Electronics R&D
Published March 15
The U.S. Senate last night approved an FY 2022 spending package that contains $7.5 million for further research and development on lead-free electronics in defense and high-performance applications. IPC’s Chris Mitchell’s comments on the approval of this bill can be found in the news item here.
Intel Announces Initial Investment of Over €33 Billion for R&D and Manufacturing in EU
Published March 17
The Intel announcement slates up to 80 billion euros to be invested along the entire semiconductor manufacturing chain—including packaging—over the next 10 years. Some details are included in this article; learn more about where Intel plans to invest this money.
Lean on Me: A U.S.–Europe Partnership
Published March 14
Just a couple days prior to the Intel announcement (above) we ran my interview with IPC Europe’s Alison James. In this conversation, Alison talks to the need for an expanded manufacturing chain downstream from the semiconductor fabs. These two pieces, put together, illustrate the need, vision, and implementation under way in Europe.
Calumet is Bullish on Additive and Semi-Additive
Published March 15
In this recent interview, Calumet’s Todd Brassard and Meredith LaBeau discuss the state of this technology, which traditional processes that additive and semi-additive might replace, and some of the challenges facing OEMs or PCB shops that are considering these options.
RF and Microwave: No Black Magic
Published March 15
I-Connect007 managing editor Andy Shaughnessy caught up with Ben Jordan after his class on RF and microwave at IPC APEX EXPO. Ben, an electrical engineer, explained how sitting through previous classes on this topic led to him developing his own class. “I wanted to bridge the gap,” he says, “with a class that makes the material approachable and teaches the intuitive nature of fields and waves and how they work in circuit boards.” Based on reader interest, you all certainly wanted to know more about what Ben is doing.
Suggested Items
SEMI Applauds U.S. Chips Act Award for Samsung Electronics Facilities to Strengthen Domestic Semiconductor Supply Chain
04/17/2024 | SEMISEMI, the industry association serving the global electronics design and manufacturing supply chain, applauded the United States Department of Commerce’s announcement of a Preliminary Memorandum of Terms for an award under the CHIPS and Science Act to support the expansion of Samsung Electronics’ presence in Texas and the company’s development and production of leading-edge chips.
Ark Electronics Expands Global Manufacturing Factory Network in North America and Europe
04/17/2024 | PRNewswireElectronic Manufacturing Company Ark Electronics recently announced the expansion of its Global Factory Network with the addition of Electronics Manufacturing Service (EMS) capabilities in Mexico and Europe.
SIA Applauds CHIPS Act Incentives for Samsung Manufacturing Projects in Texas
04/16/2024 | SIAThe Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) released the following statement from SIA President and CEO John Neuffer applauding semiconductor manufacturing incentives announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce and Samsung.
Report Reveals ‘True Impact’ of Manufacturing is Nearly a Quarter of UK GDP
04/15/2024 | Manufacturing Technologies AssociationManufacturing is having a far greater impact on the UK economy than first thought according to a major new report released today.
Design Community Town Hall Review
04/11/2024 | Kelly Dack, CID+, EPTACThe Design Community Town Hall took place on the afternoon of April 10, 2024. I was fortunate to attend this event, which marked an opportunity for members of some newly found design groups to get together and exchange ideas. Peter Tranitz, senior director of solutions for IPC, opened the session with a slide presentation introducing these new groups and members within the solutions department.