I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
May 12, 2023 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
It’s not hyperbole to say that there’s never a dull moment in the world of PCB design and manufacturing. There’s always something interesting happening, and each week our contributors bring us a wide variety of articles, columns, and news items.
This week’s must-reads contains a veritable potpourri of information from around the industry. We have a Pete Starkey review of the latest EIPC webinar on ultra HDI and thin film resistors, an interview with the founder of an electronics trade school in Texas, and an update from PCBAA about their lobbying efforts in Washington.
We also have news about our brand-new podcast, or “pod,” as the kids say, and a column about the wisdom of Don Draper that just might serve technologists and managers well. Read on, folks!
I-Connect007 Launches 'On the Line with...' Podcast with Series on Sustainability
Published May 10
If you’re like me (and who isn’t?), you’re always looking for new content on Spotify. Well, you’re in luck. Our new podcast On the Line with… is now available on Spotify and other podcast platforms. Our first podcast features Siemens’ Patrick Hope and Pat McGoff discussing sustainability in PCB manufacturing.
It’s Only Common Sense: Eight Things I Learned from Don Draper
Published May 8
Many of us watched “Mad Men,” a show set in a 1950s-era ad agency that critics claimed glorified day drinking and sexual harassment in the workplace. That may be true. But along the way, protagonist Don Draper, creative director of the fictional ad agency, lays down some serious wisdom. Dan Beaulieu explains what we can all learn from the man with the snappy gray suit.
EIPC Review: Ultra-high-density Interconnects, Thin-film Resistor Materials
Published May 10
Pete Starkey returns with another installment of his coverage of the EIPC Technical Snapshot webinar series, and, of course, it’s one of the most-read articles of the week. No one covers these events like Pete; he breaks down cutting-edge presentations from the top experts in the industry, and provides background info so the reader can understand the potential ramifications of new processes and technologies. Always worth a read.
Texas Trade School Links Students With Employers
Published May 9
Chances are, you have a few open positions at your company, and you probably don’t have a stack of resumés awaiting your perusal. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a pipeline of young people who are trained and ready to start working? It may be time to team up with a school like Elvia Quintanilla’s Texas Technical Trade School. In this interview, she discusses the school’s curriculum, an electrical technical program taught by a certified electrical engineer.
American Made Advocacy: PCBAA's New Representation
Published May 11
Ever since the CHIPS Act was released last year, there’s been a lot of talk about how the DoD is going to support the electronics industry. But some of us don’t trust Washington as far as we can throw Rep. Jerrold Nadler. PCBAA is working to make sure that the CHIPS Act isn’t just lip service by congressmen eager to win reelection. In this column, Executive Director David Schild discusses the CHIPS Act, as well as the organization’s mission to “educate, advocate, and legislate for our industry.”
Suggested Items
Digitalisation and ESG
04/19/2024 | Marina Hornasek-Metzl, AT&SDigitalisation and ESG are prominent and high-priority topics in the global business community. The first focuses on applying technology throughout the value chain to produce faster, smarter, and more desirable business outcomes. The latter emphasises the broader value a business is expected to create for its stakeholders from an environmental, social, and governance perspective.
Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2024: Looking Back, Looking Forward With IEC
04/19/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOIEC came to the RTW booth and discussed both the legacy of IEC's past and the vision for its future. Industry veteran Bruno Ferri highlighted his quarter-century tenure in the industry and with IEC since its founding. He still exhibits boundless enthusiasm for the industry. Brando Stone, a young professional and a future face of IEC, talked about IEC's plans going forward and his experience at this year's IPC APEX EXPO.
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).