I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
February 2, 2024 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
I’m writing this in Santa Clara, California on the last day of DesignCon. It was nice to get out of Atlanta, which was 28 degrees when I left. It’s a little rainy here, but it’s been in the 60s all week, and I’ll take that kind of weather any day.
In this week’s must-reads, we have a little bit of everything, including sad news about the passing of our columnist Michael Ford. Everyone who knew him just loved the guy.
I need to catch an Uber, so I’m keeping this short. Have a good weekend.
Rain or Shine, DesignCon 2024 is Happening
Published February 1
Yes, DesignCon seems to be a draw, regardless of weather. This show was busier than a one-armed paper-hanger, despite intermittent rain. It was great to see so many young people at this show. Is this industry becoming cool again? Everyone I met was bullish on their company and the industry overall. Let’s hope this is good omen for the rest of the year.
The Pulse: New Designer’s (Partial) Guide to Fabrication
Published January 31
What do designers need to know about fabrication? They don’t necessarily have to be manufacturing experts, but the more they know about fab processes, the more likely they’ll produce successful designs. Columnist Martyn Gaudion breaks down the manufacturing considerations that can affect the design’s signal integrity.
The New Chapter: Easing the Learning Curve for Young Professionals
Published January 31
Now that young people are once again entering the world of PCB design and manufacturing, many companies are focusing on updating their onboarding processes. In this column, Paige Fiet—out of college for only a few years—shares her thoughts on ways that companies can shorten the learning curve for new engineers, leaving them less anxious and more productive.
Electronics Industry Mourns Loss of Colleague and Visionary Michael Ford
Published January 31
We lost a really great guy this week. Michael Ford was an industry expert on everything related to CFX, Industry 4.0, and Smart manufacturing, and one of our most popular columnists. After he left Siemens for Aegis Software, one of the Siemens engineers joked that it might take two people to replace Michael. But more importantly, he was also a really nice guy, and a lot of fun. He enjoyed sharing his knowledge to make the industry a better place. Michael will be missed.
It’s Only Common Sense: What Are You Afraid Of?
Published January 29
In this column, Dan Beaulieu gets right to the point: What are you afraid of? Smart company managers are not afraid to take necessary risks, but some PCB companies are run by managers who are almost paralyzed with fear. As Dan says, get over your fear and take that risk; you’re actually more likely to fail if you don’t get over that fear. What are you afraid of, anyway?
Suggested Items
Foxconn Shareholders Approve Record Cash Dividend for 2023
05/31/2024 | FoxconnHon Hai Technology Group, at its annual shareholders’ meeting, approved its distributable earnings plan totaling NT$74.86 billion in cash. The cash dividend of NT$5.40 per share for 2023 sets a new high since Foxconn listed in 1991, with the cash dividend payout ratio exceeding 50% for the fifth consecutive year.
IPC APEX EXPO Retrospective: The Founders Look Back
05/30/2024 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineIPC APEX EXPO 2024 will soon feel like a distant memory, and by all accounts, it was a good show with an impressive display of technical knowledge. During the show, I visited with industry icons and IPC Hall of Fame recipients Dan Feinberg and Gene Weiner, who were among the original visionaries and founders of what became APEX EXPO. These individuals took me on a funny and engaging historic journey and a glimpse into how we arrived today.
Delving Into Special Sessions at IPC APEX EXPO 2024
05/28/2024 | Happy Holden, I-Connect007Once again, we were back at IPC APEX EXPO for another show and conference, and back to gathering in the Anaheim Convention Center. With Disneyland just across the street, there were tourists everywhere. This APEX EXPO was bigger than ever, with more activities, Professional Development Courses, standards committee meetings, and the 16th Electronic Circuits World Convention. I really enjoyed walking around and seeing everything the show had to offer.
EU Commercial Counselors Visit IMI's Laguna Factory
05/28/2024 | IMIIntegrated Micro-Electronics, Inc. IMI’s Thibaut De Vaureix, head of mobility business unit, Sherwin Chang, business development manager and Sherwin Nones, strategic marketing and ESG manager welcomed the EU delegation led by Philipp Dupuis who visited the Laguna factory of IMI Philippines last May 24, 2024.
Vision Engineering Celebrates 30 Years of Mantis
05/27/2024 | Vision EngineeringVision Engineering, the world-leading provider of innovative inspection, metrology, and digital 3D visualization solutions, is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its best-selling and award-winning Mantis range of ergonomic optical stereo microscopes.