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
IDC: Indonesia’s Smartphone Market Starts the Year with a Strong 27.4% Growth in 1Q24
05/16/2024 | IDCIndonesia’s smartphone market grew sharply at 27.4% year-over-year (YoY) and 11.5% quarter-over-quarter (QoQ) to 10 million units in 1Q24, according to International Data Corporation’s (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.
Sypris Reports Q1 2024 Results; Revenue Up 10%
05/15/2024 | Sypris Solutions Inc.The Company’s first quarter 2024 consolidated revenue increased 10.1% to $35.6 million compared with the prior-year quarter, representing the 11th quarter of double-digit year-over-year growth during the past 12 quarterly periods.
American Made Advocacy: What About the Rest of the Technology Stack?
05/14/2024 | Travis Kelly -- Column: American Made AdvocacyThose of us who have been in the industry for any length of time know America manufactures very little of the world’s supply of microelectronics. This happened over decades and was invisible or ignored by policymakers as companies shipped both their ideas and their production to Asia—and made a good profit in the process.
Star Wars and Disney: ‘Spinning the Script’ With Paul Bailey
05/13/2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamPaul Bailey has quite a story to tell. The current vice president at AOA, and former principal concept technical director for Walt Disney Imagineering gave the opening keynote speech at IPC APEX EXPO 2024. He delved into some of the technological marvels he’s been involved with throughout his career, particularly with Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the new Star Wars experience at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
IPC Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame Award: Pierre-Jean Albrieux
05/10/2024 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineCongratulations to Pierre-Jean Albrieux, who received the 2024 IPC Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame Award. The award is given to individuals in recognition of the highest level of achievement, extraordinary contributions, and distinguished service to IPC and toward the advancement of the industry, including helping to create a spirit of mutual esteem, respect, and recognition among members consistent with the goals and mission of IPC.