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We’ve had a hot week in this industry. In my picks for this week, we introduce a new SMT007 columnist, and we have a look at the CHIPS Act one year later. We have a great article about sourcing diversification, and a look at the latest electronics news coming out of India. And columnist Vern Solberg explains DFM best practices for flexible circuits.
Electronics are continually evolving, driven by innovations in printed circuit board technology. Flexible PCBs have emerged as a revolutionary force, reshaping the PCB industry and influencing the design and functionality of countless electronic devices. Some believe that flexible PCBs are a relatively newer technology, but as we will see, that is not true. Since I’m an instructor, here’s a short history lesson on how we got here and what we can expect.
When I first started covering this industry in 1999, rigid-flex circuits were considered a niche market. In fact, Compaq was deemed a trendsetter for using rigid-flex in its laptops. Now, analysts at Credence Research predict that the...
Drilling is one of the most fundamental steps in the printed circuit board manufacturing process. Until the advent of the through-hole, PCBs were all single-sided with traces and components located on one side. With double-sided and...
Today’s PCB design tools are a far cry from the rudimentary tools we used 30 years ago, but even though the algorithms are now quite clever, they are still fairly basic as far as intelligence goes. Comprehensive design rules can...
