We have a problem. As an industry. And it’s nothing new.
HotPCB has pointed to and written about the relationship between fabricators and designers since our inception.  And we are not the only one speaking to it.  Pete Waddell of UP Media wrote an editorial to the issue of DFM (design for manufacture) failures within our industry earlier this year.  We would like to speak to the issue as well, but not without providing a way to begin fixing the problem.
The issue is that there has been, and will …

It is very easy to overlook how important the Printed Circuit Board industry is, both domestically and worldwide.  Many designers, fabricators, and assembly shops have voiced their desires for greater recognition, and the IPC is even lobbying on Capitol Hill for increased federal notice and support.  And yet, I truly believe the greater danger is that WE (the designers, fabricators, and assemblers) might forget how important our role is.  Even more specifically, I want to challenge us as an industry to step back and remember who our real customers are… …

A little before 9am this morning, I had a great conversation with a PCB Designer in Ireland while also talking to a designer in Georgia.  No, I wasn’t in Ireland or Georgia, and no it wasn’t over the phone.  Instead we typed back and forth in a private chat, courtesy UP Media’s Virtual PCB show currently underway. Virtual Trade Shows are rising in popularity and I fully expect to see them more often in the future.  But as with anything, there are benefits and drawbacks depending on your role and …

It has been interesting to read both the 2009 “end of the year recaps” and the 2010 predictions for the printed circuit board (PCB) industry as we have drawn close to the New Year.  Most have been quite comprehensive and informative, yet I hope to add value by also providing some impressions, critiques and praises.  Many refer to me as the fresh, young kid… and so it is my hope that I can provide a unique and valuable perspective.
The year 2009 has been an intense crash-course and immersion into the …

Within one of the presentations last week at the IPC Technology Interchange in Washington D.C., the question was raised of whether printed circuit board technology will reach a plateau or whether it will continue to keep pace with the technological demands and innovations to come.  Restated, the question could be:  as trace widths get smaller, nanotechnology improves, and demand for greater performance continues to increase – when/where/will PCB technology hit a plateau?
This is a complex question with a large number of factors.  One focus of the discussion could be on …

Have you ever been frustrated to the point of using laughter as a coping mechanism?  Why is it that the most important mornings are often preceeded by the most horrendous nights?  In “Sales on Fire”, Marissa shares a humorous story about the frustration she experienced the night before a big deal-closing, morning meeting.  Listen well.  There are great lessons to be learned.

Do you think you have what it takes to make a mark in the field of Printed Circuit Board (PCB) design?  For the engineering minded and artistically oriented, PCB design is a fascinating field where you can achieve both financial success and fulfillment in doing something that you love.  Whether you’re just dipping your toes for the first time, or you are a seasoned veteran; I hope to provide some insight and encouragement.  A few accomplished men were gracious enough to speak with me and share their thoughts, stories, and …

Here is the second installment of Marissa’s Short Stories from the Road.   As I said in the Introductory post: With so many years in the business, and with countless hours on the road and in sales meetings, Marissa has been in a wide variety of situations, and has plenty of stories. Many are humorous and almost all of them have a lesson within. Marissa has decided to share these short stories in audio format for people to listen to and learn from. We hope to host …

The printed circuit board (PCB) industry is vital to manufacturers of computing components, automotive parts, cellular phones, flat-screen television displays and other devices considered essential to our modern lifestyles.
In addition to a large number of PCB enterprises in Taiwan, many PCB operations are located in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces.
Among them are leading PCB makers earning hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenues and employing thousands of workers.
They also spend huge sums on environmental protection, including the disposal of manufacturing wastes from production processes and everyday operations.
The major pollution …

Paving Roads with Old Circuit Boards
With an eye to recycling, circuit boards are being used in asphalt
By Mark Fischetti
Millions of printed circuit boards from discarded electronics are tossed into landfills every year. In addition to the volume of waste, the material can leach chemicals into the soil. As an alternative, researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China are finding various ways to reuse the panels, including as an additive in asphalt.
Xu Zhenming and his colleagues stripped the boards of all components, pulverized the remains into a powder and …