I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

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This week’s picks include a little of everything.

We don’t see new companies in the PCB community very often, especially in EDA. But this week, we have an interview with the founder of Avishtech, a new EDA software company that has a spin on field solvers and stackup tools. A lot of successful companies first hung out their shingle during times that were, shall we say, “interesting.” Is this a good omen?

We also have an interview with Mike Carano, who discusses the need for mentors to help ensure that young technologists are ready for the future. Then, there’s news about Koh Young and Mentor, a Siemens Business, integrating Valor functionality into the Koh Young inspection software. And iNEMI has published a “best practices” document for disinfecting manufacturing and assembly equipment; the group worked with the EPA, as well as numerous companies and organizations, to get this process dialed in.

Lastly, we’ve compiled all of your questions for Happy Holden, along with his answers, into one document for your reading pleasure. Your questions covered much of the industry, and Happy had a great time answering them. Happy Friday!

Avishtech: A New Player in the Field Solver and PCB Simulation Tools Market
Published August 13

This week, we welcome a new company into the EDA software tool community. Avishtech was recently founded by Keshav Amla, a young entrepreneur who plans to shake up the markets for field solvers and PCB simulation tools. You may know his father, Tarun, a veteran materials specialist, who is now with ITEQ. When was the last time a new software tool company was launched in this segment?

Koh Young Collaborates With Mentor to Further Simplify Inspection System Programming 
Published August 12

Many complain about Gerber files. Now, Koh Young and Mentor, a Siemens Business, have partnered to create an optimized inspection programming solution that does not require Gerbers or CAD files. The Koh Young software integrates the Valor Open Product Model and the extensive Valor Parts Library. This new flow now automates even more of the process, reducing the chance for human error.

Foundations of the Future: Interview With Michael Carano on Mentorship 
Published August 12

Years ago, every newly-minted PCB designer or manufacturing engineer started out working with a mentor. Those were the days. But it seems that everything old is new again, and mentoring is making a comeback. In this column, IPC’s Charlene Gunter du Plessis interviews columnist Mike Carano, creator of the Michael Carano Teacher Excellence Award. Mike discusses his work as a mentor with IPC’s Emerging Engineer Program, and why it’s so important to help mentees personally and professionally.

iNEMI Publishes Best Practices for Electronic Equipment When Disinfecting for COVID-19
Published August 12

When the world first began to understand the severity of the COVID-19 situation early this year, fabricators and assembly providers began disinfecting their facilities from top to bottom. But there was no proven method for dealing with this new virus. Now, iNEMI has released “Recommended Best Practices for Protecting the Reliability and Integrity of Electronic Products and Assemblies When Disinfecting for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).” This document includes a list of chemicals that will not harm electronic equipment and appropriate application methods.

Just Ask Happy: The Exclusive Compilation
Published August 13

Over the past few months, readers have sent in questions for Happy Holden, “Mr. HDI,” and he answered them. The topics ran the gamut: front-end design, microvia reliability, the fabrication market, final assembly issues, and anything PCB-related that you could imagine. We’ve combined all 21 questions and answers into one document and, judging by the number of views in just one day, many of you are enjoying this hotbed of “Happy-ness.”

02/09/2023 | Zachariah Peterson, NWES

As I look back on 2022, I’m realizing that my company plays multiple roles in client projects beyond just designing circuits and PCBs. Sure, we’re primarily a PCB design company, but we also help with things that happen outside the PCB. This includes tasks like enclosure design, defining mechanical constraints, simulating electrical behavior, mating boards into larger assemblies, selecting cabling, and defining test requirements, all of which slowly creep into the standard scope of work for design projects.

02/02/2023 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007

As George Costanza would say, “DesignCon is back, baby!” The show opened Wednesday morning, and it really felt like old times again. The aisles of the Santa Clara Convention Center were busy, and the classrooms for the technical conference were nearly full. And I spoke—or tried to speak—with quite a few engineers who spoke almost no English. That’s a good sign; in recent years, there were very few attendees from outside the U.S. because of Covid restrictions. The Pacific Rim is well represented this year.

12/30/2022 | Happy Holden, I-Connect007

Gerry Partida, vice president of technology at Summit Interconnect, authored a technical paper, “Next Progression in Microvia Reliability Validation—Reflow Simulation of a PCB Design Attributes and Material Structural Properties During the PCB Design Process,” at IPC APEX EXPO 2022, and it’s worth revisiting. This significant paper on microvia reliability validation provides a summary of what’s been happening in the microvia fabrication arena, especially regarding the issue of latent defects in stacked microvias.