PEACHTREE CITY, GA – APRIL 2, 2024 – The Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA) today announced a pair of free upcoming technical talks on PCB design layout and land pattern generation as part of its meeting at the Del Mar Electronics Show on Wednesday, April 24. 

The guest speakers include veteran PCB designer Stephen Chavez, who will speak on best practices for PCB design. Now senior product marketing manager at Siemens and PCEA chairman, Chavez has 30 years of experience designing complex circuit boards for high reliability applications. Chavez’s presentation takes place from 10 – 11 AM in the Mission Towers (Room C). For presentation details: https://www.mfgshow.com/seminars/speak.cfm?Id=187

Following Chavez is Tom Hausherr, founder and CEO of PCB Libraries, who will present on land pattern generation. Hausherr has 50 years of experience in PCB design and library management, including 30 spent working with standards groups on land pattern development. Hausherr’s presentation will take place  12 – 1 PM in the Mission Towers (Room C). For presentation details: https://www.mfgshow.com/seminars/speak.cfm?Id=188

 “I’m excited to see everyone this year, and I’m really looking forward to it,” said Nick Maldonado, communications director, PCEA San Diego Chapter. “The location of the event is in the same location as last year, but we’ve moved the times.”

At the end of each presentation, the PCEA San Diego chapter will hold free raffle giveaways. PCB Libraries is donating two one-year licenses for its Footprint Expert Software (valued at $798 each). There will also be other prizes and gift cards.

The sessions are sponsored by Siemens Digital Industries and PCB Libraries.

 “We are delighted to continue our technical presence at the Del Mar show,” said Mike Buetow, president, PCEA. “And we want to thank Siemens and PCB Libraries for their generous sponsorship of the meeting.”

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – MARCH 26, 2024 – PCEA Training is offering a pair of five-day training classes in June and September for printed circuit engineers, layout professionals, and other individuals currently serving in the design engineering industry or seeking to get into it. The classes include an optional certification exam recognized by the Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA).

The dates of the classes:
Class 1: June 14, 17, 21, 24, 28
Class 2: September 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

These instructor-led classes cover the gamut of printed circuit design engineering, from layout, place and route to specifications and materials to manufacturing methods. Schematic capture, signal integrity and EMI/EMC are also part of the comprehensive program.

There are no prerequisite requirements to enroll. Upcoming classes will be held online. All courses are led by experienced instructors.

To apply, visit pceatraining.net/registration for the next available class or contact Mike Buetow at pceatraining@pcea.net for additional information.

Registration fees include the 400-page handbook, Printed Circuit Engineering Professional, authored by Michael Creeden, Stephen Chavez, Rick Hartley, Susy Webb and Gary Ferrari.

For information about the instructors of the course and authors of the course material, visit pceatraining.net/instructors-authors.

For information about the course overview, class format, and materials to prepare in advance for the class, visit pceatraining.net/course-overview.

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – MARCH 6, 2024 – CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY today announced the 2024 New Product Introduction Award winners for electronics assembly equipment, materials and software.

The 17th annual NPI Awards recognize leading new products during the past 12 months. An independent panel of practicing industry engineers selected the recipients.

The winners are:          

• Anda Technologies: Automation Tools – ADA Series Smart Manufacturing Platform
• Kyzen: Cleaning Materials – AQUANOX A4618 KYZDS
• Henkel: Coatings/Encapsulants – Loctite Stycast CC 8555
• Hanwha Techwin Automation Americas: Component Placement – XM520 High-Speed Dual Lane Chip Mounter
• Juki Automation Systems: Component Storage – ISM 3600 FA, FAMR System
• PVA: Dispensing Equipment – Direct Series with new PathMaster X Programming Software
• Tagarno: First Article Inspection – Tagarno 4K Microscope
• Indium: Flux – Indium8.9FRV
• ViTrox: Process Control Tools – V9i XL ARV
• ASYS Group: Screen and Stencil Printing – SERIO 6000 with  “Sphere” Intelligent Print Head
• StenTech: Screen/Stencil Printing Peripherals/Consumables – BluPrint CVD Surface Treatment
• Cetec ERP & CalcuQuote: Software – Management – Supply Chain Connected ERP
• Vayo: Software – Process Control – Vayo-Stencil Designer
• Arch Systems: Software – Production – ArchFX GLO
• Weller Tools: Soldering – Hand Tools – Zero Smog Shield Pro
• BTU International: Soldering – Reflow – Aurora
• Kurtz Ersa: Soldering – Selective – VERSAFLOW ONE X-Series
• ITW EAE: Soldering – Wave – Deep Wave Option
• AIM Solder: Solder – Materials – NC259FPA
• ViTrox: Test and Inspection – AOI – V510i 3D AOI
• Brooks Automation: Test and Inspection – Functional Test – PreciseFlex 3400 Cobot
• ViTrox: Test and Inspection – AXI –V810i Advanced X-Ray Inspection (AXI) System – Series 3 Dual-Lane
• Pemtron: Test and Inspection – SPI – D-2                                            
• Henkel: Thermal Interface Materials – Berquist Hi Flow THF 5000UT            

“The judges this year noted the current trend for speed without losing accuracy,” said Mike Buetow, president of the Printed Circuit Engineering Association. “But they also pointed out the interoperability requirements of systems and software, and stressed the importance of full functionality regardless of the logo.”

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – FEBRUARY 6, 2024 – PCEA Training is offering two upcoming five-day training classes starting in April and June for printed circuit engineers, layout professionals, and other individuals currently serving in the design engineering industry or seeking to get into it. The classes include an optional certification exam recognized by the Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA).

Upcoming Class dates include:

Class 1: April 5, 12, 19, 26, and May 3

Class 2: June 14, 17, 21, 24, 28

These instructor-led classes cover the gamut of printed circuit design engineering, from layout, place and route to specifications and materials to manufacturing methods. Schematic capture, signal integrity and EMI/EMC are also part of the comprehensive program.

There are no prerequisite requirements to enroll. Upcoming classes will be held online. All courses are led by experienced instructors.

Registration fees include the 400-page handbook, Printed Circuit Engineering Professional, authored by Michael Creeden, Stephen Chavez, Rick Hartley, Susy Webb and Gary Ferrari.

For information about the instructors of the course and authors of the course material, visit pceatraining.net/instructors-authors.

For information about the course overview, class format, and materials to prepare in advance for the class, visit pceatraining.net/course-overview.

To apply, visit pceatraining.net/registration for the next available class or contact Mike Buetow at pceatraining@pcea.net for additional information.

About PCEA Training, LLC

PCEA Training, LLC is a nonprofit corporation that specializes in curriculum development and conducts training classes such as the PCE Professional Curriculum. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Printed Circuit Engineering Association, Inc.

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – FEBRUARY 5, 2024 – The Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA) today announced the first UHDI & Substrates: Design to Package Forum will be held on June 5, 2024, in conjunction with PCB East in Boxborough, MA.

UHDI, or ultra high-density interconnect, describes lines and spaces of less than 25 microns on a printed circuit board. Among the presentations are talks on standards, electrohydrodynamic (EHD) printing, direct imaging down to 15 microns and beyond, a new mSAP process, a new replacement for ABF (Anjinomoto Build-Up Film), planning a new UHDI facility, and new materials for UHDI.

Each presentation will be 30 minutes. The program will close with a panel discussion.

The forum is chaired by Gene Weiner of Weiner International Associates. Peter Bigelow, president of FTG East, and Alun Morgan, technology ambassador of Ventec and president of the European Institute for the PCB Community (EIPC) are vice chairmen.

“Rapid technical progress and major dollar commitments are being made in the US and Europe to establish sustainable, secure sources of organic substrates and UHDI circuitry for advanced electronics packaging,” said Weiner. “This forum is designed to present new design, process, material, and equipment capability information that delegates can immediately put to use.”

“The industry has begun to recognize the need for – and challenges of – UHDI technology,” added Mike Buetow, president of PCEA and conference chair of PCB East. “Gene Weiner and his colleagues have put together an outstanding program that will look at the state-of-the-art and the requirements for implementation.”

About PCB East®

PCB East is the electronics industry’s east coast conference and trade show. This four-day technical conference takes place June 4-7 at the Boxboro Regency Hotel & Conference Center in Boxborough, MA with a one-day exhibition on June 5. The show includes a range of suppliers from the ECAD, PCB design service, fabrication, and assembly supply chain. For more information about PCB East, visit pcbeast.com.

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – JANUARY 25, 2024 – CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY today opened registration for its annual Service Excellence Awards (SEAs) for EMS providers and electronics assembly equipment, material, service, and software suppliers.

Now in its 32nd year, the SEAs honor companies for excelling in the critical area of customer service, permitting participants to benchmark customer service against their peers. It is the only industry awards program that uses direct customer feedback to determine best-in-class.
Customers are surveyed to determine their satisfaction with a participating company in various categories, including dependability/timely delivery; manufacturing quality; responsiveness to requests and changes; technology; value for the price; and flexibility/ease of doing business. For each EMS category, the overall best-in-show winner is selected.

All customer responses and ratings are tabulated and provided in a confidential report to the participating company.

“We get customer scorecards all year long. We work hard to continuously improve. When we win the CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY Service Excellence Awards, it means we’ve done everything right,” said Gary Larson, CEO, Electronic Systems Inc. (2023 Overall Winner, EMS Revenues $20 Million to $100 Million)

About the Awards
The SEAs recognize four categories of EMS providers based on revenues (under $20 million; $20 million to $100 million; $101 million to $500 million, and over $500 million).

Equipment, material or software supplier awards will be presented in each of the following categories: component storage systems; automation and handling equipment; cleaning processing or materials; device programming equipment; dispensing; pick-and-place; repair and rework; screen printing; test and inspection; materials (solder, encapsulants and adhesives); soldering equipment; automation/manufacturing software (not ERP/MRP); and supply-chain/ERP/MRP software.

Non-manufacturing service providers will be honored in the following categories: test laboratories; recycling, cleaning or other non-manufacturing process providers; and design service bureaus. Reps or agents and/or distributors will also be honored.

CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY will honor winners in person at SMTA International in October 2024 at the Rosemont Convention Center in Rosemont, IL. Participants will receive their report as an Excel file after the show.

For more information, visit https://circuitsassembly.com/ca/editorial/service-excellence-award.html.

To register, visit https://na.eventscloud.com/2024sea.

The deadline to enter is March 25, 2024.

EDITORS: Please contact Megan Fletcher at megan@pcea.net for a logo.

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – JANUARY 10, 2024 – The PCEA Conferences Task Group today announced the technical program for PCB East 2024, featuring more than 75 hours of in-depth electronics engineering training. 

Rick Hartley, Susy Webb, Tomas Chester and Zach Peterson are among the headliners of this year’s conference. It will be held June 4 to 7 at the Boxboro Regency Hotel and Conference Center in Boxborough, MA. It features classes for every level of experience, from novice to expert. 

The scope of classes ranges from basics on design engineering and circuit grounding, to DDR5 routing, impedance characterization, controlling noise and EMI, thermal management, board stackups and design for assembly. 

More than half the presentations are new to the PCEA, including ones on SMT equipment validation, medical wearable device compliance, flex design, AI in electronics, and signal integrity/power integrity.

“Attendance more than doubled in 2023, showing both the vibrancy of the East coast electronics ecosystem and the need for topnotch technical training,” said Mike Buetow, conference director, PCB East. “This year’s event offers an array of experts in printed circuit design engineering and manufacturing, and a new emphasis on assembly.”

Registration is now open for both the technical conference and the exhibition at pcbeast.com.

Registrants who sign up by May 3 can take advantage of the Early Bird Special discounts for the conference.

The program was developed by the PCEA Conferences Task Group from more than 60 abstracts submitted. The task group is made up of nine industry veterans with more than 270 years of cumulative experience in the printed circuit industry, chaired by Troy Hopkins. 

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – DECEMBER 12, 2023 – PCEA Training is offering three five-day training classes next year for printed circuit engineers, layout professionals, and other individuals currently serving in the design engineering industry or seeking to get into it.

Class dates include:

• Class 1: February 5, 12, 20, 26, and March 4
• Class 2: April 5, 12, 19, 26, and May 3
• Class 3: June 14, 17, 21, 24, 28

These instructor-led classes cover the gamut of printed circuit design engineering, from layout, place and route to specifications and materials to manufacturing methods. Schematic capture, signal integrity and EMI/EMC are also part of the comprehensive program.

There are no prerequisite requirements to enroll. Upcoming classes will be held online. All courses are led by experienced instructors.

Registration fees include the 400-page handbook, Printed Circuit Engineering Professional, authored by Michael Creeden, Stephen Chavez, Rick Hartley, Susy Webb and Gary Ferrari. The course includes an optional certification exam recognized by the Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA).

For information about the instructors of the course and authors of the course material, visit pceatraining.net/instructors-authors

For information about the course overview, class format, and materials to prepare in advance for the class, visit pceatraining.net/course-overview

To apply, visit pceatraining.net/registration for the next available class or contact Mike Buetow at pceatraining@pcea.net for additional information.

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – DECEMBER 4, 2023 – The Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA) today issued a call for abstracts for the PCB West 2024 technical conference. The conference, the largest of its kind in Silicon Valley, focuses on training and best practices for printed circuit board design engineers, electronics design engineers, fabricators and assemblers.

The four-day technical conference will take place October 8-11 at the Santa Clara (CA) Convention Center. The event includes a one-day exhibition on October 9.

Papers and presentations of the following durations are sought for the technical conference: one-hour lectures and presentations; two-hour workshops; and half-day (3.5-hour) and full-day seminars. Preference is given to presentations of two hours in length or more, and no presentations of less than one hour will be considered.

Abstracts of 100-500 words and speaker biographies should be submitted to PCEA. Papers and presentations must be noncommercial in nature and should focus on technology, techniques or methodologies related to printed circuit board design, fabrication, assembly, test, components or packaging, and additive manufacturing.

Submit abstracts at pcbwest.com by January 26. No emailed abstracts will be accepted. Submitters will be notified by early April if their abstract has been accepted. Presentations are due September 6.

Speaker Benefits: Presenters of accepted abstract(s) for the 2024 program receive the following event benefits.

• Complimentary access to the online proceedings
• Complimentary pass to the technical conference
• Invitation to the Speaker Reception

For more information about PCB West, visit pcbwest.com or contact Conference Director Mike Buetow at 617-327-4702; mike@pcea.net.

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – NOVEMBER 20, 2023 – The Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA) will hold three member webinars in the coming months on PCB materials, PCB thermal management, and the impact of artificial intelligence on electronics.

On Dec. 13, Tony Senese and Eriko Yamato of Panasonic will present PCB Material Properties – Consideration for Design and Manufacturing. Engineers use PCB material product charts to reference electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties to seek the best solutions for specific applications. It is important to understand the significance of a given property and how it affects PCB design and manufacturing. This presentation will cover key material properties such as Tg and modulus to guide how they can impact PCB design and processing. The presenters will also discuss IPC test methods and why they matter.

On Jan. 17, Doug Brooks and Dr. Johannes Adam will present Via and Trace Currents and Temperatures. Rather than thinking of current density, the presenters say, focus on material parameters and properties that determine the temperature of a trace and how these are calculated. Results of some simulations of vias of varying widths and amps will be shown.

And on Jan. 23, a special panel will debate AI in Electronics. Artificial intelligence has made its way into ECAD and other software used in electronics manufacturing. But what’s the actual intelligence in these tools? And in what ways – and how soon – can we expect them to impact our roles? CTOs and related domain experts from a handful of ECAD companies will offer a snapshot of where we are, what’s feasible, and the forecasted timeline for implementation.

All webinars will include time for audience questions. To register, visit https://pcea.net/events 

PCEA member webinars are free for all PCEA members. Join as an individual member for free at https://pcea.net/pcea-membership 

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – SEPTEMBER 28, 2023 – Nearly 2,000 industry professionals, representing 36 countries and 46 states, registered for the PCB West conference and exhibition held last week, the Printed Circuit Engineering Association announced today. Overall attendance was up 5% year-over-year, and the show floor was completely sold out for the exhibition.

The annual conference took place September 19-22, including a one-day exhibition on September 20, at the Santa Clara (CA) Convention Center. It attracted engineers and other professionals from a range of printed circuit and electronics design, fabrication, assembly and advanced packaging companies.

“PCB West isn’t just a trade show; it’s an amazing event that brings industry minds together and sparks innovation,” said Kelly Atay, marketing program manager, ASC Sunstone Circuits, a US-based printed circuit board fabricator. “Can’t wait for the next one!”

“The ICAPE team had a wonderful time at PCB West 2023!” said ICAPE USA, a supplier of printed circuit boards and electronic assemblies. “We were very impressed with the turnout!”

“We really enjoyed it, and it has given us more confidence that we should be doubling down on

the US market,” said Sebastian Schaal, founder and managing director at Luminovo, a provider of software for monitoring, quoting and procuring PCBAs.

PCEA also announced PCB West 2024 will take place October 8-11, 2024, at the Santa Clara (CA) Convention Center. The event includes a one-day exhibition on October 9.

For more information about PCB West, visit pcbwest.com or contact Conference Director Mike Buetow at 617-327-4702; mike@pcea.net. 

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – SEPTEMBER 19, 2023 – The Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA) today announced Bob McCreight as recipient of the second annual PCEA Membership Award. The announcement was made at the PCEA annual meeting in conjunction with the PCB West conference and exhibition.

McCreight has been the president of the Silicon Valley chapter of PCEA since its inception. He currently works for Tesla as a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) designer and has been active in the printed circuit industry for more than 30 years.

“Bob McCreight is very deserving of the 2023 membership award,” said Stephen Chavez, chairman, PCEA, in announcing the award. “He has been an active contributor in our industry for many decades, and continues to provide outstanding leadership in his role as chairman of the local PCEA Silicon Valley chapter. Bob is a model for getting things done, and it gives me great pleasure to recognize him with the PCEA Membership Award.”

Editors: For a photo of Bob McCreight, please contact Megan Fletcher at megan@pcea.net.

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – SEPTEMBER 19, 2023 – The Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA) today announced Rick Hartley as recipient of the annual PCEA Leadership Award, for his lifetime service in the pursuit of educating and training PCB design engineers.

The announcement was made at the PCEA annual meeting in conjunction with the PCB West conference and exhibition.

Hartley was one of the cofounders of PCEA in 2020, and was the first chair of the Conferences Task Group. He also reviewed much of the reference material in the Education section of PCEA’s website. In his 50 years in the electronics design industry, Hartley has become a go-to for training on signal integrity, noise control, and EMI. He is the most popular speaker in the history of the PCB West conference, and has developed a series of webinars and workshops to train design engineers and designers.

“Rick Hartley’s name is synonymous not only with design engineering, but even more importantly, with sharing what you know with your industry peers and colleagues,” said Stephen Chavez, chairman, PCEA, in announcing the award. “He is a bright example of the power of determination and positivity, and he embodies the best in what PCEA offers its members and the industry.”

Editors: For a photo of Rick Hartley, please contact Megan Fletcher at megan@pcea.net.

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – FEBRUARY 4, 2022 – The Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA) today announced it has closed the acquisition of the functional assets of UP Media Group Inc., including its industry leading publications and trade shows.

The deal, which was announced during the PCB West conference and exhibition last October, includes the annual PCB West and PCB East trade shows; PRINTED CIRCUIT DESIGN & FAB (PCD&F) and CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY magazine; the PCB UPdate digital newsletter; the PCB Chat podcast series; the PCB2Day workshops and webinars; and Printed Circuit University, the dedicated online training platform.

The deal establishes PCEA as the leading association for printed circuit engineers worldwide, with over 2.5 million engagements annually to printed circuit engineers, designers, fabricators and assemblers.

Upon closing, Mike Buetow has been named president; Frances Stewart has been named vice president, sales and marketing; Chelsey Drysdale has been named chief content officer; and Brooke Anglin has been named senior sales executive.

The staff reports to the PCEA board of directors, which is made up of 10 industry professionals led by chairman Stephen Chavez and vice chairman Michael Creeden.

“We have been looking forward to this day since we entered negotiations with PCEA several months ago,” said Mike Buetow, president, PCEA. “We are fired up and ready to engage with our members, starting with PCB East, our first live event as part of PCEA, which takes place in April in Marlborough, MA.”

“I cannot believe we finally closed the deal,” said Stephen Chavez, chairman, PCEA. “Simply amazing, but I’m more amazed at what we just accomplished from only being in existence for two years and starting from scratch.

“We are extremely excited and very eager to attack this great new adventure. We’re even more tenacious and passionate in our eternal quest to collaborate, educate, and inspire for the betterment of the industry. The first upcoming PCEA conference is PCB East. We hope to see you there.”   

About Printed Circuit Engineering Association, Inc.

Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA) (pcea.net) is a nonprofit association that promotes printed circuit engineering as a profession and encourages, facilitates, and promotes the exchange of information and integration of new design concepts through communications, seminars, workshops, and professional certification through a network of local and regional chapters. PCEA serves the global PCB community through print, digital and online products, as well as live and virtual events. PCEA publishes PRINTED CIRCUIT DESIGN & FAB (pcdandf.com) and CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY (circuitsassembly.com), as well as the PCB UPdate (pcbupdate.com) e-newsletter. UPMG also produces the PRINTED CIRCUIT UNIVERSITY (printedcircuituniversity.com) online training platform, and trade shows and conferences, including PCB East (pcbeast.com), PCB West (pcbwest.com) and the PCB2Day workshop series.