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July 18th, 2025
News and Resources for PCB Design, Fab and Assembly Professionals Subscribe •  Advertise •  PCD&F •  Circuits Assembly •  Tell A Friend
THE LEAD

Global PC shipments rose 6.5 percent in Q2 to 68.4M units, as vendors front-loaded inventory ahead of expected US tariff hikes.

As the US weighs tariffs on imported semiconductors, concerns mount over compounding national security risks with economically disruptive trade policies.

TECH NEWS

A teardown of the Nothing Phone 3 reveals a "punch-through" PCB design supporting its modular camera architecture.

Foldable smartphone makers are refining hardware and circuit integration to reignite market momentum.

DARPA will host industry briefings in October outlining plans for a national 3DHI microelectronics manufacturing center.

PCEA announced that PCB East 2026 will be held at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA, with exhibits on April 29 and a technical conference from April 28 to May 1, reflecting the event’s growth and focus on providing a first-class venue for attendees.

PCD&F launched its annual salary survey for PCB designers and engineers to gather industry compensation data.

Roversa Robotics is helping students build coding skills through hands-on robot programming, fostering early interest in electronics and circuit design.

Littelfuse has introduced its 5.0SMDJ-FB TVS Diode Series featuring foldback technology to enhance overvoltage protection in DC/DC converters.

Elephantech launches 15nm Copper Nanofiller.

David Schild of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America joins Mike Buetow on the PCB Chat podcast to discuss the current legislative environment for supporting PCB, the organization's latest annual meeting, competition with China, and potential tax and other incentives.

Wally Rhines, spokesperson for the ESD Alliance, joins the PCB Chat podcast to share the first quarter electronic design automation market results, supplemented with additional data and analysis, including thoughts on tariffs.

Inspectis debuts the U50s Advanced Kit, bundling its 4K microscope with upgraded inspection tools.

PCEA has announced the technical program for PCB West 2025, featuring over 125 hours of training and more than 50 sessions, including 30 classes new to the industry-leading tech conference.

Looking for networking opportunities? Join the PCEA Discord server, bringing together engineers and designers from around the world on a private channel for discussing technical questions and career opportunities.

MATERIAL GAINS
Software-Defined Technologies are Helping Fulfill Our Built-In Urge to Communicate
From the first mobile phones and the Internet to smartphones and the mobile Internet, technical innovation has quickly expanded opportunities for people to communicate.

ALUN MORGAN

Alun Morgan





















BUSINESS NEWS

The CHIPS-funded EUV Accelerator at Albany NanoTech has begun operations, advancing US lithography and semiconductor R&D with high-NA EUV tools.

ASML says it may not meet growth targets for next year as US tariff uncertainty delays chipmaker investments and complicates equipment deliveries.

EMS Technologies Services has acquired a 39,900-sq-ft flex facility in Henrietta to expand electronics manufacturing capacity.

Apple has secured a 500M deal with MP Materials to ensure a stable US-sourced supply of rare earth magnets for future electronics manufacturing.

Luminovo has partnered with Wittig Electronic to streamline component sourcing and quoting.

Kitov AI and FANUC America are teaming up to integrate AI-powered visual inspection with robotic automation.

DISTRON enhances its PCB assembly for lighting products with lead-free processes and energy-efficient production lines.

THE ROUTE
In Pursuit of Intelligent Automation
The question was put forth at Siemens’ EDA Tech Day in May: Which of the following can be replaced by AI? Input, Schematic, Footprints, Placement, Routing, Deliverables (DfM, validation, etc.).

MIKE BUETOW

Mike Buetow






















TECHNICAL ARTICLES


Creating a ‘Step Down’ PCB with PCIe Fingers on Both Sides
PCD&F/CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY



Reliability Analysis and Parameter Optimization of Board-Level BGA Packaging Structures under Thermal-Drop Impact Load
Soldering & Surface Mount Technology



A Machine Learning Framework with Shapley’s Additive Explanations to Assess Solder Joint Reliability for Electronic Packaging
Journal of Electronic Materials

EVENTS

Jul. 24: PCEA Orange County Chapter MeetingCosta Mesa, CA
Jul. 24: PCEA Portland (OR) Chapter MeetingOnline
Aug. 4-Sept. 2: PCEA Training Certified Printed Circuit Designer CourseOnline
Sept. 12-Oct. 17: PCEA Training Certified Printed Circuit Designer CourseOnline
Sept. 30-Oct. 2: PCB WestSanta Clara, CA
Oct. 28-30: Nepcon ASIAShenzhen
Oct. 28-30: CPCA Show PlusShanghai
Nov. 3-Dec. 1: PCEA Training Certified Printed Circuit Designer CourseOnline
Nov. 18-21: ProductronicaMunich
Dec. 3-5: HKPCA ShowShenzhen
Apr. 28-May 1: PCB East 2026Worcester, MA


 

BOOK-TO-BILLS/MARKET TRENDS
             May Trend
EMS 1.43 Flat
ICs 27% Up
PCBs 1.03 Down
Component Sales Sentiment 93.1 Down
Changes are year-over-year.    

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PCB Update is a digital newsletter for PCB design, fabrication and assembly professionals, brought to you by Printed Circuit Engineering Association™. E-mail industry press releases or links to the editors of CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY or PCD&F: pr@pcea.net.


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