JANUARY 2019 I FLEX007 MAGAZINE 91
5
EPTE Newsletter: Sputtering or
Chemical Plating? E
More than 20 years ago,
material manufacturers
competed with each other
to develop adhesiveless cop-
per-clad laminates for the
next generation of flexible
circuits. These technologies
were categorized into two types: a casting and
laminating process, and the metallization of
polyimide films.
6
It's Only Common Sense:
Tips for Attending Trade Shows E
As we near 2019 and the
upcoming trade show sea-
son, Dan Beaulieu discusses
some of the best ways to
get the most use from your
hard-earned trade show
spending.
7
Punching Out! Creating PCB
Industry Giants and Mid-majors
Through Acquisitions E
Summit Interconnect
announced the acquisi-
tion of Streamline Circuits.
Summit itself was created
in 2016 through the merger
of KCA and Marcel, and is
backed by a private equity
firm. In the PCB and PCBA
industry, TTM Technologies is the giant King
Kong of acquisitions, growing from just $80
million in revenues 20 years ago to over $3 bil-
lion today.
8
Powerful Prototypes:
The Future of PCB Designs E
I designed my first PCB
using tape and etch-resist
pens from RadioShack. I
penciled the schematic on
graph paper, drew the lay-
out directly onto the single-
sided copper-plated board,
and then etched it in my parents' garage.
9
150+ Years of Experience:
Reflections with Three
Industry Icons E
You would be
h a rd - p re s s e d
to find a more
k n o w l e d g e -
able and expe-
rienced group
than that of
Gary Ferrari, Gene Weiner, and Happy Holden.
In a brief interview with Barry Matties, these
three industry icons consider the past, present,
and future state of electronics manufacturing
while also offering advice to the newest gen-
eration of manufacturers.
J
Stephen Chavez: Breaking the
Design Data Bottleneck E
In this interview, PCB
designer and EPTAC
design instructor Steph
Chavez explains some of
the biggest issues related
to good design data hand-
off, and he offers some
ways forward.
For the Latest Flex News and Information, Visit: Flex007
Dominique Numakura
Duane Benson
Dan Beaulieu
Tom Kastner
Weiner, Holden, and Ferrari
