58 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2019
The Government Circuit: U.S.-China
Tariff War Threatens American Jobs
and Investments E
Fifty-five percent of companies report they are
facing higher costs as a result of higher tariffs,
which are affecting, on average, about one-
third of the total dollar value of the products
they import. Some companies say their costs
have increased more than the direct costs of
the tariffs due to higher administrative and op-
erational burdens to sort it all out. Chris Mitch-
ell explains
Miniaturization Continues: Day 3
productronica Coverage E
The conversations on day 3 of productronica
continued, including topics such as flexibility,
5G capabilities, and increased data and intel-
ligence. The theme from test and inspection
equipment providers included increased ca-
pabilities in sensing, material handling, and
visual inspection technologies. And through
it all, one common perspective emerged time
and time again: PCB manufacturing is now ap-
proaching the levels of line, trace, and compo-
nent density that were once limited to the sur-
face of a silicon wafer.
Future Trends in Flying Probe Testing E
Peter Brandt, director of sales for Europe and Ja-
pan at atg, sits down with Pete Starkey and Bar-
ry Matties, gives his views on market require-
ments and testing technologies, and explains
how flying probe testing is becoming the indus-
try standard at all levels of production—and in
many cases, the only practicable solution.
Four Key Developments From TPCA Show E
The recent TPCA Show 2019 attracted 31,926
attendees who had the chance to visit 1,432
booths erected by enterprises from 420 coun-
tries. In addition, the topics brought forth by
the 57 seminars and keynote forums held at
the recent IMPACT 2019 have directed the fu-
ture trends of the PCB industry. The organizer
found the following key extended topics.
SCHMID Group Installs PlasmaLine at
Hofstetter PCB AG E
SCHMID Group installed the first PlasmaLine
comprising ICP etch and sputter deposition
of its Korean JV SCHMID AVACO at Hofstetter
PCB AG in Switzerland.
Multilayer Press Technology Using
Magnetism to Produce Lamination Heat E
A revolutionary concept in multilayer press
technology has been developed that uses elec-
tromagnetic energy to heat the existing stain-
less-steel separator plates with a never-before
dreamed-of accuracy and precision. The heat-
ing and cooling systems—embedded with-
in a robust hydraulic press inside a vacuum
chamber design—are controlled using a tem-
perature feedback loop that guarantees perfect
fidelity between the press recipe and the press
result.
International Electronics Circuit
Exhibition Shenzhen Presents Technical
Conference E
Organized by Hong Kong Printed Circuit As-
sociation (HKPCA) and China Printed Circuit
Association (CPCA), The 2019 International
Electronics Circuit Exhibition (Shenzhen)—
formerly the International Printed Circuit &
APEX South China Fair—will present the lat-
est market and technology innovations and
trends.
