SMT007 Magazine

SMT-Feb2016

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10 SMT Magazine • February 2016 cal advances, simultaneous cost reductions and scale of manufacturing in LED packaging and systems integration technologies, as well as the key issues that need to be addressed by the LED lighting supply chain. He highlights the new developments in interconnects, in particular, high-reliability interconnects, to support the ever-growing application of LED lighting. Frederick Blancas of Integrated Micro-Elec- tronics Inc., meanwhile, writes about the tech- nology market trends and developments that will help determine the direction for the EMS industry. He also discusses some of the technol- ogy innovations done by EMS firms themselves to help propel electronics assembly forward. For this issue, we also asked our editorial advisory board, which is composed of experts from the different segments of the electronics manufacturing industry, what they think will be "new" in their respective industries for this year. Dr. Jennie Hwang, one of our regular SMT Magazine columnists, writes about her outlook on the electronics hardware industry, and spe- cifically, what will drive growth product devel- opment strategies. She also highlights the role of advanced materials and advanced manufac- turing such as 3D printing, and how new de- velopments in intelligent robot technology will help provide synergistic performance in the manufacturing industry. The continuing development in wireless technologies such as mobile phones, wireless infrastructure and wireless LANs is driving the need for mixed technology packages in RF chips. William Coleman of Photo Stencil explains a two-print stencil printing procedure needed in mixed technology packages that have both flip chip and surface mount devices on the same substrate. "Made in the U.S.A." is hot again in many industries. According to the Reshoring Initia- tive, 60,000 manufacturing jobs were added in the U.S. in 2014, up by 400% from just 12,000 in 2013. Meanwhile, 31% of respondents to the Boston Consulting Group's fourth annual survey of senior U.S.-based manufacturing ex- ecutives at companies with at least $1 billion in annual revenues said that their companies are most likely to add production capacity in the U.S. within five years for goods sold in the U.S. The report added that the share of executives saying that their companies are actively reshor- ing production increased by 9% since 2014 and by about 250% since 2012. Focusing on this increasing trend, indus- try veteran Gary Tanel, who recently joined McDonald Technologies, tackles the challeng- es and opportunities for smaller EMS when it comes to onshoring, as OEMs are increas- ingly looking for suppliers that are closer and smaller. I also interviewed Craig Hunter of Vishay In- tertechnology Inc. about the significant chang- es in the electronics manufacturing industry during the past decade, the persistent challeng- es, and new technologies that will provide op- portunities and growth. He said that the growth of mobility, sustainability and connectivity will be major drivers for the future, while power ef- ficiency, energy density and size/weight ratios will drive business and provide new solutions and markets. For his part, Mike Konrad of Aqueous Tech- nologies writes about the latest developments in the electronic assembly cleaning industry, and his company's efforts to reduce the foot- print of cleaning through the design of equip- ment that uses less water, less electricity, less chemicals, less discharge, and less time than other processes. Dr. S. Manian Ramkumar, professor and di- rector of the Center for Electronics Manufactur- ing and Assembly, Manufacturing and Mechan- ical Engineering Technology and Packaging Science at the Rochester Institute of Technol- ogy, details new drop-in anisotropic conductive adhesive replacements for lead-based and lead- free solder assemblies. Meanwhile, our technical editor Pete Star- key toured Electrolube's UK headquarters in the historic Leicestershire town of Ashby-de-la- Zouch. You can read his write-up about his visit, and what is driving product development at the company. Also inside, the second part of The PCB Maga- zine Editor Patty Goldman's interview with Tom Borkes, founder of The Jefferson Project and the forthcoming Jefferson Institute of Technology. In the concluding part of their discussion, Tom N eW Paradig ms

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