Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/950499
8 PCB007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2018 I don't have to tell you that things are chang- ing fast in our industry. New tech seems to launch daily these days. How can we keep up? How can we even maintain? What's coming next and how can we best prepare, in order to stay in the game? Fundamentally, what does all this gadget- ry rely on at its core? Obviously, PCBs in one form or another. Faster, smaller, finer fea- tures for more memory, more capability, more, more, more—all of which affects us when mak- ing PCBs. Remember when 5 mil lines and spaces were the lat- est? When laser imag- ing was barely imag- inable? Yeah, those memories are long gone. But that's what we all love and what keeps us going in this industry: the chal- lenge to make it hap- pen, to make that in- credibly complicated board that two years ago you would have thought impossible. We're talking new technology this month, to help you under- stand the ever-increasing, ever-more compli- cated requirements from your customers. Read about some of the latest here and remember: You can do it! Our first article this month is by that guru of the latest in electronics tech, Dan Fein- berg. You probably read his recent articles on the CES show, where his enthusiasm for all things techie comes shining through. This month, he focuses on disruptive technology— the latest, the greatest, and how quickly they are appearing. If you have been paying attention and read- ing our magazines, you've heard of Alex Ste- pinski and Whelen Engineering. For nearly two years we've been keeping you updated on this fully-automated, green, captive PCB facility. Now it has been spun off, going commercial, and a vast upgrade to the latest in manufactur- ing technology is underway. In an interview, Alex discusses the latest innovations for Green- Source, with sever- al people from one of his prime suppliers of both chemistry and equipment—Atotech. While at produc- tronica, I met with Elga Europe's CEO, Giorgio Favini, and learned about a new photore- sist that does amazing things. Imagine devel- oping 10-micron fea- tures on thick photo- resist with a perfectly vertical sidewall. I've seen the SEMs and you can read about it right here. Much of the new technology for our industry involves equip- ment—not just upgrades, but completely new ways for handling extremely thin materials and new ways to get process chemistry where you want it. In an interview with Schmid's Rü- diger Lange, he discusses some of the ways to solve these ever-more-important issues, focus- ing in part on solution cleanliness. I can remember when automated optical in- spection was first presented at an IPC meeting. Patty's Perspective by Patty Goldman, I-CONNECT007 The Direction of New Technology