Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1150604
40 SMT007 MAGAZINE I AUGUST 2019 Feature by John Fix TAIYO AMERICA INC. As I write this article, it is the eve of high school graduation for my oldest son, Tom. It's easy to reflect on his life that spans just short of 18 years. As parents, we all remember the milestones of our child(ren): when they were born and their first words, steps, days of school, etc. His high school graduation means he now embarks on the specialized educa- tional path of his choice. For my wife and I, we have fantastic memories and look forward to seeing what Tom's future holds. I started with Taiyo America 18 years ago. And yes, 18 years can be a lifetime for some (like Tom), or short for others, like my wife and me. It's all just a perception of time. Of course, technology can change signifi- cantly in a short period of time as well, which is not a perception; it's a reality that we see every day. Changing technology has a dra- matic effect on how we live our lives. As a young parent, I thought it was incredible to have a video baby monitor. Now, the norm is to have an app to monitor your baby's every move from your smartphone. In the electron- ics world, 18 years have delivered changes from flip phones to smartphones, 2G to 5G, and plated through-holes to blind vias. In the automotive world, Tesla didn't even start development until 2004; now, we have self- driving vehicles. However, the 5G era is creating quite a bit of work for many PCB engineers as the materials required to keep up with the speed, frequency, and latency requirements need to be defined Figure 1: 5G era.