Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1299286
22 PCB007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2020 Feature Interview by Nolan Johnson I-CONNECT007 I spoke with Matt Stevenson, VP of sales and marketing and a Design007 columnist, about what roadmapping looks like for Sunstone Cir- cuits, a PCB prototype fabricator whose best value might come a step behind the bleeding edge. Stevenson also describes how Sunstone works internally within its departments and externally with its customers to make road- maps work best for them. Nolan Johnson: We've been talking about road- maps and how they help you do your long-range strategic planning. External roadmaps, like the IEEE Heterogeneous Integration Roadmap (HIR) or the roadmap from iNEMI, are being put to- gether by associations to allow businesses in the sector to do their strategic planning. I want to start this conversation on the manufactur- ing floor, where you're planning for capabilities. You use roadmapping to plan for the new capa- bilities you're targeting. Walk me through the overall process you use at Sunstone Circuits. Matt Stevenson: Our roadmaps are not neces- sarily driven by association roadmaps. We gen- erally go to our customers; what they want de- fines our roadmap. We may be a little behind the pace of some of the association roadmaps, but we see what customers adopt and clamor for in terms of new capabilities and technolo- gies. We get their feedback and their input be- fore we physically add that on to our manufac- turing or technology roadmap. Johnson: As a fabricator, what your customers are asking for is your roadmap of reality. Stevenson: Correct. If they decide not to adopt something that's on the IEEE roadmap, then we haven't lost any time. They've weeded out what they think is important for their business, and that flows down to us. Johnson: What's the value of industry associa- tion roadmaps for Sunstone? Sunstone Circuits Sees Roadmaps as Practical and Collaborative