Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1428512
NOVEMBER 2021 I PCB007 MAGAZINE 9 Shorts" and we explore "Fascinating Oppor- tunities in Flying Probe Testing" with atg and Mycronic. Summit's Gerry Partida discusses some new and powerful methods for pre- qualifiying manufacturing challenges, and Charlie Capers outlines test and measure- ments' competitive advantages as well as the cost of doing business. Aster's William Webb contributes a piece on DFT and test coverage in the digital factory environment, and Alex Stepinski brings his insight on linking data and process to improve both manufacturing and the inspection processes required. Finally, we bring you our cadre of colum- nists, and a dispatch from the PCB007 China office—an interview with the HKPCA China show officials. As I look back over the topics in this maga- zine, I can't help but notice that many of these conversations are starting to look more pre- ventative, more simulation-based, more like what IC verification tools were doing "back in the day." ere may be differences in how the design-to-manufacture processes work, but it sure looks like that same sort of rigor is emerg- ing in the PCB sector. PCB007 In addition, semiconductor manufacturing is more, let's say, elite. ere are relatively few OEMs, and the setup for each chip at the fab is very expensive, so long production runs, con- sequently, are the intended outcome. PCBs are not quite the same. Each design and each revision within the design is unique. In today's dynamic supply chain situation, it's possible that there may be multiple versions of the same design and rev just to accommodate which parts packages are available at the time of manufacture. e OEMs are much more diverse, as are the PCB fabricators. What all this means is that the onus is on the PCB fab to ensure the design is manufacturable, where the semiconductor fabs avoided that process altogether. And that situation leads us to this month's topic: test and measurement. With new inspec- tion technologies and methods, along with AI and advancing data collection, fabricators have new options to consider in their inspec- tion practices. In this issue we look at how new capabilities drive on-floor best practices, and how new best practices are influencing equip- ment design. What has changed as the dimensions have gotten smaller? How does test data start to influence feedback and feedforward loops on the fabrication floor? Are there testing tech- niques that need to be evolved? In this issue, Todd Kolmodin delivers an interview that takes us "Far Beyond Opens and Nolan Johnson is managing editor of PCB007 Magazine. Nolan brings 30 years of career experience focused almost entirely on electronics design and manufacturing. To contact Johnson, click here.