Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1520492
154 I-CONNECT007 I REAL TIME WITH... IPC APEX EXPO 2024 SHOW & TELL MAGAZINE ers to the service providers and increasing accessibility, as it were. So, the last theme returns us to the top of the list. The various pieces dovetail together, each holding the other up. Just as we cannot build a wood joint one dovetail at a time, we cannot tackle one of these business needs without giving some attention to the others as well; they all must be shaped to fit and then, more or less, be simultaneously con- nected. Progress to adopt one opens the door to advancing the others. The upshot? The industry is definitely building something new and better. I didn't see a great breakthrough or disrup- tor this year. However, there was more col- laboration at the data level, dovetailing new insights into the manufacturing and business operations in our businesses. This brings us, in essence, one step closer to the factory of the future. S&T Nolan Johnson is managing editor of SMT007 Magazine. Skye Sterner is an associate manufacturing engineer at Northrop Grumman What's something that you really got to geek out over and talk about during your time here? I was most excited about the sustainability ses- sions that I went to, implementing sustainable practices within fabrication of circuit boards. That was where I found the most interest. What are some the practices you learned about? Some specific ways are being more cognizant of the materials that we're using. One of the talks was about the lifecycle analysis of the fabrica- tion of circuit boards. It's also about looking at the energy being used, the amount of water usage, and things like that. I thought that was pretty interesting to be more aware of what we're doing, and how every little thing is important and should be thought about. Interview by Dylan Nguyen Skye Sterner FROM THE