Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1526666
SEPTEMBER 2024 I PCB007 MAGAZINE 9 Marcy LaRont is the editor of PCB007 Magazine. Marcy started her career in PCBs in 1993 and brings a wide array of business experience and perspective to I-Connect007. To contact Marcy, click here. foundational truisms of life and business are immutable and applicable over time. is is particularly appropriate as we look at the dra- matic leaps forward in technologies—and the industries that build them. In this issue of PCB007 Magazine, we dis- cuss technology roadmaps and what they mean for our businesses. Our features pro- vide context to these all-important questions: What is my company's technology roadmap? Is there anything so epic that it will change my business and/or my industry significantly in the near and distant future? What is driv- ing the changes I will make in my facility? And most importantly, how will I implement this vision and reach the intended destination for my organization? Who better to lay out these visions than the organizations that support electronics manu- facturing? IPC, IEEE, and iNEMI each take a high-level view of technology trends and the requirements for implementing them. eir unique and thoughtful perspectives can help you navigate those "traffic jams" and unex- pected detours ahead. In this issue, IPC President and CEO Dr. John W. Mitchell likens technology roadmaps to the general messaging of billboards rather than the detail provided by a GPS tool. He lays out four essential questions a company should ask itself in utilizing a technology roadmap for planning. Srikantha Chandrasekaran of IEEE looks at the impact of today's technology trends on manufacturing, and delves into the critical and ever-increasing need for data governance. Tarja Rapala and Joe Beers get down to it, outlining iNEMI's PCB roadmap and explain- ing the current state of the PCB industry regarding technology developments—where we are and where we need to be to successfully navigate these strategic inflection points in the years ahead. We get a company perspective from Joe Dickson of Wus, a Chinese fabricator, who shares his observations and perspective on the state of the PCB industry through 2026 and beyond from his geographic lens. Don Ball of Chemcut takes a step back from his columns on chemistry to provide thoughtful commen- tary on dealing with technology roadmaps. He acknowledges that, ideally, we would all be aware of and ready for future technology demands; but that is not typically what hap- pens in organizations that are not flush with cash. So, what can we do? And, in line with cre- ating your business roadmap and implement- ing change, Tony Faraci and Jesse Ziomek of DIS Technology discuss the things that led to their company's expansion into a new facility and decision to enter new markets, as well as a company culture that supports these types of bold moves. Also not to be missed in this issue are col- umns by Happy Holden and Shane Whiteside, as well as Mike Carano, who provides a detailed description of the difficult-to-detect intercon- nect defect (ICD). Atotech's Mikalai Kuchuk also contributes to this issue with an article on the quality and cost benefits of data-driven solutions, a must-read that provides practical examples for sustainable manufacturing. rough reading this issue, I hope you gain valuable information and insight, both techni- cally and strategically, toward putting together your company's own technology roadmap, and are encouraged to embrace the strategic inflection points coming to the PCB fabrica- tion industry as opportunities for transfor- mative growth and ultimate success. e per- spectives shared here highlight the importance of foresight and innovation as well as the col- lective wisdom available to us in steering our businesses toward a sustainable and prosper- ous future. PCB007