Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1527952
98 PCB007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2024 It has been well documented that, with a very expensive and complex printed cir- cuit board, thermal and mechanical excur- sions often find weaknesses. A lack of robustness and poor process control often leads to the exploitation of those weaknesses. An interconnect defect (ICD) often goes undetected until the printed circuit board reaches the final assem- bly stage or undergoes multiple thermal cycles, includ- ing interconnect stress tests or thermal shock. The ever-increasing demands on printed circuit boards to satisfy the needs of tomorrow's products means that PCB manufacturers must continuously evolve and react to a wide variety of technological and market requirements such as functional density, higher frequencies, material properties refine- ment, smart manufacturing and time-to-market. To meet these stringent requirements, driven by expanding data needs and increasing transfer speeds, the electronics industry turns to high- speed PCBs and substrates. Each quarter, IPC releases a list of standards that are new or have been updated. To view a complete list of newly pub- lished standards and standards revisions, translations, pro- posed standards for ballot, final drafts for industry review, working drafts, and project approvals, visit ipc.org/status. These are the latest releases for Q3 2024. Global Perspectives: The Future of PCB Technology It has been a while since we talked to a multi-company Asian-based PCB fabricator. Based on the markets served, Asia-based fabricators already utilize the highest-tech PCB processing equipment and materi- als. Where does that leave the rest of the world? Joe Dickson, an exec- utive at Wus in China, candidly shares his observations, experiences, and perspective of an American working for an Asian-based PCB fabri- cator, envisioning a realistic future for the PCB fabrication industry. Stringent High-speed Requirements Pose Technology Challenges Trouble in Your Tank: Interconnect Defect—The Three Degrees of Separation IPC Releases Newest List of Standards Updates, Revisions TOP TEN EDITOR'S PICKS