94 PCB007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2024
IPC announced the October 2024 findings from
its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB)
Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands
at 1.09. Total North American PCB shipments in
October 2024 were down 11.1% compared to the
same month last year. Compared to the preced-
ing month, October shipments were up 20.4%.
PCB bookings in October were up 3.5%
compared
to the same
month last
year. October
bookings were
down 3.7%
compared to
the preceding
month.
An excited Mark
Goodwin brings
Pete Starkey up
to date with
Ventec's latest
news. Spoiler
alert: Ventec is
to become the
primary material supplier for a new PCB
factory aiming for full production by
2025. The factory will specialize in four-
to eight-layer technology for in-house
products and EMS. Also in the works are
plans for a new agile plant in Thailand
will to enhance supply chain security.
As my husband and I prepare to welcome our first child next month,
we are navigating what maternity leave means in the electronics field.
Although the field is high-tech and fast-paced, maternity leave remains
an often-underestimated issue. Policies and practices that support work-
ing parents must also change to keep the electronics field a relevant,
supportive, and inclusive work environment.
Process Yield Statistics and Distributions
The costs of poor quality include all expenses incurred for not making
or providing a perfect product the first time, including scrap, rework, re-
purchasing raw materials, labor, and inventory. Companies operating at
a three-sigma quality level can spend about 25% of their annual sales
remediating poor quality costs. Other estimates put the costs of poor
quality in the range of 25–40%. Poor quality can destroy a company.
Real Time with...
electronica 2024:
Exciting News at Ventec
North American PCB Industry Sales
Down 11.1% in October
Navigating Maternity Leave in the Electronics Industry
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