Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1535954
JUNE 2025 I SMT007 MAGAZINE 9 adds his perspective with his column on data integra- tion on the line. Nash Bell discusses the current think- ing on tin whisker migra- tion and mitigation, and Tom Yang considers the confluence of cross-border partnerships and integrity in business practices. Last month, we intro- duced a new interview series titled "In-depth with…", designed to move beyond surface-level con- versations and dive deep into the topics that mat- ter most. Each installment focuses on a specific ser- vice, technology, or prod- uct, with the goal of thor- oughly exploring the real- world challenges, implica- tions, and solutions behind them. We aim to spotlight the insights, innova- tions, and personal experiences that are oen le out of traditional interviews. In this issue, we're excited to feature Bert Horner, president of e Test Connection, who shares the story behind their newly launched training center. Bert offers a candid look at the motivation for the center, the gaps it's aiming to fill in the industry, and how hands-on learn- ing is reshaping workforce development in the test engineering space. We hope the information in this issue will help clear the clouds ahead, or at the ver y least, act as a radar as we navigate this chang- ing marketplace. SMT007 June issue of SMT007 Mag- azine and will undoubtedly have quite a lasting influ- ence on coming issues. at brings me to the content for this issue, where we're narrowing our focus to sales and quot- ing. In the IPC surveys, respondents overwhelm- ingly shared that sales and quoting were the two areas where they were invest- ing (or needed to invest) in new systems. If you quote a large num- ber of jobs per month as a courtesy (meaning you know you're not likely to win that business) or you find your quote team is overwhelmed, perhaps it's time to look at improv- ing your quoting pro- cess. In the IPC surveys, many respondents reported that soware system integration was difficult, expensive, time-consuming, and problematic. It was also worth noting that the most common quoting soware was described as "developed in-house." When I asked Chin- tan Sutaria, formerly of CalcuQuote, that con- versation turned into an insightful interview. At IPC APEX EXPO 2025, I met Jurgen Sch- merler, CEO of WaveOn. He demonstrated a creative and deceptively simple method for developing context-specific, on-the-floor access to a knowledge base and detailed exactly how he sees this new technology being imple- mented. WaveOn's approach is just another unique example of how our interaction with knowledge bases and databases can evolve in the next few years. Columnist Mike Konrad is on theme this month, discussing workforce concerns and solutions in his column, "Building the Work- force of Tomorrow with EMAC." Josh Casper Nolan Johnson is managing editor of SMT007 Magazine. Nolan brings 30 years of career experience focused almost entirely on electronics design and manufacturing. To contact Johnson, click here.