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JULY 2025 I PCB007 MAGAZINE 95 10 9 7 6 8 The Evolution of Picosecond Laser Drilling Is it hard to imagine a single laser pulse reduced not only from nano- seconds (0.000000001 s) to picosec- onds (0.000000000001 s) in its pulse duration, but even to femtoseconds (0.000000000000001 s)? Well, buckle up because it seems we are there. In this interview, Dr. Stefan Rung, techni- cal director of laser machines at Schmoll Maschinen GmbH, traces the technology trajectory of the laser drill from the CO2 laser to cutting-edge picosecond and hybrid laser drill- ing systems, highlighting the benefits and limitations of each method, and dem- onstrating how laser innovations are shaping the future of PCB fabrication. China Plus One, Part 3: Inorsen Group, a Vietnam Success Story In recent years, Western OEMs have contin- ued to push for China Plus One factories and the advancement of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). At present, there are two main modes for PCB compa- nies to go global: building greenfield factories or through mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Thailand is currently the primary geographic choice to build greenfield factories, whereas, increasingly, mergers and acquisitions in Viet- nam and Malaysia provide opportunities for companies to expand markets and acquire resources. The Death of the Microsection I got my start out of college grinding and polishing PCB microsec- tions. Back then, via structures were rather large, and getting to the center in six steps of grind- ing and polishing was easy compared to what my team has been doing recently at the lab. HDI, ultra HDI, substrates, embed- ded components, and the plethora of (tiny) via structures (micro, stacked, bur- ied, staggered, etc.) that connect every- thing in today's "boards" make arriving at a via structure's center using a microsec- tion a true nightmare—and a miracle for the lab technician if attained. Smarter Machines Use AOI to Transform PCB Inspections As automated optical inspection (AOI) evolves from traditional end- of-process inspections to proac- tive, in-line solutions, the integration of AI and machine learning is revolutionizing defect reduction and enhanc- ing yields, marking a pivotal shift in how quality is man- aged in manufacturing. Giovanni Obino, senior director of industrial digital solutions at MKS' Atotech, discusses the remarkable advancements in AOI technology over the past decade and the imperative for PCB manufactur- ers to embrace digital transformation. Takeaways from the Keynotes at the Edinburgh EIPC Summer Conference In Edinburgh, Scotland, June 3-4, delegates from 17 coun- tries convened for the 2025 EIPC Summer Conference and enjoyed a superlative program of 18 technical presenta- tions over two days. EIPC President Alun Morgan welcomed everyone to the Delta Hotel, reminding us that in its previ- ous iteration, it was the Royal Scot, traditionally the annual venue of the Institute of Circuit Technology Northern Sym- posium. To my delight, he produced a copy of the 1982 pro- ceedings, where I gave a presentation on outgassing.