IPC International Community magazine an association member publication
Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1542698
8 I-CONNECT007 MAGAZINE I JANUARY 2026 Setting the Pace for an Industry in Motion For many years, I-Connect007 publications have supported an industry built on thoughtful engi- neering, practical insight, and open discussion of real-world design and manufacturing challenges. We aim to strengthen the industry and its compa- nies by sharing information that informs, guides, and drives better decisions. We've purposely served the industry through its distinct sectors: PCB design, fabrication, and assem- bly. However, there are no longer distinct silos of work in the electronics manufacturing sector. I've increasingly found myself in discussions about the topic of "blurred lines" between disciplines, and the reality that work done in a vacuum has a diminished chance of success. "Today, we are entering a profound paradigm shift, not simply limited to PCB layout or assembly," writes John Watson in this month's issue. "It is rede- fining how PCB design fits into the broader elec- tronic system." The Global Electronics Association's Matt Kelly and Peter Tranitz have been advocat- ing this view for over a year, as have other advo- cacy groups, including PCBAA and EIPC, repeat- edly discussing the concept of "silicon to systems" and the emerging need for a holistic consideration of all electronic devices, from concept through end- of-product-life issues. In essence, there is no meaningful PCB design without a solid framework for design for manufac- turability that encompasses the entire spectrum of hardware design and fabrication. A PCB design is only wasted time and data bits if it is not realized by being built. In contrast, every realized printed circuit board M A RCY ' S M U S I N G S Feature Column by Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007