Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1543032
6 SMT007 MAGAZINE I FEBRUARY 2026 Featured Shorts Design Village: Bringing the Design Community Front and Center by the I- Connect007 Editorial Team Poster Session a Highlight of the Technical Conference with Stan Rak and Udo Welzel Road to Reliability Series: Safety First—ADAS, Connectivity, and Interfaces by Stanton Rak, SF Rak Company 12 20 53 APEX EXPO 2026 Preshow 24 40 44 54 72 64 66 70 28 48 78 FEBRUARY 2026 ▼ ▼ ▼ Feature Articles Finding the Funny: Jan McInnis Headlines Women in Electronics Keynote by Alicia Balonek Professional Development Courses for Every Electronics Manufacturing Sector by Global Electronics Association Technology Pavilion Debuts at APEX EXPO 2026 by Global Electronics Association Big Ideas Take the Stage: APEX EXPO 2026 Keynotes by Michelle Te Learning Lounge Returns, Better Than Ever by Carlos Plaza Taking a Global Approach to the Industry Mexico at APEX EXPO 2026: Building the Future Together, One State at a Time by Lorena Villanueva East Asia at APEX EXPO 2026: Focusing on Cross-regional Exchange and Industry Connectivity by Sydney Xiao India and Southeast Asia: Strengthening Electronics Through Skills, Standards, and Collaboration by Arpita Das Columns & Article Powering the Future: From Thick-Film to DBC: Understanding the Evolution of Ceramic Packaging by Brian Buyea Smart Automation: Preparing for an SMT Line Upgrade Materials and Setup Verification by Josh Casper Electronics Trade in a Persistent Tariff Environment by Thiago Guimaraes