Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1546933
8 SMT007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2026 computers processed only about 1.3 million instruc- tions per second. Although TOPS and instructions per second are not directly equivalent measures, the comparison illustrates the enormous capability available in today's vehicles. The same progression can be seen in consumer electronics. Apple's iPhone 12, introduced in 2020, incorporated a Neural Engine capable of 11 trillion operations per second. We've come a long, long way. Now consider production volumes. The auto- motive industry produces close to 100 million vehicles annually, and electric vehicles represent a rapidly growing share. If 25 million EVs each contain roughly 100 circuit boards, including boards in cameras, sensors, lighting, airbags, and other subsystems, that alone represents 2.5 billion PCBs. Even allowing for variations in PCB counts from one vehicle architecture to another, the shift toward electrification and electronic vehicles represents an enormous market for circuit boards. As more EVs are produced, we will see increased demand for circuit boards, and safety regulations are only adding to the electronics required to run our modern vehicles. AI and data centers may be gobbling up much of the demand for boards, but automotive remains a major volume driver. Of course, billions of boards are only part of the challenge. They also have to be assembled reliably, efficiently, and at automotive production volumes. The automotive industry has been advancing its electronics technology for many years and those demands continue to influence electronics manu- facturing. In this issue of SMT007 Magazine, we N O L A N 'S N OT ES look specifically at soldering and how recent devel- opments are helping manufacturers meet the auto- motive industry's evolving requirements. In my interview with KIC's Miles Moreau, he discusses reflow oven controls for reliability. I also explore lasers as a soldering option in a separate article. MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions presents a case study on managing silver in produc- tion, which is very timely, given silver's recent vola- tility. In another article, Akrometrix advises us on alternative methods to check BGAs for warpage. We're publishing an Indium paper from SMTA Inter- national on voiding, and SPEA tackles automotive power board testing. Closing out our features is an interview with Stan Rak, author of this year's article series called "The Road to Reliability." In columns this month, Jennie Hwang sends a letter to future generations, FSQuality's Tianming Liu examines the concept of core competencies across regions, and Nash Bell discusses the value of interposers in rework. I'm excited to welcome our newest columnist, Adam Klett, doctor of science at KYZEN. Adam was one of our contributing experts on the cleaning issue earlier this year, and we're delighted to have him join us as a columnist. Returning to my analogy of the reliability of new cars, I leaned on the automotive industry's relentless pursuit of reliability even then, and asked the sales manager, "Are you suggesting that my Honda will be as fragile as the Space Shuttle? Will I have to scrub trips on the regular because of electronic failures? If so, I don't think this is the minivan for us." He assured me all would be well, so we moved on to signing paperwork. And 100,000 miles of driving proved him right. Now, if the sales manager been talking about a "2001 Odyssey," and had he mentioned that one of the modules was named HAL, I might have fallen for it. SMT007 Nolan Johnson is managing editor of SMT007 Magazine. Nolan brings 30 years of career experience focused almost entirely on electron- ics design and manufac- turing. To contact Johnson, click here. " This car has more computers than the Space Shuttle! That's why this extended warranty is a good deal." — Honda sales manager