Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1547450
8 SMT007 MAGAZINE I NOVEMBER 2026 to manage sourcing haven't really changed—I'm looking at you, Microsoft Excel. Until now, that is. Software developers are leveraging more online information from suppliers, government agencies, and OEM design teams to make innovative strides in automating vendor scheduling, component availability, and pricing. New tools have emerged over the past five years to improve in-house inven- tory management and to help make part ordering smarter and more cost-effective. The recent trade negotiations and rapidly fluctuating tariff rates have spurred the development of tools that give buyers a complete picture of tariff costs across each channel, sometimes uncovering hidden costs in the supply chain. The days of running receiving and stock room from an Excel spreadsheet are over, or at least they can be. So, yes. We are entering a new age in sourcing, and it's one in which the EMS company has access to tools that provide greater insight and control. In this issue, we focus on in-house software tools that make full use of this new environment. A common theme running through all the feature content is "data normalization." To get the most out of the available data, all the apples need to be converted to oranges, so to speak. To that end, we bring you an article by Scott Ryan at Cetec discussing the practicalities of material management. Ralph Richart N O L A N 'S N OT ES from MetisLogic educates us on the impact of, and the solution to, the "messy middle," and Mark Zetter details how his product enables decision-making clarity amid the complexity of tariff stack analysis, thereby empowering purchasers and planners. Our cavalcade of columnists brings their exper- tise to the issue as well. Nash Bell knocks down the bone pile with BGA stencil best practices, Adam Klett clears up the role and value of ROSE testing, and "The Universal Language of Quality" is on Tian- ming Liu's mind this month. Finally, Alex Spurgeon of U.S. Heatstake gives readers a comprehensive technical piece exploring the fundamentals of heat staking and its ideal applica- tions in electronics assembly. Just like the magician's trick of pulling a scarf out of their fist, only to have it turn into a long line of scarves tied together, the tariff articles from Zetter and Kim, when taken together, open an area of discussion deserving of an entire issue. SMT007 Nolan Johnson is managing editor of SMT007 Magazine. Nolan brings 30 years of career experi- ence focused almost entirely on electronics design and manufactur- ing. To contact Johnson, click here.