34 The PCB Design Magazine • October 2015
PCB007
Highlights
announce that Lance Riley has joined the company
as Vice President of Sales.
Flex Market Evolution
Flex circuits are designed to solve electronic pack-
aging and assembly problems, solve interconnec-
tion issues, assist in miniaturization, and provide
a dynamic electro-mechanical solution. They
are configured with repeatable conductors that
foolproof assembly errors. Flex is used in designs
where standard PCBs, connectors and cable as
-
semblies just don't provide the right electrical or
mechanical solution.
Georgia Tech Joins Manufacturing
Innovation Institute for Flexible
Hybrid Electronics
The Georgia Institute of Technology has become
a founding member of the new Flexible Hybrid
Electronics Manufacturing Innovation Institute
(FHE-MII) established by the U.S. Department of
Defense.
IPC Releases White Paper on Conflict
Minerals Due Diligence
The Dodd-Frank Act continues to be burdensome
for companies required to report on the usage
of conflict minerals. In order to address industry
concerns, IPC–Association Connecting Electron-
ics Industries has released IPC-1081, Conflict
Minerals Due Diligence White Paper (IPC WP-
1081), a document designed to help with some
reporting woes.
Integrating with Gardien Group's
Roland Valentini
Gardien Group is one of those companies that are
always looking out for their customers. The com-
pany is, without a doubt, the last word when it
comes to bare board quality assurance, focused
on helping customers deliver the most electrically
sound boards in the business. Gardien's technolo-
gists are experts at testing and other quality assur-
ance disciplines.
Characterization of PCB Material &
Manufacturing Technology for
High-Frequency
Concepts like Industry 4.0, Internet of Things, M2M
communication, smart homes and communication
in, or to cars are maturing. All these applications
are based on the same demanding requirement—
a considerable amount of data and increased data
transfer rate. These arguments present major chal-
lenges to PCB design and manufacturing.
Automotive Technology: The Next Driving
Force in Electronic Manufacturing
The devices we have come to expect in luxury and
high-end vehicles are now becoming available
and even common in lower priced ones. While
that significantly increases automotive electronic
device manufacture volume, the next wave will
dwarf what we have experienced to date.
Conflict Minerals Study: Only 25% of
Filers Fully Met Dodd-Frank Section
1502 Requirements in 2014
A recent, independent evaluation of the public com-
pany "conflict mineral" filings submitted to the SEC
for reporting year 2014 under Dodd-Frank Section
1502 found that of the 1,262 companies evaluated,
312 scored a perfect 100% and 245 scored below
75% in meeting the requirements of the SEC rule.
Detroit vs. Silicon Valley: What's Driving the
Proliferation of Automotive Electronics?
For the past several decades, modern cars have not
changed much. They have four wheels, an engine,
a radio (possibly even an 8-track) and seatbelts.
Over time, however, cars' electronics parts have
evolved faster than any other part of a car with en
-
hancements like power windows, power mirrors,
seat heaters and GPS navigation.
Lone Star Circuits Adds Lance Riley
as VP of Sales
Lone Star Circuits, a high-reliability technology driv-
en printed circuit board manufacturer, is pleased to
34 The PCB Design Magazine • October 2015
