Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/622045
10 SMT Magazine • January 2016 EdiTor's noTE MEDICaL ELECTrOnICS: ManuFaCTurInG VITaLS cal facilities, and continuous support by vari- ous governments indicate heavy investment in R&D in healthcare and the medical electronics market in the coming years. However, the medical electronics industry, and in particular, the manufacturing side of it, is not without its own set of challenges. For in- stance, the design of medical devices—includ- ing the complex manufacturing issues associat- ed with the miniaturization trend, data security, power management, and lack of product differ- entiation—are key challenges when it comes to manufacturing medical electronics products. On top of it all are the strict regulatory require- ments that manufacturers must adhere to and comply with. This issue of SMT Magazine features articles and interviews that will help electronics manu- facturers understand further the manufacturing challenges and opportunities in this growing sector. Here's what we're bringing you on the topic this month: Kelvin Fernandez, a global product line manager at Nordson EFD, talks about the latest innovations in dispensing technologies when it comes to manufacturing medical devices. Mo Ohady, general manager, and David Estes, engineer, at Digicom Electronics, write about what medical device companies need to consider when selecting a contract electronics manufacturer for their products, from track re- cord and number of years in service, to types of products being manufactured, age of the equip- ment in use, results from outside testing agen- cies, and more. Frederick Blancas, senior division manager at Integrated Micro-Electronics Inc. (IMI), writes about the opportunities, trends and challenges in medical electronics manufacturing from the perspective of an EMS provider. He notes that while margin pressures, compliance costs and risks, supply chain instability, and new prod - uct introduction can be headaches, innovation helps medical manufacturers churn out more. I interviewed Jay Wimer, executive vice pres- ident of the Valtronic Group, and president and CEO of Valtronic USA, about the impact of the medical market on electronics manufacturing, the challenges facing medical electronics man- ufacturers and technology providers, and how the trends happening in the medical electronics segment are driving innovation in electronics manufacturing. Brian Morrison, director for Value Engineer- ing & Technology at SMTC Corp., discusses the manufacturing and supply chain challenges facing EMS providers when it comes to medi- cal electronics, and the increasing need for risk management, design control and traceability. As always, SMT Magazine would not be com- plete without technical articles discussing the latest developments in the PCB assembly, EMS and SMT industries. For this issue, Steve Fraser, VP of operations at Firstronic, writes about va- por phase (VP) reflow solder technology and why the technology is now coming of age. He also mentions several ways that VP reflow tech- nology can save cost, and the benefits it offers electronics manufacturers. Patty Goldman, editor of The PCB Magazine, interviews Tom Borkes, founder of The Jeffer- son Project and the forthcoming Jefferson In- stitute of Technology, about his well-researched plan to bring manufacturing to engineering undergraduate students by bringing students to manufacturing, through a hands-on, real-world learning experience. For his regular column this month, Michael Ford, senior marketing development manager with Mentor Graphics Corporation Valor divi- sion, shares how traceability can solve the prob- lem of counterfeit materials. Ford says counter-