64 The PCB Design Magazine • December 2017
joint reliability, and high temperature reliability for
alternative solders and substrates materials.
Leveraging Industry Shows to
Create a Presence
At the recent SMTA International show in Rose-
mont, Illinois, I had an opportunity to meet with
Mark Osborn, president and owner of Colonial
Circuits, based in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Colo-
nial Circuits is a supplier of PCBs, mainly for the
defense industry.
'Lighten Up' - Deep Space Communications
via Faraway Photons
A spacecraft destined to explore a unique asteroid
will also test new communication hardware that
uses lasers instead of radio waves.
New RoboBee Flies, Dives, Swims
and Explodes out the of Water
New floating devices allow this multipurpose air-
water microrobot to stabilize on the water's sur-
face before an internal combustion system ignites
to propel it back into the air. This latest-generation
RoboBee, which is 1,000 times lighter than any
previous aerial-to-aquatic robot, could be used for
numerous applications.
Marine Communication Systems Market
Witnessing Surge in Advanced Technology
Technavio market research analysts forecast the
global marine communication systems market to
grow at a CAGR of more than 8% during the fore-
cast period, according to their latest report.
All About Flex: More on UAVs
and Flexible Circuits
The use of drones or unmanned aircraft vehicles
(UAVs) is growing at a nearly exponential rate. This
includes drones used by the government, private
companies and hobbyists. If you have $100, you
can find a long list of drones for purchase.
Nine Dot Connects: Good Design
Instruction is a True Value-Add
Nine Dot Connects has certainly blazed an inter-
esting trail. The company started out as an Altium
reseller, but in less than a decade, Nine Dot Con-
nects has also become a design service bureau and
a provider of PCB design instruction, training, and
consulting services.
Coast to Coast Names Ed Porter
President and CEO
Coast to Coast Circuits has named Ed Porter pres-
ident and CEO. Porter has served in a variety of
managerial and executive leadership roles over the
last 20 years within leading organizations in the
printed circuit board industry, including TTM Tech-
nologies and Sanmina SCI.
Catching up with…Brigitflex
Today, Brigitflex is building unique custom-made
boards for companies all over the world, from large
defense and aerospace companies to small incuba-
tor companies inventing new products. They have
become well-known as the shop to go to when no-
body else can solve your problems.
American Standard Circuits Appoints
Tony Monaco to Sales Team
American Standard Circuits has recently added
industry veteran Tony Monaco to the company's
sales team.
NPL and SMART Group to Hold Design,
Process & Reliability Seminar
The National Physical Laboratory and SMART
Group will hold a seminar November 9, 2017, that
will showcase the latest research and results from
NPL projects looking at solder joint and contamina-
tion failure, coating thickness measurement, solder
MilAero007
Highlights
