Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/921680
8 SMT007 MAGAZINE I JANUARY 2018 Hello, 2018! Wow, it seems like it wasn't too long ago when I was writing about the optimism of the electronics manu- facturing and assem- bly industry going into 2017. Now, here we are again at the beginning of the new year, looking at new trends, disrup- tive technologies, and emerging markets for 2018. First things first! I am sure you have noticed our name has changed from SMT Magazine to SMT007 Magazine. Not only did we update our magazine's name, we also refreshed the interior pages of the publication, as well. As an I-Connect007 publication, SMT007 Magazine fits nicely with our other publications, which also carry through with the naming convention starting this month: PCB007 Magazine and Design007 Magazine. We hope you enjoy this fresh new look. What else have we been up to? Last month, our team attended the HKPCA & IPC Show in Shenzhen, China, to talk to industry leaders in the PCB supply chain about trends and technologies to watch for in the coming year. The consensus is that everyone's excited about the continuing growth in the electron- ics assembly industry. Last year, the industry was beset with the copper foil short- age. While the same shortage can be expected this year, given the strong growth of the automotive electron- ics industry, manufac- turers and suppliers r emain bullish that this same growth will fuel other aspects of the electronics manu - facturing indus- try. Show attend- ees and vendors w ere also generally excited about 5G, highlighting the pilot deployment of the first 5G network at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. Other notable technol - ogies with expected growth include medical electronics, and the proliferation of devices for the Internet of Things (IoT). This Month's Lineup In this issue, we have taken a close look at the many facets and considerations asso- ciated with investing in new equipment. Do you buy new equipment just to say you have the latest systems in your processing lines? Of course not. But what are the key reasons that will drive you to invest in new equipment, and what decision process goes on behind the scenes that justifies your investment in these new machines? In a recent conversation, Eltek USA Presi- dent Kathy Nargi-Toth says that when it comes to making decisions on investing in new equip- ment for the factory, manufacturers should Editor's Note Column by Stephen Las Marias I-CONNECT007 Focus on the New