Real Time With... IPC APEX EXPO 2009
Video Index

Embedded passive materials have been available commercially for over a decade. Why has it taken so long for them to gain acceptance? How do you convince designers to spec them in? 3M Electronic Solutions Advanced Engineering Specialist Joel Peiffer weighs in on these questions, having delivered a paper on the mainstream usage of embedded passives at the IPC APEX Expo Technical Conference.

Not immune to the global market showdown, Europe, too, has had to adjust. Bernard Bismuth, Managing Director of CCI Eurolam, offers his view on the European market conditions.

Can PCB fabricators really work together? EI Technologies Senior Vice President of Business Development Mike Hills and Cartel Electronics Senior Vice President John Peters think that their respective companies will complement each other to the point of partnering. Find out how this strategic alliance is expected to help both companies increase market share.

John Peters of Cartel Electronics talks about his new venture, his partners, the market and more.

Cimnet Systems' Engenix provides tools for job management, pre-production engineering, communication and collaboration. Look for its integration of engineering, shop floor and business data for enhanced reliability and accuracy.

Cimnet Systems’ Paradigm 3.6 provides intelligent tools for increased productivity and profitability for both quick turn prototype and high volume multi-plant manufacturers.

As one of Europe’s top producers of PCBs, Cire, like most companies, has had to adjust to market realities. CEO Dominique Pellizzari sees opportunities to open new markets and strengthen and expand current ones.

Joel Yocom, Business Development Manager, and Steve Thomas, Product Engineering Director explain their company's revolutionary concept of printing flexible circuits in a roll-to-roll manner with inkjet printing technology to guest editor Bob Neves.

Conductor Analysis Technologies VP David Wolf discusses the advantages of the IPC PCQR2 database, including helping board fabricators better document their processes and improve capabilities and reliability.

Determining the fabrication capabilities of a board supplier can be a time-consuming challenge. Conductor Analysis Technologies standardizes the means for verifying fabrication quality. David Wolff, Vice President of Technical Marketing, describes the equipment and processes that help standardize the qualification process.

Dan Beaulieu of DB Management Group has seen a few recessions during the course of his career. The PCB007 Back to Basics columnist expresses his strong belief that regardless of economic realities, marketing matters. He shares his insights into what types of marketing activities industry companies should be participating in.

Robert Lupfer, Process Engineer at DDI, describes how improvements in drilling machines and processing have greatly improved the capabilities of this increasingly important process.

Flex circuit specialists, industry analysts and commentators, Dominque Numakura and Robert Turunen of DKN Research describe new innovations in the world of flexible circuits--including a solderable screen printed circuit, new thin EL lighting display technology and a connector with a total height of less than 0.3 mm.

Making laminates capable of enduring the higher temperatures required for lead-free soldering generally results in laminates that are more brittle. Dr. Banda talks about Dow Chemical’s new toughened resins which combat some of the problems the industry is currently encountering, such as CAF and pad cratering.

With over 10 years experience selling PCBs, Marissa Oskarsen, CEO of independent manufacturer’s rep, E-Tec Sales, says solid PCB partners, lots of self motivation and asking for the order makes her rep business successful.

Technical Director Michael Weinhold talks about the market conditions in Europe and how the EIPC is helping its members explore new market opportunities.

Laboratory 101, MDLs, Cadmium, Mercury, Lead and Halides… It’s not science class, but it is educational. Jim Cronin’s white paper, Laboratory 101, helps to create a deeper understanding of what laboratories provide, and what lab results mean to you and your business.

Despite lighter traffic this year, the general consensus among exhibitors is that this year’s show attendees were serious about making some purchasing decisions.

Endicott Interconnect Technologies stays on top of their business by investing in the cutting edge PCB technology they are renowned for. Mike Hills, Senior VP of Business Development, talks about their move toward strategic partnerships with their suppliers, capital equipment investment, and their newest and most significant business venture, a recently announced PCB Fab partnership with Cartel Electronics.

Hollingsworth and Vose believes they have a better product with their new, non-woven aramid material for innerlayers.

IPS shows its new small wheel transport system for flexible circuit manufacturing as well as its new handling system.

What's next in the world of inkjet printing? MicroCraft's Adelino Sousa discusses the equipment side of the inkjet printing process, including multiple-head, multiple- ink delivery systems, while Rohm and Haas' Tom Sutter and Jeffrey Tsao relate information on new materials developed by their company.

Monika McGrath of JetPCB sits down with Steve Gold to explain her company's introduction to the U.S. and Europe, via the Web, and how their business is booming in these tough economic times.

Matrix Circuit Technology has experienced a 20-30% decline in their business. Sales Manager, Tommy Kong talks about how exports are driving their business.

Microtek Laboratories CTO Bob Neves enjoys a global view, spending time in two company locations in China and the U.S. His test lab deals with OEM customers around the world, too. Find out what he's seeing in the industry and his perspective on the current economic crisis.

Dialing in their relationships with their customers and upgrading their capabilities is the plan that Multilayer Technology has implemented to keep their business healthy.

"Weathering the Storm": Orbotech U.S. President, Adi Kahn discusses how his company has addressed the downturn while it readies itself to gain significant market share going forward.

There's no doubt that PCB manufacturers in North America are going to lean on their suppliers to make it through 2009. Orbotech Vice President of North American Sales Ken Maylor believes his company understands this new reality. He describes what his company is doing to minimize costs, maximize market share and push the advanced technologies envelope.

PCB-Pool President Elizabeth Nolan tells guest editor Rick Hartley about some of her company's newest services--including 24-hour turns, a new chemical tin finish for SMD and, best of all, a free stainless steel laser stencil with batch orders.

Microvia failures are on the rise and lead-free is putting an increasing amount of pressure on a typically robust PCB process. Paul Reid discusses his observations of these failures and their cause.

The process of lamination requires release film and Pacothane has been engineering materials for lamination for 25 years. Director of Sales Peter Decaneas and Product Development Engineer Lahcen Khiyaty provide useful information on their unique engineered product and describe how it can be used for flexible circuit coverlayer lamination to address the problem of adhesive squeeze out.

Pacothane Founder Martin Wilheim and company president Edward Alois celebrate 25 years in business.

It's vital to verify your PCB's characteristics, and impedance test can be a big help in that area. Dick Smith demonstrates Polar Instruments' new CITS9600 S4--an impedance test system that can provided differential and single-ended measurement capability, including differential impedance of balanced traces.

Prototron, like most, has been affected by this downturn, but the company has focused on core competencies, strengthening its sales team and invested in new technologies.

Texas fabricator Q-Fab matches local technology and capabilities with off-shore supply. Also suffering from the market decline, the company is positioning itself for growth.

RBP's President, Mark Kannenberg, and Director of Sales and Marketing, Rob Coleman, discuss the challenges of doing business with a lack of visibility in a troubled market. On the upside, both also talk about new product offerings with guest editor, Dan Beaulieu.

Technical Sales Specialist, Grant Christiansen discusses Schmoll's "Flexible Solution" with guest editor Kelly Dack.

Sprig Circuits Vice President Melissa Grondona tells guest editor Kelly Dack how she saved one customer's boards. The customer specified white solder mask for reflectivity issues, but the mask kept turning the board mauve, brown--anything but white.

Dan Beaulieu sits down with Taiyo America President Dave Rund to discuss his company's outlook for 2009 and several new technologies Taiyo is introducing to the market--including a new laser-direct imaging solder mask.

With its service bureau on the East coast continuing to grow, and a focus on providing PCB manufacturers an alternative to gold and silver, this New Hampshire-based company continues to thrive.

While some companies are laying off staff and trying to survive, Vulcan Flex Circuit Corporation is hiring employees and planning for the future. As part of our “Weathering the Storm” series of interviews, Business Development Manager Al Wasserzug explains what Vulcan is doing to continue to stay ahead of the pack.

3M’s RJ Sturgeon, Regional Sales Manager, gives viewers a quick tour through his division’s new product offerings, including one prototype.

Watch as ACE Production Systems President Alan Cable gives you a guided video tour of his APEX 2009 booth. Not only is he offering a simplified selective soldering system at under $30,000, he also offers solutions for more advanced applications and a new lead

"Now is the time to take the time to ensure that the workforce is trained and prepared for when things do improve and we start growing again," says Al Dill, President of Blackfox training institute.

When Terence Collier’s former employer wouldn’t let him work on packaging projects that piqued his interest, he decided to start his own company. Now, Collier is leading a firm that designs, assembles and tests advanced packages, as well as offering quickturn wafer and die bumping. He explains how he helps companies meet deadlines, and why his job is so much fun.

Company President Matt Holzmann tells Steve Gold that Christopher Group diversified into PCB assembly years ago--a move that has helped the company remain in good standing during these tough times. The next step for Christopher Group? Solar.

Cookson chemist Karen Tellefsen discusses her paper "ICT Probe Penetrability of Solder Paste Flux Residues with a Vacuum-Actuated Fixture."

Counterfeit electronics is a trillion-dollar business that affects OEMs and EMS companies around the world. IPC presented a forum on counterfeit electronics during APEX, featuring speakers that are involved in the clash with the counterfeiters: Jim Williams, Director of Business Development at Polyonics; Brad Botwin, Director of Industrial Studies with the Office of Technology Evaluation; Gene Panger, Director and Board of Management Advisor for TUV Rheinland, and Dennis Fritz, senior engineer with SAIC.

In this video edition of CrossTalk, Steve Williams of Plexus and Dan Beaulieu of the DB Management Group join EMS007 Editor Steve Gold for a spirited look at whether or not our industry is skidding along the bottom of a deep trough or actually on the road to recovery.

The IPC Government Relations committee has undergone a major facelift over the past two years. After hosting an open forum, Committe Chairman Dan Feinberg talks about what went on in the two-hour forum and what his committee is looking to accomplish both long-term and next month at Capitol Hill Day.

Foresite's Eric Camden discusses with Steve Gold and Jasbir Bath how his company performed analytical testing of QFNs for a client. Research and testing proved that microvias and the flux used were the underlying cause of contamination.

Though most of the press today goes to lead-free materials and applications, Heraeus Sales and Marketing Director Frank Murch begs to differ. He elaborates on his company’s development of products for the tin-lead soldering market—one that might be underserved even though North America is still entrenched with tin-lead applications. Murch also discusses his company’s new ball dip materials.

Hirose Electric has developed a high density, high performance connector for high frequency applications. The features of this connector, including a single ground plane and signal trace, promote consistent impedance throughout.

Halogen-free not only affects materials, but also the soldering process. Product Manager Tim Jensen discusses the challenges faced when removing halogens, including a couple of specific defects.

JEDEC moisture sensitivity levels have been pushed out by the conversion to lead-free processing--shortening the length of time that components can be exposed before they must be used. Stu Leech describes a novel method for turning back the clock and extending the floor life of components both in carriers and in reels.

We read about the companies that are suffering, but some manufacturers are doing quite well. What are their leaders doing right? Dennis Espinoza, CEO of International Control Services, discusses the pain and the gain his company has experienced recently, and what other companies should do to survive and thrive.

Peter Van den Eijnden, President of JTAG Technologies joins guest editor Rick Hartley to discuss nearly 20 years of boundary scan technology innovation. Van den Eijnden also speculates on what lies ahead for his company.

You're the oldest North American EMS provider mainly serving the automotive market. How do you adapt to a market that no longer has demand for your expertise? Director of Business Development Kevin Stone elaborates on how his company successfully transitioned from a high-volume, low mix manufacturing model to a low-volume, high-mix prototype maker.

With Koh Young's new 3D AOI system, customers can measure all aspects of the board, its components and, most importantly, the solder joint, all with the resolution of 400 nanometers.

PCB assembly cleaning has become a critical topic for OEMs and EMS engineers. Kyzen CTO Mike Bixenman sits down with EMS007 Editor Steve Gold to review work he's leading on new IPC handbooks, along with other collaborative work he's involved with.

Jack Calderon, Managing Director at Lincoln International, discusses conditions of the U.S. EMS industry, M&A activity and new markets, like solar.

Jan Martin discusses the state-of-the-art 09.6 SMD fully automatic rework station designed and manufactured by his father’s company, Martin GmbH.

High-reliability manufacturing has been a great niche for Millennium Electronics, a Chicago, Illinois-area EMS company specializing in military and aerospace applications. Vice President of Sales Russ Simpson discusses Millennium’s plans for growth in the future.

Guest editor Greg Papandrew, President of the Bare Board Group, speaks with Minarik's Steve Christopherson about how the customer, in this case, actually pursued the supplier.

Utilizing open cavity (open air) semiconductor packages often requires investing in costly equipment and processes. But at APEX, Mirror Semiconductor launched the Open Cavity QFN, a soft-tooled package that simplifies the process and reduces the cost considerably.

Verifying the quality of offshore suppliers is simplified by following industry specification. Mumtaz Bora describes this verification process and the benefits of adhering to ISO and IPC documentation standards.

Orange County Instruments (OCI) President Frank Murch has years of experience working with dispensing equipment. Find out how he has leveraged that experience into a new product that solves critical dispensing issues.

Nobody planned for such a dramatic recession. Sometimes, the best laid plans help a company in the worst of times. OK International CEO Mark Cowell explains how plans started before the downturn began have helped his company remain competitive.

Ovation Products President Neil MacRaild discusses his company's performance in a tough economic climate. Will new product releases prove a panacea for Ovation Products?

Same great savings and effective ingredients but easier clean-up make the new version of MS2 even more attractive for customers.

Panasonic's Michael Cieslinski might be considered an industry "young gun". Watch how his committee's efforts are updating an old equipment standard and making sure it's viable for the future.

"Weathering the Storm": Photo Stencil, like most in the industry, has not been immune to the current downturn in the market. COO Todd Woods talks about how his company has positioned itself for the coming upturn.

Conformal coatings offer assemblies protection from a wide range of environments, but many companies would rather not have to deal with the process. Technical Sales Manager Paula VanDenberg, of Plasma Ruggedized Solutions, explains how her coatings became the perfect niche for her company.

Most companies have had to make significant moves to ensure profitability. Steven Williams of Plexus discusses some of the measures his company has had to enact in order to remain competitive. He also addresses the issue of supplier viability, and how his company is monitoring its suppliers to make sure they remain in tact financially.

Q Corporation continues to see growth in a struggling economy due to industry partnerships, diversification and improved distribution, according to company President, Ben Swigart.

Greg Papandrew, President of Bare Board Group, meets up with Jeffrey Cox at the IPC/APEX Show in Las Vegas. They discuss the show and the virtues of finding the right partners.

Electronics industry veteran, author, columnist and SMT consultant, Ray Prasad details his committee’s progress in the development of the new IPC standard for the increasingly important flat leadless components, such as the QFN, and describes Beamwork’s small footprint complete SMT assembly equipment.

Rehm Thermal Systems has ridden the lead-free wave to success in Europe. While that has led to a strong European customer base, Chief Operations Officer Marc Dalderup believes that as North America moves further into lead-free production, it will enjoy the same success here.

The Condenso Batch Machine can be run offline or as part of a series, and the VisionX Reflow Series boasts multiple heating and cooling zones.

Senior Product Manager, Jun Choi, for SII NanoTechnology explains how this new product is right for the developing markets it will serve.

SMS Technologies is part of a larger EMS operation. Yet, according to Vice President of Sales and Marketing Elliot Shev, the company's approach to high-mix prototyping is helping it win new business and feed the higher production demand that results in an approximately $70 million EMS business.

SMT, a leader in reflow technology, is moving into the North American market--assisting current customers with worldwide operations. President Manfred Maehl tells Steve Gold that the current economic climate is not an obstacle for his company, as technology is always attractive.

Raimund Faber of SMT North America relays a few of his company's new product offerings to the North American market--including heat-transfer capability, new Power Nozzle system and a gas cleaning system.

This hard-working committee has been busy combining many handbooks into one, recertification training programs, addendums and more.

Laminate solutions for lead-free applications is more than just choosing a laminate material. Yash Sutariya offers advice on how Saturn Electronics Corporation has solved the lead-free laminate solution and introduces his Webinar on the topic.

Steve Martell, IPC Committee Chair, IPC B-10-A talks about this critical moisture standard driven by lead-free. Although not perfect, the committee seeks input from all in the industry.

When competing with Chinese fast-followers, companies need to continually upgrade their offerings. Teknek CEO Stephen Mitchell elaborates on how his company is making sure it remains ahead of its competitors while addressing industry needs.

A conversation with Totech General Manager Jos Brehler reveals how his company plans on expanding its North American presence over the next year.

Totech’s newest product has a very powerful dry unit, which only needs regeneration every two days and can dry out components and PCBs very fast.

Charlie Capers, President of Trilogy Circuits, discusses a recent award naming his company as one of the fastest growing businesses in Dallas, Texas. Capers also talks about the measures Trilogy has taken to grow its customer base and revenue during the economic downturn.

Two Companies, Zero Defects and Rematek align to bring customers a complete test fixture service, which includes Rematek’s new modular test fixturing service.

With an emphasis on new product development and three worldwide production facilities, Zestron has positioned itself solidly for the recovery. Michael McCutchen, National Sales Manager, details the new products launched at APEX.

Guest editor Bob Neves sits down with iNEMI's Dr. Bob Pfahl, Jr. and Intel's Marin Rausch to discuss halogen-free PCB materials and the factors driving the PCB industry to the technology.

Printed circuit boards are getting more high-tech every day, but Gary Griffin, President of Board Technology Innovations, explains that many PCB designers, engineers and fabricators would create fewer problems if they just stepped back and used common sense--and gave their customers real customer service.

The IPC has worked closely with UL to establish new test standards for flex materials, laminates and cover coats. Hear the details of this close collaboration between the IPC and UL.

A new glass fabric with lower loss, lower dielectric constant and flatter weave reduces the glass weave skew problem more than five times over conventional FR4. Hear how Dielectric Solutions was able to implement this solution.

High speed digital applications are driving new performance metrics for laminates and circuit boards. Rich Mellitz and Don DeGroot discuss the new loss and high speed test standards introduced at IPC APEX.

Analytical modeling tools provide an extremely accurate way to investigate issues with PCBs.

As board speeds increase, PCB designers are learning more and more engineering skills. But, as Rick Hartley explains, some PCB design engineers are being forced to become proficient at PCB design.

IPC standards committee 521 covers the design of stencils for solder paste deposition. Guest editor Eric Bogatin sits down with Kathy Jenczewski of MicroScreen, LLC and Bill Coleman of Photo Stencil to discuss challenges the committee is dealing with--the transition to lead-free and the assembly of 0201, and smaller, parts.

Polar Instruments moves up the food chain and finds huge growth opportunity.

Embedded passive materials have been available commercially for over a decade. Why has it taken so long for them to gain acceptance? How do you convince designers to spec them in? 3M Electronic Solutions Advanced Engineering Specialist Joel Peiffer weighs in on these questions, having delivered a paper on the mainstream usage of embedded passives at the IPC APEX Expo Technical Conference.

Can PCB fabricators really work together? EI Technologies Senior Vice President of Business Development Mike Hills and Cartel Electronics Senior Vice President John Peters think that their respective companies will complement each other to the point of partnering. Find out how this strategic alliance is expected to help both companies increase market share.

John Peters of Cartel Electronics talks about his new venture, his partners, the market and more.

Cookson chemist Karen Tellefsen discusses her paper "ICT Probe Penetrability of Solder Paste Flux Residues with a Vacuum-Actuated Fixture."

In this video edition of CrossTalk, Steve Williams of Plexus and Dan Beaulieu of the DB Management Group join EMS007 Editor Steve Gold for a spirited look at whether or not our industry is skidding along the bottom of a deep trough or actually on the road to recovery.

No doubt, these are difficult times. Walt Custer summarizes some of the key points from his keynote: The current state of the market and his forecast for the rest of 2009.

Its not just increased solder joint reliability problems lead-free solder introduces, its also reliability of the laminate. Werner Englemaier discusses the increased reliability problems with lead-free, and some solutions.

Foresite's Eric Camden discusses with Steve Gold and Jasbir Bath how his company performed analytical testing of QFNs for a client. Research and testing proved that microvias and the flux used were the underlying cause of contamination.

In recognition of extraordinary contributions to IPC and the electronic interconnect industry, countless hours of volunteer service on IPC standards development committees, and exceptional lifetime achievement, IPC — Association Connecting Electronics Industries® bestowed the 2009 Raymond E. Pritchard IPC Hall of Fame Award to Bill Jacobi, former president and CEO, William Jacobi and Associates.

In recognition of extraordinary contributions to IPC and the electronic interconnect industry, countless hours of volunteer service on IPC standards development committees, and exceptional lifetime achievement, IPC — Association Connecting Electronics Industries® bestowed the 2009 Raymond E. Pritchard IPC Hall of Fame Award to Dan Feinberg, owner, Fein-Line Associates.

Another challenge for the electronics industry: J-STD-709, the controversial draft standard that would impose stringent limits on halogen, bromine and chlorine use in certain electronics products is discussed by this group.

The 800 lb gorilla in the room for the IPC this year was show attendance, both exhibitors and attendees. In fairness, no one thought this year’s show would rival last years record breaking numbers. That being said, the people that did attend Apex 2009 were decision makers, and people that counted. Next year in Las Vegas is already shaping up to be a strong show.

IPS shows its new small wheel transport system for flexible circuit manufacturing as well as its new handling system.

Halogen-free not only affects materials, but also the soldering process. Product Manager Tim Jensen discusses the challenges faced when removing halogens, including a couple of specific defects.

High speed digital applications are driving new performance metrics for laminates and circuit boards. Rich Mellitz and Don DeGroot discuss the new loss and high speed test standards introduced at IPC APEX.

You're the oldest North American EMS provider mainly serving the automotive market. How do you adapt to a market that no longer has demand for your expertise? Director of Business Development Kevin Stone elaborates on how his company successfully transitioned from a high-volume, low mix manufacturing model to a low-volume, high-mix prototype maker.

With all the talk of surviving the downturn, Les Stroud was a natural choice for a final-day keynote speaker at IPC APEX EXPO. The star of the hit TV series "Survivorman" regaled the audience with tales of making the best of bad situations, including constantly assessing your options and never settling for "good enough".

IPC Keynote speaker Les Stroud, the “Survivorman” sat down with 007’s Steve Gold and Ray Rasmussen. Les knows what it takes to be a survivor, even when his adversaries are sharks--literally. Best known as star of the highly-acclaimed hit TV series Survivorman, Stroud is a prolific, creative force. He has adeptly combined his love for the outdoors and his skills as a filmmaker to become the only producer in the history of television to produce an internationally broadcast series entirely written, videotaped and hosted alone.

Survivorman has gone on to become the highest rated show in the history of both OLN Canada and the Science Channel U.S. and is quickly becoming one of the most popular shows on the Discovery Channel U.S. Stroud’s addictive personality landed him on the 2007 “Top 100 People We Love To Watch” list for Entertainment Weekly magazine and the host spot for the 20th anniversary of Shark Week on the Discovery Channel.

Many companies are slashing marketing budgets as across-the-board expense cuts become commonplace. But is this really the best way to generate sales? Protean's Rich Heimsch, ITM Marketing's Bob Klenke, and MMC Inc.'s Mike Martel join I-Connect007 Owner Barry Matties and EMS007 Editor Steve Gold to discuss some of the new marketing realitites, along with addressing what works--and what doesn't--when it comes to marketing your business.

"Weathering the Storm": Orbotech U.S. President, Adi Kahn discusses how his company has addressed the downturn while it readies itself to gain significant market share going forward.

Ovation Products President Neil MacRaild discusses his company's performance in a tough economic climate. Will new product releases prove a panacea for Ovation Products?

So many companies talk a good game when it comes to the word "partnership." Calumet's Stephen Marshall and Plexus' Steve Williams offer candid insights into how their two companies are working closely together based on one common denominator: value.

Most companies have had to make significant moves to ensure profitability. Steven Williams of Plexus discusses some of the measures his company has had to enact in order to remain competitive. He also addresses the issue of supplier viability, and how his company is monitoring its suppliers to make sure they remain in tact financially.

In her second interview with Steve Gold, Susan Mucha, President of Powell Mucha Consulting, Inc., discusses her recent trip to Singapore. While there, Mucha toured several facilities and studied government agencies and looked at what they were doing to help the country's manufacturing base.

Susan Mucha sits down with Steve Gold to discuss a course on program management certification she's teaching this year at APEX. The course will focus on ways to attract new customers, how to go through the sales cycle more efficiently and building account strategy plans that allow companies to grow their customer base.

Industry legend and editor of The Printed Circuit Handbook discusses the focus of the latest edition. Revolutionary lead-free technology has caused 75% of the book’s chapters to be re-written.

Prototron, like most, has been affected by this downturn, but the company has focused on core competencies, strengthening its sales team and invested in new technologies.

Guest editor Joe Fjelstad sat down with inventor, entrepreneur, author and futurist Ray Kurzweil after he presented his Keynote Wednesday at APEX. Kurzweil discusses a myriad of advances in information technology that will affect all aspects of our industry.

Rehm Thermal Systems has ridden the lead-free wave to success in Europe. While that has led to a strong European customer base, Chief Operations Officer Marc Dalderup believes that as North America moves further into lead-free production, it will enjoy the same success here.

Senior Product Manager, Jun Choi, for SII NanoTechnology explains how this new product is right for the developing markets it will serve.

SMS Technologies is part of a larger EMS operation. Yet, according to Vice President of Sales and Marketing Elliot Shev, the company's approach to high-mix prototyping is helping it win new business and feed the higher production demand that results in an approximately $70 million EMS business.

This hard-working committee has been busy combining many handbooks into one, recertification training programs, addendums and more.

Laminate solutions for lead-free applications is more than just choosing a laminate material. Yash Sutariya offers advice on how Saturn Electronics Corporation has solved the lead-free laminate solution and introduces his Webinar on the topic.

Guest editor Bob Neves sits down with Shea Engineering Services Owner Chrys Shea to learn more about the business she started approximately one year ago. Shea provides technical writing services for applications notes, sales presentations, training, press releases and practically anything related to our industry.

A conversation with Totech General Manager Jos Brehler reveals how his company plans on expanding its North American presence over the next year.

Gene Weiner, an IPC Hall of Fame award recipient, wears many hats and works closely with quite a few industry companies. Our Real Time with...IPC camera catches an industry conversion--the return of a print column in a video interview format.

iNEMI CEO Jim McElroy discusses the highlights of the iNEMI Roadmap which has just been introduced to the industry. This latest roadmap covers five product sectors and 20 technology and infrastructure areas, which include manufacturing, component/subsystem, design and business process technologies.

Guest editor Bob Neves sits down with iNEMI's Dr. Bob Pfahl, Jr. and Intel's Marin Rausch to discuss halogen-free PCB materials and the factors driving the PCB industry to the technology.

Though much of the talk in Las Vegas would center around surviving the tough economic hand dealt to the industry, not so at Paiute Golf Resort. The annual CCA Golf Tournament, though smaller in attendance, was a bright spot for participants and organizers alike.

A look at why one of IPC's lesser known standards efforts has such an important impact on reliability testing.

No doubt, these are difficult times. Walt Custer summarizes some of the key points from his keynote: The current state of the market and his forecast for the rest of 2009.

In recognition of extraordinary contributions to IPC and the electronic interconnect industry, countless hours of volunteer service on IPC standards development committees, and exceptional lifetime achievement, IPC — Association Connecting Electronics Industries® bestowed the 2009 Raymond E. Pritchard IPC Hall of Fame Award to Bill Jacobi, former president and CEO, William Jacobi and Associates.

In recognition of extraordinary contributions to IPC and the electronic interconnect industry, countless hours of volunteer service on IPC standards development committees, and exceptional lifetime achievement, IPC — Association Connecting Electronics Industries® bestowed the 2009 Raymond E. Pritchard IPC Hall of Fame Award to Dan Feinberg, owner, Fein-Line Associates.

Another challenge for the electronics industry: J-STD-709, the controversial draft standard that would impose stringent limits on halogen, bromine and chlorine use in certain electronics products is discussed by this group.

With all the talk of surviving the downturn, Les Stroud was a natural choice for a final-day keynote speaker at IPC APEX EXPO. The star of the hit TV series "Survivorman" regaled the audience with tales of making the best of bad situations, including constantly assessing your options and never settling for "good enough".

IPC Keynote speaker Les Stroud, the “Survivorman” sat down with 007’s Steve Gold and Ray Rasmussen. Les knows what it takes to be a survivor, even when his adversaries are sharks--literally. Best known as star of the highly-acclaimed hit TV series Survivorman, Stroud is a prolific, creative force. He has adeptly combined his love for the outdoors and his skills as a filmmaker to become the only producer in the history of television to produce an internationally broadcast series entirely written, videotaped and hosted alone.

Survivorman has gone on to become the highest rated show in the history of both OLN Canada and the Science Channel U.S. and is quickly becoming one of the most popular shows on the Discovery Channel U.S. Stroud’s addictive personality landed him on the 2007 “Top 100 People We Love To Watch” list for Entertainment Weekly magazine and the host spot for the 20th anniversary of Shark Week on the Discovery Channel.

Many companies are slashing marketing budgets as across-the-board expense cuts become commonplace. But is this really the best way to generate sales? Protean's Rich Heimsch, ITM Marketing's Bob Klenke, and MMC Inc.'s Mike Martel join I-Connect007 Owner Barry Matties and EMS007 Editor Steve Gold to discuss some of the new marketing realitites, along with addressing what works--and what doesn't--when it comes to marketing your business.

So many companies talk a good game when it comes to the word "partnership." Calumet's Stephen Marshall and Plexus' Steve Williams offer candid insights into how their two companies are working closely together based on one common denominator: value.

Guest editor Joe Fjelstad sat down with inventor, entrepreneur, author and futurist Ray Kurzweil after he presented his Keynote Wednesday at APEX. Kurzweil discusses a myriad of advances in information technology that will affect all aspects of our industry.