Sep 28, 2026 Foxconn-led Taiwan Firms to Build Major AI, EV Hub in Poland Foxconn and partners are advancing a $20 billion Polish hub spanning AI server manufacturing and EV development. The project targets construction from 2027 and production by 2029, supporting Poland's shift toward advanced manufacturing and R&D. Taiwan News

Sponsor 440-R + Ultrasonics = Safe & Efficient Cleaning Clean any type of solder paste in the same machine using 440-R-SMT Detergent. It is the one detergent that will do it all: stencils, pallets, misprints & SMD adhesives. Smart Sonic

Google plans test of space chips in Project Suncatcher Google will launch a prototype satellite for Project Suncatcher to test AI chips in orbit, assessing radiation, cooling and performance. The mission will gather engineering data for future space-based AI computing, though commercial deployment remains years away. Taipei Times

Flux-Free, Reliable, Efficient: Soldering with Formic Acid Whitepaper shows formic-acid-assisted, flux-free soldering enables reliable, nearly void-free joints for power semiconductors. The technology improves thermal performance and lifespan, offering strong potential for electromobility, renewable energy, and high-frequency electronics. Technical Paper

Bill Gates says getting countries to agree on AI regulations will be harder than Cold War-era nuclear negotiations Bill Gates urged the U.S. to lead global AI regulation, warning that international agreements may prove harder than nuclear negotiations. He backed monitoring and safeguards against AI-enabled cyberattacks & biothreats while supporting continued development & broader language access. NBC News

Sponsor EZ-FLO High Precision Dispense Tips Each needle is machined from solid stainless steel as opposed to rolled tubing. The resulting smoother internal profile enhances material flow and consistency. Learn more. DL Technology

Plan strengthens foundations of the digital sector China's new plan aims to strengthen electronic information manufacturing by upgrading semiconductor and computing hardware, accelerating AI-driven innovation, developing talent and standards, regulating competition, and deepening international cooperation. China Daily

We Need Leaded BGAs, But They're Only Available Lead-Free Today's topic of discussion is orientated to those who are the exemptees for lead-free and have to cope with a lead-free world. Board Talk

Technical Papers ■ Oxide Reduction for Reliable Electronics Manufacturing ■ UHDI Fabrication for IC Substrates: SAP and mSAP Processes ■ Flux-Free, Reliable, Efficient: Soldering with Formic Acid ■ Redesigning Material Logistics for High-Mix EMS Production ■ Unlocking Academic-Industry Synergy: A Collaborative Model for Hands-On Electronics Manufacturing Education ■ Viscosity Does Not Equal Rheology: What Solder Paste Measurements Really Tell You ■ Salvaging Electronic Components: A Reliable Method for Reducing Electronic Waste and Ensuring Economic Reuse ■ Digital Warehouse Automation in High-Mix PCB Assembly MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

Sponsor Salvaging Electronic Components: Ensuring Economic Reuse Component salvaging provides a reliable and consistent method of harvesting electronic components, reducing electronic waste, minimizing fabrication of new components, and ensuring economic reuse for automated assembly. BEST Inc.

US, China to open AI 'communication channel' The US and China agreed to create a bilateral communication channel for AI incidents after Trump and Xi's summit. They also reached trade agreements covering $30 billion in goods, coal imports, and plans for two pandas to enter a US zoo. Taipei Times

Apple faces $5.7 billion patent infringement verdict over iPhone and Apple Watch haptics A federal jury awarded Taction Technology more than $5.7 billion after finding Apple infringed two haptics patents covering vibration technology. Apple disputed the verdict, said its Taptic Engine differs fundamentally, and vowed to appeal. CNBC

NASA DOD Phase 2: Copper Dissolution Testing This paper describes copper dissolution measurements of two lead-free solder alloys to better define allowable rework process windows. Technical Paper

Sponsor Your Domestic PCB Solution Summit helps you avoid long lead times and added costs—protecting your supply chain without compromise, while delivering the speed and quality you count on. Summit Interconnect

China is playing a different game when it comes to AI U.S. and China are pursuing AI through different strategies. America emphasizes frontier models and abundant compute, while China prioritizes efficient, open-weight systems and practical deployment. Chip limits continue to shape the rivalry. Market Watch

China wants in on U.S. AI data center boom. Here's why Chinese manufacturers see U.S. AI data center expansion as a major opportunity, leveraging China's integrated supply chains and faster production. Geopolitical tensions, tariffs, security concerns and potential restrictions could threaten their growing role in American infrastructure. CNBC

Formulation of a New Liquid Flux for High Temperature Soldering This paper presents the development of a new liquid flux. Laboratory and beta-site test results for existing fluxes are compared to this new flux. Technical Paper

Sponsor Your Award-Winning Cored Wire Our industry-leading, award-winning range of flux-cored wire solder solutions meet the diverse needs of both manual soldering, and rework and robotic soldering applications. Indium Corporation

Anthropic inks US$12bn deal with Akamai Anthropic signed an $11.6 billion, seven-year computing deal with Akamai, expanding its capacity for surging Claude demand. Akamai will provide CPUs and invest $5.5 billion in infrastructure, accelerating its cloud business while raising concerns over circular AI partnerships. Taipei Times

Nobody wanted an "AI PC," so Microsoft stopped calling it that Microsoft and Qualcomm are moving away from the Copilot+ PC label as consumer interest in AI-focused branding weakens. PC makers still promote generative AI, but increasingly highlight practical upgrades and everyday benefits over AI capabilities as selling points. TechSpot

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Amazon, Apple, AMD, Google, Tesla, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Qualcomm are all reportedly evaluating Intel's 14A process Intel's 14A process is drawing evaluations from Amazon, Apple, AMD, Google, Tesla, Microsoft, Nvidia and Qualcomm. Intel needs an anchor customer by 2026–27 to justify its foundry expansion, amid TSMC capacity constraints and rising demand for US chip manufacturing. TechSpot

Assembly Reliability of TSOP/DFN PoP Stack Package This paper presents thermal cycle reliability evaluations of 2-high and 4-high 3D stacks built with a mix of TSOP and DFN daisy-chain package assembly. Technical Paper

Social Media Bans Aren't Enough to Make Children Safe Youth social media bans may limit access but fail to address deeper online harms, the story argues. Stronger child safety requires safer platform design, privacy-preserving age verification, independent oversight, digital literacy, and meaningful offline and online communities. IEEE Spectrum

Microsoft packages business AI in single app as it tries to compete with Anthropic Microsoft is reshaping Copilot into a broader AI platform combining coding, productivity and autonomous agents. The company hopes usage-based pricing and easier access to advanced tools will accelerate enterprise adoption as OpenAI and Anthropic intensify competition. CNBC

Sponsor Large Component SMT Rework & Repair A Rework System developed to address the increasing size, complexity, and thermal demands of Advanced Electronic Assemblies. Air-Vac Engineering

Balancing Bandwidth, Range, and Power in Intelligent Buildings AI is making buildings smarter by enabling edge devices to analyze data locally. This shift increases demand for networks that balance bandwidth, range, reliability, and low power while supporting cameras, sensors, controls, and AI workloads. EE Times