circuitnet
Sponsor
Nordson-ASYMTEK

Get the Revisiting Underfill Handbook
Today's underfill applications are constantly evolving. As chip populations increase, dispensing applications must deliver smaller amounts of fluid with precision. Read this handbook.
Nordson Electronics Solutions
Ask the Experts
Overlap Solder Joint Failures
What is the strongest way to connect two 8mm flexible LED strips together? We now lap solder one strip that has "U" shaped pads onto another strip that has rectangular ...
Responses by:
Terry Munson
President/Senior Technical Consultant, Foresite
Richard D. Stadem
Advanced Engineer/Scientist, General Dynamics
Gary Goldberg
President and CEO, PROMATION, Inc.
Karthik Vijay
Technical Manager - Europe, Indium Corp.
Fritz Byle
Process Engineer, Astronautics
Kishan Sarjoo
Process Engineering Manager - Electronics, Altech UEC, South Africa
Edithel Marietti
Senior Manufacturing Engineer, Northrop Grumman
How to Re-qualify BGA Spheres
Pick and Place Machine Calibration
Components Falling Off During Reflow
Solder Balling Prediction Formula
Dendritic Growth and Contamination at BGA Sites
Removal of Coatings from PCBs
LED Component Shift During Reflow
MORE ASK THE EXPERTS
Summit-Interconnect
Sponsor
Circuitnet

Circuitnet Advertising Delivers Results!
Introduce your technology, new products or services in our daily e-mail newsletter & website to see how a digital advertising campaign can deliver results. Reach over 200,000 professionals.
Circuitnet LLC
Industry Calendar
Aug 12, 2027
High Reliability Cleaning and Conformal Coating Conference
SMTA
Apr 13, 2027
Symposium on Counterfeit Parts and Materials - UK
SMT
Oct 25, 2026
SMTA International Conference & Exposition
SMTA
Oct 7, 2026
Guadalajara Expo & Tech Forum
SMTA
Oct 1, 2026
Long Island Expo & Tech Forum
SMTA
FULL INDUSTRY CALENDAR
Alltemated
Sponsor
DL-Technology

Buy SMT Dispensing Needles Online
EZ-FLO needles are machined from stainless steel with smoother internal profile for improved material flow. Chamfered needle tip is finely ground for better release. Buy online.
DL Technology
What Year Was It?
Nelson Mandela Released From Prison
What Year
Nelson Mandela, leader of the movement to end South African apartheid, is released from prison after 27 years.
See the answer below.
Sponsor
Manncorp

In-House Assembly? We're the Experts
The right equipment, expert installation, technical training, and full support—every step made easy. On-site or remote, we set you up for success.
Manncorp Inc.
Viscom-SE
What Year Was It Answer
Nelson Mandela Released From Prison
Answer: February 11, 1990
February 11, 2026
image
The Real Infrastructure Crisis: Skills That Depreciate Faster Than Hardware
Tech giants have poured $360B into AI, fueling automation and rapid adoption, yet investment in human skills lags. As expertise ages faster than hardware, companies must treat workforce upskilling as a core strategy to stay competitive in the AI-driven economy.
Global Electronics Association
Sponsor
Glenbrook-Technologies

PCB Rework Evolves, With X-ray a Constant Support
Mini Micro Stencil, a contract manufacturer focused on PCB rework, has relied on real-time X-ray inspection to verify its precision rework as the industry has evolved over 30 years.
Glenbrook Technologies
VIEWPOINT 2026: Don Nelson, Senior Vice President of Operations, PRIDE Industries
image
As reshoring continues to gain momentum, our contract manufacturing team is getting busier. Fortunately, after more than two decades helping electronics manufacturers bring their operations back to the U.S., we've learned how to make the transition as smooth as possible. So, if your company is considering moving some ...
PRIDE Industries
Maintenance: The Basics of Cleaning Series Part 4
This article is the fourth and final part of the series titled "The Basics of Cleaning". In this final chapter, some of the common mistakes in maintenance cleaning applications found in electronic assembly operations will be covered and a summary of the entire series.
Technical Paper
Microsoft's plans for 15 more data centers win approval at former Wisconsin Foxconn site
Mount Pleasant officials approved Microsoft's plan to build 15 new data centers near its expanding Wisconsin campus, enabling the company to monetize AI-related demand. The $13 billion project, spanning 9 million square feet, advances despite local opposition &d regional power constraints.
CNBC
Sponsor
Alltemated

Value-Add Services Beyond Manufacturing and Distribution
If manufacturer & distributor value-add lead-times are causing delay in factories, visit Alltemated Inc. Booth 1729 at APEX. We are 30+ years of service.
Alltemated Inc.
The psychology of self-driving cars: Why the technology doesn't suit human brains
Professor Ronald McLeod warns self-driving tech strains drivers as vigilant supervisors rather than active operators. He urges better training and clearer system feedback, cautioning that flawed designs could trigger accidents in cars and broader automated industries.
TechXplore
Risks Using Flux Only for Soldering BGAs
What are the risks using flux only versus solder paste for placing BGAs in a hybrid lead-free environment? Why would you only use flux, why not solder paste?
Board Talk
Technical Papers
Engineering ESD-Safe PCB Assembly for High-Reliability IoT and Industrial Electronics
The Analysis of Variance: Drawing Conclusions from Data That Are Correct, Unambiguous, and Defensible
PCB Rework Evolves, With X-ray a Constant Support
How pH Cleaning Agents Affect Production Performance
A Universal AI-Powered Segmentation Model for PCBA & Semiconductor
RAIG Minimizes Corrosion, Allows Higher Gold on ENEPIG
High Reliability Lead-Free Solder Paste with Rosin and Anti-Crack Resin
Understanding Solder Dross: Causes and Control Strategies
Optimizing BGA Rework: Challenges, Techniques and Quality Control
Maintenance: The Basics of Cleaning Series Part 4
MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS
Sponsor
Circuit-Technology-Center

Tech Paper - The Essential Guide for High-Reliability BGA Component Re-balling
This paper outlines best practices and challenges in reballing Ball Grid Array (BGA) components. Download this free tech paper.
Circuit Technology Center
US auto tariff cuts to have minimal impact
Taiwan's economy minister said cutting tariffs on US vehicles to zero would trim local auto production by only about 1 percent, as imports target high-end segments. The government plans NT$3 billion in R&D support and overseas expansion incentives to bolster competitiveness.
Taipei Times
Ground broken on chip R&D base
Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs broke ground on a NT$3.772 billion advanced semiconductor R&D base in Hsinchu to support pilot production and verification services. The facility aims to cut development time, boost SME innovation and strengthen Taiwan's AI and chip ecosystem.
Taipei Times
Investigation into Lead-Free Low Silver Solder Wire for Electronics
This paper show results using a lead-free solder rework wire alloy in terms of wetting, reduced solder iron tip erosion, reduced IMC growth and reliability.
Technical Paper
Sponsor
AI-Technology-Inc

Corrosion, UV Protection for Power Transmission
Moisture, corrosive gas, oxidation & UV blocking prop-erties. FLUOROSEAL® confor-mal coating for electrical contacts & ceramic insulator protection.
AI Technology, Inc.
Elon Musk's xAI loses co-founder Tony Wu in latest senior departure
Elon Musk's xAI lost another founding member as Tony Wu resigned, joining several co-founders who have recently departed. His exit comes amid regulatory probes and backlash over deepfake abuses, weeks after SpaceX acquired xAI in a record-setting $250 billion deal.
CNBC
New Study Changes Everything We Knew About Jupiter
NASA's Juno mission finds Jupiter smaller, flatter, and more oblate than thought, with a cooler, metal-rich, uneven atmosphere. The new data resolves past contradictions and reshapes models of the gas giant's structure and formation.
BGR
Solder Composition, Surface Finish and Solder Joint Volume on Drop Shock Reliability
Five Pb-free solder alloys on two PCB surface finishes were evaluated for drop shock reliability with two different solder joint volumes (LGA and BGA).
Technical Paper
Sponsor
Uyemura

Dedicated Tool for Process Development
Advanced plating capability at Uyemura Tech Center: Process Development, UBM, pilot production. ENIG, ENEPIG, EPIG/EPAG, RAIG immersion gold; all substrates. On-site analysis.
Uyemura
How and When the Memory Chip Shortage Will End
Exploding AI data-center demand for high-bandwidth memory has sent DRAM prices soaring 80–90%, siphoning supply from PCs and consumer devices. After years of underinvestment and pandemic swings, analysts warn tight supply and elevated prices may persist for years.
IEEE Spectrum
The Next Samsung Galaxy Watch Might Use This Groundbreaking New Tech
Samsung Electro-Mechanics is developing an oxide-based solid-state battery for smartwatches that promises higher energy density, improved safety, and flexible shapes. The technology could enable longer battery life or slimmer next-generation Samsung Galaxy watches.
BGR
Sponsor
Advanced-Interconnections

Need Improved Solder Joint Visibility?
Solder Peel-A-Way° Removable Terminal Carriers in place and peel the carrier away for complete solder joint visibility on both sides of the PCB. Watch a video to see it in action.
Advanced Interconnections Corp.
Foxconn withdraws from acquisition of Sharp's LCD factory in Japan
Sharp said Foxconn withdrew from plans to buy its Kameyama LCD plant, citing weak panel prices. Sharp will halt production, cut 1,410 jobs and book over ¥14 billion in restructuring losses, while Foxconn considers using the site for AI servers.
Nikkei Asia
Optimization of Stencil Apertures to Compensate for Scooping
This study investigates the scooping effect during solder paste printing as a function of aperture width, aperture length and squeegee pressure.
Technical Paper
Scientists Are Trying To Build Empathy Into Robots - Here's How
Humanoid robots are evolving as researchers rethink artificial empathy. Philippine scientist Angelica Lim teaches robots to read facial cues and avoid harmful over-empathy, while industry interest grows, highlighted by Apple’s acquisition of an AI startup focused on expression analysis.
BGR
Why Intelligent Supply Chains Will Define India’s Electronics Manufacturing?
India's $60B electronics sector grows rapidly, powered by complex supply chains. But geopolitical shocks, component shortages, siloed EMS operations, and talent gaps reveal brittle systems where small disruptions can halt high-value production.
Electronics For You
Sponsor
BEST-Inc.

Optimizing BGA Rework: Challenges, Techniques and Quality Control
The complexity of BGA packages introduces challenges during rework requiring innovative methods and inspection practices to ensure performance and reliability. Read more.
BEST Inc.
AI is dominating the world’s memory chips. That could make phones more expensive
AI's fast-growing infrastructure is fueling a global memory chip shortage as makers favor high-bandwidth memory for data centers over consumer DRAM and NAND. Soaring prices boost major chipmakers but threaten low-cost smartphones and squeeze electronics profits.
Rest of World
Today's Sponsor
Aim-Solder
Sponsor
Aim-Solder

Cut Your SAC305 Costs with REL61 Alloy
Silver prices have tripled. While silver is 2/3 of SAC305's cost, it's only 1/4 of REL61. Save hundreds of thousands annually with this proven, drop-in alternative.
AIM Solder
Test Your Knowledge
In radio, what does AM and FM stand for?
See answer below.
Industry Press
SMTA Capital Chapter to Host Technical Webinar
The SMTA Capital Chapter is pleased to announce an upcoming technical webinar focused on an increasingly critical reliability risk in modern electronics manufacturing: ...
SMTA Capital Chapter
New analytics functions in SMT Analytics from ASMPT SMT Solutions
ASMPT SMT Solutions is further enhancing its SMT Analytics software solution with expanded analytics capabilities. A key new feature is Line Balance Analysis, which ...
ASMPT SMT Solutions
KOKI to Exhibit and Present E Series Zero Flux Residue Technology at iMAPS
KOKI Solder America is pleased to announce its participation as both an exhibitor and technical presenter at the 22nd Annual Device Packaging Conference (DPC 2026) ...
KOKI Solder America
PVA Showcases Flexible Automation Solutions at SATShow 2026
PVA will exhibit at SATShow 2026, taking place March 23–26 in Washington, DC, where the company will highlight custom automation solutions designed for demanding ...
PVA
Semi-Kinetics Invests in AAT's Advanced Cleaning Technology
Semi-Kinetics has purchased and installed an X-30A Fully Automatic Stencil, PCB, and Misprint Cleaner from Austin American Technology at its new manufacturing ...
Semi-Kinetics
25 Years of Craft, Character, and Team Spirit: ICTC Honors Angela Williams
Interconnect Cable Technologies Corporation (ICTC) is proud to recognize Angela Williams as she celebrates 25 years with the company in 2026, marking a career ...
Interconnect Cable Technologies Corporation (ICTC)
Join AIM Solder & Other Industry Leaders at PARMI's AI-Focused Tech Days
AIM Solder invites you join us at PARMI's AI-Focused Tech Days 2026. This event takes place February 25–26 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at PARMI USA ...
AIM Solder
MORE INDUSTRY PRESS
kyzen
Sponsor
Ormet-TLPS

AIT ORMET® TLPS for Thermal Conductivity
AIT ORMET® TLPS is proven with stress relief for stable long-term metallic thermal conductivity & low thermal interface resistance for high temp >175°C
Ormet TLPS
Quote of the Day
"If an elderly but distinguished scientist says that something is possible, he is almost certainly right; but if he says that it is impossible, he is very probably wrong."
Arthur C. Clarke
Sponsor
Plasma-Etch

3 Ways to Increase Plasma Uniformity
Process temperature is the most important parameter in the plasma process. Process temperature has primary control over etch rate and has a secondary effect on etch uniformity. Read more.
Plasma Etch
ECD
Cartoon of the Day
Cartoon
"You can name your own salary. I call mine Tiny Tim."
Copyright © Randy Glasbergen
Sponsor
Creative-Electron

Inline Automatic X-Ray Inspection: TruView™ Verus
TruView™ Verus is a high-resolution inline AXI system offering advanced 2D, 2.5D, and 3D imaging to detect defects in electronic assemblies with exceptional accuracy and speed.
Creative Electron
SEIKA-America
Test Your Knowledge Answer
In radio, what does AM and FM stand for?
Answer: Amplitude Modulation which means the amplitude of the radio signal is used to encode information. FM denotes frequency modulation, which uses a change in frequency to encode information.