June 24, 2026

Global Electronics Association Releases IPC-1401B ESG Management System Standard The Global Electronics Association launched IPC-1401B, an updated ESG standard that helps manufacturers embed sustainability, manage supply chain risks, meet rising regulatory demands, and demonstrate measurable ESG performance to customers and investors. Global Electronics Association

Sponsor AIT ORMET® TLPS for Component Attach AIT ORMET®TLPS is proven for outstanding reliability for component attaches and MLCC build-up for high temperature applications beyond 175ºC Ormet® TLPS

PCB industry posts record Q1 production value with rosy outlook Taiwan's PCB industry boosts production value 19.6% year-on-year to a record NT$245.6 billion in Q1, driven by strong AI server demand for high-end boards, while TPCA forecasts continued growth despite material shortages, cost pressures and global uncertainties. Taipei Times

A Universal AI-Powered Segmentation Model for PCBA & Semiconductor A universal AI & Deep Learning powered model that enhances defect detection in AOI systems for PCBAs and semiconductors, further improving accuracy, speed and consistency - streamlining inspection processes. Technical Paper

Meta debuts new, cheaper smart glasses under its own brand Meta launched Meta Glasses starting at $299 with EssilorLuxottica, expanding its wearables push. The screenless smart glasses feature cameras, speakers, and Meta AI, offer multiple styles, strong battery life, live translation, and upcoming walking navigation. TechCrunch

Sponsor Scoring Big With Glenbrook's Real-Time X-Ray Inspection Jewel Box 70T helps East/West Manufacturing ensure accurate assembly of complex boards, for a system delivering statistics in seconds. Read more Glenbrook Technologies

Why the U.S. Uses Only Half of Its Grid Capacity Utilize Coalition, backed by Google, Tesla and Carrier, says the U.S. can meet rising electricity demand from data centers and manufacturing by better using existing grid capacity through new technologies and policy reforms, reducing reliance on building new power infrastructure. IEEE Spectrum

Reflow Oven Zone Separation Challenges Some of the zones or our oven profiler are competing to get to the correct temperature. How do I prevent the oven from having competing zones? Jim Hall and Phil Zarrow, The Assembly Brothers, answer this question. Board Talk

Technical Papers ■ 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 ■ Evaluation of Techniques for Intentional Contamination of PWB Substrates for Quantitative Cleanliness Analyses ■ Scaling SMT Traceability ■ The Drawbacks of Internal Recycling Systems for Solder Dross ■ 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 MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

Sponsor New Jet Dispenser: Faster Changeovers. No Stencils Required. Add jet dispensing to any new Manncorp pick & place machine for lower setup costs, greater production flexibility and up to 640 dpm. Upgraded 3-year warranty through 2026. Manncorp Inc.

A New Physical AI Platform Provides a 'Street-Smart' View of the World Niantic Spatial and Spexi Geospatial teamed up to combine on-demand drone imagery with physical AI and photorealistic 3D Gaussian splats. The platform delivers accurate, frequently updated city-scale models for construction, planning, design, and mapping applications. Design News

AI memory startup focused on cutting token costs raises $98 million Engram raised $98 million to expand its AI memory technology, which helps companies cut costs by recalling organization-specific workflows and delivering smarter responses with far fewer tokens. The startup already serves clients including Microsoft as demand for efficient AI grows. CNBC

How the Right Cored Wire Can Optimize Automated Soldering This study investigates the impact cored wire flux activity and flux core percentage has on soldering performance and speed. Additionally, this research aims to identify optimal soldering parameters by varying preheat time, feed rate, tip temperature, dwell time. Technical Paper

Sponsor Removal/Milling of Underfilled Parts: AVX1000M High precision milling with zero adjacent clearance. Auto laser height measurement of board and component. Learn more. Air-Vac Engineering

How Spain Built a Quantum Ecosystem Without Calling It One Spain has rapidly built a leading quantum ecosystem in Europe through coordinated public investment research and industry. It now operates diverse quantum systems across multiple regions and launches a €808 million strategy to advance computing communications and sensing. EE Times

Google's online dominance is showing signs of cracking in AI era Google faces mounting pressure as users increasingly split between AI chatbots and non-AI search tools. While Google still dominates search and posts strong growth, rising competition, AI backlash, and talent departures are exposing vulnerabilities in its core business. CNBC

Pressure-Less Silver Sintering Pastes for Low Porosity Joint and Large Die Under pressure-less sintering conditions silver sintering pastes for different sized die attachment to form robust silver joints have been developed. Technical Paper

Sponsor Vapor Phase Profiling Thermal profiling the vapor phase soldering process – especially those with vacuum – is challenging. ECD's M-VP™ sealed barrier can take it. Learn more. ECD

The Forgotten Element in AI Development: Sound Treble is bringing realistic sound to AI with wave-based acoustic simulation that generates high-fidelity training data for robots and voice systems. The platform boosts speech recognition accuracy and speeds audio AI development. Design News

AI Is Learning to Read the Room Human-context AI is gaining momentum as researchers and companies combine behavioral, personal, and situational data to better interpret emotions. The approach could enhance workplace, healthcare, and education interactions, but it also intensifies concerns over privacy. IEEE Spectrum

Sponsor Low Thermal Resistance Epoxy Master Bond EP53TC is a thermally conductive, electrically insulating adhesive that combines good physical properties and the ability to transfer heat rapidly and effectively. Master Bond

Oracle sheds 21,000 roles over the past year amid wave of AI layoffs from tech giants Oracle cut 21,000 jobs, nearly 13% of its workforce, over the past year as AI adoption reshaped operations. The company spent $1.8 billion on restructuring and warned that workforce changes could hurt productivity, morale and institutional knowledge. CNBC

The Importance of Having a Clean Slate in the SMT Assembly Process The paper covers an experiment to improve upon the defect ratio of their PCB assembly process by utilizing a bare board cleaner before the paste printer. Technical Paper

Tech rout intensifies as sell-off grips global stocks Global stocks tumbled as a tech-led selloff hit Asian, European and U.S. markets, hammering semiconductor shares and Magnificent Seven stocks. Analysts downplayed catastrophe risks, arguing strong earnings and AI-driven growth make the downturn a buying opportunity. CNBC

SK hynix beats Samsung Electronics in market cap to become most valuable company SK hynix overtook Samsung Electronics as South Korea's most valuable listed company after strong stock gains driven by AI-fueled semiconductor demand. Its dominance in high-bandwidth memory chips helped it outpace Samsung's more diversified business. The Korea Times

Sponsor The Battle for Space Superiority Has Begun The next conflict may begin in orbit. Learn why resilient space systems and advanced manufacturing matter more than ever. Summit Interconnect

Self-driving Cars Aren't the Challenge – Proving How They Think Is The UK's autonomous vehicle sector is shifting into deployment mode as driverless taxi plans advance and regulations strengthen. Developers now face mounting pressure to prove that AVs make safe, compliant decisions in unpredictable real-world scenarios to secure trust & approval. TechRadar