August 10, 2026

Chinese autonomous taxi technology enters European markets Chinese autonomous driving firms are expanding across Europe through partnerships with local mobility providers, automakers and fleet operators. WeRide plans Denmark’s first public robotaxi service by 2027, while Baidu and Pony.ai pursue projects in London, Luxembourg and Croatia. China Daily.com.cn

Sponsor Need Improved Solder Joint Visibility? Solder Peel-A-Wayš 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.

What Is The Lifespan Of A Data Center? Longer Than You Might Think Data centers can operate for 20–30 years, but their productive lifespan typically lasts only 10–15 years. Aging equipment, rising maintenance costs, environmental factors, and component failures eventually make retrofits or decommissioning more economical. BGR

Salvaging Electronic Components: A Reliable Method for Reducing Electronic Waste and 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. Technical Paper

Should You Put A Screen Protector On A Foldable Phone? Foldable phones’ inner screens require specialized factory-applied protective films that users should not remove or replace themselves. Manufacturers offer safer replacement options, while external displays can use tempered-glass protectors. Address bubbling or peeling quickly to prevent costly screen damage. BGR

Sponsor Gripping Systems from micro assembly to heavy lifting The first industrial-suited grippers from SCHUNK were a milestone. Since then we have brought countless newly and further developments to market. SCHUNK

Not Water, Not Power: The Next Data Center Resource Race Might Be For Copper Scientists have developed optimized copper cooling plates that could slash data center cooling energy use from 30% to 1.1%. However, soaring copper prices, tariffs, and growing demand could raise costs and intensify pressure on consumer electronics. BGR

Gooey Flux Residue Left Behind After selective soldering connectors there is a small amount of no-clean flux residue left behind. How can I judge how much flux residue can be left behind? Board Talk

Technical Papers ■ 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 ■ 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 MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

Sponsor Plasma Etch PE-Avenger The PE-Avenger is an ultra low-cost entry level plasma cleaning system allowing more labs to utilize plasma. It's a low frequency plasma cleaner designed for surface activation and organics removal. Plasma Etch

Amazon's AI Warehouses Are Struggling With A Real Human Problem Amazon’s AI-powered warehouse scheduling system faced strong resistance from managers who frequently overrode its staffing recommendations. Workers said the algorithm lacked context and threatened productivity, prompting Amazon to consider stricter controls limiting human intervention and manual overrides. BGR

Hugging Face hack marks start of dangerous AI cyber era and many firms ‘don’t even know it’ Cybersecurity leaders say the Hugging Face AI hack highlights an unavoidable new threat from autonomous agents. As attacks grow more sophisticated, companies are accelerating AI monitoring, vulnerability testing, open-weight models and stronger security controls to protect systems. CNBC

Ultra Low Profile Copper Foil for Very Low Loss Material A new almost no profile copper foil has been developed to achieve this property while maintaining a good adhesion with low loss resins. Electrodeposited copper foil production is divided in two steps. First, the foil is plated on a titanium drum from a copper sulfate solution. Then a treatment is applied to increase roughness and ensure oxidation resistance. Technical Paper

Sponsor Stop Guessing. Repair Circuit Boards with Confidence. This guidebook provides proven methods to improve workmanship, enhance reliability, and help technicians perform repairs in accordance with IPC standards. Circuit Technology Center

Silk Might Be The Reason 6G Internet Is Coming Sooner Than You Think Researchers are developing heat-pressed silk fibers as a flexible, strong, and cost-effective alternative for 6G optical networks. Tests show treated silk can transmit terahertz signals reliably, potentially helping fiber infrastructure handle the extreme speeds expected from future 6G systems. BGR

Your EV's Battery Might Have A Far Longer Lifespan Than You Thought Modern EV batteries are proving more durable than expected, retaining up to 95% of their original range after five years. Advances in battery chemistry, thermal management and cooling now give EVs lifespans comparable to conventional cars, easing replacement concerns. BGR

Comparison of Contemporary Stencil Coatings and Under Wipe Solvents The tests examined the effects of wiping on different sized packages, different wipe frequencies, and different wipe chemistries. Technical Paper

Sponsor 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

Navigating the Pivot From Tech Expert to Organizational Leader IEEE’s inaugural International Leadership Conference will help STEM professionals transition from technical experts to transformational leaders by developing systems thinking, trust-building, strategic influence and entrepreneurial skills while emphasizing collaboration, continuous learning and empowering others. IEEE Spectrum

Before You Open a Second Location, Answer These 7 Questions — Or Risk Turning One Strong Business Into Two Weak Ones The story argues that businesses must prove they can scale before opening new locations. Founders should reduce personal dependency, document key processes, build consistent culture and develop capable leaders to maintain performance across multiple sites. Entrepreneur

Sponsor TIM1 for EV Battery Thermal Management AIT's thermal adhesives, grease-gels, & gum-pads offer proven thermal dissipation for a balance of strength, rework ability, & recyclability of EV battery packs. AI Technology, Inc.

China’s threat to the drone industry Taiwanese drone makers are reducing reliance on Chinese battery cells, but China still dominates key upstream materials. As exports surge, Taiwan faces supply risks and must build inventories, secure alternative sources, and absorb higher costs to achieve genuine supply-chain autonomy. Taipei Times

Establishing Design Rules for the Laser Depaneling of Printed Circuit Boards This paper presents design guidelines for laser depaneling such as contour limitations as well as required channel widths and component distances to the cutting edge. Technical Paper

A Judge Just Ordered Meta to Pay $567 Million and Change How It Treats Teen Accounts A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $567 million for youth mental health and implement stricter teen protections, including private accounts and fewer notifications. Meta disputed the ruling and plans to appeal the decision. Entrepreneur

Cars Communicating Badly Is an Already-Solved Problem O-RAN could transform vehicle-to-everything networks by coordinating wireless signals among connected cars. Simulations using real urban layouts and traffic showed O-RAN reduced message collisions from 80–100% to nearly zero, potentially improving communication reliability and road safety. IEEE Spectrum

Sponsor Affordable Profiling Excellence Four channels of precision data capture from the most trusted name in thermal profiling. New and improved V-M.O.L.E.™ 2 is the ideal solution for budget-conscious electronics pros. Learn more here. ECD

Meta's child-safety failures will cost it another $567 million Meta faces a $942 million bill after a New Mexico judge ruled its platforms harmed young users. The order funds youth services, imposes stricter safeguards and usage limits, strengthens age verification, and requires compliance measures, while Meta plans to appeal. TechSpot