April 15, 2026

Meta commits to 1 gigawatt of custom chips with Broadcom as Hock Tan decides to leave board Meta and Broadcom extend partnership through 2029 to develop custom AI accelerators, scaling to gigawatt deployments and 2-nanometer chips, as Meta pushes in-house silicon strategy. Broadcom CEO Hock Tan leaves Meta board amid intensifying AI chip competition. CNBC

Sponsor Get Component Lead Tinning Right the First Time Lead tinning mistakes can compromise reliability and performance. This paper reveals the challenges and best practices to ensure high-quality results. Circuit Technology Center

NAACP sues Elon Musk’s xAI over Memphis data center air pollution NAACP sues Elon Musk’s xAI, alleging Clean Air Act violations from unpermitted gas turbines powering Memphis-area data centers. The lawsuit claims pollution endangers nearby communities and seeks permits, emissions controls, and penalties, plus an order to halt operations. CNBC

Scaling SMT Traceability High-mix electronics manufacturing requires precise material control. This whitepaper explains how Tecnimaster improved traceability, inventory accuracy and picking efficiency through integrated automated storage and reel-level tracking. Technical Paper

3D-printing electronics with focused microwaves redefines possibilities in materials Researchers led by Rice University developed a microwave-focused 3D-printing method that selectively heats electronic ink without damaging surrounding materials, enabling spatially programmed properties, multimaterial devices, and direct integration of electronics into biopolymers, tissues, and complex functional structures. TechXplore

Sponsor Thixotropic, Dual Cure Adhesive Master Bond UV23FLDC-80TK is a dual curing adhesive that withstands rigorous thermal cycling and is suitable for applications where low stress is critical. View full specs. Master Bond

​Boston Dynamics and Google DeepMind Teach Spot to Reason Boston Dynamics upgrades its Spot robot with Google DeepMind’s Gemini Robotics-ER 1.6, enabling more autonomous industrial inspection, object recognition, and reasoning tasks. The system improves safety and decision-making, but challenges remain in reliable real-world understanding and physical interaction. IEEE Spectrum

Reliability of New SAC-Bi Solder Alloys in Thermal Cycling with Aging The effect of micro-alloying to SAC based solder materials on component reliability was studied, considering various factors of solder paste and surface finish. Technical Paper

Technical Papers ■ 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 ■ 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 MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

Sponsor iX7059 Series by Viscom: Inline X-ray Inspection Power High-performance Inline X-ray Inspection Systems for complex electronics, semiconductors, and power modules up to 200 kg. Seamless integration, AI-powered accuracy, and maximum reliability for every application. Viscom SE

Apple is testing four smart glasses designs as it prepares to challenge Meta Ray-Bans Apple tests four N50 smart glasses designs, developing them in-house to rival Meta’s Ray-Ban line. The lightweight eyewear integrates cameras, sensors, and AI features tightly with iPhone, enabling notifications, media, and visual recognition, with launch expected 2026–2027. TechSpot

Nvidia stock is on a 10-day winning streak and up 18% over that stretch Nvidia shares surged over 18% in ten days as AI demand accelerates, despite denying PC acquisition talks. The company unveiled new quantum computing-focused models and benefits from soaring data center growth and tight compute supply driving investor optimism. CNBC

Process Characterization for Acceptable Levels of Flux Analysis of residues and their effects has shifted from a global examination of ionic residues to a more site-specific examination of spot or local contamination. Technical Paper

Sponsor Best alternative to dispensed adhesives PLACE-N-BOND underfilm eliminates dispensing and curing in SMT assembly. Use PLACE-N-BOND for solder joint strain relief, shock/drop reliability improvement & encapsulation. Read more. Alltemated Inc.

OpenAI Engineer Helps Companies Attract Buyers and Boost Sales Sarang Gupta began tinkering with household fixes as a child, learned programming early, and studied engineering and business in Hong Kong. He built apps and startups, later automated trading workflows at Goldman Sachs, and now supports OpenAI’s data-driven GTM systems. IEEE Spectrum

IMF cuts global growth forecast to 3.1% on Mideast war IMF cut its 2026 global growth outlook, warning Middle East war could derail the world economy as oil, gas and food prices surge. It now projects 3.1% global growth this year and higher inflation at 4.4%. Taipei Times

Causes of Blowholes Are old components such as resistors and circuit breakers more likely to cause blowholes during wave soldering compared to newer components? Board Talk

Sponsor 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.

Taiwan leads world in increasing exports to US US imports from Taiwan surged $59.6B last year, the largest increase globally, as bilateral trade and investment deepen. Taiwan pledged $250B for US semiconductor capacity, while the US trade deficit with Taiwan hit $145B. Taipei Times

Japan finds a way to recover 90% of lithium from old EV batteries Japan’s JX Metals Circular Solutions extracts 90% of lithium from dead EV batteries using improved hydrometallurgy in Fukui Prefecture. The process cuts emissions by 40% and strengthens Japan’s recycling push, though battery collection rates remain a major challenge. TechSpot

Sponsor 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.

How to Plan Agentic AI Deployment for Chip Design AI in semiconductor design has become standard practice, with over half of advanced nodes using AI assistance. Agentic AI is shifting EDA from reactive tools to autonomous orchestration, boosting productivity 10–100x and forcing organizations to adopt scalable readiness frameworks. EE Times

An Interesting Approach to Yield Improvement The approach involves spending a little more money than normal at the start of project and the results show savings of many times more than this outlay. Technical Paper

New terahertz technique lets engineers see inside running processors in real time Engineers in Adelaide developed a terahertz-based technique to observe transistor activity inside running processors in real time. By extending a vector network analyzer’s range, they enable non-invasive chip diagnostics, potentially transforming semiconductor testing, while raising challenges in complex architectures and security risks. TechSpot

What's The Difference Between Wi-Fi 6 And Wi-Fi 6E? Wi-Fi 6E enhances Wi-Fi 6 by adding a 6GHz band, reducing congestion and improving speeds for compatible devices. It benefits high-speed plans and crowded networks, but requires supported routers and devices, offering limited advantages for older hardware or slower connections. BGR

Sponsor 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

Exclusive: Edge AI inference set for 10x growth; Nokia, Blaize advance hybrid AI compute Nokia and AI chip startup Blaize have expanded their partnership in Singapore, unveiling a full-stack solution at GITEX AI Asia to support hybrid heterogeneous computing as generative AI demand shifts from centralized cloud training to edge-based inference. Digitimes