June 3, 2025

Manufacturing Contraction Continues in May U.S. manufacturing contracted for a third straight month in May, with the ISM PMI falling to 48.5%. Persistent weak demand, rising tariffs, and uncertain trade policies continue to pressure production, exports, and employment across key industrial sectors. EE Times

Sponsor 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

We Should Pay More Attention to Chinese Hardware in Devices Rising tariffs and geopolitical tensions are exposing serious risks in China-made IoT devices, which dominate global markets. With vulnerabilities, potential backdoors, and national security concerns growing, experts urge stronger regulation, supply chain independence, and transparent domestic chip production. EE Times

An Eight-Step Methodology for Bringing a Process Under Statistical Control More understanding of statistical process control (SPC) is needed to implement best practices in PCB manufacturing. The proper use of SPC enables world-class quality. Technical Paper

How to Master the Art of Pivoting and Turn Setbacks Into Strategic Advantages Successful entrepreneurs thrive by knowing when to pivot. While startups glamorize the grind, real growth comes from navigating product misfires, market confusion, and leadership friction—turning setbacks into strategic shifts that drive long-term success. Entrepreneur

Sponsor Micro Dispensing Technology Leader DL Technology LLC develops customized dispensing needles and valves for the electronics assembly, industrial assembly, semiconductor packaging and medical industries. DL Technology

Europe must stand up for its values Hungary’s government has become the first in the EU to legislate a possible Pride ban, sparking outrage. Orban’s crackdown, labeled a “full-frontal attack,” defies EU values and invites swift sanctions amid rising anti-LGBTQ+ hostility. Taipei Times

Technical Papers ■ Maintenance: The Basics of Cleaning Series Part 4 ■ The Economics of Electronic Component Salvage and Reuse ■ Cutting Without Contact: How Laser Depanelling Redefines PCB Manufacturing ■ The "Fried Egg" Effect in Soldering ■ Flux Technology Development for Solder Paste Compatible with Formic Acid Reflow Ovens for Power Devices ■ Innovative Power Module Assembly Solutions ■ Unlocking the Potential of Nanoscale Conformal Coatings ■ Recycling vs Circularity: Minimising E-Waste in Manufacturing ■ Optimizing Cleaning Strategies for Advanced Packaging Technologies with Low Standoff Components ■ Probe Card Manufacturer 'Sees the Unseen' With X-ray MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

Sponsor Sawa Ecobrid Fully Automatic Stencil Cleaner This cleaner has 2 ultrasonic cleaning head panels for cleaning the front & back sides together. Ultrasonic energy is applied directly to the stencil. Seika

Crisis Management: How to be a Better Leader During Difficult Times Entrepreneur and Oracle NetSuite host a free webinar on crisis leadership featuring veteran Garrett Cathcart. He’ll share hard-earned lessons on leading through chaos, offering clarity, direction, and momentum when your team needs it most. Entrepreneur

Disaster Awaits if We Don’t Secure IoT Now State-backed cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure are rising, with IIoT devices increasingly at risk. Experts urge strong cybersecurity hygiene and layered defense strategies—centered on Roots of Trust and remote attestation—to secure rapidly growing, often vulnerable IoT ecosystems. IEEE Spectrum

Sponsor Refurbished and Demo X-ray Inspection Systems 2024 Demo JewelBox-70T X-ray System and 2024 Demo JewelBox-100T X-ray System Refurbished & Demo Systems on sale with warranty. Learn more. Glenbrook Technologies

Amazon’s pricing controls may be anticompetitive, German regulator warns Germany’s antitrust watchdog warned Amazon that its pricing algorithms may violate competition laws by limiting third-party sellers’ visibility and pricing freedom. Amazon disputes the claim, arguing changes would harm customers by promoting uncompetitive pricing. CNBC

Dell and Nvidia to Power the Next Generation of Supercomputers: A Move Towards Sustainable AI Growth Dell will deliver new ‘Doudna’ supercomputers powered by Nvidia’s Vera Rubin AI chips, promising 10x performance gains. The move signals a leap in AI-driven research, amid booming demand for Dell AI servers and rising data storage concerns. TechReport

Sponsor Reclaim Your Factory's Future Space is a precious resource. With SELECT Synchro, reclaim it, and reimagine your factory's workflow for greater efficiency and scalability. Nordson Electronic Solutions

Someone built the iPhone AI agent Apple should’ve made by now Developer Rounak Jan built a free, open-source iPhone AI agent using GPT-4.1, showcasing advanced on-screen awareness and Voice Mode. While Apple lags in offering full AI control, Jan’s Xcode project highlights what’s already possible today. BGR

Apple iOS 26 For iPhone: Coming Next Week, A New Era For The iPhone Apple is set to unveil iOS 26 and its biggest software rebranding yet at WWDC on June 9, aligning all platforms under a unified version number. Expect design overhauls, AI integration, and enhanced cross-device consistency. Forbes

Sponsor 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

Ex-NASA Engineer Now Guiding Manufacturers to Greater Efficiency David Altemir, former NASA engineer, now leads Altemir Consulting, helping U.S. manufacturers boost efficiency through ERP solutions. Specializing in MRPeasy, he’s guided 30+ firms—ranging from startups to billion-dollar enterprises—toward smarter operations and real-time costing. EE Times

TechSpot PC Buying Guide: 2025 Update Intel’s new Core Ultra chips and Nvidia’s RTX 5000 GPUs underwhelm in value, while AMD’s Ryzen 9000X3D and Radeon RX 9700 XT offer better gains—if you can find them. TechSpot’s latest PC guide helps navigate smart, budget-conscious builds. TechSpot

2025 PC market forecast to grow 4.1% y-o-y IDC expects a slight PC market contraction in 2026 as Windows 11 upgrade momentum stabilizes and comparisons to 2025 grow tougher. However, surging SMB upgrades in late 2026 could shift the market’s trajectory significantly. Electronics Weekly.com

Sponsor Epoxy Offers Ultra High Heat Transfer Bond EP5TC-80 is a NASA low outgassing rated epoxy that achieves a thermal conductivity of 3.3-3.7 W/(m·K), while also retaining its electrical non-conductivity. Master Bond

China says US has 'severely violated' tariffs truce China blasted the U.S. for “severely violating” their trade truce, vowing strong countermeasures. Beijing cited blocked tech sales and visa cancellations, while Washington accused China of ignoring non-tariff commitments. Tensions threaten fragile trade talks. BBC

The Data Reveals Top Patent Portfolios The Patent Power Scorecard returns after eight years, spotlighting global innovation shifts. Using a dynamic sunburst visualization, it ranks companies by patent impact, not just volume, reflecting geopolitical trends and tech evolution from AI to semiconductors. IEEE Spectrum

Memory Safety Will Be Key to Tackle Fundamental Cyber Security The U.K.'s Digital Security by Design initiative showcased CHERI, a memory-safe hardware technology, in London. Experts praised its cybersecurity potential but noted adoption challenges. With 160+ companies involved, standardizing memory safety remains a key priority. EE Times