circuitnet
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Summit-Interconnect

Seven Facilities, One Trusted Source
Partner with the industry leader. Summit is trusted and proven, with 7 integrated facilities to load capacity—from fast-turn prototypes to scalable production requirements.
Summit Interconnect
Ask the Experts
Rework or Repair?
We often need to strip solder splash contamination off gold edge contacts and replate them. Is this considered a repair or a rework? Are there clear definitions for the terms repair and rework?
Responses by:
Clive Ashmore
Global Process Manager, ASM
Kevin Beattie
Quality Manager, Sunstone Circuits
Harold Hyman
Consultant, VJ Electronix
Richard D. Stadem
Advanced Engineer/Scientist, General Dynamics
Peter Vigneau
Vice President, Circuit Technology Center
BGA Component Grounding Problem
Aluminum Trays and Rapid Static Discharge
Use of Nitrogen for Hand Soldering
Environment Impact on Assembly, Printing and Reflow
IPC-A-610 Class 3 - IPC-A-600 Class 2
Glued SMT Components Falling Off
Delamination Causing Scrap
MORE ASK THE EXPERTS
Ormet-TLPS
Sponsor
kyzen

Reflow Oven and Wave Soldering Machine Maintenance Cleaning
Maintenance cleaning is imperative. Investment in a cleaning schedule and chemistry creates reliable processes to extend equipment life.
KYZEN
Industry Calendar
Dec 4, 2025
Silicon Valley Expo & Tech Forum
SMTA
Nov 13, 2025
Tijuana Expo & Tech Forum 2025
SMTA
Nov 13, 2025
Space Coast Expo & Tech Forum
SMTA
Nov 11, 2025
Tampa Bay Expo & Tech Forum
SMTA
Nov 4, 2025
Utah Expo & Tech Forum
SMTA
FULL INDUSTRY CALENDAR
Nordson-ASYMTEK
Sponsor
Plasma-Etch

Contaminant Removal with Plasma
Plasma provides organics removal and other benefits to increase bond strength! Many chamber sizes available, all with a low environmental impact. Learn more.
Plasma Etch
What Year Was It?
The Long March
What Year
The embattled Chinese Communists break through Nationalist enemy lines and begin an epic flight from their encircled headquarters in southwest China.
See the answer below.
Sponsor
Essegi-Automation

Our Solutions
Discover Essegi Automation's modular solutions: flexible hardware and software seamlessly integrated into SMT and THT environments.
Essegi Automation
SEIKA-America
What Year Was It Answer
The Long March
Answer: October 16, 1934
October 16, 2025
image
Worldwide PC Shipments Grew 8.2% in Third Quarter of 2025
Worldwide PC shipments reached 69M in Q3 2025, up 8.2% YoY, driven by Windows 10 EOS upgrades. North America grew just 1.6%, while AI PCs surged to 31% of shipments. Lenovo led top-five vendors with 16.6% growth, as the market shifts toward AI-enabled devices.
Gartner
Sponsor
Plasmatreat-GmbH

Plasma as a Key Technology
Plasma technology improves electronics manufacturing, reduces oxide layers, prevents delamination & enables environmentally friendly products by using Openair-Plasma ® & PlasmaPlus®.
Plasmatreat GmbH
Apple's Foldable iPhone May Be Cheaper Than We Expected
Apple is set to launch a foldable iPhone in 2026, likely priced around $2,000. Featuring a new hinge and display technology to prevent creases, the device aims to combine premium design with broader market appeal, potentially sparking a major upgrade cycle.
BGR
The "Fried Egg" Effect in Soldering
Burnt-on flux residue that is visible on the solder mask of PCBs after improper reflow settings produces significant challenges to the reliability of finished boards.
Technical Paper
Pegatron chair downplays impact of rare earth curbs
Pegatron chairman Tung Tzu-hsien said China's rare-earth export curbs won't immediately disrupt iPhone production as suppliers adjust. Yet he warned that prolonged limits could slow global growth, hit Taiwan's chipmakers, and drive nations to expand rare-earth mining.
Taipei Times
Sponsor
Master-Bond

Underfill Epoxy Offers Thermal Conductivity
Master Bond EP29LPTCHT is a low viscosity adhesive that can be used for underfill & encapsulation apps. It offers thermal conductivity & electrical insulation.
Master Bond
Why Corporate Innovation Moves So Slowly — and the Shift That's Finally Breaking the Cycle
Dima, Head of Gcore for Startups and founder of PitchBob.io, highlights a persistent corporate innovation challenge: companies must experiment and collaborate with startups, yet rigid IT, governance, and procurement systems often stall pilots and slow adaptation.
Entrepreneur
Technical Papers
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
The Economics of Electronic Component Salvage and Reuse
Cutting Without Contact: How Laser Depanelling Redefines PCB Manufacturing
MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS
Sponsor
AI-Technology-Inc

AEC Grade-0 and MSL Level-1 Conductive Paste & Film Adhesives
240° Tg and ultra-high thermal stability for AEC Grade-0 applications. Proven rapid and snap curing die-attach paste for ultimate productivity.
AI Technology, Inc.
New Rumors Suggest A Smartphone With A 9,000 mAh Battery Could Be On Its Way
Leaks suggest a new flagship smartphone with a groundbreaking 9,000 mAh battery is in testing, surpassing current market leaders. Likely from a Chinese brand and powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the device could redefine battery longevity in premium smartphones.
BGR
Nvidia, Microsoft, xAI and BlackRock part of $40 billion deal for Aligned Data Centers
Nvidia, Microsoft, BlackRock, and Elon Musk's xAI are leading a $40 billion consortium to acquire Aligned Data Centers, aiming to boost AI infrastructure across the Americas. The deal, AIP's first, positions the group to deploy $30 billion in equity.
CNBC
Sponsor
DL-Technology

EZ-FLO High Precision Ceramic Dispense Tips
The ceramic molding process allows for smaller more precise inner diameters with a glass-like finish, giving you the ultimate control. Learn more.
DL Technology
Honor reveals a new smartphone with a fold-out robotic camera arm
Chinese smartphone maker Honor announced a "robot phone" with a camera that folds out via a robotic arm, integrating AI for photography and daily tasks. The company will reveal full details at Mobile World Congress next year.
CNBC
Google Open-Sources NPU IP, Synaptics Implements It
Google Research has open-sourced its Coral NPU IP to accelerate edge AI by reducing fragmentation and improving security. Synaptics is first to integrate it into its Astra SL2610 IoT SoCs, promoting an open, RISC-V–based ecosystem for scalable, secure edge AI development.
EE Times
Sponsor
Epic-Resins

Reliable Potting Resins, Every Time
Ensure consistent performance with our epoxy & polyurethane resins engineered for durability, fast cure times, and seamless processing. Learn More!
Epic Resins
This New Chip Is Just a Few Atoms Thick and Could Change Everything About Computers
Engineers at Fudan University created the world's first fully functional memory chip built from atom-thin 2D materials and integrated with silicon circuits. Their ATOM2CHIP process enables faster, low-power flash memory with a 94.3% yield, surpassing silicon's scaling limits.
ZME Science
How Roomba Got Its Vacuum
In 2001, iRobot engineers learned through focus groups that consumers prioritized suction over sweeping. They added a compact, low-power vacuum to the Roomba prototype, overcoming design hurdles and securing the robot's commercial success through performance and innovation.
IEEE Spectrum
Sponsor
Viscom

Affordable Excellence - iS6052 AOI
The latest addition to Viscom's esteemed lineup of AOI systems. This new system offers a compelling option for manufacturers looking to enhance their PCB inspection processes.
Viscom
Voids in SMT Solder Joints – Trends in Automotive Electronics
There is a need for a more extensive coverage of voiding in standards where customer specifications often contain requirements for voiding in SMT solder joints.
Circuit Insight - Production Floor
Faster, Smaller AI Model Found for Image Geolocation
Researchers at China University of Petroleum (East China) created a compact AI model that links street-level and aerial images with 97% accuracy. Using deep cross-view hashing, it runs over twice as fast and is three times more memory-efficient than current geolocation systems.
IEEE Spectrum
Effects of Mixing Solder Sphere Alloys with Bismuth-Based Pastes
In this paper, the effect of mixing solder sphere alloys with Bi-based solder pastes on the component reliability in accelerated thermal cycling is studied.
Circuit Insight - Materials Tech
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
A guide to the $1 trillion-worth of AI deals between OpenAI, Nvidia and others
OpenAI has struck nearly $1 trillion in AI infrastructure deals this year, partnering with Oracle, CoreWeave, Broadcom, and SoftBank, backed by major investments from Nvidia and Microsoft. While critics warn of an AI bubble, industry leaders call it essential infrastructure expansion.
CNBC
Teaching AI to Predict What Cells Will Look Like Before Running Any Experiments
Researchers at MBZUAI unveiled MorphDiff, a diffusion model that predicts cellular morphology after genetic or drug changes using only gene expression data. Published in Nature Communications, it produces microscopy-quality images, speeding biological discovery.
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
Today's Sponsor
Glenbrook-Technologies
Sponsor
Glenbrook-Technologies

Probe Card Manufacturer 'Sees the Unseen' With X-ray
Probe card manufacturer relies on mobile real-time x-ray inspection to verify the quality of its aligned probes at different stages along the assembly line.
Glenbrook Technologies
Test Your Knowledge
Where was the first parking meter installed?
See answer below.
Industry Press
Indium Corporation Experts to Deliver Technical Presentations at SMTAI
Indium Corporation
AOI system for THT PCB assembly and inspection
GOEPEL Electronic
Koh Young Discussing Ways to Apply Smart Factory Insights at SMTA Tijuana
Koh Young
Despatch Ovens Now Support ASTM D5423 Testing
ITW EAE
Yamaha boosts surface-mount programming efficiency with software release
Yamaha Robotics
MORE INDUSTRY PRESS
Test-Research-Inc.
Sponsor
Circuit-Technology-Center

Tech Paper - Keys to Component Lead Tinning Success
This paper examines the challenges and best practices of component tinning, with a focus on temperature control, flux selection, and soldering techniques.
Circuit Technology Center
Quote of the Day
We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology.
Carl Sagan
Sponsor
BEST-Inc.

Want High-Reliability BGA Service?
BGA rework and reballing solutions for commercial, military and aerospace perfected over 20-plus years of reliable, repeatable and proven success.
BEST Inc.
SEHO
Cartoon of the Day
Cartoon
"This matter requires immediate attention. I'll get someone to ignore it right away."
Copyright © Randy Glasbergen
Sponsor
Dymax

Eliminate Traditional Masking Methods
SpeedMask® maskants protect parts from surface finishing. Cure fast with UV or LED light and replace time-consuming tape, wax, lacquer application.
Dymax
ECD
Test Your Knowledge Answer
Where was the first parking meter installed?
Answer: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1935