Aug 18, 2026 AI Inference Costs Per Agentic Workflow Will Increase More Than Fivefold Gartner predicts AI inference costs per agentic workflow will rise more than fivefold by 2028 as increasingly complex AI agents consume more tokens. Product leaders must optimize model routing, orchestration and inference tiers to protect margins and deliver ROI. Gartner

Sponsor Flux-Free, Reliable, Efficient: Soldering with Formic Acid Whitepaper shows formic-acid-assisted, flux-free soldering enables reliable, nearly void-free joints for power semiconductors. The technology improves thermal performance and lifespan. Rehm Thermal Systems

Apple will begin assembling Mac Minis at Foxconn's Houston plant later this year Foxconn plans to start assembling Apple's Mac Mini in Houston later this year, expanding US manufacturing for AI hardware. The project uses Foxconn’s investment and Apple's purchasing power while strengthening domestic production, supply-chain influence & manufacturing training. TechSpot

PCB Rework Evolves, With X-ray a Constant Support Mini Micro Stencil, a contract manufacturer focused on PCB rework, has relied on real-time X-ray inspection to verify its precision rework as the industry has evolved over 30 years. Technical Paper

MIT engineers connect bacteria to create living transistors MIT researchers engineered bacteria to function as transistors, enabling printable biological circuits that process molecular signals. Using five bacterial strains, they built logic components that could eventually help plants detect and respond to drought or pests. MIT News

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

People Want AI to Help Them Grow, Not Just Get Things Done. Almost Nobody Is Solving for That. Anthropic's study of 81,000 people finds personal transformation is a major AI goal, yet only 6% feel current tools deliver emotional support or guidance. The findings highlight an opportunity for AI companies to prioritize empowerment, independence and human judgment over productivity. Entrepreneur

Is Alloy Mixing During Rework Acceptable? A board may bear a RoHS label, but the lead-free solder alloy is not known. What is the best rework procedure to follow? Jim Hall and Phil Zarrow, The Assembly Brothers, share their insight. Board Talk

Technical Papers ■ UHDI Fabrication for IC Substrates: SAP and mSAP Processes ■ 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 MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

Sponsor Micro Dispensing Technology White Paper The trend toward micro-dispensing technology increases as electronic assembly's shrink & component packages decrease in size. DL Technology

Is Shipyard Welding the Right First Job for Humanoid Robots? Persona AI is focusing its humanoid robots on skilled welding jobs, targeting shipyards facing labor shortages. Partnerships with HD Hyundai and POSCO support its strategy, with robots performing repetitive linear welds to expand shipbuilding capacity rather than replace workers. IEEE Spectrum

Nvidia backing $105 billion in financing for OpenAI data center in Ohio Nvidia will support OpenAI's Ohio data center with financing for 4.25 gigawatts of initial computing capacity, potentially reaching 8 gigawatts. SB Energy will build the facility, while Nvidia and partners fund power infrastructure, creating thousands of jobs through 2032. CNBC

The Effects of PCB Fabrication on High-Frequency Electrical Performance Achieving optimum high-frequency PCB performance is not only the best possible PCB material, but can be impacted by PCB fabrication practices. Technical Paper

Sponsor Optically Clear Nanosilica Filled Epoxy Master Bond EP4NS-80 is a low viscosity epoxy for bonding and sealing that possesses excellent dimensional stability, low CTE and minimal shrinkage upon curing. Master Bond

From AI Copilots to Agent Swarms AMD has surpassed its AI productivity target, achieving a 30% boost and moving toward 50% AI-generated code. The company now plans collaborative AI agent swarms that develop, test, evaluate, and refine solutions, potentially reshaping the software development lifecycle. IEEE Spectrum

Automotive Functional Safety: Why ASIL Compliance Starts with Electromagnetic Design Automotive electronics engineers can prevent costly EMC, SI and PI failures by addressing risks before layout release. A field-based methodology maps stack-ups to ASIL levels, manages return paths, optimizes decoupling, and controls reflections and transients for first-pass success. EE Times

The Quantitative Assessment of Mixed BGA Joint An investigation to evaluate the soldering process and the reliability of solder joints of SnAgCu PBGA components formed using the Sn-Pb solder paste. Technical Paper

Sponsor Introducing our new Board to Board Connectors These new Board to Board Connectors feature pitch sizes from 0.50 mm to 1.00 mm with multi-pitch and custom pitch designs available. Designed for long-life applications and robust handling. Advanced Interconnections Corp

Entry-level GPU shortages will get worse in the second half of 2026, warns PC Partner PC Partner warns that rising VRAM and DRAM costs could worsen entry-level graphics-card shortages in late 2026. AI-driven memory demand is limiting supply, pushing prices higher, extending component lead times, and reducing manufacturers' shipment volumes. TechSpot

The Charging Inlet Has Become a System: Rethinking EV Charge-Control Electronics EV on-board charger development faces growing risks in low-voltage charge-control interfaces. Discrete CP, PP and PE circuits add components, tolerances and firmware dependencies, complicating diagnostics, validation, safety and interoperability. EE Times

Sponsor Automation in Transition The world of automation is changing. What does this mean for customers? And what impact is the transformation having on providers? Find out more from a panel of experts. SCHUNK

Fluid-Side Observability Expands AI Hardware Reliability AI infrastructure reliability increasingly depends on monitoring liquid-cooling systems, not just accelerator temperatures. Rising pump effort, pressure loss, valve activity, or fluid resistance can reveal declining thermal margins before hardware temperatures exceed safe limits. EE Times

Solder Joint Reliability of 0.8 mm BGA Packages for Automotive Described is work to improve solder-joint reliability of 0.8mm pitch BGA packages used in automotive under-the-hood applications. Technical Paper

Sam Altman says four years is too long for college as AI tears up the traditional career path OpenAI CEO Sam Altman argues that four years of college may be excessive, saying two years suited him. He also urged aspiring entrepreneurs to focus on building rather than seeking credibility, as AI reshapes education and tech hiring. TechSpot

Nvidia may have just built its own hyperscaler without owning a single data center Nvidia is building a "synthetic hyperscaler" with bulk hardware purchases, financing, software and neocloud partnerships. The strategy could reshape AI infrastructure economics, challenge cloud providers and extend Nvidia's reach beyond chips. TechSpot

Sponsor Safely Remove Underfilled BGAs Without Damaging the Circuit Board Learn how cold precision milling techniques enable the removal of underfilled BGAs while minimizing risk to components, circuit traces, and board integrity. Circuit Technology Center

How Quanta Is Accelerating Electronics Production Through Digitalization Quanta Computer, Techman Robot and Siemens link digital twins, automation and MES to bridge engineering and production. Their shared backbone helps manufacturers validate processes early, speed ramp-ups, strengthen traceability and improve quality. Automation World