March 2, 2026

Multi-Location Inventory Management for Electronics Manufacturers As businesses scale, they must master multi-location inventory management to stay efficient. Coordinating stock across warehouses, plants, and distribution centers balances supply, prevents shortages and surpluses, speeds fulfillment, and lowers costs with real-time oversight. EE Times

Sponsor Cold Precision Milling for Underfilled BGA Removal Traditional thermal removal methods for underfilled BGAs risk pad cratering, substrate delamination, and damage to nearby circuitry. Circuit Technology Center

VIEWPOINT 2026: Jesper Lykke, CEO, Viscom Inc. In 2026, Viscom continued progress fueled by innovation, improving market conditions, and a strong project pipeline. A key milestone will be the launch of vAI Provision, a new software solution that underscores Viscom's expanding use of artificial intelligence to enhance our portfolio and deliver increased value ... Viscom Inc.

Flux Technology Development for Solder Paste Compatible with Formic Acid Reflow Ovens for Power Devices This paper introduces a newly developed flux technology compatible with formic acid reduction reflow ovens which offers solutions to the issues associated with conventional power device soldering. Technical Paper

Worldwide Smartphone Market to Decline 13% in 2026, Marking the Largest Drop Ever Due to the Memory Shortage Crisis, according to IDC International Data Corporation warns global smartphone shipments will plunge 12.9% in 2026 to 1.12 billion, the lowest in over a decade, as a memory crisis drives up costs. Low-end Android vendors face heavy losses, while Apple & Samsung gain share amid rising prices & consolidation. IDC

Sponsor You need clear soldering results? The SEHO PowerVision AOI system is for fast, automated optical inspection. Designed for THT processes & focusses on 2 points: Continuous quality assurance & cost-efficient production processes. SEHO Systems GmbH

'Silent failure at scale': The AI risk that can tip the business world into disorder As AI systems grow increasingly complex, organizations struggle to predict or control them. Experts warn that silent, scaled failures—from mismanaged production to rogue customer-service agents—highlight the urgent need for operational controls, oversight & accessible "kill switches." CNBC

Influence of Salt Contamination and RH on Creep Corrosion of Immersion Silver This study provides important insights into the impact of both minor and major contamination on creep corrosion, offering new perspectives on reliability in the field. We hope it will stimulate further research and practical applications in the electronics industry. Technical Paper

Technical Papers ■ 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 ■ Optimizing BGA Rework: Challenges, Techniques and Quality Control MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

Sponsor Significantly Reduce Silver-Driven Costs REL61 is a proven alloy that slashes costs for mid-to-large manufacturers. Get better thermal stability and lower overhead with AIM’s global technical support. AIM Solder

Google is building a Minnesota data center powered by wind, solar, and rust Google is building its first Minnesota data center in Pine Island, powered almost entirely by 1.9 GW of wind and solar energy. Using Form Energy's iron-air batteries, the facility stores rust-based energy for up to 100 hours, stabilizing renewable supply. TechSpot

Letting Machines Decide What Matters Physicists are using AI at the Large Hadron Collider to explore beyond the Standard Model. By analyzing collisions in real time, AI flags anomalies humans might miss, aiming to guide discoveries in "new physics" and expand our understanding of the universe. IEEE Spectrum

Modeling a SMT Line to Improve Throughput With tools to model a large quantity of products and the impact of SMT line configurations, an electronics assembly plant can be analyzed to identify improvement opportunities. Technical Paper

Sponsor Safe and Effective Cleaning with 440-R VOC-free stencil cleaning chemistry! Cleans any solder paste from any fine-pitch stencil when used as part of the Smart Sonic stencil cleaning process. Learn more. Smart Sonic

4 Android Phones More Powerful Than The iPhone 17 Pro The iPhone 17 Pro sets a high standard with its 1206×2622 OLED display, triple 48MP cameras, A19 Pro chip, 12GB RAM, and 256GB storage. Yet, Android rivals like the OnePlus 15 and Vivo X300 surpass it in performance, battery, and certain features. BGR

This Power Grid Pioneer’s EV Prediction Came 100 Years Too Soon Charles Proteus Steinmetz, a pioneering electrical engineer, revolutionized AC circuit analysis and transformer design, secured 200+ patents, and championed electric vehicles, predicting their urban potential while leaving a lasting impact on power engineering and EV development. IEEE Spectrum

Connector Bowing During Reflow Process I have a connector that is bowing during lead-free soldering. When the connector is put through an oven on its own no bowing takes place. What is causing this? Board Talk

Sponsor Optimize Your Process on Full SMT Demo Line Validate your process in our demo lab. Our full line—printing, P&P, reflow, and AOI—is ready to optimize your profile and prove performance. Send us your boards to start. Heller Industries

How RFID Labels Could Help Tackle $540B Food Waste Losses in 2026 Avery Dennison has launched AD IdentiFresh RFID labels, powered by Impinj's Gen2X ICs, to tackle perishable food waste. The technology improves scanning speed, accuracy, and reliability, enabling retailers to automate inventory, reduce spoilage, and boost margins sustainably. EE Times

Jack Dorsey made the loudest case yet that AI is already replacing jobs Block is slashing 40% of its workforce, cutting headcount from over 10,000 to under 6,000, as CEO Jack Dorsey cites AI-driven efficiencies reshaping operations. Investors cheered, sending shares up, while analysts predict higher productivity and profitability despite restructuring costs. CNBC

Sponsor Latest 3D AOI System from Viscom iS6059 PCB Inspection Plus. Its new and faster sensor technology, data processing and analysis functions all stand for the best 3D AOI performance that meets the highest requirements. Viscom

Taiwan's Tech Industry Taiwan is strengthening its global tech leadership, advancing semiconductor manufacturing, power electronics, embedded systems and AI. Powered by TSMC, MediaTek, startups and state backing, it unites chips and platforms despite talent, resource and geopolitical strains. EE Times

Component Density on Solder Joint Reliability Under Harsh Environment In this study, degradation behavior of lead free solder joint was compared with mounted position and component density of vehicle engine control unit for excavator. Technical Paper

From AI's Origins to Smart Devices: Selecting the Right Devices for Smart Deployment Artificial intelligence has progressed from 1950s rule-based systems to cloud platforms like ChatGPT and Azure AI. Now, Edge and Endpoint AI bring real-time, offline, privacy-first decisions to devices, driving autonomous and industrial systems despite hardware and deployment hurdles. EE Times

AI Is Draining the World’s Water — And It May Be the Only Way to Save It Artificial intelligence is transforming daily life and work, but its digital backbone strains water resources. Data centers and cloud operations consume massive volumes for cooling and cleaning, highlighting a growing, often overlooked environmental pressure linked to AI's rapid expansion. Entrepreneur

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

OpenAI strikes deal with Pentagon, hours after rival Anthropic was blacklisted by Trump OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that the company has secured an agreement with the Department of Defense to deploy its AI models on classified networks, adhering to strict safety rules, while Anthropic was barred, labeled a national security risk. CNBC