April 2, 2026

Mexico's Electronics Manufacturing Advantage Mexico is boosting its electronics manufacturing edge by investing in skilled talent, infrastructure, energy, and supply chains. Insights from APEX EXPO 2026 show regions like Sonora, Guanajuato, and Querétaro competing on resilience, reliability, and long-term certainty over low cost. Global Electronics Association

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

Five key questions Apple faces entering its second half-century As Apple marks 50 years, it faces slowing stock, rising AI pressure and questions beyond the iPhone. With rivals surging, it must define an AI strategy, launch new hardware, manage China risks and sustain growth in services and its vast ecosystem. CNBC

A Universal AI-Powered Segmentation Model for PCBA & Semiconductor A universal AI & Deep Learning powered model that enhances defect detection in AOI systems for PCBAs and semiconductors, further improving accuracy, speed and consistency - streamlining inspection processes. Technical Paper

Liftoff! NASA astronauts have launched on a historic journey to the moon NASA launched Artemis II, sending four astronauts aboard the SLS rocket and Orion capsule on a 10-day lunar flyby, marking humanity's first crewed moon mission since 1972 and advancing plans for a sustained lunar presence. NPR

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.

Intel shares jump 9% after buying back Ireland chip fab in sign of renewed strength Intel shares surged 9% after it agreed to repurchase its Fab 34 stake from Apollo Global Management for $14.2 billion, signaling stronger finances and renewed confidence as rising AI demand drives a resurgence in CPU importance. CNBC

Assembly Process Optimization of 0201 BTC Diodes for High Temperature The effects of PCB pad design, stencil aperture design, the flux formulation in the assembly of 0201 BTC diodes using high temperature lead free solder are examined. 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 What are your economic depaneling needs? Our depaneling machines are high-performance machines for single circuit boards with electronic components. The cutting principles are fast, the best quality. SCHUNK Electronic Solutions

Forget the Hype. Here's How AI Is Actually Changing How Business is Run Businesses are rapidly expanding AI use beyond basic automation and customer support, leveraging it to transform operations and decision-making. This shift toward advanced decision intelligence is reshaping how companies function, compete, and innovate across industries. Entrepreneur

What Exoskeletons Learned From One Relentless User After a devastating crane accident left architect Robert Woo paralyzed, he rebuilt his life by pioneering exoskeleton technology. As a long-time tester and advocate, Woo helped advance robotic mobility, enabling himself and others with paralysis to walk again. IEEE Spectrum

New-Generation, Low-Temperature Lead-Free Solder for SMT Assembly The roles of additive and bismuth content will be discussed. Eutectic SnBi and three newly designed SnBi-based alloys were experimented upon. Technical Paper

Sponsor High Temp & Chemical Resistant Epoxy Master Bond EP62-1AO is an electrically insulating adhesive that withstands harsh chemical environments while delivering thermal conductivity. View full specs. Master Bond

How Small Electronics Manufacturers Manage Operational Complexity As electronics manufacturing grows more complex, small firms outgrow spreadsheets that fail to track intricate product structures and workflows. Rising risks and inefficiencies push companies to adopt scalable systems that improve control, visibility, and production management. EE Times

How to avoid getting faked out by counterfeit car parts Counterfeit auto parts generate over $3 billion annually in the U.S., prompting officials to warn consumers about safety risks. Experts urge buyers to use trusted sellers, verify sources, keep receipts, inspect vehicles, and report suspected fake parts. Detroit Free Press

Case Studies of Harsh Application Environments This paper will present scenarios where environmental factors played a role in inducing various degradation mechanisms to Rockwell products. The paper will attempt to concentrate on the unusual scenarios, or where assumptions were made too early in the analytical process that likely hindered efficient determination of root cause. Technical Paper

Sponsor Don't Let Part Shortages Shut You Down When critical components are hard to find, your production doesn't have to suffer. Discover proven methods for removing and requalifying components. Circuit Technology Center

Iran threatens Nvidia, Apple and other tech giants with attacks Iran's Revolutionary Guard threatened to target U.S. tech giants like Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, and Google, escalating regional tensions and signaling that tech infrastructure is becoming a direct focus in ongoing geopolitical conflicts. CNBC

AI can clone open-source software in minutes, and that's a problem Artificial intelligence is upending open source as researchers demonstrate tools that can rapidly rebuild entire projects with legally distinct code. This "clean-room" approach intensifies debates over copyright, fair use, and commercialization of community-driven software. TechSpot

Sponsor Scoring Big With Glenbrook's Real-Time X-Ray Inspection Jewel Box 70T helps East/West Manufacturing ensure accurate assembly of complex boards, for a system delivering statistics in seconds. Read more Glenbrook Technologies

It's OK to Use AI; Just Don't Let AI Use You Facing a deadline, a developer uses ChatGPT to quickly debug faulty C code and generate a solution, highlighting AI's power to accelerate work. The column warns engineers to treat AI as a tool—understanding its output—rather than blindly trusting it. Design News

Intrusive Soldering Through-Hole Connector We are SMT soldering a through-hole PC 104 connector. We have tried preforms and are unable to get all of the pins soldered. Phil Zarrow and Jim Hall, The Assembly Brothers, share their own suggestions in this scenario. Board Talk

AMD says it will buy Intel, completing the strangest reversal in chip history AMD agreed to acquire Intel in an all-stock deal, flipping a decades-long rivalry and uniting x86 development. The merger could accelerate innovation and simplify products, but raises branding questions, regulatory concerns, and signals a dramatic shift in semiconductor industry power. TechSpot

Nuclear Batteries Could Change Everything, And China Is Already Ahead Chinese researchers and U.S. firms are advancing nuclear battery technology, using radioactive decay to generate long-lasting power. Companies like Betavolt and Infinity Power aim to deliver compact batteries that could run for decades, though commercial deployment remains uncertain. BGR

Sponsor Is My PCB Wash Concentration in Check Evaluating wash concentration levels through varying testing methods can potentially save process time, reduce overall process costs, and increase cleaning efficacy on PBCs. Read more. KYZEN

Manufacturing PMI rises for sixth straight month Taiwan's manufacturing PMI expanded for a sixth month at 55.4, though growth slowed as Middle East tensions raised costs and disrupted supply chains. Strong AI-driven demand sustained activity, but rising prices and geopolitical uncertainty weakened business confidence and outlook. Taipei Times