February 13, 2026

Samsung Starts Mass Production of Next-gen AI Chips Samsung Electronics Co has begun mass production of its next-generation HBM4 memory chips, claiming an industry first and a 40 percent speed boost. The AI-focused chips target soaring data center demand, with Nvidia Corp expected among major buyers. Taipei Times

Sponsor EZ-FLO High Precision Dispense Tips Each needle is machined from solid stainless steel as opposed to rolled tubing. The resulting smoother internal profile enhances material flow and consistency. Learn more. DL Technology

VIEWPOINT 2026: Randy Flinders, Director of Regulatory Compliance, GreenSoft Technology, Inc. GreenSoft Technology uses Artificial Intelligence to enhance supply chain compliance efficiency for our customers. As a leading provider of chemical substance and material compliance data, GreenSoft processes millions of supplier communications annually. AI enables automated classification of supplier emails, extraction ... GreenSoft Technology, Inc.

Understanding Solder Dross: Causes and Control Strategies This article outlines the main contributors to dross formation, examines how alloy refining methods play a role, and explores practical ways to reduce dross through process control and equipment optimization. Technical Paper

Nvidia CEO praises Foxconn's AI server leadership at company sports event At Foxconn's annual sports carnival, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang praised the companies' decade-long partnership, calling 2025 a record year. Foxconn leads the AI server market with over 50% share and plans to double weekly cabinet output by 2026. Digitimes

Sponsor Keeley Pedals Perfected with Manncorp Keeley Electronics revolutionizes production with Manncorp pick & place machines, achieving unprecedented speed, precision, and innovation in the guitar pedal industry. Manncorp Inc.

Apple's stock has worst day since April as iPhone maker faces FTC scrutiny, reports of Siri delay Apple Inc. shares fell 5%—their worst drop since April—after reports said its AI-powered Siri update faces delays and regulators scrutinized Apple News. Investor concerns over heavy AI spending and a broader tech-sector downgrade further pressured the stock. CNBC

Screen Making for Printed Electronics This study presents a DOE method to pre-test materials to categorize ink and substrate rheology, compatibility and printed feature requirements. Technical Paper

Technical Papers ■ 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 ■ Maintenance: The Basics of Cleaning Series Part 4 MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

Sponsor 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

Apple delays Siri AI upgrades again as technical challenges mount Apple delayed major Siri upgrades after internal tests revealed performance issues. Powered by Apple Foundation Models and Linwood architecture, the enhanced assistant will now launch gradually via iOS 26.5 and iOS 27 while engineers tackle reliability and privacy concerns. TechSpot

FTC tells Tim Cook to look into reports Apple News is censoring conservatives Andrew Ferguson urged Tim Cook to review alleged political bias in Apple News after claims it suppresses conservative outlets. Citing a Media Research Center study, he warned undisclosed ideological favoritism could violate the FTC Act and urged corrective action. CNBC

SN-CU-NI Composite Solder Paste High Temperature Use Research on a prototype paste is being completed to improve reliability and survivability of PCB and SMT solder joints under extreme temperatures (< 500° Celsius). Technical Paper

Sponsor ASYMTEK Select Coat SL-1040 The SL-1040 Conformal Coating System upgrades the SL-940 and added significant system-level advancements to elevate automation, control, precision & preventative maintenance for better yield. Nordson Electronics Solutions

ISE 2026: Sol Rashidi Warns of ‘'POC Purgatory' At Integrated Systems Europe 2026, Sol Rashidi warned that AI in business has reached a turning point. While tools like Claude Cowork spark market volatility, most enterprise AI projects stall at proof of concept amid governance, energy, and security risks. EE Times

China strengthens role in autonomous driving standards AI is reshaping the workplace, demanding leaders who balance technological efficiency with human judgment, empathy, and vision. Executives must define AI's purpose, address ethical and privacy risks, foster trust and collaboration, and empower teams to drive responsible innovation. China Daily

How To Prevent Mid-chip Solder Balls? Is there a mathematical calculation that can be used to predict solder balling for a given package size? Board Talk

Sponsor Best alternative to dispensed adhesives PLACE-N-BOND underfilm eliminates dispensing and curing in SMT assembly. Use PLACE-N-BOND for solder joint strain relief, shock/drop reliability improvement & encapsulation. Read more. Alltemated Inc.

Machines Execute. Humans Lead — Here's Why Great Leadership Still Matters in the Age of AI AI is transforming workplaces, pushing leaders to blend tech efficiency with human insight. Executives must define AI's purpose, tackle ethical and privacy risks, build trust, and empower teams to foster responsible, collaborative, and sustainable innovation. Entrepreneur

LEDs Enter the Nanoscale Startup Polar Light Technologies, with ETH Zurich and Zhejiang University, shrinks LEDs below 100 nm, advancing nanoLEDs for ultra-high-resolution displays and on-chip photonics. Teams tackle efficiency losses using innovative materials and design strategies to boost performance. IEEE Spectrum

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

Beyond the Dashboard: How Cars Are Learning to Sense Like Humans A 2019 study linking 37 annual U.S. child deaths to forgotten-car incidents has spurred automakers and regulators to act. By combining 2D imaging, 3D Time-of-Flight, radar, and AI, vehicles now detect occupants, comply with Hot Cars Act & Euro NCAP rules & prevent fatalities. EE Times

Fine Pitch Flip Chip Assembly Process Underfill, Evaluation and Reliability The paper compares the best flux and underfill combination in reliability performance was selected and applied to the production process. Technical Paper

Rethinking rush hour with vehicle automation Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and partner labs are advancing cooperative driving automation, using immersive simulations to design vehicle-infrastructure coordination systems that reduce traffic bottlenecks, cut fuel use, and boost overall road efficiency. TechXplore

These Billionaires Plan To Bring Self-Driving Tech To Everything That Moves Founded in 2017, Applied Intuition builds a unified vehicle operating system that helps automakers like Stellantis modernize software and pursue autonomy. The $15 billion startup now targets self-driving platforms across cars, trucks and military vehicles. Forbes

Sponsor Plasma Etch PE-Avenger The PE-Avenger is an ultra low-cost entry level plasma cleaning system allowing more labs to utilize plasma. It's a low frequency plasma cleaner designed for surface activation and organics removal. Plasma Etch

E-Fuses Grow Up and Go Industrial Modern electronic fuses have advanced from basic resettable protectors to intelligent, certified modules for automotive, data center, and industrial systems. They actively manage faults, support hot-swapping, and mount on DIN rails, often replacing traditional thermal fuses. EE Times