May 8, 2025

Why Apple's Road to 'Made in India' is Longer Than it Looks Apple beat fiscal Q2 expectations but warned of uncertainty ahead due to US-China trade tensions. To hedge risks, it's ramping up production in India and Vietnam, though infrastructure, workforce, and supply chain challenges complicate the shift. Digitimes

Sponsor The Smart Alternative to SAC305 Get the cost benefits of a low-silver solution without sacrificing quality. REL61 surpasses SAC305 in key tests like AOI performance—making it the smart choice for your operations. AIM Solder

Foxconn unit to make EVs for Mitsubishi Foxtron, a Foxconn subsidiary, signed an MoU with Mitsubishi Motors to develop and supply an EV model launching in Australia and New Zealand by 2026. The deal signals Foxconn's strategic push into higher-margin EV manufacturing. Tech in Asia

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 precisely aligned probes at different stages along the assembly line. Technical Paper

The more Trump talks about making trade deals, the more confusing the tariff picture gets President Trump's chaotic trade strategy hinges on "strategic uncertainty," heavy tariffs, and vague deal promises. Despite touting upcoming agreements, his shifting positions and unilateral actions leave allies confused and markets rattled, fueling volatility and global economic unease. AP News

Sponsor Silver Filled, Heat Curing Epoxy Master Bond EP4S-80 is a one part, electrically conductive, silver filled adhesive for bonding, sealing and coating with a low curing temperature of 80°C. Master Bond

Trump digs in on high China tariffs ahead of trade talks President Trump rejected any rollback of 145% tariffs on China ahead of key trade talks, insisting the duties remain in place. He emphasized U.S. gains, while China reaffirmed opposition to the tariffs ahead of the Switzerland meeting. CNBC

Technical Papers ■ Cutting Without Contact: How Laser Depanelling Redefines PCB Manufacturing ■ The "Fried Egg" Effect in Soldering ■ Flux Technology Development for Solder Paste Compatible with Formic Acid Reflow Ovens for Power Devices ■ Innovative Power Module Assembly Solutions ■ Unlocking the Potential of Nanoscale Conformal Coatings ■ Recycling vs Circularity: Minimising E-Waste in Manufacturing ■ Optimizing Cleaning Strategies for Advanced Packaging Technologies with Low Standoff Components ■ Probe Card Manufacturer 'Sees the Unseen' With X-ray ■ Electronic Assembly Cleaning Basics: Manual Concentration Monitoring Methods ■ An Eight-Step Methodology for Bringing a Process Under Statistical Control MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

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AI vs. AI: Both Friend and Foe in Cybersecurity At GISEC 2025, cybersecurity leaders spotlighted AI as both threat and defense, urging stronger safeguards amid rising attacks. The UAE faces over 200,000 daily cyber threats, while agentic AI and overlooked infrastructure vulnerabilities deepen the global cybersecurity challenge. EE Times

5 Ways CEOs Can Assess and Reset Their Company Culture Great CEOs treat company culture as a constant priority, especially in turbulent times. They spot warning signs early, lead with transparency, foster collaboration, and stay engaged—using five key strategies to reset culture and drive long-term performance and morale. Entrepreneur

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Trump talks tough on China, but is focused elsewhere Frustrated by stalled Ukraine diplomacy, Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged renewed focus on China, calling it the top U.S. geopolitical threat. Despite Trump's harsh tariffs, critics say his administration lacks a clear strategy to counter Beijing. Taipei Times

Alphabet shares sink 7% after Apple's Cue says AI will replace search engines Alphabet and Apple shares dropped after Apple's Eddy Cue testified that AI tools like OpenAI and Perplexity could replace Google Search. Cue's remarks, part of a federal antitrust trial, raised doubts about their multi-billion-dollar search partnership. CNBC

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Trump tariffs and export curbs on China cast a cloud over major chip stocks Semiconductor giants face mounting uncertainty as shifting U.S. tariffs and China export curbs cloud demand forecasts. AMD, Super Micro, and Marvell warned of revenue hits and delayed guidance, while Nvidia urges freer competition in the growing AI race. CNBC

Amazon's Vulcan Robots Are Mastering Picking Packages Amazon unveiled Vulcan, a new warehouse robot that can pick and stow items with near-human speed in cluttered bins. Using advanced AI and sensors, Vulcan tackles complex manipulation challenges, boosting efficiency while still deferring tricky tasks to humans. IEEE Spectrum

Sponsor 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

Beyond ECM Additional Reasons for Cleaning Circuit Assemblies The level of importance of a clean circuit assembly has been demoted. How did the cleanliness of circuit assemblies, once required, get shoved aside? Circuit Insight - Production Floor

The "End of 10" project wants to save aging PCs with Linux instead of Windows 11 With Windows 10 support ending in October, 240 million PCs face obsolescence. Microsoft urges users to buy new Windows 11 machines, but the "End of 10" project promotes switching to Linux, touting cost savings, sustainability, and continued usability. TechSpot

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? Circuit Insight - Board Talk

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Slow Q4 Drags Industrial Printer Shipments Lower in 2024, According to IDC Industrial printer shipments slipped 1% in 2024, with a 5% Q4 drop dragging down annual performance, IDC reports. Shifting demand toward faster, automated models is reshaping shipment values across regions and product categories. IDC

GlobalFoundries warns of tariff risks in 2H25 GlobalFoundries posted a 2.3% revenue increase to $1.59 billion in Q1 2025, driven by data center and IoT demand. Management warned of macroeconomic and tariff pressures in H2, but expects Q2 revenue to reach $1.68 billion. Digitimes

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