It’s adding unnecessary costs to your supply chain.

Want a more robust and cost-effective supply chain? Shrink it. Remove the expensive middleman. You don’t need to pay a PCB broker a 20 to 40% markup to, basically, relay information from you to overseas vendors.

The truth is the PCB broker business model – where companies buy printed circuit boards from an overseas manufacturer and then resell them to a customer – is outdated. And it’s adding unnecessary costs to your supply chain.

Years ago, brokers were small operations, with perhaps three to five people. And at one time, they did provide a valuable service to their customers, offering lower prices on boards made overseas, while handling all the details of procurement from foreign vendors in what was often a challenging PCB buying cycle.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – January North American printed circuit board orders declined 5.6% year-over-year and 7.6% sequentially, says IPC.

The highest-speed boards don’t necessarily need the highest-performance materials.

High-tech product developers have been able to take advantage of immense advances in the capabilities of electronic components – mostly among processors, FPGAs and ASSPs, which continue to follow the trend implied by Moore’s Law: to deliver incredible new innovations considered impossible or science-fiction fantasy just a couple of product generations before. As fantastic as this might be, there is a problem: end-users are learning to expect – even demand – the impossible on an ongoing basis.

MILPITAS, CA -- Lenthor Engineering has moved into a new 55,000 sq. ft., $16-million printed circuit board manfuacturing facility here.

Xpedition Data Management (xDM) suite provides a flow-wide information hub that manages the PCB design data that is created, reused, imported, or released from Xpedition Enterprise. Manages design data for work-in-progress designs, and library and component data for the entire PCB design flow. Is said to ensure accuracy, integrity and security of PCB data used throughout the enterprise flow.

xDM Design tool manages data from a broad range of sources, serving as a central design "cockpit" for all tools and data. Design traceability feature creates a family tree and tracks all events associated with design objects. Collaboration client feature enables enterprise-wide team collaboration, providing complete design viewing in a web browser, allowing redlines and mark-ups for design reviews. Also enables quick access to design state information including metrics such as total parts, total nets, constraints, and percent routed. Provides automated index of all ECAD design metrics—gathering, tracking, and analyzing design state data at multiple levels: design status, online hazards, annotation status, and design constraints, also providing the ability to search on desired metrics.

Integrated PCB Library Management with xDM Library The xDM product suite also includes xDM Library, which enables comprehensive library development and management, including part creation, 3D modelling, component management, and process integration. Key features for xDM Library include:

• Library editing for symbols, cells, and padstacks with integrated distribution for the enterprise.
• Providing a central hub for 3D model management – supporting both Mentor-provided 3D models and custom 3D STEP models.

Advanced xDM Library option automates component data management including incorporation of company-specific part data, alternates, supplier information, where-used checking for obsolescence, BOM access for early compliance checking, and management of preferred parts lists. Also enables process integration across the flow, giving direct access to the rich component data, providing automatic filtering of preferred parts, comparison and identification of alternate parts from vendor datasheets, ECAD BOM management, and compliance audits on design BOMs.

xDM Library provides visibility of key design and part selection factors early in the development process for fast and upfront identification of preferred viable parts to avoid costly rework downstream. xDM Library enables reduced infrastructure cost by leveraging library parts across multiple locations, maximum leverage of existing inventory, and the prevention of part shortages.

Mentor Graphics, http://go.mentor.com/data-management 

WILSONVILLE, OR -- Mentor Graphics today announced a new partnership with a handful of component developers based on sharing reference designs and tools via the cloud to accelerate new technology adoption.

IRVINE, CA -- Multi-Fineline Electronix today reported preliminary first-quarter net sales of $145 million to $150 million, at the mid- to high-end of company's guidance.

NeoScale high-speed modular mezzanine connector now delivers faster data rates and improved performance. Offers clean signal integrity at data rates of 56Gbps NRZ. Composed of a vertical plug and vertical receptacle, with a patented modular triad wafer design for custom PCB routing in high-density applications. Patented PCB attachment method delivers robust solder joints. Is composed of three pins per differential pair—two signal pins and one shield pin. Each triad is a standalone, shielded, 56-Gbps-capable differential pair or an 8A power feed. Triads can be optimized for signals supporting high-speed 85 Ohm or 100 Ohm differential pairs, high-speed single-ended transmissions, low-speed single-ended or control signals, and power pins. Blind mateable with rugged triads for multiple connectors. Come in 12 to 42mm stack heights; circuit sizes of 8 to 300 triad wafers in 2-, 4-, 6-, 8- and 10-row configurations; and 85 or 100 Ohm impedance to provide optimal design flexibility. Customized versions available, such as 10 and 45mm stack heights.

Molex, molex.com

Register now for PCB West, the Silicon Valley's largest trade show for the printed circuit industry, taking place Sept. 13-15 in Santa Clara: pcbwest.com

BANNOCKBURN, IL — The world market for PCBs declined an estimated 2.2% in real terms in 2013, although North America grew 0.8%, according to IPC.

BANNOCKBURN, IL — North American printed circuit board fabricators reported slowing sales growth in November but bookings recovered sharply over last year.

BANNOCKBURN, IL — North American year-to-date printed circuit board orders in August were up 21.9% year-over-year and down 16.7% sequentially, says IPC.

BANNOCKBURN, IL --  The 90-day moving average orders among North American PCB fabricators bookings increased 12.4% in November, IPC said today.

HAMPSTEAD, NH ― NCAB Group plans to open additional divisions in key regions throughout North America this year, the company said today. 

DAUCHINGEN, GERMANY – KSL Kuttler Automation Systems said its newest investor, Tao Zipeng, has taken over management of the firm’s staff.

BANNOCKBURN, IL — Nearly half the world's PCB manufacturers for computer and telecommunications applications expect their highest clock speeds to exceed 25GHz by 2019, a new study contends.

TOKYO -- Oki Printed Circuits has developed a mass-production technology for printed circuit boards with a maximum board thickness of 3.5mm (30 layers) to support next-generation 1,000-pin fine-pitch LSIs.

CAVE CREEK, AZ -- The High Density Packaging (HDP) User Group announced a new project studying the impact of moisture on high-frequency measurements of printed circuit board material.

It’s hard to believe the first quarter of 2015 is almost over!

ModVIA plasma system is fully integrated and doubles its capacity from four to eight cells (eight to 16 panels) to accommodate manufacturing production growth. Compact design and small footprint. For treating printed circuit boards for desmear, etchback, and to provide surface activation. Accommodates a broad array of PCB panel technologies in various shapes and sizes including rigid, flexible, through-hole, and blind via, and works with a wide range of process gases such as Ar, O2, N2, and CF4. Nominally equipped with three electronic mass flow controllers (MFCs) for optimal control and delivery, the gas system can support a total of five MFCs. The temperature-controlled high flux electrode (HFE) design, custom control system, and advanced plasma cleaning technology are said to minimize CF4 usage and improve bonding performance. Chamber dimensions are 1652 (w) x 1747 (d) x 2445mm (h)(65 x 69 x 97"). Includes upgraded gas distribution and pump package, and improved user interface and control parameters. Chamber processes PCB panels in separate plasma cells to deliver high etch rates. Chassis houses plasma chamber (constructed of high-quality aluminum for superior durability), the control electronics, 40kHz RF generator, pump/blower package, and automatic matching network. Maintenance access available from either front or rear access panels. EH&S/Ergonomics compliant and CE marked.

Nordson March, nordson.com/en/divisions/march/products/plasma-treatment-systems/modvia-expandable-plasma-system

BANNOCKBURN, IL — North American PCB fabricators reported year-over-year shipment growth turned positive in September for the first time this year.