Inducted May 2013

Joseph (Joe) Fjelstad is one of the most prolific inventors the printed circuit industry has ever seen. At the time of his induction, Fjelstad had been credited with 170 patents, ranging from solderless flex circuit assembly to LED package assembly to "direct connect" signaling between the PCB and the component package. His inventions ranged from arrays to semiconductor packaging to flexible connectors. One patent describes a method for making a multilayer circuit. And describes method for deburring metal-clad laminate. A chemist by training who seamlessly migrated from printed circuit board fabrication to semiconductor packaging (with a short stint in the technical department of the IPC, an industry trade association), Fjelstad could probably be inducted into any of a variety of Halls of Fame.