Peter Bigelow Inducted into IPC Hall of Fame

BANNOCKBURN, IL – IPC in March inducted Peter Bigelow, retired president of FTG Circuits Haverhill and a PCD&F/CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY columnist, into its Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame.

With over 30 years of experience in the printed circuit board (PCB) industry, Bigelow earned recognition for his enthusiastic support of IPC’s mission to serve the electronics industry as an advocate for standards development and committee programs. He served on the IPC board of directors for 11 years, shaping IPC’s strategic objectives and enhancing IPC’s position in the electronics industry supply chain. He later was a director for the SMTA.

IPC’s awards its most prestigious honor, the Hall of Fame Award, to individuals who provide exceptional service and make significant advancements for IPC and the electronics industry.

He has been actively involved with the PCB Management Council, numerous professional development programs and task groups, particularly those related to industry compliance challenges and the development of standards that assure trusted suppliers and secure supply chains. He is also a member of the IPC Thought Leaders Program and a PCD&F columnist.

Bigelow serves on eight IPC committees, including his role as chair of the PCB/IMS Presidents Management Council Steering Committee. He is a member of the Government Relations Grassroots Participants, the Trusted Supplier Task Group, the Cybersecurity Protection Standard Task Group, and two IPC A-Teams.

Bigelow brings extensive experience in general management, marketing, operations and sales from large publicly traded and privately held manufacturing companies in the printed circuit, electronics and instrumentation industries. He recently retired as president of FTG Circuits in Haverhill, MA, and before its acquisition by FTG, he led IMl, Inc. as CEO for 22 years, establishing it as a top AS9100, MIL, and IPC-1791 certified and ITAR-registered fabricator of PCBs and substrates. Before that, he was president of Beaver Brook Circuits.

“Peter has been a true leader and innovator in the global electronics industry and has made immense and long-lasting contributions to IPC and to electronics manufacturing,” said John Mitchell, president and CEO, IPC. “We are thrilled to welcome him as the newest inductee into the IPC Hall of Fame.”

Groundbreaking AI Algorithm Learns and Detects Data Patterns

SYDNEY – University of Technology Sydney researchers have introduced a groundbreaking AI algorithm called torque clustering, which brings AI closer to mimicking natural intelligence compared to current methods. This new approach significantly enhances how AI systems learn and detect patterns in data, without the need for human input.

Torque clustering analyzes vast datasets from various fields such as biology, chemistry, astronomy, psychology, finance and medicine, uncovering new insights like identifying disease patterns, detecting fraud and understanding behavior.

The novel algorithm promises a shift in approach, surpassing traditional unsupervised learning methods in performance. It operates autonomously, requires no parameters, and handles large datasets with remarkable computational efficiency.

The researchers published a paper on torque clustering, titled “Autonomous Clustering by Fast Find of Mass and Distance Peaks,” in IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, a leading journal in the AI field.

CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY Announces 2025 NPI Award Winners

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY in March announced the 2025 New Product Introduction (NPI) Award winners for electronics assembly equipment, materials and software.

The 18th annual NPI Awards recognize leading new products during the past 12 months. An independent panel of practicing industry engineers selected the recipients.

The winners are:

• DELO Industrial Adhesives – Adhesives
• SMartSol Technologies – Automation Tools
• Indium Corporation – Cored Wire
• ITW EAE – Cleaning Equipment
• KYZEN – Cleaning Materials
• INOVAXE – Component Storage
• Axxon-Mycronic – Dispensing Equipment
• Inspectis AB – First Article Inspection
• DuPont – Laminates
• Kurtz Ersa, Inc. – Rework and Repair Tools
• Intraratio Corporation – Software – Management
• Arch Systems – Software – Process Control
• Weller Tools GmbH – Soldering – Hand Tools
• BTU International – Soldering -Reflow
• Apollo Seiko – Soldering – Selective
• ITW EAE – Soldering – Wave
• Indium Corporation – Soldering Materials
• ViTrox – Test and Inspection – AOI
• Test Research, Inc. (TRI) – Test and Inspection -AXI
• Test Research, Inc. (TRI) – Test and Inspection – ICT
• Nordson Test & Inspection – Test and Inspection – SPI

“Judges this year praised the winners for improvements in versatility and speed,” said Mike Buetow, president of PCEA, while announcing the winners. “They were notably impressed with equipment that added functionality without increased footprint, and materials that required very little process change.”

Zetwerk Electronics Inaugurates $115M EMS Plant Near Chennai

PANNUR, TAMI NADU – Zetwerk Electronics in March inaugurated its largest electronics manufacturing facility in Pannur, Tamil Nadu, the EMS company’s seventh plant overall.

The new facility, part of a Rs 1,000 crore ($115 million) investment, will manufacture control boards for consumer durables and IT hardware. It features advanced production capabilities, including five surface-mount technology (SMT) lines and rigorous testing processes. At full capacity, it will employ 1,200 professionals.

While inaugurating the facility, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated, “As Zetwerk launches its seventh factory, we reaffirm our commitment to supporting Indian companies in becoming global leaders.”

The 15-acre campus will enhance India’s Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) sector, contributing to India’s $500 billion ESDM ambition and Tamil Nadu’s $1 trillion economic vision.

Established in 2021, Zetwerk provides end-to-end electronics manufacturing services (EMS). The Minister announced two major Electronics Manufacturing Clusters worth Rs 1,112 crore at Pillaipakkam and Manallur to boost Tamil Nadu’s electronics sector.

Vexos Opens 45k Sq. Ft. EMS Plant in China

DONGGUAN, CHINA – Vexos, a leading global provider of electronics manufacturing services, has relocated its China operations to a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility here.

This strategic move enhances Vexos’ production capabilities, efficiency, and capacity to meet the evolving demands of its global customer base.

The new facility spans 4,200 sq. m (45,200 sq. ft.) and features automated surface mount technology (SMT) lines, precision test equipment, and advanced quality control systems. The investment in this site reinforces Vexos’ dedication to delivering high-quality, reliable, and cost-effective electronics manufacturing solutions to its global customer base.

“This new factory reinforces our global manufacturing footprint and enhances our ability to serve customers with increased production capacity, improved efficiency, and faster time-to-market,” said Peter Grimsdale, senior vice president, Asia, Vexos. “By strengthening our presence in China, we are better positioned to meet the growing needs of our customers while maintaining our commitment to quality and innovation.”

The Dongguan facility will continue to focus on providing comprehensive electronics manufacturing services across industries such as industrial, medical, communications, railway, automotive and aerospace electronics. The factory will support high-mix, low-volume and high-volume production.

This expansion aligns with Vexos’ strategic growth plan to strengthen its global supply chain capabilities and deliver world-class manufacturing solutions to its customers, the company stated.

Foxconn Building $140M HQ in Central China

ZHENGZHOU, CHINA – Foxconn broke ground in March on a new 288,000 sq. ft. headquarters at this central China city. The company, the world’s largest electronics ODM, plans for the site to be the centerpiece of its internal development for electric vehicles, new energy and energy storage in mainland China.

“Foxconn’s determination and confidence in investing in the Chinese mainland and Henan province remains steadfast,” said Cui Zhicheng, chairman, Foxconn Innovation Industry Development Group.

The company has built products in Henan province since 2010, and its operations there span some 2.8 million sq. m.