TTM Technologies to Build New Plant in NY

DEWITT, NY – TTM Technologies has announced plans to build a PCB manufacturing facility in upstate New York with an investment of up to $130 million over the next three years.

The proposed facility will be located next to TTM’s existing facility on a 24-acre property off Kirkville Road in DeWitt and will either match or exceed that plant’s 160,000 square-foot size, TTM said in a release.

The company said the plant will produce high-density interconnected printed circuit boards that will support national security requirements and is expected to create 400 “good-paying” manufacturing and engineering jobs.

All Flex Solutions Acquires Facility in Minneapolis

NORTHFIELD, MN – All Flex Solutions plans to build a new flexible circuit manufacturing plant in a recently acquired building in Minneapolis.

The planned manufacturing plant will increase the company’s capacity to manufacture flexible circuits, flexible heaters, and CatheterFlex circuits – the company’s newest product line.

“We are initiating an acceleration this year,” said Kevin Jackson, president and CEO, All Flex Solutions. “Last year we focused on the merger of All Flex Flexible Circuits and Printed Circuits and the integration of two strong teams. Now, with a united All Flex Solutions team poised for growth, we look forward to this expansion.”

DoD Awards $40M to Calumet Electronics for HDBU PCBs

WASHINGTON – The US Department of Defense announced an award of $39.9 million via the Defense Production Act Investment (DPAI) Program to Calumet Electronics to enhance capabilities to produce high-density build-up (HDBU) substrates, which include high-density interconnect printed circuit board (PrCB) cores and HDBU build-up layers.

“The Biden Administration has prioritized the need to support and advance the domestic PrCB and advanced packaging industrial base,” said Dr. Laura Taylor-Kale, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy. “These technologies are critical for modern weapons systems and will contribute to maintaining our warfighting edge over potential adversaries.”

The award will enable Calumet to scale up engineering, tooling, and manufacturing operations to establish domestic production capabilities for HDBU substrates. HDBU substrates and advanced packaging are critical enabling technologies for sixth generation systems and applications, including for radar, electronic warfare, processing, and communications. The company is located in Calumet, MI.

Shennan Circuits to Build PCB Plant in Thailand

SHENZHEN – The board of directors of Shennan Circuits has unanimously approved a major investment to build a printed circuit board fabrication facility in Thailand.

The company, through its subsidiary Oboten Co., plans to spend up to RMB1.27 billion ($183 million) toward the new site in the Rojana Industrial Park in Ayutthaya.

Shenzhen-headquartered Shennan was founded in 1984 and has manufacturing facilities in Shenzhen, Wuxi and Nantong, Jiangsu, China.

About 40% of Shennan’s PCB revenue comes from customers outside China, a figure the company aims to increase.

SP Manufacturing Expands Design Centers to US

SAN DIEGO – SP Manufacturing, a provider of electronics manufacturing services for mission-critical industries, has opened a design and development center here, the company announced.

The center will focus on providing engineering and development services for SP Manufacturing’s global customers. Services provided include product conceptualization, product design and engineering, prototyping, early supplier involvement, NPI, DFx and design for manufacturing, supply chain planning, and transition to mass production.

The company’s applications include industrial, medical devices, automotive and IIoT.

NCAB Group Acquires Spain’s Electronic Advanced Circuits

STOCKHOLM – NCAB Group has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares in Electronic Advanced Circuits based in Madrid.

NCAB will pay SEK14 million ($1.25 million) with a potential earnout capped at a maximum amount of SEK4 million ($358,000). The transaction is scheduled to close in November.

Electronic Advanced Circuits expects net sales of SEK 19 million ($1.7 million) in 2023 with an estimated EBITA margin of about 15%. The company has two employees. The majority of sales comes from the telecom and industrial sectors and sourcing is made from manufacturing partners in China.

EPA Seeks to Fine Fab for Alleged CWA Reporting Violation

WASHINGTON – The US Environmental Protection Agency on Nov. 9 issued notice of a proposed administrative penalty assessment for alleged violations of the Clean Water Act at a printed circuit board fabricator in upstate New York.

The complaint addresses violations of the general pretreatment regulations found at Standard Printed Circuits’ facility in Sherburne, NY. According to the complaint, Standard Printed Circuits failed to comply with reporting requirements in accordance with 40 C.F.R. § 403.12(e).

EPA is seeking a proposed penalty of $10,000. EPA has provided the respondent with a settlement offer of $2,000 in an effort to promptly settle this matter.

Skychem Building Production Facility in Thailand

ZHUHAI, CHINA – Skychem Technology is planning a CNY100 million ($13.8 million) production plant in Thailand to establish overseas capacity and expand abroad.

The maker of electronic chemicals said nearly 30 companies based in the Chinese mainland, Taiwan and Japan have moved their printed circuit board factories to Thailand in recent years, and most are Skychem’s clients or potential customers.

The Zhuhai-based firm said overseas business would focus on Thailand and cover SE Asian regions including Malaysia and Vietnam.

Kaynes Technology to Build PCB Fab Facility in India

MYSURU, INDIA – Kaynes Technology will invest Rs 750 crore ($90 million) for a bare board printed circuit board plant here.

Kaynes SemiCon, a Kaynes subsidiary, also announced an investment of Rs 2,850 crore ($342 million) to develop an OSAT (outsourced semiconductor assembly and testing) facility in Hyderabad. The facility will also have an automatic test equipment (ATE) and reliability testing line.

In November, Kaynes held a groundbreaking ceremony for the facility, which will feature 13 lines for OSAT, one for ATE, and one for reliability testing. Additionally, Kaynes SemiCon will invest Rs 83.3 crore ($10 million) in a co-packaged optics research and development facility for Silicon Photonics in Mysuru.

Chinese PCB Fabricator Ordered to Pay $7.6M in Damages to US Distributor

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – Jiangmen Benlida Printed Circuit Co., a Chinese PCB manufacturer, was ordered to pay US distributor Circuitronix nearly $7.6 million in damages after a federal jury found the company in breach of a distribution agreement.

Federal jurors in Florida found that Benlida exploited Circuitronix (CTX) once it hit rough financial straits, costing the distributor millions of dollars, capping off a years-long legal battle that began with Benlida filing its own breach of contract claims against CTX.

In 2012, Benlida and CTX entered into a manufacturing agreement under which CTX would send circuit board designs to Benlida for manufacturing. The finished products were then sent back to the US for distribution. In June 2021, Benlida accused CTX of skipping out on $13.7 million worth of circuit board invoices. CTX denied Benlida’s claims and countersued, arguing that it was Benlida that owed CTX millions of dollars.

Israel Aerospace Industries Files for Integrated Circuit Assembly Patent

LOD, ISRAEL – Israel Aerospace Industries has filed a patent for an integrated circuit assembly featuring a base structure with an interposer board and interfacing dies, and a cap structure with an intermediating board and a panel of active elements.

The cap structure is attached to the base structure, allowing the active elements to be electrically coupled to the interfacing dies. The patent also covers a backend circuit board and a method of fabricating it, as well as an array of such tiles in cascade connection.

The patent application describes an integrated circuit assembly that includes a base structure and a cap structure. The base structure consists of an interposer board and a plurality of interfacing dies that are electrically connected to the interposer board. The cap structure includes an intermediating board and a panel of active elements, which form the top side of the integrated circuit assembly. The active elements are electrically connected to the intermediating board. The cap structure is attached to the base structure in a way that ensures each active element is electrically connected to at least one interfacing die.

Jabil Opens New Plant in Mexico

CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO – Jabil has opened a new production facility at its site here, with the 250,000 sq. ft. plant joining the two other factories already onsite.

The new plant will play a critical role in supporting Jabil’s customers across the energy, automotive and transportation, healthcare, digital print, and retail industries, the company said in a release.

“We are thrilled to announce the opening of our third manufacturing building in Chihuahua, which reflects our commitment to excellence and innovation in Latin America,” said Victor Brizuela, Jabil’s vice president of operations for Latin America. “This expansion will allow us to serve our customers better, create more jobs and opportunities for our talented workforce, and contribute to the economic and social development of the region.”

Northrop Grumman Commits $200M to New Electronics Site

WAYNESBORO, VA – Northrop Grumman will invest more than $200 million to establish a new advanced electronics manufacturing and testing facility here, where more than 300 jobs will be created during the next five years as the state-of-the-art facility is fully established.

“Northrop Grumman’s expanding Virginia footprint sends a powerful message that the Commonwealth is a magnet for investment underpinned by a next-generation workforce,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “This global leader’s cutting-edge facility in Waynesboro will provide job opportunities that attract and retain high-quality talent and create a transformational ripple effect for the entire region.”

“This new facility will increase capacity to manufacture and test advanced electronics and mission solutions to meet our customers’ growing needs,” said Kathy Warden, chair, chief executive and president, Northrop Grumman. “We are pleased to expand our technology presence in the Commonwealth and look forward to welcoming more people to our mission-driven team.”

Jabil Makes Multiple Peripheral Acquisitions

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Jabil will take over the manufacture and sale of Intel’s current Silicon Photonics-based pluggable optical transceiver product lines and the development of future generations of such modules, one of three deals the EMS/ODM announced in November.

Jabil also announced the acquisition of Retronix, a provider in the reclamation and refurbishment of electronic components, and specialized procurement firm ProcureAbility, giving it a footprint in the procurement sector.

The deal with Intel “better positions Jabil to cater to the needs of customers in the data center industry, including hyperscale, next-wave clouds, and AI cloud data centers,” said Matt Crowley, senior vice president of cloud and enterprise infrastructure, Jabil. “This deal enables Jabil to expand its presence in the data center value chain.”

Incap Opens 3rd India Factory

TUMKUR, INDIA – Incap India has started full-fledged production at its newest plant here, marking the company’s third factory in the country.

The new factory includes two SMT lines with an x-ray machine, two wave soldering machines, a dry heat chamber, stuffing lines, and finished goods storage. Around 300 employees will work in the facility, and combined with the company’s other two factories in the country, Incap India now has a total of 26,500 sq. m. of floor space.

“The third factory expansion highlights our commitment to supporting our customers’ growth. By increasing our production capacity and integrating advanced technology, we are positioned to deliver even greater value and support to our customers worldwide,” said Murthy Munipalli, managing director of Incap India.

Dixon Technologies Acquires 100% Stake in Dixtel Infocom

NOIDA, INDIA – Dixon Technologies has acquired a 100% stake in Dixtel Infocom.

The contract electronics manufacturer bought shares of Dixtel for a cash consideration of Rs 1 lakh ($1,200), per an exchange filing in early November.

Dixtel has been incorporated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dixon Technologies as of Sept. 20, the company said.

“The wholly-owned subsidiary has been incorporated with an object to undertake electronic manufacturing services and wholesale/trading of electronic equipments thereof,” the filing said.

Emerald EMS Takes Shine to Ascentron

SALEM, NH – Emerald EMS, a contract electronics manufacturer, in November announced the acquisition of Ascentron, based near Medford, OR. This strategic move reinforces Emerald EMS’ dedication to expanding its capabilities and geographic presence, enabling the company to better serve its customers and foster continued growth.

Ascentron has an extensive customer base within the life sciences and aerospace sectors, and is FDA-registered. This acquisition broadens Emerald EMS’ customer base and adds expertise in the specialized fields of life sciences and aerospace.

Emerald named Amanda Brewer to lead the newly acquired operation.

IKT Expands EMS Sites to Bulgaria

CHERNIHIV, UKRAINE – IKT Group has opened a contract electronics assembly factory in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The new plant is the EMS company’s third in Europe.

The company said it chose the location for its proximity to customers in the European Union and Israel, and to lower risks associated with production in its native Ukraine. After considering several countries in Eastern Europe, Bulgaria was selected for its investment climate, vibrant electronics sector and growing economy.

The company has procured lines from Juki, PBT Works, and Olamef, among others, for the new plant, which is called IKT Electronics.

IKT also has sites in Israel and Ukraine.

PCEA Announces Upcoming Technical Webinars

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA) will hold three member webinars in the coming months on PCB materials, PCB thermal management and the impact of artificial intelligence on electronics.

On Dec. 13, Tony Senese and Eriko Yamato of Panasonic will present PCB Material Properties – Consideration for Design and Manufacturing. Engineers use PCB material product charts to reference electrical, mechanical and thermal properties to seek the best solutions for specific applications. It is important to understand the significance of a given property and how it affects PCB design and manufacturing. This presentation will cover key material properties such as Tg and modulus to guide how they can impact PCB design and processing. The presenters will also discuss IPC test methods and why they matter. 

IDC: Semi Market Begins Return to Growth

SAN MATEO, CA – The semiconductor market has hit bottom and has begun a return to growth that will accelerate next year. That’s according to IDC, which in November raised its September revenue outlook to $526.5 billion from $518.8 billion. Similarly, the market research firm lifted its 2024 outlook to $632.8 billion from its previous forecast of $625.9 billion, citing US market demand resiliency and a recovery in China by the second half of 2024. (more)

How Many High-Current Vias Do We Need? (Fewer Than You Think)

The industry standard formula could triple the number actually required.
by DOUGLAS BROOKS, PH.D. and DR. JOHANNES ADAM

If a high-current trace on a board has a via going to another trace segment, the question of via size comes up. Conventional wisdom has always been that the conducting cross-sectional area of the via (or the sum of the vias) should equal or exceed the conducting cross-sectional area of the trace. The IPC standard, IPC-2152¹, formalizes it this way:

The cross-sectional area of a via should have at least the same cross-sectional area as the conductor or be larger than the conductor coming into it. If the via has less cross-sectional area than the conductor, then multiple vias can be used to maintain the same cross-sectional area as the conductor.

According to this wisdom, if the conducting cross-sectional area of a conductor is, for example, 540 mils² and the via conducting cross-sectional area is 37 mil², then we would need 540/37 = 14.6 (almost 15) vias of that size.

Turns out, this is not true.

Why Making All Transmission Lines in a PCB 50Ω is Good Technological Practice

Simplify the stackups and make impedance and other measurements easier.
by LEE RITCHEY

As many as seven different impedances are called out in various design specifications. Among these are:

• 33Ω for Rambus memory
• 50Ω for most high-speed logic
• 65Ω for the PCI bus
• 72-75Ω for analog circuits
• 85Ω differential for PCIExpress (42.5Ω single-ended)
• 95Ω differential for USB (47.5Ω single-ended)
• 100Ω differential impedance for most high-speed Internet links (50Ω single-ended)

Successfully designing a PCB with more than one of these impedances can be difficult, if not impossible. The main challenge is designing a PCB stackup that has enough routing room for all the traces of each impedance while maintaining a manufacturable, economical product. A design that is all one impedance would be of great value. If so, what impedance would be the best? Here we address this topic.

‘A Good First Step’

PCBAA’s executive director lauds recent funding wins but says the heavy lifting remains.
by MIKE BUETOW

Year-end is typically not the time when big announcements are made, but the news came fast and furious in November as TTM Technologies and Calumet Electronics both announced plans for new factories. Coupled with the opening of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories’ new fab in Idaho and the not-so-secret plant Starlink is building in Austin, one would have to return to early 2001 to see this level of PCB construction in the US.

All this new activity happily coincides with the efforts of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America. The fledgling trade group, which was founded in 2021 to advance US domestic production of PCBs and base materials, has been rallying federal legislators for attention – and funding – to ensure an onshore supply chain for domestic electronics.

We spoke with PCBAA executive director David Schild in late November on the PCB Chat podcast on the latest legislative and industry developments.

Green Strength

An emphasis on speed – same day turns! – keeps Green Circuits’ customers coming back.
by MIKE BUETOW

When we last visited Green Circuits, in late 2018, the company was just coming off its merger with Power Design Services. As we reported at the time, it was a $50 million entity with over 200 staff, and had just doubled its SMT capacity.

Much has changed in the ensuing five years: size (bigger), staffing (smaller), management (new). What hasn’t, however, is the emphasis on speed and high-complexity board assembly. Indeed, the EMS has leaned into those challenges and is now perhaps as good as anyone in North America in that regard.

In Case You Missed It

Characteristic Impedance

“Identifying and Modeling Resonance-Related Fluctuations on the Experimental Characteristic Impedance for PCB and On-Chip Transmission Lines”

Authors: Yojanes Rodríguez-Velásquez, et. al.

Abstract: It is well known that the fluctuations in experimentally obtained characteristic impedance versus frequency curves are associated with resonances originated by standing waves bouncing back and forth between the transitions at the transmission line terminations. In fact, microwave engineers are aware of the difficulty to completely remove the parasitic effect of these transitions, which makes obtaining smooth and physically expected frequency-dependent curves for the characteristic impedance a tough task. Here, the authors point out for the first time that these curves exhibit additional fluctuations within the microwave range due to standing waves taking place within the transition itself. Experimental verification was carried out by extracting this fundamental parameter from measurements performed on on-chip and printed circuit board (PCB) lines using probe pad adapters and coaxial connectors. The authors demonstrate that the lumped circuit approach to represent the transitions lacks validity when the additional fluctuations due to the connectors become apparent, and they propose a new model including transmission line effects within the transition. (Electronics, July 2023, https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12132994)