Ansys-Synopsys Deal Gets Nod from European Commission, UK Watchdog

SUNNYVALE, CA – Synopsys’ $35 billion takeover of Ansys received approval from the European Commission in January after the companies agreed to concessions to reduce competition concerns.

The commission expressed concern that the merger would reduce competition in the region’s optics software, photonics software and register-transfer-level power consumption analysis software industries.

To alleviate those concerns, the commission said both companies agreed to divest Synopsys’ optics and photonics software and Ansys’ PowerArtist software.

Imagineering Announces Merger with Accutrace

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL – Imagineering in January announced a merger with Accutrace, a fellow PCB fabricator and assembler based in Santa Clara, CA. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The newly merged company will operate under the larger brand Imagineering, Inc.

The merger reflects the shared values and complementary expertise of both organizations, Imagineering said in a release, and positions the fabricator and assembler to offer a broader range of services while continuing to increase its service standards.

Siemens Launches Startup Support Program

MUNICH – Siemens has announced the launch of Siemens for Startups, a new program to empower early-stage engineering and manufacturing startups by providing venture-related services and reducing the cost of access to the company’s software and hardware.

“Startups are essential to making our customers more competitive, sustainable and resilient. By collaborating with startups, Siemens helps bring breakthrough ideas to industries faster, empowering customers to address global challenges more effectively with cutting-edge technologies, tools and solutions,” said Peter Koerte, chief technology officer and chief strategy officer, Siemens.

The new program will help onboard startup companies to the Siemens Xcelerator marketplace, providing access to a global go-to-market channel and the Siemens Xcelerator ecosystem. Siemens will also collaborate with leading startups through venture clienting, giving the company access to new capabilities and services and providing startups with early revenue needed for growth. It will also provide startups – whether focused on product or software development – with packaged access to essential software tools from Siemens Xcelerator.

Altium Acquires SCM Platform Developer

SAN DIEGO – Altium in late January announced the acquisition of Milwaukee, WI-based Part Analytics, an AI-powered supply chain management platform.

The acquisition will introduce a component and parts management application into Altium’s cloud-based collaboration platform, Altium 365, allowing the company to support new groups of customers in supply chain and procurement, including Electronics Supply Chain and Category Managers, the company said in a release.

“Altium’s acquisition of Part Analytics represents a further step forward toward our vision of a fully connected electronics value chain and Electronics Lifecycle Management system for enterprise organizations,” said Aram Mirkazemi, president of Altium. “Part Analytics will play an important role in our transformative pursuit of the electronics industry.”

Compeq Opens Thai PCB Plant

BANGKOK – Compeq opened a new PCB manufacturing facility in Thailand in December, representing an investment of more than THB10.4 billion ($306 million).

Production lines at the new factory in the Asia Industrial Estate in Samut Prakan province are already operational, the company said.

The Taiwanese PCB manufacturer received approval for the investment from the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) in December 2023, and built the 17.9-hectare facility over the past year. The new factory will focus on manufacturing multilayer PCBs, with around 600 workers employed during its first phase and an expansion to more than 1,500 next year.

Fraunhofer IAP, Notion Systems Partner to Advance EHD Printing

POTSDAM, GERMANY – The Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP (Fraunhofer IAP) and Notion Systems announced a strategic partnership to further develop electrohydrodynamic printing for display technologies and new applications.

As part of the collaboration, the two partners aim to expand the possibilities of EHD printing in the field of new display technologies and to open new applications. By combining Notion Systems’ expertise in inkjet printing technology and Fraunhofer IAP’s extensive research expertise in polymer research and nanotechnology, innovative solutions to produce high-precision and functional materials are to be developed, Fraunhofer IAP said in a release.

EHD printing is a new technology that utilizes electric fields to precisely transfer inks or other liquids onto substrates. In contrast to conventional printing methods, EHD printing enables the creation of fine droplets, resulting in higher resolution and accuracy. This technology is particularly useful for applications in electronics, biomedicine and materials science, as it enables the production of microstructures.

Neways Completes Acquisition of Microsystems Firm Sencio

SON, NETHERLANDS – Neways in January announced the successful completion of its acquisition of Sencio, a Dutch developer of advanced packaging for smart sensing and actuation applications.

Sencio will operate under the brand Neways Advanced Microsystems at its current facilities in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

“Over the past years Neways has invested significantly in its technology position, that allows us to act as innovation partner for the most demanding customers in the industry,” said Neways CEO Hans Büthker. “Through the acquisition of Sencio we further strengthen our market position in microelectronics and are able to offer a broader suite of integrated services to both Neways’ and Sencio’s customers. We welcome the Sencio team and are looking forward to our joint journey forwards.”

Tata Electronics Acquires Controlling Stake in Pegatron India

CHENNAI, INDIA – Tata Electronics has acquired a 60% controlling stake in Pegatron’s India unit as it looks to expand its iPhone manufacturing capabilities in the country, the company announced on Jan. 24.

The move comes after Tata acquired Wistron’s assembly business in India in 2024, which included a plant in the country’s Karnataka state and made the company the first from India to produce iPhones.

The deal with Pegatron includes its iPhone assembly facility in Chennai, and after the acquisition, and Tata will focus on integrating the two companies’ teams while rebranding Pegatron’s operations to reflect its new ownership structure, the company said in a statement.

18 Semiconductor Fabs to Start Construction in 2025, SEMI Reports

MILPITAS, CA – The semiconductor industry is expected to start 18 new fab construction projects in 2025, according to SEMI’s latest quarterly World Fab Forecast report. The new projects include three 200mm and fifteen 300mm facilities, most of which are expected to begin operations from 2026 to 2027.

In 2025, the Americas and Japan will be the leading regions, each with four projects. China and the Europe & Middle East region each have three planned construction projects. Taiwan has two planned projects, while Korea and Southeast Asia have one project each for 2025.

“The semiconductor industry has reached a pivotal juncture, with investments driving both leading-edge and mainstream technologies to meet evolving global demands,” said Ajit Manocha, SEMI president and CEO. “Generative AI and high-performance computing are fueling advancements in the leading-edge logic and memory segments, while mainstream nodes continue to underpin critical applications in automotive, IoT and power electronics. The construction of 18 new semiconductor fabs set to begin in 2025 demonstrates the industry’s commitment to support innovation and significant economic growth.”

PCB Design Software Sales Reach Record $450M in Q3

MILPITAS, CA – Printed circuit board and multichip module design software revenue rose 5.8% year-over-year to $450.8 million in the third quarter, the ESD Alliance announced on Jan. 14.

The four-quarter moving average, which compares the most recent four quarters to the prior four, for PCB and MCM rose 9.1%.

On the whole, electronic system design industry revenue increased 8.8% year-over-year to $5.1 billion in the third quarter. The four-quarter moving average rose 13.7%. (more)

PCB Cost Modifiers

A look at variables that influence board price.
by Akber Roy

How does one calculate the actual cost of fabricating a printed circuit board?

Naturally, each PCB is different from another, and the cost of creating one will vary depending on the PCB’s dimensions, number of layers, complexity and many other factors. Several basic variables must be considered and applied generally to the process.

Remember that PCB manufacturing is, at the very least, a sophisticated process that involves state-of-the-art technology and skills to meet the requirements of high-tech industry’s performance parameters. Of course, all these procedures cost money in practice. From design to manufacturing, mutual understanding and coordination among all stakeholders should result in a high-quality PCB product at an appropriate cost.

NIST 800-171 Compliance

Are your PCB supplier’s security measures up to par?
by Andrew Gonzales

In today’s interconnected digital landscape, safeguarding sensitive information is not just a priority – it’s a necessity. For businesses engaged with US government contracts, compliance with cybersecurity standards is essential to protect controlled unclassified information (CUI). One critical framework for ensuring this is the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-171, which outlines security requirements for protecting CUI within non-federal systems and organizations.

Compliance with NIST 800-171 is increasingly significant for PCB manufacturers, as the electronics industry often intersects with sensitive defense, aerospace and other government-related sectors. Understanding the framework and its implications is vital for PCB manufacturers, as it ensures they can protect their customers’ sensitive data, meet federal standards and maintain their reputation as trusted suppliers in critical industries.

Likewise, for PCB buyers, ensuring manufacturing and assembly partners comply with these cybersecurity guidelines is critical – whether it’s a government contract or not.

How Squeegee Blade Profile Helps Improve the Screen-Printing Process

A factorial design investigating solder paste volume under varied squeegee pressure and squeegee types.
by Miguel Arroyo Colomer, CSMTPE

It is generally agreed that, on average, 40% to 60% of the defects generated by a surface mount production line can attributed to the solder paste screen (stencil) printing process. This process comprises different key elements designed to work together to generate the most optimal performance and results. These elements include the following:

• Solder paste
• Stencil
• Wiper paper/stencil wiper head
• Solder paste inspection
• Stencil cleaner
• Printed circuit board
• Board support
• Squeegee.

Understanding Solder Paste Viscosity and Thixotropy

Selecting the right paste requires an understanding of its properties.
by Timothy O’Neill

A solder paste’s viscosity and thixotropic properties influence its performance in different production environments.

Viscosity is a measure of a fluid’s resistance to flow. Think of it as a fluid’s “thickness” or “thinness.” A fluid that flows slowly, like molasses, has a high viscosity, while one that flows easily, like water, has a low viscosity.

For reference, Table 1 shows the typical viscosities of various liquids.

In Case You Missed It

Substrate Materials

“Designing a Filler Material to Reduce Dielectric Loss in Epoxy-Based Substrates for High-Frequency Applications”

Authors: Ilkan Calisir, et. al.

Abstract: In response to the demand for epoxy-based dielectric substrates with low dielectric loss in high-frequency and high-speed signal transmission applications, this work presents a surface-engineered filler material. Utilizing ball-milling, surface-modified aluminum flakes containing organic (stearic acid) and inorganic (aluminum oxide) coatings are developed. Incorporation of the filler into the epoxy matrix results in a significant increase in dielectric permittivity, εr, by nearly five times (from 4.3 to 21.2) and nearly an order of magnitude reduction in dielectric loss, tan δ, (from 0.037 to 0.005) across the 1-10GHz frequency range. Extension of this method to glass fabric-reinforced epoxy-based substrates, resembling widely used FR-4 in printed circuit boards, exhibits minimal permittivity variation (4.5 to 5.4) and considerable reductions in dielectric loss (from 0.04 to 0.01) within the same frequency range. These enhancements are attributed to improved filler dispersion and suppression of electron transport facilitated by double-layer coatings on the flake surface under varying electric fields. The findings highlight the potential of surface-modified aluminum flakes as a promising filler material for high-frequency and high-speed substrate applications requiring low-loss. (RSC Advances, January 2025, https://doi.org/10.1039/D4RA07419J)