AI Implementation TG to Meet in March

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – The AI for Electronics Task Group will meet in March to follow up on the recently published white paper on implementing artificial intelligence in printed circuit design, fabrication and assembly processes.

The task group will discuss present obstacles, such as the potential need for commonly available databases, especially for AOI and SPI, and component sources with available inventory; what education is needed; the status of implementation; and PCEA’s role in promulgating the technology.

PCEA Detroit Technical Conference Registration Open

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – Registration for PCB Detroit, a new technical conference and tabletop event, is now open, PCEA announced in February. The new event takes place June 2-3 on the campus of Wayne State University in Detroit, MI.

The technical program will feature two full days of in-depth electronics engineering training featuring some of the industry’s most esteemed experts. Rick Hartley, Susy Webb, Dan Beeker, Stephen Chavez, Ethan Pierce, Dave Lackey, and Bob Carter are among the headliners of the premiere conference.

The scope of classes ranges from controlling noise, using AI in hardware and PCB design, flex and rigid-flex materials and DfM, HDI via design, and PCB cost drivers, among others. In all, PCB Detroit will offer more than 25 hours of technical sessions for every level (novice to expert).

PCB Detroit will also feature a tabletop exhibition on June 2. A free reception and special designers meetup (registration required) will take place after classes end on June 2 and 3, respectively.

“The Michigan area is rich with electronics and high-tech development, and the state is putting emphasis on workforce development in these areas,” noted Mike Buetow, president, PCEA. “Coupled with our partnership with Wayne State University, it only makes sense to bring our leading brand of technical training for printed circuit boards to the area.”

Register here for the two-day technical conference and the tabletop exhibition. Conference registration is required for both the conference and tabletop exhibition.

Wayne State University is Michigan’s third-largest university, and a licensee of the PCEA Training Certified Printed Circuit Designer curriculum.

For information on attending, visit pcea.net/pcb-detroit.

PCEA Names 2025-26 Directors, Officers

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – The PCEA membership elected its board of directors for the next two years at its annual meeting in October.

Returning to the board are Jim Barnes, Stephen Chavez, Tomas Chester, Doug Dixon, Justin Fleming, Rick Hartley, Matt Leary, Anaya Vardya, Susy Webb and Eriko Yamato.

New board members include Charlene McCauley and Juan Frias, who was voted in following the meeting as a replacement for the retiring Scott McCurdy.

As president of PCEA, Mike Buetow retains an automatic appointment to the board.

At its scheduled February board meeting, Chavez was re-elected chairman, Webb vice chairman, Fleming secretary and Vardya treasurer. Dixon was appointed chair of the Strategic Planning committee and Leary was named chair of Membership. Chester was reappointed chair of the Education committee.

Fleming Named First PCEA Training Tech Director

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – PCEA Training in February named respected industry veteran Paul Fleming technical director, PCB design.

Fleming has a long and storied career in printed circuit design, as a designer and with various ECAD companies. He has design experience with various blue-chip OEMs and running a service bureau. He also spent time as a QA engineer and applications engineer with Siemens/Mentor, Cadence and Intergraph. Fleming is a former chapter president of the Designer’s Council and a master instructor in the IPC CID program.

Fleming will oversee the printed circuit board technical programs for PCEA. He will be responsible for coordinating updates to the Certified Printed Circuit Engineering curriculum, including adding targeted modules. He will also be staff liaison to the Conference task group responsible for the technical programs for PCB East, PCB West and PCB Detroit.

“The success of the PCEA programs dictated the addition of subject matter experts, and we have a great one in Paul,” said Mike Buetow, president, PCEA. “He is well regarded by peers as being knowledgeable, pragmatic and easy to work with. We think Paul will make an outstanding addition to the PCEA team and contribute immediately to our mission of enhancing the careers of professional PCB designers and engineers.”