From award-winning service in electronics manufacturing to the rise of automation and AI on factory floors, technology and strategy are advancing in tandem. On the business side, facility expansions and trade updates underscore how supply chain positioning and technological adoption are becoming tightly intertwined. See this and more in today’s headlines.

Circuits Assembly has announced the winners of its 2025 Service Excellence Awards at SMTA International, recognizing top EMS providers and assembly suppliers for outstanding customer service.

Electro Waves Electronics has automated SMT lines and added AI-powered inspection to boost PCB assembly speed and precision while emphasizing human-machine collaboration.e performance and cost-effective metal recovery through electrochemical processes.

Graphene coatings are emerging as a solution for PCB thermal management, offering superior heat dissipation and stability to reduce hotspots in high-performance, miniaturized electronics.

Researchers have developed a co-smelting process that combines waste printed circuit boards with copper smelting slag to recover valuable metals more efficiently and sustainably.

PCB West 2025 reported a 3.5 percent year-over-year attendance increase, drawing a strong international crowd to its Santa Clara conference and exhibition.

Longsys has launched the first integrated-packaging micro solid-state drive (SSD), using wafer-level SiP technology to eliminate PCB assembly.

Murata has partnered with Cadence to integrate its inductor and capacitor models directly into OrCAD X, Allegro X and AWR Design Environment.

Mike Buetow was honored as the inaugural recipient of the PCEA Lifetime Achievement Award and first inductee into the association’s new Hall of Fame during PCB West 2025.

Circuits Assembly opened entries for its 2026 NPI Awards, recognizing innovations in electronics assembly equipment, material and software.

PCEA announced Stephen V. Chavez as recipient of the annual PCEA Leadership Award, for his lifetime service in the pursuit of educating and training PCB design engineers.

PCEA awarded Troy Hopkins with its fourth annual PCEA Membership Award.

PCEA hosts an Oct. 28 webinar on RF PCB design and the transition from HDI to UHDI technologies.

Wally Rhines joins Mike Buetow to discuss the long PCB/MCM design tool rally, a massive jump in employment. broader strength across the ECAD industry, and the effects US policies toward China are having on the market on the latest PCB Chat podcast.

Abstracts for PCB East 2026 on PCB design, fabrication, assembly and emerging technologies, are due now.

Looking for networking opportunities? Join the PCEA Discord server, bringing together engineers and designers from around the world on a private channel for discussing technical questions and career opportunities.

Scanfil reported a fire at MB Elettronica’s Cortona facility, which it plans to acquire later this year. The blaze, contained to a warehouse at Plant 2, caused no injuries, and the company is assessing the damage to limit operational disruptions.

Qualcomm has acquired Arduino. The acquisition was accompanied by the launch of the Arduino Uno Q, which incorporates Qualcomm’s Dragonwing SoC.

Arrow Electronics said that US trade restrictions on its China-based affiliates are being reversed The company received confirmation from the United States Department of Commerce that the decision will be formally published in the Federal Register.

Uzeltekhsanoat has proposed working with Chinese partners to develop modern PCB production infrastructure in Uzbekistan, including export capabilities and R&D centers.

StenTech has acquired Advanced Metal Etching, expanding its precision parts platform beyond SMT into aerospace, medical, automotive, energy and other high-value sectors.

BTU International is expanding its manufacturing operations to Singapore to reduce tariff exposure.

Otter Controls India has inaugurated a new 4.5M manufacturing plant in Pune, boosting output capacity by 75 percent and creating 1,000 jobs.

Aegis Software has partnered with STPGroup to expand in France, combining IPC CFX-based solutions to strengthen Industry 4.0 capabilities.

Altus Group has added the LPKF CuttingMaster 2240 Cx inline laser depaneling system to its lineup.

Fuji America Corporation has promoted Chris Dayney to technical marketing manager.

Cold Paste, Hot Mess
PCD&F/CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY

Electromigration in Eutectic Gold-Tin (80Au20Sn-wt%) Solder Joints
Journal of Electronic Materials

Printed Circuit Board Substrates Derived from Lignocellulose Nanofibrils for Sustainable Electronics Applications
Scientific Reports

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PCB Update is a digital newsletter for PCB design, fabrication and assembly professionals, brought to you by Printed Circuit Engineering Association™. E-mail industry press releases or links to the editors of CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY or PCD&F: pr@pcea.net.