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June 2nd, 2026
News and Resources for PCB Design, Fab and Assembly Professionals Subscribe •  Advertise •  PCD&F •  Circuits Assembly •  Tell A Friend
THE LEAD

An executive order establishes a 30-day government review period for advanced AI models, reflecting a shift toward greater federal oversight tied to cybersecurity.USC scientists have built a tiny system that thinks like a brain and runs on thin air.

TECH NEWS

USC researchers have developed a fully analog, self-powered neuromorphic system that can sense the physical world, learn from it, and make decisions, all on a circuit board the size of a coin, powered by nothing external.

Zhen Ding says AI is transforming printed circuit boards into critical platforms for high-performance computing and system integration.

Germany’s Cellutronik project is developing PCB substrates made from bacterial cellulose and agricultural by-products, with researchers aiming to create scalable, environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional circuit board materials.

Huawei is pursuing a chip design approach centered on reducing signal transmission delays rather than transistor sizes.

Foxconn unveiled the Cavira, a mid-size electric crossover to compete with the Tesla Model Y.

Queen’s University Belfast researchers are leading a £2.9M ($3.9M) international effort to create new technologies to help tackle a major electronic waste problem in Malaysia.

PCEA will host a webinar on flex and rigid-flex circuit design June 24 featuring Dave Lackey covering manufacturability, materials, tooling and fabrication considerations.

PCEA issued a call for abstracts for PCB East 2027, seeking technical presentations on PCB design, fabrication, assembly, test, packaging and additive manufacturing ahead of the April event in Worcester.

Registration is open for PCB West 2026, which will feature more than 120 hours of PCB design and assembly training this September in Santa Clara.

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.

BOARD BUYING
Stop Paying Tooling and NRE Charges Twice
Understanding tooling and NRE charges can help buyers avoid redundant PCB manufacturing costs and improve supplier negotiations.

GREG PAPANDREW

Greg Papandrew





















BUSINESS NEWS

President Trump signed an executive order requiring technology companies to provide the government with a 30-day review period for advanced AI models before public release, citing cybersecurity and national security concerns.

Taiwan's printed circuit board makers are expected to see domestic and overseas output rise 15 percent year-over-year to NT$1.05T (US$3B) in 2026, according to the Taiwan Printed Circuit Board Association (TPCA).

North American EMS bookings rose over 4 percent year-over-year in April, driving the industry's book-to-bill ratio to 1.36 as demand remained ahead of shipments.

Japan and the United States plan to invest $1B over five years in the Genesis Mission initiative.

One of Green Circuits’ private equity backers has sold its stake in the EMS company.

A new SIA-Deloitte report projects semiconductor revenue from AI data centers could exceed $1.2 trillion by 2028.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is expected to meet with Samsung and LG executives in South Korea as the companies explore opportunities tied to growing demand for AI, semiconductors and robotics technologies.

Samsung Electronics America plans to relocate its US headquarters from New Jersey to Plano, Texas, by the end of the year, affecting approximately 1,000 employees.

Compeq expects AI infrastructure demand to drive significant revenue and profit growth in 2027 and 2028.

Finnish defense group FORCIT is building an electronics assembly plant in Salo, Finland.

Quanta Computer is waiting for approval from a Vietnam agency to double its total investment in Ninh Binh province.

Saturn Electronics installed an Excellon Cobra Hybrid laser drill.

BOARD TALK
A Beginner’s Guide to BGA Routing That Won’t Come Back to Bite You
Successful BGA routing depends less on pushing density limits and more on making fabrication-aware decisions early in the layout process.

JEFFREY BEAUCHAMP

Jeffrey Beauchamp






















TECHNICAL ARTICLES

Reflow AI – Before There was Artificial Intelligence
PCD&F/CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY


Low-Temp Solders Are Suddenly Critical For Chiplets And Photonics
SEMI Engineering


A Molecular Pathway to Corrosion-Resistant Printable Copper
Science


EVENTS

May 15, 22, 29, June 5, 12: Certified Printed Circuit Design Training Online
June 2-4: Fac Tec China 2026 Shanghai
June 9-10: EIPC Summer Conference Vilnius, Lithuania
June 9-11: ZIW Americas 2026 Dallas
June 24-26: Vietnam Intcomm 2026 & Electronic Vietnam 2026Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Sept. 4, 11, 18, 25, Oct. 9: Certified Printed Circuit Design Training Online
Sept. 28-Oct. 2: Certified Printed Circuit Design Training Santa Clara, CA
Sept. 29-Oct. 2: PCB West 2026Santa Clara, CA
Oct. 16, 23, 30, Nov. 6, 13: Certified Printed Circuit Design Training Online
Feb. 17-19, 2027: Nepcon Japan Tokyo


 

BOOK-TO-BILLS/MARKET TRENDS
             April Trend
EMS 1.36 Up
Semiconductors         79% Up
PCBs 1.24 Up
Component Sales Sentiment 149 Up
Changes are year-over-year.    

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ABOUT

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.


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