THE LEAD
Compal, Wistron and Jabil are reportedly preparing bids for AMD’s ZT server unit, according to Bloomberg.
Revenue at the 50 largest electronics manufacturing services companies grew 12.7% in 2024, totaling $477 billion and reversing a historic 2023 downturn, a new report says.
TECH NEWS
DeepMind researchers say AI must move beyond static data and embrace environmental experience through a new "streams" approach, allowing models to learn without human pre-judgment.
Research into a Meta AI model called Llama 3 showed 78% of those job interruptions were caused by hardware issues such as GPU and host component failures.
Registrants for the PCB East exhibition this April will gain access to six free technical sessions from Rick Hartley, Stephen Chavez and Matt Leary, among others, ranging from printed circuit design to fabrication and assembly.
PCB Detroit features the top experts on printed circuit board design, including Rick Hartley, Susy Webb, Dan Beeker, and Stephen Chavez, among others.
Rick Hartley will headline free technical sessions at PCB East on April 30, joining talks on AI, flex design, UHDI, and more. Registration is free through April 29.
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.
PCEA Training is offering a five-day Certified Professional Circuit Designer (CPCD) training and certification class on May 9, 16, 23, 30, and June 6.
Faced with rising volumes of electronic waste, researchers are turning to adaptable robotics to make recycling smarter, safer, and more efficient.
The PCEA San Diego chapter will hold an in-person meeting on April 23 in conjunction with the Del Mar Electronics Show. Presenting will be Marshall Tibbetts, COO, ACI Materials, on soldering of SMDs directly to conductive ink, and John Ranieri, marketing director, Oak-Mitsui Technologies, on impact of ultra-thin laminates on PCB design, signal and power integrity, and EMC.
The PCEA Portland chapter will host John Andresakis of Ohmega-Ticer for our monthly Zoom meeting on April 24. He will speak on embedded resistance.
BOARD BUYING
Taxes v. Tariffs: Which is Better for PCB Investment?
I recently sat with Shane Whiteside, president and CEO of Summit Interconnect, in his capacity as chairman of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America (PCBAA), to discuss the state of the PCB industry and the effects of the additional tariffs currently in place.
GREG PAPANDREW

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