-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- smt007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueBox Build
One trend is to add box build and final assembly to your product offering. In this issue, we explore the opportunities and risks of adding system assembly to your service portfolio.
IPC APEX EXPO 2024 Pre-show
This month’s issue devotes its pages to a comprehensive preview of the IPC APEX EXPO 2024 event. Whether your role is technical or business, if you're new-to-the-industry or seasoned veteran, you'll find value throughout this program.
Boost Your Sales
Every part of your business can be evaluated as a process, including your sales funnel. Optimizing your selling process requires a coordinated effort between marketing and sales. In this issue, industry experts in marketing and sales offer their best advice on how to boost your sales efforts.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - smt007 Magazine
Global Banking Crisis Continues; Inflation Rates Remain Stubbornly High in Both Europe and the United States
May 4, 2023 | IPCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Economic data over the last month indicates that while inflation remains stubbornly high, economic growth is slowing. The base case scenario for the United States right now suggests a recession in the middle two quarters of the year. The U.S. economy should grow about 1.2 percent this year, but growth in the back half of the year will be weak.
Germany recently raised its economic growth forecast for the year to 0.4 percent, up from the previous 0.2 percent, but the environment in both the United States and Europe remains persistently difficult. It remains uncertain how sharply higher interest rates will fully impact the economy.
“Supply constraints are easing everywhere which on the surface looks like a good thing. But it likely also means that backlogs will wane in the second half of the year. In the absence of new demand, output will likely be weak,” said Shawn DuBravac, IPC chief economist.
Additional data in the April 2023 IPC Economic Outlook show:
- The U.S. economy grew 1.1 percent in the first quarter, coming in below an expected rise of 1.9 percent. However, the headline number masks underlying strength in the economy.
- U.S. manufacturing sentiment contracted for the fifth consecutive month in April. The manufacturing PMI rose 0.8 percentage points in the last month, but not enough to move back into expansionary territory.
- The European economy grew during the first quarter of the year, edging up 0.1 percent in the euro area and up 0.3 percent in the EU. The economy is up 1.3 percent in both areas compared to the first quarter of last year.
- In the EU, manufacturing output in electronics end markets rose in February, increasing 1.3% from the prior month and 2.9% from the year-ago period.
Suggested Items
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: Tools, Training, and Trends in Manufacturing Engineering
04/25/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOGuest Editor Kelly Dack and Product Specialist Erik Bateham of Polar Instruments discuss Polar's latest technology, including their role in aiding manufacturing engineers. They highlight the advanced capabilities of Polar's tools and the critical role of signal integrity analysis, as well as the importance of accurate modeling in board manufacturing. Polar's unique training approach and demonstration contact details are also explored.
TTM Celebrates the Grand Opening of Its First Manufacturing Facility in Penang
04/25/2024 | TTM Technologies, Inc.TTM Technologies, Inc., a leading global manufacturer of technology solutions including mission systems, radio frequency (RF) components and RF microwave/microelectronic assemblies, and quick-turn and technologically advanced printed circuit boards (PCBs), officially opened its first manufacturing plant in Penang, Malaysia with an investment of USD200 million (approximately RM958 million).
Listen Up! The Intricacies of PCB Drilling Detailed in New Podcast Episode
04/25/2024 | I-Connect007In episode 5 of the podcast series, On the Line With: Designing for Reality, Nolan Johnson and Matt Stevenson continue down the manufacturing process, this time focusing on the post-lamination drilling process for PCBs. Matt and Nolan delve into the intricacies of the PCB drilling process, highlighting the importance of hole quality, drill parameters, and design optimization to ensure smooth manufacturing. The conversation covers topics such as drill bit sizes, aspect ratios, vias, challenges in drilling, and ways to enhance efficiency in the drilling department.
Elevating PCB Design Engineering With IPC Programs
04/24/2024 | Cory Blaylock, IPCIn a monumental stride for the electronics manufacturing industry, IPC has successfully championed the recognition of the PCB Design Engineer as an official occupation by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). This pivotal achievement not only underscores the critical role of PCB design engineers within the technology landscape, but also marks the beginning of a transformative journey toward nurturing a robust, skilled workforce ready to propel our industry into the future.
Fujitsu, METRON Collaborate to Drive ESG Success
04/24/2024 | JCN NewswireFujitsu Limited and METRON SAS, a French cleantech company specializing in energy management solutions for industrial decarbonization, today announced a strategic initiative to contribute to the realization of carbon neutrality in the manufacturing industry.