Judy Warner | Microwave Journal

Judy Warner is the western regional and RF/microwave market director of business development for Zentech Manufacturing, a contract manufacturer that offers fully integrated supply chain solutions for mil/aero, RF/microwave and medical markets. Zentech is based in Baltimore, MD near the high technology corridor of the Mid-Atlantic/Pentagon region. Judy has over 20 years of experience in the electronics industry, and has spent the past four years focused exclusively on RF and Microwave technology solutions. Judy also sits on the advisory board of eSurface technologies and contributes articles to a variety of microwave and electronic industry trade publications, including 3 years as a contributing guest blogger for Microwave Journal.

Living La Via Loca

September 30, 2012

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I got an email a few weeks back from one of our customers who is with a semiconductor manufacturer for whom we make evaluation boards. He asked some good questions that I answered, of course, and I thought this information may be useful to others, too. Here is what his email said...

My Cupful of IMS 2012

July 11, 2012

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Immediately following IMS every year, I go through a week or so where I assimilate and digest the immensity of the show and my experiences there. This year was no exception. I find that I’m inevitably left with the feeling that I just barely scooped up a cupful of water out of a vast ocean. But it’s my cupful, nonetheless, and it’s all I get to take home at the end of a frenetic week. So, here are a few reflections and observations I have as I look back at IMS 2012.

2012 IMS: Trending with the Trendy in Social Media?

June 13, 2012

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A couple of years ago, if you had asked me if I would ever consider using Twitter as a business tool, I would have told you yes, right after I got a Harley Davidson tattoo—or when pigs fly—whichever came first. My opinion of Facebook pages for business wasn’t much better. I believed they were only for retail industries and big brands (B2C) and had zero relevance for the technology (B2B) industries. In fact, my perception about almost all social media was that it was designed and largely used by self-absorbed teenagers and Hollywood types. Honestly, my ignorance was profound! I had a Linked in account, but I never used it.

"Can you hear me now?"

June 6, 2012

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In my last post, I left you with a rather long list of comments from RF/MW PCB designers about what they liked and disliked about working with PCB suppliers. I pointed out that at least 70% of those comments had to do with communication….real communication. Not just a barrage of emails that fly back and forth between customer and supplier. I meant communication which delves deep into a customer’s needs and prevailing issues with a mind to partner and problem solve.

“…And May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor!”

(Effie Trinket, The Hunger Games)

May 21, 2012

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As promised in my last post, I want to share with you some of the feedback I got through Linked In groups and from a dozen or so folks that recently attended a talk I gave at the Del Mar Electronics and Design show entitled How to Fall in Love with your PCB Supplier.

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Future Shock in Modern Times

May 14, 2012

By the time we round the corner into 2013, I will enter my 20^thyear in the PCB and Electronics Industry. I find myself often gravitating to other’s like me (50 years and older) to swap nostalgic war stories of days gone by. My journey in the industry, unlike my cronies, is marked by a 12 year hiatus that began around 1998 when I made the decision to stay home and raise my two young daughters full time. I resurfaced in 2010, with nearly grown kids, totally clueless about the state of an industry that I had all but forgotten.
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Postcards from the Ledge

2012 Tradeshow Season in Full Swing

April 13, 2012

The spring thaw is well underway, and that means tradeshow season is in full swing. It is an exciting time and also a time when I start feeling like I am precariously scooting along the narrowing ledge of my physical and mental limits as the season marches forward. For this reason, I have become far more intentional and strategic about how I use my time during the Spring and early Summer tradeshows. With age (hopefully) comes wisdom and I thought I might share some things I've learned along the way to make this time of year more focused, effective and less harrowing. I am speaking mostly to attendees here, but exhibitors might pick up a trick or two as well!

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Keepin' it Smooth: How Surface Roughness Impacts High Performance PCBs

March 9, 2012

I have been discussing surface finishes for the last couple of posts, and I would be remiss if I didn’t cover the crucial topic of copper surface roughness and how it specifically impacts high performance PCBs. Most substrates are copper clad with either Rolled Annealed (RA) copper, Electro deposited Copper (ED) or Reverse Treated copper (RT). I have put some links below should you want to learn more about each type of copper and the resulting surface roughness of each.
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Off to the Races: Creating Winning Finishes

February 8, 2012

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As promised, we are off to the races, untangling the convoluted subject of PCB surface finishes. This is a complicated subject, so bear with me as I try to break it down into bite-sized, manageable portions! This week I will discuss each available surface finish and the pros and cons of each one.
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Getting the right Finish before you Start

January 11, 2012

Microwave Journal

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If you are a fan of John Wooden, the celebrated UCLA coach, you will know that he had more than his share of clever sayings. My husband who played basketball all his life, and who went to college on a full-ride scholarship—nearly worships Coach Wooden. For this reason, I have heard many of these wise and witty Wooden-isms over the years. One that comes to mind is: “Be quick, but don’t hurry.” With the speed of advancing technologies, we all have to be quick, but we cannot afford to hurry—or be hasty—putting revenue and market share opportunities at stake....
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