Judy Warner Blog postings

Countdown to IMS 2015

Tue, 12 May 2015 00:00:00 -0400

If you are a delegate or workshop attendee, IMS 2015 is just 4 short days away! For exhibitors, like us at Zentech Manufacturing, we have 6 days until the doors open to the exhibit hall. Either way, don't blink, because we are just days away from the world’s largest international gathering of RF and Microwave professionals in the world!

“Making the Impossible Possible” at IMS2015

Mon, 27 Apr 2015 00:00:00 -0400

For the better part of the last year, I have been watching, with great interest, a company and PCB technology that may be a real game-changer. In fact, I became such an enthusiastic fan of eSurface that they invited me to join their advisory board last summer. eSurface Technologieshas developed a chemistry that enables PCB manufacturers to deposit metal directly to an unclad substrate, as opposed to subtractive print and etch processing.

Fully. Integrated. Supply Chain. Solutions.

Fri, 10 Apr 2015 00:00:00 -0400

Since I am a writer, as well as an electronics professional, I have the quirky habit of really thinking about words. Which is why I started thinking about the commonly (if not overused) term Supply Chain Management recently. Having pushed off from the dock of my former narrow focus on Printed Circuit Board (PCB) fabrication--particularly those of the RF and Microwave variety--I now find myself in the deeper and more complex waters of Contract Manufacturing.

SMT Automation: Saving Private Ryan

Fri, 14 Nov 2014 00:00:00 -0500

A few weeks ago I spent a week in Baltimore Maryland at Zentech Manufacturing, my new employer and professional “home.” Zentech is a rising star among North American contract manufacturers that has captured the heart and loyalty of the DoD, DARPA and an impressive host of major Mil/Aero contractors in the high-technology corridor of Northern Virginia, Baltimore and Washington DC. As you might imagine, many of these applications are RF/Microwave based.

Moving Day

Sun, 28 Sep 2014 00:00:00 -0400

Professional transitions are inevitable. Even so, I was startled when Opportunity came knocking at my door recently nudging me to move on to new territory. For over 4 years I have enjoyed the grand adventure of working for Transline Technology and becoming immersed in the world of RF/Microwave PCBs. Now I am moving on.

PCBs: Making the Impossible Possible

Thu, 31 Jul 2014 00:00:00 -0400

Unlike other areas of advancing technology, PCB manufacturing isn’t very “sexy.” It doesn’t begin to compare with the innovation-per-minute, adrenaline pumping pace that semiconductor companies keep. PCB processes are fairly static. Outside of incremental advances in chemistry, photolithography or the advent of things like laser drilling, we pretty much rely on well-founded, albeit old, technology. What progress we have made, has enabled us to barely keep-up with the driving forces of miniaturization and speed. PCB technology has not enjoyed any fundamental, game-changing innovation for decades. In other words, we have risen to meet industry demands by improving the existing subtractive (print-and-etch) processes that is unfortunately fraught with inherent limitations—especially for high performance boards.

Unpacking My IMS 2014

Thu, 19 Jun 2014 00:00:00 -0400

If you were fortunate enough to attend IMS 2014 in Tampa, I hope the packing guidelines in my last post were helpful. But, whether you made or not, I thought you might enjoy nosing through my metaphorical “backpack,” once again, to see what memories and lessons I brought back from my whirlwind week to Florida. (Warning: This backpack is huge, untidy, and bulging at the seams!)

Packing your bag for IMS 2014

Wed, 21 May 2014 00:00:00 -0400

Not a single year of the MTT-IMS show goes by where I don’t feel completely inundated going in and overwhelmed coming out. It reminds me of feasting at a massive buffet in which I must pace myself, plan ahead and choose wisely. The only thing that saves me is careful packing—and I don’t mean my toothbrush and dental floss!

IMS 2014: The Not-So-Missing-Link

Tue, 13 May 2014 00:00:00 -0400

Well, it’s that time of year again, when many of us turn our attention toward the MTTS-IMS show. Besides all the technical sessions and New Product Introductions that many of us look forward to, the rare opportunity to see one another face-to-face is highly anticipated. Our mass convergence on Tampa this year will be no exception. While the Microwave universe is a comparatively small one, we are spread widely across the country and globe. For this reason, we eagerly await the chance to meet up at the IMS show year after year.

Notes from IPC Apex 2014

Wed, 23 Apr 2014 00:00:00 -0400

I recently had the pleasure of attending the IPC Apex show in Las Vegas. This marked my second year as volunteer guest editor for IConnect 007’s Real Time with IPC. During the three day exhibition portion of the conference, experts from the PCB fabrication and assembly industries (and their suppliers) are interviewed, on camera, to share information and updates on developments in our industry. New product introductions along with IPC announcements are also made during this time.

“Less” is the New “More”

Thu, 06 Mar 2014 00:00:00 -0500

It seems like, wherever we turn, we are all wearing more hats while being expected to produce more, faster, with less money and resources. Whether a sign of the economic times or an evolving marketplace “Less” is the new “More.”

Respect the PCB

Mon, 06 Jan 2014 00:00:00 -0500

My, how time flies! I can hardly believe my last blog post was at the end of August 2013, and now here we are in 2014! Regardless, I want to keep my word and finish up the three-part blog series I set out to complete. So, here I am hat-in-hand, to do just that. I want to explore what challenges lie ahead for the RF/MW and high performance PCB. Only one problem, I'm only partially qualified to cover this subject!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T the PCB

Wed, 28 Aug 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Second part of RESPECT the PCB - covering costs and pricing

R-E-S-P-E-C-T the PCB

Wed, 14 Aug 2013 00:00:00 -0400

When it comes to making printed circuit boards, fabricators often find themselves feeling like Rodney Dangerfield, devoid of all due respect. While Semiconductors and ICs bask in fanfare and glory, the stuff they sit on remains a thankless tangle of copper and laminate. PCBs have been cast in a role as forgettable as Barbara Hershey in the shadow of Bette Midler in Beaches—with no Wind beneath My Wings at the end of the day. For this reason, I thought I would spend a few blog posts putting a spotlight on the wonder of the PCB and those who make them.

IMS Seattle 2013: Sunny Side-Up

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 00:00:00 -0400

What a gorgeous week to be in Seattle! The weather was more that gracious to the thousands that poured into the port city for Microwave week. All of us at Transline had a great time connecting with friends and customers from all over the country and enjoyed the rare privilege of all being together in one city. Seattle was a stunning backdrop with all the sights and sounds of The Pike Place Market, Elliot Bay and the towering Space Needle nearby. Everything we needed was well within walking distance of the Washington Convention Center. It was a short trip to Seattle center, via Monorail or taxi, to see the Space Needle or the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit (my personal fave!).

Drivers that Drive us Nuts

Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

You know what amazes me? Design software. Agilent, AWR, Mentor Graphics, Zuken…all of them amaze me! The power, the flexibility and the add-on tools that I often read about are truly stunning. Of course, not being a designer or engineer I am relatively easy to impress. Yet I do remember the design tools of old, and they didn’t contain a fraction of the power and features today’s tools offer. I am also amazed by the people who so deftly use these tools to design PCBs. These designers lay out boards that would have seemed like science fiction just a decade or two ago.

Slowing down to Speed Up

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Its official: I have become my parents. Everything I swore I would never do or say—I do all the time. It is beyond annoying! Lately, I catch myself repeating myself, or telling the same story, to the same person…Argh! I feel the exasperation of my 16-year-old-alter-ego rolling her eyes and sighing hopelessly. That being said, I’m about to do it again and you will be my latest victim. Sorry. I guess now I understand what my folks meant when they used to say “some things bear repeating.”

Dinosaurs and Fab Drawings

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400

One frustration of making printed circuit boards these days is trying to make a board without a clear, respectable fabrication drawing. Apparently they have gone the way of the dinosaurs and are now extinct. In the old days, a board house wouldn’t quote a job, much less build it, a without a fab drawing. Back then I schlepped around big plastic-wrapped sets of film with giant “D” sized drawings, while talking on a mobile phone the size of a brick. In those days, jobs didn’t start without a drawing, period!

The Value of doing it Right…the First Time

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting with a gentleman that, though now retired, spent a long and illustrious career in marketing and advertising. Some of his best known clients were Wendy’s restaurant, Budweiser and Coca cola. Since part of my job is marketing (in which I have no formal training) I took advantage of this opportunity to learn all I could. As he was going through some fundamentals with me, I was having trouble applying the theory to our printed circuit board business.

Living La Via Loca

Sun, 30 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400

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...

2012 IMS: Trending with the Trendy in Social Media?

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400

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?"

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400

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!”

Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Future Shock in Modern Times

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400
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.

Postcards from the Ledge

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

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!

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

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500
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.

Off to the Races: Creating Winning Finishes

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500
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.

Getting the right Finish before you Start

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 09:43:00 -0500
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....

Simulations That Don't Add Up

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 03:02:00 -0500
Before I begin my blog-rant, let me wish you and yours a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving! While I hope you enjoy your holiday, and stuffing yourself with turkey, I wouldn’t want you to look like a turkey at work. So, I thought I would share a bit of insight offered to me recently. As I mentioned in an earlier post, my friend Michael Ingham of Spectrum Integrity and I recently spoke at PCB West, and co-authored a paper to discuss some of the challenges of RF/MW PCB Design and Fabrication. Michael helped me to understand one of the...

Signal Loss: A Big Picture Approach to RF/MW PCB Design

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:49:00 -0400
A few weeks back, I had the opportunity and pleasure to co-present a talk at PCB West in Santa Clara, CA. The topic we chose was: Navigating the Pitfalls of RF/MW and High Perfomance PCB Design and Fabrication. My co-presenter was Michael Ingham, of Spectrum Integrity, whose design firm is highly focused on challenging RF/MW and High Performance PCBs.