Ira Sharp Jr

The legend Gene Weiner is at it again. This time with an executive round table for PCB East 2026 Tuesday, April 28 | DCU Convention Center, Worcester, MA This year's theme is clear: AI isn't coming for electronics manufacturing — it's already here. And the implications for PCB design, fabrication, materials, and the global supply chain are enormous. They've assembled an exceptional lineup: 🎤 Keynote: Sean Patterson (CrossGen) — Build AI vs. Buy AI: Why AI Isn't a Technology Problem… It's a Leadership One 🎤 Keynote: Alun Morgan (Ventec / EIPC) — Unintended Consequences: How the AI Infrastructure Build-Out Will Reshape the PCB Materials Supply Chain 📣 Vytautas Ilgunas (TLT, Lithuania) — AI Needs Hardware: Rebuilding Advanced PCB Manufacturing 📣 Timon Ruban (Luminovo) — AI's Role in Electronics Manufacturing Collaboration — It's for Small Companies, Too 📣 Kurt Whitcomb (Amphenol Printed Circuits) — HDI Outlook in View of AI Demand, Material Shortages & Price Pressures 📣 Russell Nickerson (MassRobotics) — Viability Analysis of Humanoid Robots Plus a PCBAA government update from John Vaughan, a full panel Q&A, and a speakers reception to close out the day. Thank you to PCEA-Printed Circuit Engineering Association for making this possible, and to Gene Weiner for bringing it all together. If you're in electronics — design, fab, assembly, supply chain, or leadership — this is the room to be in. 👉 Register at pcbeast.com Other events Wednesday, April 29 | DCU Convention Center, Worcester, MA Exhibition day featuring 80+ suppliers from across the electronics design, fabrication, and assembly supply chain. Free technical sessions, a keynote from Francisco Aguilar (Bounce Imaging), and the FPGA Horizons co-located conference. Wraps up with a floor reception and community meetup. Thursday, April 30 | DCU Convention Center, Worcester, MA Deep-dive technical workshops on PCB grounding & EMI, signal routing, DDR design, UHDI, via design, 3D design, and high-thermal dielectrics. Plus Day 1 of the new PCEA Assembly Conference — covering SMT printing, placement, reflow, inspection, advanced solder pastes, and more. Friday, May 1 | DCU Convention Center, Worcester, MA Technical sessions on power distribution, stack-up design, high-frequency EMI, and a hands-on session taking a board from idea through fab and assembly. Day 2 of the Assembly Conference includes an all-day hand soldering workshop, plus a supply chain track covering CMMC cybersecurity, military/aerospace qualification, defense electronics manufacturing, and workforce development. #PCBEast #PCB #ElectronicsManufacturing #AI #PrintedCircuitBoards #HDI #SupplyChain #PCEA #Robotics

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Thank you to Jack Gillerlain and Puja Mitra of WTWH Media LLC’s Design World for sharing the news on our new DPA Series 3-Phase Monitoring Relays, which provide a reliable and certified response for HVAC systems operating with low-GWP flammable refrigerants (to meet the IEC/EN 60335-2-40 and UL 60335-2-40 safety standards). Designed to operate completely spark-free, the enhanced DPA Series meets the ignition-free requirements for A2L and A3 refrigerants. These relays provide continuous phase sequence and phase loss monitoring, ensuring that compressors are always protected from the main grid failures. #HVAC #HVACR #EnergyEfficiency #IndustrialAutomation #LowGWP #Refrigerants

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Thank you to Jim Powers, Puja Mitra, and the team of editors of WTWH Media LLC’s Design World for sharing the news on our new RSLS Series of Ultra-Slim Solid State Relays designed for low power DC and AC loads. The RSLS Series features a 1-pole, ultra-slim 5mm wide design, ideal for low power loads. The range includes both AC and DC switching solutions. DC switching models are available in 48 VDC, 100 mA; 24 VDC, 3.5 A and 6 A. AC models are rated for 230 VAC, 2 A. #CarloGavazzi #Automation #HVAC #Semiconductor #PlasticsIndustry #PanelBuilder #SolidStateRelays

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Overhead cranes, stackers and reclaimers operate in harsh environments. Traditional wired and wireless networks struggle to keep up. This blog from Belden Inc.'s Alex Liu breaks down how PRP-based industrial wireless gives metallurgical plants the stability and latency they need. #IndustrialAutomation #PRPProtocol #MetallurgicalIndustry #WirelessNetworks #BeldenCIC #Belden

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If you’re exploring modern HMI and visualization tools, the Van Meter team has a great breakdown of what FactoryTalk Optix brings to the table. It highlights how Optix gives manufacturers more flexibility, whether they want to work on‑prem or in the cloud, and how it fills key gaps that traditional HMI platforms don’t cover, like cloud‑enabled workflows, remote management and third‑party support. Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/gZxuxPge #FactoryTalkOptix #RockwellAutomation #HMI #DigitalTransformation #SmartManufacturing

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PI Expert's Design Evaluation function allows you to review the performance of your power supply design. It includes a pie chart and a line chart that show you detailed breakdown of the losses. Trevor Hiatt demonstrates how to use the Design Evaluation tab in PI Expert in this video. Try PI Expert today - https://okt.to/x593Xm #ElectronicsDesign #SemiconductorInnovation

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Marking the Way. Using Unitronics' UniStream TA 30 PLC +HMI, a company in Pennsylvania built a mobile system that replicates real-world road conditions for testing critical safety markings. Read the full story here https://zurl.co/HqreE #Automation #InnovativeSolutions

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Keep production running while we test. DGA flags fault signatures, SFRA checks winding movement/shorted turns, IR thermography spots hot zones, and acoustic PD detects partial discharge. You get clear severity codes and a maintenance plan backed by trend graphs. #EXDRA #TransformerDiagnostics #DGA #SFRA #Thermography #PartialDischarge #ConditionBasedMaintenance #EnergyReliability

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Simplify your day with the new Technical Documentation Center for ControlLogix 5590 controllers. New features include: ✅ Instant access to user manuals – Print only what matters to your project ✅ Quick fault code lookups – Get corrective actions without wasting time ✅ Specs at a glance – See module details without scrolling through pages Spend less time searching and more time solving. Explore the new experience to make your life easier. https://lnkd.in/day_DM7K ​

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Interesting perspective from Dave Sutton on the historical significance of industrial #automation moving from #PLC to open, software-defined automation.

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Designing complex PCBs today must involve addressing the performance of your board. If you don't address Signal Integrity, or worse you ignore it, it will surly come back to haunt (bite) you! Have you heard this one before? A project manager builds time into the PCB design schedule for respins, but not simulation. 🫠 In this PCB design discussion, our experts discuss why it’s better to find and solve signal integrity problems BEFORE manufacturing. Watch the full conversation: https://sie.ag/5RRJZ4 #PCBDesign #SignalIntegrity #Simulation

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