EMS@C-Level 2022 Season, episode 10 - Greg Papandrew of PCB Buying Expert

EMS@C-LEVEL · 29 Aug 2022 · 22m

What this episode covers

Greg Papandrew, CEO and Founder of PCB Buying Expert, discusses the current state of the PCB industry, noting that while supply chains are easing and freight lead times have decreased by nearly 50%, domestic capacity remains tight for high-complexity boards. He argues that the CHIPS Act and the proposed Circuit Board Industry Act should focus on incentivizing private investment in high-technology manufacturing (like additive processes) rather than subsidizing basic 2-4 layer production, which China can handle more cheaply. Papandrew highlights a critical pain point where buyers are too overwhelmed by firefighting to optimize total cost of ownership, leading him to propose pull-based consignment inventory models to improve cash flow and supply chain visibility for major OEMs.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • OnTrack · 51m

    The Future of PCB Manufacturing: Tariffs, Supply Chains & More

    Greg Papandrew, Managing Director of DirectPCB, discusses the impact of tariffs and supply chain shifts on PCB manufacturing, explaining why China remains the preferred source despite geopolitical tensions due to capacity and lead times. He highlights the critical importance of Design for Manufacturing (DFM), noting that designers often over-engineer boards with unnecessary sequential laminations and gold plating, which drives up costs and limits vendor options. Papandrew also addresses the challenges of export controls, proprietary data protection, and the lack of domestic US capacity to absorb offshore production, suggesting that private sector joint ventures might be necessary to scale advanced PCB production in the US.

  • OnTrack · 38m

    Inside PCBAA's Fight for American Circuit Board Manufacturing

    David Schild, Executive Director of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America (PCBAA), discusses the organization's advocacy for H.R. 3597, the Protecting Circuit Boards and Substrates Act, to secure tax incentives for domestic PCB manufacturing. He highlights the critical workforce shortage, the decline of US PCB production from 30% to 4% of global output, and the strategic importance of supply chain resilience for defense OEMs like RTX (Raytheon) and commercial sectors. Schild explains how PCBAA is educating lawmakers and leveraging partnerships with states like Arizona and New York to reverse the offshoring trend driven by foreign government subsidies.

  • OnTrack · 49m

    PCBs, Global Innovation Policy & the CHIPS Act

    Stephen Ezell, VP of Global Innovation Policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), discusses the CHIPS and Science Act, explaining how US policy aims to counter China's industrial strategy and restore semiconductor manufacturing. He details the act's funding structure, the gap between authorization and appropriation, and the necessity of incentives to compete with foreign subsidies. Ezell also advocates for a similar 'PCBs Act' to address the decline of US printed circuit board production and suggests nearshoring to Latin America as a viable alternative to offshore dependence.

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 01m

    407: Boards Are Like Sandwiches

    Mihir Shah, CEO of Royal Circuits and former CEO of InspectAR, explains the complex, labor-intensive manufacturing process of printed circuit boards (PCBs), detailing how they are built from the inside out using lithography and chemical etching. He discusses the consolidation of the US PCB industry, noting that high capital expenditures for equipment have driven out smaller shops, leaving a fragmented market dominated by a few large players. Shah also outlines Royal Circuits' corporate venture strategy, investing in early-stage hardware and software startups like SnapEDA and Illuminant Surgical to support the engineering community.

  • The Amp Hour · 58m

    What's In A Name?

    Dave Jones of EEV blog and Chris Gammell of Chris Gammell's Analog Life launch the first episode of The Amp Hour, discussing the nascent maker movement, the business models of open-source hardware companies like SparkFun and Adafruit, and the challenges of component sourcing. They analyze industry consolidation, the impact of major customers like Apple on supply chains, and the strategic use of low-cost development tools by companies such as Texas Instruments and Microchip to capture market share. The conversation highlights the trade-offs in engineering design, from BOM optimization to the realities of manufacturing in China versus local hand-assembly.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by EMS@C-LEVEL. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.