MD&M West 2026 in Anaheim brought together medtech, automation, design/manufacturing, plastics, and packaging, so the biggest trend wasn’t one product. It was how fast devices are becoming smarter, smaller, and more integrated, with more pressure on reliability, speed-to-market, and manufacturability.
Tariffs have played a role in the U.S. economy since the nation’s founding. In the early days of the republic, tariffs were a primary source of government revenue and a way to protect domestic industries as they took shape. Over time, tariffs became a strategic policy tool, used to influence...
Las Vegas, January 2026 — CES 2026 once again confirmed that the pace of innovation in consumer tech, mobility, AI, and robotics isn’t slowing down. With over 4,000 exhibitors and thousands of breakthrough products on the show floor, this year’s CES put a spotlight on technologies that feel like...
Box build assembly—sometimes called systems integration—involves assembling a complete electronic product by combining a finished PCBA with wiring, connectors, mechanical components, enclosures, firmware loading, labeling, and final testing. While PCB assembly creates the electronic heart of a device, box build assembly transforms it into a fully integrated...
PCB design for medical electronics demands more than just electrical functionality. Devices must meet strict regulatory standards, operate reliably over long lifetimes or single-use cycles, withstand sterilization or biological exposure, and maintain performance under mechanical and environmental stress. Whether the application is a patch...
When evaluating a manufacturing company in Malaysia, most teams are focused on a few essentials: capability fit, reliable quality systems, a clean and well-controlled production environment, and the ability to scale from early prototypes to higher volumes without disruption. Malaysia’s growing electronics ecosystem offers strong advantages in cost, workforce readiness,...
Protecting the copper circuitry on a flexible printed circuit (FPC) is essential to ensuring long-term reliability and performance. Two common protective approaches are Liquid Photoimageable (LPI) solder mask and Polyimide (PI) coverlay. While both serve to insulate and safeguard traces, they differ significantly in their material properties,...
In product development, timing is everything. But too often, the flexible circuit comes late in the conversation, added after mechanical constraints are set, the enclosure is locked, and the clock is already ticking. That’s where problems start.At PICA Manufacturing Solutions, we’ve seen time and again how early...
In today’s electronics world, component densities are rising, geometries are shrinking, and reliability expectations are higher than ever. Failures at the board level can jeopardize product launches, erode customer trust, and lead to costly recalls. Simply put: what you don’t see can kill your design. That’s where inspection technologies like...
When it comes to sports safety, precision and reliability are non-negotiable. Impact monitoring mouthguards, like those used to measure head acceleration in contact sports, demand electronics that are compact, durable, and capable of withstanding extreme conditions. This is exactly where rigid-flex PCB technology shines.Rigid-flex combines the stability...
Polymer Thick Film (Printed Electronics): Thin, Flexible, and Designed for the Human BodyPolymer Thick Film (PTF) technology, commonly referred to as printed electronics, is becoming the foundation for a new generation of wearable medical devices. Instead of relying on rigid copper circuitry, PTF systems...
Modern drones demand electronic systems that are lightweight, compact, and highly reliable. Traditional rigid PCBs often struggle to meet these requirements due to their bulk and limitations in fitting tight or curved spaces. Flexible circuits solve this challenge by offering thin, bendable interconnects that reduce weight...
When space is tight, or when PCBs need to mate with enclosures, panels, or external interfaces, edge-mounted boards can offer a clean, compact solution. From USB daughtercards to LED bars and RF modules, mounting a board by its edge—rather than using standoffs or full-surface contact—can simplify mechanical design and reduce...
Electronics are shrinking, getting lighter, and expected to perform flawlessly in demanding environments. From medical wearables to industrial sensors and consumer devices, the push for smaller and smarter products is fueling new approaches in manufacturing. One breakthrough is roll-to-roll (RTR)...
Modern electronics pack more power into tighter spaces than ever. That heat has to go somewhere. Metal Core Printed Circuit Boards (MCPCBs) solve the problem at its source by building a heat-spreading layer directly into the board. PICA Manufacturing Solutions designs and manufactures aluminum- and...
From the palm of your hand, smartphones have revolutionized how we connect, work, and navigate the world. But behind the sleek glass and metal casing lies a key technology that makes their compact, high-performance design possible: flexible printed circuits (FPCs).At PICA Manufacturing Solutions, we specialize in engineering...
Modern products rarely fit neatly into a single interconnect category. Tight packaging, moving joints, long cable runs, heat-dense modules, and fast digital links often coexist in the same device. That’s where Hybrid PCB Assemblies shine. By combining rigid, flexible, flat flexible...
Modern electronics are expected to run hotter, switch faster, and survive harsher environments than ever. Standard FR-4 hits its limits quickly in these scenarios. Ceramic printed circuit boards (PCBs) step in with exceptional thermal conductivity, electrical insulation, and mechanical stability, enabling compact, long-life designs in power, RF/microwave,...
In the expanding world of medical devices, and wearables, the demand for biocompatible substrates in flex and rigid PCBs has never been greater. As electronic systems move closer to and even into the human body, designers and manufacturers must ensure that every...
