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The resource parameter in life cycle assessments is used to evaluate present efficiency in resource recovery from printed circuit boards. It is shown that only a fraction of the resources held by PCBs are recovered today, and that in order to improve resource recovery a good knowledge of the chemical content of electronic components is necessary. Analytical techniques specially suited to the analysis of electronic components are discussed, and it is concluded that critical resources are indeed concentrated in certain electronic components. Finally, an automated system for removing components from the boards and for recognising and sorting the components is discussed.

The assembly of surface mounted component parts into 3‐dimensional moulded circuit boards enables the integration of electronic and mechanical functions. However, this requires the assembly processes to be adapted to the MID’s 3‐dimensional geometry. This paper describes research on the development of assembly systems for MIDs at the FAPS Institute. Limits on the application of solder paste on inclined process planes are discussed, as well as possibilities of assembling with conventional assembly systems. A possibility for adapting existing assembly systems to new requirements is demonstrated and a concept for an optimised MID assembly system will be given.

This paper seeks to give an overview on the benefits and challenges of moulded interconnect devices‐technology and the use of flexible printed circuits (FPC) in electronics production.

Each process step was adapted to the boundary conditions of manufacturing three‐dimensional substrates and FPC. The substrate materials were examined under the specific requirements of electronics production with a special focus on the thermal stability of the materials and the adhesiveness of the metallization.

The use of thermoplastics as substrate materials for electronic devices offers high potential but new challenges, e.g. the higher coefficient of thermal expansion of thermoplastics, have to be taken into consideration as well. In most cases, standard machines for surface mount technology can be used with few modifications. Research has shown that even components with very fine pitches can be used successfully on alternative substrate materials.

The paper covers a selection of possible thermoplastic materials that can be used in electronics production. Depending on the requirements of the application and the operating environment other substrate materials open up a large variety of possible solutions.

The paper details the most promising thermoplastic materials for use in electronics production as rigid and FPC. Furthermore, it gives information about manufacturing guidelines for the production of three‐dimensional circuit carriers.

At the Institute for Manufacturing Automation and Production Systems (FAPS), in Erlangen, Germany, the influence of different storage conditions on cracking behaviour of high‐pin‐count components is examined. The aim is to register all relevant influence parameters in an expanded‐damage model and to quantify its effects on the later processing of the components. Effective strategies can be developed, based on this new model of damage, for storage and transportation of components.

This study aims to investigate the role of interfirm communication on the complementary effect between corporate political action (CPA) and research and development (R&D) investments under transaction costs.

A quasi-experiment study design was used, combining business game simulation and a public goods experiment with communication as a controlled variable. A fixed-effect regression analysis was performed on panel data collected from 72 students.

The findings indicate that collective CPA is positively and significantly associated with R&D investments, particularly when interfirm communication is present. Conversely, for non-communicating firms, the effect is limited to the relationship between individual CPA and R&D investment.

Despite advancing the research on political ties and innovation, the study acknowledges limitations related to framing effects and institutional variability.

The complementary effects indicate that institutional arrangements (i.e. business associations) may foster interfirm communication and cooperation in CPA efforts, mitigating opportunistic behaviours and legitimising CPA strategy towards innovation.

This study contributes to understanding how firms’ political and R&D decisions can positively impact innovation, despite the challenges of ex post transaction costs.

The positive effect of communication on political action and cooperation on firms’ innovation, even in weak institutional environments, is highlighted. An innovative methodological approach combining business games and economic experiments was used to examine participants’ decisions under transaction costs.

The purpose of the paper is to focus on the research into components with specific thermal properties and their influences on the reflow soldering process.

After a brief introduction, the paper gives an overview of the necessity of thermal management on printed circuit boards (PCBs) and the possible effects on the manufacturing of electronic devices. In the next sections, different test boards are presented for investigations into different thermal effects during soldering. The last section deals with the influences of molded interconnected devices (MIDs) on the reflow soldering process.

The investigations show that components from the thermal management influence the reflow soldering process more or less. The highest impacts on the soldering process are from components with a thermal connection to the electrical component and its solder joint. All results from the investigations have in common that the thermal influence can only be compensated by increasing the temperature during soldering. However, this significantly increases the risk of overheating the electrical components or the PCB itself.

This paper shows only the influence of some of the effects caused by thermal management on the reflow soldering process. Furthermore, vapour phase soldering is not considered, but actual investigations are carried out on vapour phase soldering ovens as well.

Thermal management becomes more and more important with the increasing functionality of electrical components and electronic devices. This topic has been the subject of a large number of articles. However, this paper deals with influences that thermal management has on the soldering process during the manufacturing of the electronic device.

Accounting educators continue to look for efficient ways to introduce personal competencies into the curriculum. Prior literature contains numerous suggestions on how faculty can implement a single personal competency, such as written communication. This chapter describes our strategy for integrating a variety of personal competencies using team projects. We implement this strategy by selecting projects that are content oriented and not only involve critical thinking but also address students’ skills related to written and oral communication, technology, teamwork, and leadership. We offer guidance on how to implement this project-oriented strategy and also provide selected tools for streamlining the assessment of student performance, such as sample grading rubrics and an online survey for evaluating team leader and team member performance. Feedback suggests that students perceived an improvement in their competencies as a result of the course's activities. While we bundled a variety of personal competencies within a managerial cost accounting course, instructors can easily adapt our strategy to any course in the curriculum.

The production of printed circuit boards (PCB) is facing considerable challenges concerning the demand for higher interconnection density and environmental friendliness. These demands cannot be satisfied by only optimising the conventional subtractive process chain, but require new production technologies to be developed. The production equipment has to guarantee that the process is carried out in a reliable way and at an acceptable speed. Therefore, the development of new process chains requires a critical review, or even a redesign of suitable manufacturing equipment. The application of simulation tools and “virtual prototyping” can support this process as the technology's impact on the machine design can be evaluated without the need for building costly prototypes. Finally, the costs of the new and current processes can be compared using the simulation results.

The years following the 9/11/2001 terrorists attacks saw a marked increase in community and hospital emergency preparedness, from communications across community networks, development of policies and procedures, to attainment and training in the use of biological warfare resources. Regular drills ensured emergency and health care personnel were trained and prepared to address the next large-scale crisis, especially from terrorist and bioterrorist attacks. This chapter looks at some of the more familiar global health issues over the past two decades and the lessons learned from hospital responses to inform hospital management in preparation for future incidents.

This study is a narrative review of the literature related to lessons learned from four major events in the time period from 2002 to 2023 – SARS, MERS, Ebola, and COVID-19.

The initial search yielded 25,913 articles; 57 articles were selected for inclusion in the study.

Comparison of key issues and lessons learned among the four major events described in this article – SARS, MERS, Ebola, and COVID-19 – highlight that several lessons are “relearned” with each event. Other key issues, such as supply shortages, staffing availability, and hospital capacity to simultaneously provide care to noninfectious patients came to the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic. A primary, ongoing concern for hospitals is how to maintain their preparedness given competing priorities, resources, and staff time. This concern remains post-COVID-19.