Multimedia Creative Pro - From Sports to Software
WRITING SAMPLES
Below is a selection of publicly available writing samples for view. I also have experience writing Whitepapers and eBooks that can not be openly shared on my site.
6 PFAS ELECTRONICS STATISTICS ON ‘FOREVER CHEMICALS’ AND HOW THEY THREATEN THE INDUSTRY
The electronics industry is facing one of its biggest regulatory challenges as global agencies start closing in on PFAS ‘Forever Chemical’ use. We’ve compiled 6 PFAS electronics statistics to help you and your development teams understand the latest impacts on part selection and use.
TAIWAN EARTHQUAKE IMPACT ON SEMICONDUCTOR SUPPLY CHAIN
A 7.4 magnitude earthquake shook Taiwan on Wednesday, threatening the supply chain for 92% of the globe’s advanced semiconductors. The quake struck at around 8 am local time just 11 miles southwest of Hualien City. Semiconductor manufacturers such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC), and Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp (PSMC) halted production and evacuated plants after the quake.
Taiwan is home to 60% of all semiconductor manufacturing. These semiconductor facilities are equipped with top-tier capabilities for various stages of semiconductor production, including fabrication, processes, assembly, packaging, and testing.
On Jan 23, 2024, another SVHC Candidate List update was issued by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), adding five new substances. With the five new substances, the REACH SVHC list now contains 240 substances.
EPA BANS CHRYSOTILE ASBESTOS UNDER TSCA
On March 18th, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned chrysotile asbestos, the last form of asbestos used in the United States, under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Its use goes beyond construction and is still used in electronics and automotive applications. Chrysotile asbestos, or white asbestos, makes up 95% of the commercial use of asbestos in the United States. The rule prohibits ongoing uses of the only known form of asbestos currently imported, processed, and distributed in the U.S. The EPA issued the ruling to protect people from lung cancer, mesothelioma, ovarian cancer, laryngeal cancer, and other health problems caused by asbestos exposure.
CARGO SHIPS AVOID THE SUEZ CANAL AFTER RED SEA ATTACKS
Cargo vessels are avoiding the Red Sea after Houthi rebels started attacking commercial ships off the Yemen coast. Since mid-November, the rebel group has attacked ships in protest of Israel’s escalating response against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The attacks threaten to disrupt supply chains as the Red Sea is a critical shipping route leading into the Suez Canal. Ships avoiding the Red Sea must now travel around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope.
US RESTRICTS AI CHIP EXPORTS TO CHINA
The U.S. Department of Commerce is restricting the sale of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips to China after announcing new export rules in October. The latest measures specifically target Nvidia’s A800 and H800 AI chips, with potential implications for semiconductor giants Intel and AMD. Additionally, the new rules impact the export of semiconductor manufacturing equipment from major companies like Applied Materials, Lam, and KLA.
The new rule change comes as chip makers specifically designed chips with slightly underperforming specifications to circumvent the previous ban from October 2022. The new rules target these chips specifically made for China and will require chip makers to notify the U.S. government about new underperforming chips before they’re shipped to China.
PFAS, SUPPLY CHAIN RESILIENCE, AND 4 MORE TOPICS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED IN 2023
As we close the book on 2023, there were a lot of major topics and events we discussed that impacted the semiconductor industry. From the growing scrutiny of PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ to major supply chain disruptions and how to respond to them, we had much to discuss. Look back at some of our top discussions over the past year.
3 NEW SUBSTANCES ADDED TO CALIFORNIA PROP 65 – NOVEMBER 2023
On November 17, 2023, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) added three new substances to California’s Proposition 65 list. Proposition 65 requires businesses to place clear warning labels on products and locations that may contain significant exposures to chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.
EPA PROPOSES TO AMEND PBT RULES FOR DECABDE AND PIP (3:1)
On November 24th, 2023, The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposed rule regarding amending the regulations for decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) and phenol, isopropylated phosphate (3:1) (PIP (3:1)), two of the five persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals addressed in final rules issued under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) in January 2021.
The revision proposes workplace safety measures and water release restrictions. It also addresses broader implementation issues affecting the supply chains of various industry sectors, including the nuclear energy sector, transportation, construction, agriculture, forestry, mining, life sciences, and semiconductor production.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INVESTS $39.9 MILLION TO STRENGTHEN U.S. PCB SUPPLY CHAINS
On November 15th, 2023, the U.S. Department of Defense awarded $39.9 million to Calumet Electronics Corporation through the Defense Production Act Investment (DPAI) Program. This investment aims to enhance Calumet's capabilities in producing High-Density Build-Up (HDBU) substrates, including High-Density Interconnect Printed Circuit Board (PrCB) cores and HDBU build-up layers. The award is a part of the Biden Administration's commitment to supporting the domestic PrCB and advanced packaging industrial base, recognizing their critical role in modern weapons systems and maintaining a strategic edge over potential adversaries.
This award will enable Calumet to scale up its engineering, tooling, and manufacturing operations, establishing domestic production capabilities for HDBU substrates. These substrates are crucial in sixth-generation systems and applications, such as radar, electronic warfare, processing, and communications.
UFLPA ENTITY LIST UPDATE – US RESTRICTS IMPORTS FROM CHINA MADE WITH FORCED LABOR
The United States restricted imports from three more Chinese companies as part of an effort to eliminate goods made with the forced labor of Uyghur minorities.