AX Control, Inc.

Surface Mount Technology: What is SMT?

Surface mount technology components on a narrow circuit board. — Surface Mount Technology components in place. By JCHaywire. CC BY-SA 2.0

Surface mount technology has changed how printed circuit boards are designed. But what do you know about it?

The 1970s and 80s saw a sharp rise in the need for PCBs (printed circuit boards.) To meet that demand, designers had to find a way to manufacture boards more efficiently.

But the traditional way of mounting components–using pre-formed lead wires connected to the board through plated through holes–didn’t allow for fast assembly. Components had to line up at the correct angle before they could mount to the surface, slowing down assembly.

Machine Learning Applications: What Can They Do?

A man looks at data. Machine learning applications quickly identifies patterns in data. — Machine learning applications quickly identify patterns in data.

Machine learning applications are everywhere now. Chances are, you’ve interacted with a machine learning application today. Image and voice recognition, medical diagnosis, and data extraction all use machine learning. Your computer uses it. So does your doctor’s office. As the world becomes more complex, machine learning applications are showing up in more sectors.

Why is this?

Machine learning simplifies the complex. That’s what makes it so useful. It can quickly identify patterns in data and make decisions on that data, often without human intervention. It achieves this faster and better than any human could.

General Electric: Still Evolving After a Century.

General Electric sign on top of GE Administration Building — General Electric Sign on GE Admin building in Schenectady, NY. _{Image by Chuckthewriter. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0}

General Electric began in 1892 when several companies merged together, including Thomas Edison’s Lamp Company. The men in charge hoped for lasting success. But it’s unlikely they expected their company would remain one of the largest in the world for over 100 years.

In 2000, GE was the most profitable company in the world. Yet two decades later, profits have nosedived, as has the value of the company. Why?

The answer is complex. Read on for some history and explanation.

History of General Electric: The Foundations

GE sprung from the merging of a lamp manufacturer, an electric company, and a railway & motor company. When the Dow Jones Industrial Average was first published in 1896, GE was one of the first companies listed. The company helped industrialize America through the availability of cheap electricity.