San Marcos, CA – May 2026 – Metal Etch Services, Inc. has added Kaveh Faghihi as Quality Production Coordinator, following his recent internship with the company.

Faghihi’s path to the role is a bit different than a typical new hire. He first connected with the Metal Etch team through a workforce training program at MiraCosta College, where the company participated in mock interviews and career preparation sessions. What started as an introduction during that process turned into an internship opportunity—one that quickly led to a full-time position.

The internship itself was part of a broader collaboration with San Diego Workforce Partnership, aimed at helping individuals build technical skills and transition into manufacturing careers.

Faghihi brings more than 10 years of experience across project management, quality, and regulatory-focused roles. Before joining Metal Etch Services, he worked in quality and manufacturing positions with companies including Samtec, Roche, and Cue Health, where he developed hands-on experience in quality systems, data analysis, and production environments.

He initially joined Metal Etch as a Production Technician earlier this year and quickly transitioned into the Quality Production Coordinator role. In his new position, he will focus on supporting quality initiatives, improving production processes, and helping ensure consistent performance across operations.

“I’m excited to step into this role and continue building on what I’ve learned so far,” said Faghihi. “I look forward to contributing to quality and production improvements while being part of the company’s continued growth.”

Metal Etch Services has built its reputation on a combination of technical expertise and customer-focused service. While the team brings decades of experience in stencil and screen manufacturing, the company continues to invest in training, equipment, and process development to keep pace with evolving industry demands.

Hiring Faghihi is one example of that approach—bringing in new talent, developing it internally, and creating opportunities for long-term growth within the organization.

For more on Metal Etch Services’ stencil solutions, visit www.metaletchservices.com.

Byron Center, MI – May 2026 – ubersmt, a U.S.-based electronics manufacturing services provider, today announced its new “First Build On Us” program, offering free PCB assembly for qualifying new customers through Summer 2026.

Designed for engineers, startups, and product teams ready to move, the program removes one of the biggest barriers in early-stage development: getting that first build done quickly, correctly, and without upfront cost.

“We’re not interested in being just another vendor, we want to be the partner you call first,” said Michael Antwih, President of ubersmt. “If you have a design ready, we’ll build it and show you exactly how we operate. That’s how long-term relationships start.”

The program is built specifically for prototype and early production work, with clear parameters to ensure speed and responsiveness:

• New customers only
• Quantities from 1-100 boards
• Fewer than 100 unique part numbers
• Single- or double-sided assemblies
• Standard rigid PCBs; flex circuits accepted with applicable setup fee

Rather than a promotion, ubersmt sees this as a proving ground and an opportunity to demonstrate its speed, communication, and execution from day one. “This is about earning the next build,” Antwih added. “Once customers see how we move, they don’t go anywhere else.”

Availability is limited, and projects are being accepted now.

For more information, visit www.ubersmt.com.

SAN DIEGO, CA — KIC, a leader in thermal process technologies for electronics manufacturing, in partnership with E-tronix, will host a live technical webinar on May 19 titled “Automatic Profiling: Why Aren’t You Using It Yet?” The webinar will examine how automatic profiling is transforming SMT process control for reflow and wave soldering, in today’s high-mix, high-reliability manufacturing environment. Registration is now open: https://lnkd.in/g56XqRTH.

The session will feature Miles Moreau, who will discuss how embedded sensor technology and intelligent predictive algorithms are enabling manufacturers to automatically generate a real-time thermal profile for every production board—without interrupting production.

As electronics assemblies become more complex and quality expectations continue to rise across automotive, aerospace, medical, and defense markets, traditional manual thermal profiling methods are increasingly insufficient. Manual profiling is labor-intensive, operator-dependent, and only provides point-in-time verification, leaving significant gaps in process visibility between profile runs.

The webinar will explore how automatic profiling systems address these challenges by providing continuous process verification, board-level traceability, and real-time thermal insight throughout production.

Attendees will learn how automatic profiling can help manufacturers:

• Accelerate NPI ramp-up and recipe changeovers
• Automate collection of per-board production profile data
• Achieve Real-Time process verification and traceability
• Reduce labor, scrap, and rework through automation
• Enable real-time process control for higher quality production

“If you’re still relying on periodic manual profiling, this webinar will demonstrate what a modern, intelligent reflow process looks like and why the industry is rapidly moving in this direction,” said Miles Moreau.

Webinar Details

• Title: Automatic Profiling: Why Aren’t You Using It Yet?
• Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2026
• Time: 10:00 AM PT | 12:00 PM CT | 1:00 PM ET

Registration is now open: https://lnkd.in/g56XqRTH

SANTA CLARA, CA ― May 2026 ― Absolute EMS, Inc., a Silicon Valley–based provider of high-technology electronics manufacturing services, continues to grow its presence in the satellite sector, supporting programs across low Earth orbit (LEO), medium Earth orbit (MEO), and geostationary orbit (GEO) with advanced PCBA manufacturing, test, and sub-assembly capabilities.

As satellite designs evolve, so do the manufacturing demands behind them. LEO systems must withstand frequent thermal cycling and exposure to atomic oxygen, while MEO and GEO platforms are expected to operate for years—often decades—without the possibility of service. Across all orbits, the expectation is the same: consistent quality and long-term reliability under harsh conditions.

Absolute EMS has aligned its processes to meet those expectations. The company has developed an intensified touchless manufacturing approach designed to reduce handling-related variability and maintain tighter process control throughout production. Combined with high quality standards, full traceability, and a workforce certified to IPC J-STD-001 Class 3—including Space Addendum requirements—this approach helps ensure assemblies are built to perform in environments where failure isn’t an option.

Another ongoing challenge in satellite design is weight. Reducing mass directly impacts launch cost and system efficiency, and it requires precision at the component level. Absolute EMS supports this need with experience in assembling ultra-miniature components, including 008004 imperial package sizes, enabling customers to push designs further without compromising build quality.

With a background supporting high-reliability industries such as medical, military, and industrial electronics, Absolute EMS brings a practical understanding of controlled manufacturing environments and strict documentation requirements. That experience continues to translate naturally into the satellite sector, where traceability, repeatability, and process discipline are critical.

“Our customers are building systems that need to perform in very different environments depending on orbit, but the expectations around quality and reliability don’t change,” said Doug Dow, COO at Absolute EMS. “Our focus is on building processes that support that consistency, regardless of the application.”

As demand for satellite technology continues to grow, Absolute EMS is positioned to support a range of programs from emerging LEO constellations to long-life GEO platforms while maintaining a steady focus on quality, precision, and manufacturability.

For more information about Absolute EMS and its electronics manufacturing services, visit www.absolute-ems.com.