For years now, companies that offer mechanical computer-aided design (CAD) solutions have emphasized the use of 3D CAD tools. While progress has been uneven, we can reasonably say that the transition has been accomplished in the mechanical area, first from paper-based technical drawings to 2D computer-based drawings, and now to 3D CAD systems. Many of these CAD suppliers now offer complete product lifecycle management (PLM) capabilities for managing product design and production details, from conceptual architecture to final production.

By Gail Flower, editor-in-chief
The ninth annual Burn-in and Test Socket Workshop (BiTS 2008) on March 9-12, 2008 in Mesa, AZ, presented an interactive, growing, and technical successful forum for experts dedicated to sharing knowledge. BiTS brought together 350 conference attendees and 60 exhibitors worldwide from users of sockets, boards, burn-in systems, handlers, packaging engineers, and suppliers to the industry. This year experts presented 30 papers and 11 technical volunteers presented at two poster sessions, a first-time event at BiTS.