MEP EP#258: Chainsaws, Wasps, Doom, and Gloom

<h4><a href="https://macrofab.com/blog/mep-ep258-chainsaws-wasps-doom-and-gloom">MEP EP#258: Chainsaws, Wasps, Doom, and Gloom</a><br></h4><h4>Parker</h4> <ul> <li aria-level="1"><a href="https://macrofab.com/blog/lunar-new-year-2021/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PCBA Lead Times in Q1 2021</a> <ul> <li aria-level="2">Supply chain disruption in 2020 started with the Lunar New Year and quickly extended into the COVID-19</li> <li aria-level="2">2021 LNY falls between February 9 to February 16</li> <li aria-level="2">COVID-19 Vaccines <ul> <li aria-level="3">Logistic capacity being reserved for the vaccine distribution</li> </ul> </li> <li aria-level="2">10 Day service at MF will be the biggest hit. Guaranteed 10 day service will be disabled on January 13th and will resume on February 16th.</li> </ul> </li> <li aria-level="1">On Dec. 31, 2020, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) allowed the exclusion for 2-layer and 4-layer printed circuit boards HS code to expire. <ul> <li aria-level="2">Any orders for 2- and 4-layer products going forward or that have not yet been received into the U.S. <i>will</i> have a tariff surcharge if built in Mainland China.</li> </ul> </li> <li aria-level="1">Other interesting PCB related things <ul> <li aria-level="2">Copper – the price of copper has increased 68% YOY</li> <li aria-level="2">Gold – the price of gold has increased 22% YOY</li> <li aria-level="2">Resin – cost of epoxy resin has risen 40% since the recent fires at Epoxy Resins factories in China and Korea</li> </ul> </li> <li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.fierceelectronics.com/iot-wireless/ul-aims-to-put-a-security-rating-every-connected-device" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UL aims to put a security rating on every connected device</a> <ul> <li aria-level="2">Categorizes products according to an ascending five-level scale: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond.</li> <li aria-level="2">For consumer level devices this could take hold if customers pay a