Manfred Hummel (Hummel Leiterplatten) is working on a standard work on the history of printed circuit boards. It will be published by Leuze-Verlag in 2024.
How long have you been pursuing the idea of a book on the history of printed circuit boards?
When my 'Introduction to PCB and Assembly Technology' was published in 2017, I developed the idea with Mr. Thomas Reichert to write down the fascinating history of PCB technology. It combines mechanics, physics and chemistry and has shaped the entire electronics industry. A challenge for every engineer!
What was your own 'PCB history' like?
I started at IBM in Sindelfingen in 1968 after graduating and was able to test a sample of a newly developed solid-state photoresist from the USA for the first time. This had not previously been available in Germany.
Let's assume that the inventor of the modern printed circuit board, Paul Eisler, was still alive today - what questions would you ask?
I would be interested to know how he felt as a German in England during his emigration. Whether he was able to move freely as a 'dangerous foreigner' and a Jew. Whether his etched circuit board technology was not recognized for a long time because he was a foreigner. Whether he had personal contact with Mr. Sargrove, who produced radios fully automatically on a large scale and used a type of circuit board. Where he got the necessary etching varnish, the base material etc. from. As you can see, we would never run out of things to talk about.
