everything RF recently interviewed Anaya Vardya, the CEO of American Standard Circuits and ASC Sunstone Circuits. With deep expertise in complex PCB fabrication, Anaya leads the company’s focus on HDI and UHDI, RF/microwave, flex and rigid-flex, metal-backed, and mission-critical multilayer technologies serving aerospace, defense, medical, and industrial markets. Anaya is actively involved in advancing domestic US PCB manufacturing capabilities, investing in next-generation processes, equipment, and engineering talent. A frequent contributor to industry discussions on technology, supply-chain resilience, and quality standards, Anaya is a strong advocate for strengthening the U.S. electronics ecosystem through innovation, collaboration, and manufacturing excellence.
Q: To start, can you please introduce American Standard Circuits and Sunstone Circuits?
Anaya Vardya: American Standard Circuits is based in West Chicago, Illinois, and our other division, Sunstone Circuits, is located in Oregon. Together, ASC-Sunstone Circuits as a company is a technology-driven PCB manufacturer built to serve engineers who demand speed, precision, and reliability - from concept through production. We specialize in high-performance printed circuit boards, including RF, microwave, high-speed digital, HDI, flex, and rigid-flex technologies.
Our core markets include aerospace and defense, medical, telecommunications, automotive, industrial electronics, and advanced commercial systems. What unites all of these customers is the need for trust - trust that their designs will be built correctly, on time, and to specification. That’s the business we’re in.
Q: How did Sunstone and American Standard Circuits come together to form ASC-Sunstone Circuits? What was the vision behind this merger, and how has it strengthened the combined company?
Anaya Vardya: The merger was driven by a simple but powerful idea: engineers shouldn’t have to choose between speed and sophistication.
Sunstone built its reputation on quick-turn prototyping, online ordering, and exceptional front-end engineering support. American Standard Circuits brought deep manufacturing strength, advanced materials and technology expertise, and production scalability.
By bringing these two organizations together, we created a company that can take an idea from a one-off prototype all the way to complex, high-reliability production - without handing the customer off to someone else. It strengthened our technical bench, expanded our material and process capabilities, and gave customers a single, trusted partner throughout the product lifecycle.
Q: ASC-Sunstone Circuits has a long history in PCB manufacturing. How would you describe your technical expertise and core strengths in the PCB space?
Anaya Vardya: Our core strength is engineering depth backed by manufacturing discipline.
We don’t just build boards - we understand why they work. That means signal integrity, impedance control, thermal management, material behavior, and long-term reliability are built into every decision we make. Our teams have decades of experience in complex multilayer designs, tight tolerances, advanced laminates, and mission-critical applications.
In short, we’re very good at boards that can’t fail.
ASC's PCB manufacturing capabilities
Q: Can you walk us through the range of PCB services and technologies you offer today - from quick-turn prototypes to advanced production boards?
Anaya Vardya: Sure We support the full PCB spectrum, including:
The key is continuity. Customers can prototype fast, refine designs with our engineers, and then scale into production without changing suppliers or compromising quality.
Various types of PCBs are available for production by ASC
Q: RF, microwave, and high-speed PCBs require specific materials and processes. How does ASC- Sunstone support RF/microwave designs differently from standard PCB manufacturing?
Anaya Vardya: RF and microwave boards demand discipline and precision at every step. We treat them differently because they are different.
That starts with material selection, continues through controlled stack-ups and impedance modeling, and extends to process control, etch compensation, and inspection. We involve engineering early to ensure designs are manufacturable without degrading electrical performance.
RF work is not forgiving - and we don’t treat it casually.
Q: What materials, stack-ups, or fabrication techniques do you offer for RF and high-frequency circuits?
Anaya Vardya: We work with a broad range of high-frequency laminates, including PTFE-based materials, low-loss hydrocarbon ceramics, and advanced RF prepregs. We support hybrid stack-ups, mixed dielectric constructions, and specialized copper treatments to achieve:
- Low insertion loss
- Tight impedance control
- Thermal stability
- Mechanical reliability
We also apply process controls specifically tuned for RF, because repeatability matters as much as raw performance.
Q: What industries and applications do your customers most commonly serve, and are there any segments that are seeing particularly strong growth?
Anaya Vardya: We see strong demand from aerospace and defense, medical electronics, telecommunications, automotive electronics, and advanced industrial systems.
Growth is being driven by higher frequencies, higher data rates, tighter packaging, and increased reliability requirements. As electronics become more complex, customers are looking for partners - not just vendors - who can help them navigate that complexity.
Q: Can you share how ASC-Sunstone supports engineering teams during design and development?
Anaya Vardya: We believe early engagement saves time, money, and frustration.
Our engineers work directly with customer design teams on DFM reviews, material selection, stack-up optimization, and manufacturability guidance. Whether it’s a fast prototype or a long-term production program, our goal is to eliminate surprises and accelerate time to market.
Engineering support is not an add-on here - it’s part of the value.
Q: With rapid advances in electronics, how does ASC- Sunstone stay ahead in materials, fabrication technologies, and process innovation?
Anaya Vardya: We stay ahead by investing continuously - in people, equipment, software, and partnerships.
That includes evaluating new materials, refining fabrication techniques, improving digital workflows, and expanding advanced capabilities. We’re especially excited about ongoing improvements in high-frequency processing, tighter tolerances, and scalable production methods that preserve prototype-level performance.
Innovation isn’t a department - it’s a mindset.
Q: Looking ahead, what are the key priorities or strategic initiatives for ASC-Sunstone Circuits in the next few years?
Anaya Vardya: Our priorities are clear:
- Deepen our leadership in RF, high-speed, and advanced PCB technologies
- Strengthen prototype-to-production continuity
- Expand engineering collaboration with customers
- Invest in capacity and process reliability
- Remain the most trusted domestic PCB partner for complex designs
At the end of the day, our strategy is simple: build boards that engineers are proud to put their name on - and companies can rely on for the long haul.
That’s how you win in this industry.
About American Standard Circuits:
American Standard Circuits (ASC) and Sunstone Circuits have joined forces to become the ultimate PCB solution provider with over 50 years of combined industry experience. ASC excels in producing Ultra HDI, rigid, metal-backed/core, RF/microwave, flex, and rigid-flex PCBs for diverse industries, while Sunstone Circuits is known for quick-turn, high-quality PCBs and exceptional customer support. This strategic alliance combines ASC's certifications and expertise with Sunstone's commitment to excellence, setting a new standard in PCB manufacturing. Together, we provide full-scale solutions for engineers, from design to prototype to large-scale production.
