Three Industry Leaders Receive IPC President’s Award

In recognition of their significant contributions of time, talent, and ongoing leadership in IPC and the electronics industry, Susann Chen, Joe Kane, and John Walls were presented with IPC President's Awards at IPC APEX EXPO on January 25. 

Susann Chen, ZhuZhou CRRC Times Electric Company, serves as chair of IPC ASSC, chair of IPC/WHMA-A-620C-Rail Transit Addendum, co-chair of 7-31f China Task Group, vice-chair of IPC-A-610G Rail Transit Addendum, and as a member of IPC TAEC-Global. Chen was honored for her work with IPC China to convene technical conferences and competitions, to promote in-depth cooperation between IPC and the rail transit industry in China, and for encouraging participation in IPC training and events.

Joe Kane, BAE Systems, chair of the D-35 subcommittee, was honored for serving on 21 standards development committees, helping to write the original IPC-1601 and Rev. A guidelines, and most recently IPC-1602, Standard for Printed Board Handling and Storage, and IPC-7801A, Reflow Oven Process Control Standard.  

John Walls, Aegis Software, was honored for being an early promoter of the Industrial Internet of Things standardization that led to the IPC-2591 Connected Factory Exchange (CFX) committee, and the historic launch of the IPC CFX IIoT standard. Walls engineered the CFX toolkit and is the architect of the IPC-CFX qualification website and cloud engine, contributing to the content that formed the IPC-CFX education courses.

“We are happy to present the President’s Award to Susann, Joe, and John, in appreciation of their significant contributions to IPC and the global electronics manufacturing industry,” said John Mitchell, IPC president and CEO. “Their leadership and expertise set the standard for building electronics better.”

Three Long-time IPC Volunteers Receive Dieter Bergman IPC Fellowship Award

Three IPC volunteers who have fostered a collaborative spirit, made significant contributions to standards development, and have consistently demonstrated a commitment to global standardization efforts, were presented with Dieter Bergman IPC Fellowship awards at IPC APEX EXPO 2022. Bev Christian, Doug Pauls, and Jose Servin were chosen as award recipients because they embody the work ethic and spirit of the late Dieter Bergman, a pioneer and industry icon. They will bestow Dieter Bergman Memorial Scholarship awards on the university or college of their choice.                  

Bev Christian, Ph.D., a facilitator for the High-Density Packaging User Group and Adjunct Professor at the University of Waterloo, Canada, has participated in IPC APEX EXPO since its inception. A member of 27 committees, including co-chair of the 2021-2022 Technical Program Committee, Bev serves as chair of the 3-11G and 5-24B task groups. An author of more than fifty published papers, Christian chose the Chemistry Department at the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, as the scholarship recipient.

Doug Pauls, a dedicated volunteer at IPC, was awarded the IPC Hall of Fame in 2017. A principal materials and process engineer at Collins Aerospace and former chair of several IPC committees, Pauls is known for his expertise in surface insulation resistance testing, cleaning and cleanliness assessment, conformal coatings, and how to investigate and qualify manufacturing processes. He recently led the team that redefined the cleanliness provisions of IPC J-STD-001, culminating in what is presently J-STD-001G, Amendment 1. Pauls’ school of choice for the Dieter Bergman scholarship is the Materials and Science Engineering (MSE) department at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.

Jose Servin Olivares is a level three senior process engineer at Vitesco in Mexico who specializes in electronics assemblies in SMT, BE, and electronics component manufacturing. A member of the IPC-A-610 and J-STD-001 working groups and former chair of the IPC-A-610G and J-STD-001G Automotive Addendums, he worked closely with the committees to address criteria and acceptability requirements for printed board assemblies for the automotive industry not covered in IPC-A-610G and J-STD-001G. Servin Olivares chose a branch of the Morelos State University in Mexico as the recipient of the Dieter Bergman award – Yecapixtla School of Higher Studies of Morelos State University.

“The recipients of this year’s Dieter Bergman Fellowship award have devoted years to IPC standards development, and we are fortunate to be the recipients of their considerable talent and expertise,” said John W. Mitchell, IPC president and CEO. “We are glad to be able to honor their volunteerism and assist future engineers with this award.”

Industry Reconnects as IPC APEX EXPO 2022 Reconvenes as In-person Event

From revolutionary innovations displayed on the show floor to expert insights conveyed in technical conference sessions, professional development courses and standards development committee meetings, IPC APEX EXPO 2022 provided the education and networking connections that helped 3,647 visitors address today’s business challenges and prepare for their factories of future.          

In keeping with the event’s theme, “Lead, Drive, Achieve Digital Transcendence,” IPC APEX EXPO’s technical conference featured 104 technical papers detailing original research and innovations from industry experts around the world and opportunities for learning abounded. For 2022, IPC’s Technical Program Committee expanded the conference to four tracks of high-quality, peer-reviewed content from 18 countries, setting a very high bar for the papers delivered. Those four tracks focused on factory of the future implementation; PCB fab and materials; quality, reliability, test, and inspection; and assembly materials and environment.

Nearly 100 standards development committees made significant progress on new and revised documents including IPC-J-STD-001, IPC-A-610, IPC-7711/21, IPC/WHMA-A-620, IPC-2551, IPC-2591 and dozens more. “At the joint IPC J-STD-001 and IPC-A-610 task group meeting, more than 90 volunteers contributed their expertise to revising the standards,” said Teresa Rowe, IPC senior director, assembly and standards technology. "At times, discussions were spirited, but great headway was made on the 'J" revisions.

Many attendees achieved their business objectives at the event. “Attending IPC APEX EXPO is the most efficient way to learn about new equipment and processes that can help make my job easier,” said Randy Bremner, Northrop Grumman. “All the experts are there; we were able to meet in person this year and I got all of my questions answered in one place. It’s truly one-stop learning in classrooms and shopping on the show floor.”

The APEX EXPO 2022 experience was equally positive for the 282 exhibitors who showcased their products and services on 108,300 square feet of show floor space. “Our team feels this was the best IPC APEX EXPO we have participated in,” said John Lee, Insulectro. “Yes, due to COVID, attendance was a little light, but we had top quality opportunities to meet with customers, prospects, and suppliers. We were all blown away with how effective and productive APEX EXPO was for us.”

Added Jason Spera, Aegis Software, “It was great being back at APEX EXPO live after a two-year break. Our experience at this year’s show was much better than anticipated. We came to the show enthusiastic but wondering frankly what would happen and how things would go, but IPC did a brilliant job handling this year’s event. The attendance at our booth was far in excess of what we expected.”

Said John W. Mitchell, IPC president and CEO, “The January omicron surge provoked more than a few questions about what to expect at this year’s IPC APEX EXPO. As I traversed the San Diego convention center last week, the answer was clear, a lot of smiles. Yes, they were hidden behind masks but more than evident in the eyes of everyone with whom I interacted. Attendees were thrilled to back together in-person—sharing ideas as freely as elbow bumps. IPC is a community and IPC APEX EXPO is the place we build it. It was great to be back!”

In 2023, IPC APEX EXPO will return to the San Diego Convention Center, January 21-26. For more information, visit www.ipcapexexpo.org.

Electronics Industry Commends U.S. House Action on America COMPETES Act, Which Boosts Funding for Chips and Related Electronics Technologies

The electronics manufacturing industry is applauding a bill being voted on this week in the U.S. House of Representatives, which would, if enacted, launch a new era of federal government partnership with the industry.

IPC supports H.R. 4521, the America COMPETES Act and its objective of strengthening the United States’ technology capabilities.

Like its Senate counterpart, the U.S. Innovation and Competitiveness Act (USICA), the America COMPETES Act contains $52 billion to strengthen the U.S. semiconductor industry and implement the CHIPS for America Act. Also like the Senate bill, the House bill would boost federal investment in research and development (R&D) in a variety of technologies.

Notably, the House bill would appropriate at least $2.5 billion in fiscal 2023 for advanced packaging R&D, aimed at helping U.S.-based companies adopt new techniques to electronically connect multiple chips in a single package through integrated circuit substrates. In a post-Moore’s Law world, with the pace of improvements in chips slowing down, advanced packaging offers an alternative way to achieve more computing power and economic efficiency. 

A report last week from the U.S. Commerce Department called for urgent action on semiconductors. But chips do not function on their own. Recent IPC studies have urged Congress to combine its investments in semiconductor manufacturing with additional support for advanced packaging, printed circuit boards (PCBs), and related technologies. Without such action, U.S.-made chips would still need to be sent offshore to be manufactured into finished products, leaving the U.S. vulnerable to supply chain shocks. 

“We’re pleased to see Congress making progress on the bipartisan goal of re-establishing U.S. leadership in advanced electronics, which power everything from automobiles to medical devices, aircraft, smartphones, and beyond,” said IPC President and CEO John W. Mitchell. “This bill has the potential to begin rebuilding the U.S. electronics manufacturing ecosystem.”

Adds Chris Mitchell, IPC vice president of global government relations, “While the U.S. has allowed its domestic electronics industries to atrophy, America’s competitors have invested heavily in theirs. This legislation is an opportunity to put America on pace to rebuild this crucial industry, which is so vital to our future security and prosperity.”

IMDS - International Material Data Systems: Implications on Electronic Suppliers

Feb 02, 2022

This blog piece was written by AIAG’s Supplier Alliance Committee, which works globally with JAPIA and CLEPA to provide feedback to the IMDS Steering Committee on specific issues impacting suppliers

The International Material Data System (IMDS) has been the global automotive product declaration system for more than 20 years. With over 200,000 companies collecting about 90M declarations, the automotive industry has gathered unparalleled information about product and material content.

Historically, IMDS Recommendation 019 (referred to as Rec019) semi-components allowed automotive electronics companies to use a generic shortcut if they collected and stored the underlying compliance information. Companies were also required to add any materials not in line with the generic composition. Recently, the Substances of Concern in Products (SCIP) database under the Waste Framework Directive and other chemical and product regulatory pressures have led to the immediate modification of most IMDS electronics data. While many companies use industry materials declaration standards (e.g., IPC-1752 or -1754) and other formats beyond IMDS, the SCIP database and other data-reporting requirements are driving the need to capture material classifications for SVHC identification purposes.

Highlights of the Recent IMDS Changes

  • Removal of the populated laminate based Rec019 semi-components in IMDS
  • Removal of the 8.x Electronics material classification to be replaced with specific IMDS material classifications had the biggest impact on the electronic component suppliers.
  • Cross-industry agreement on material classifications for electronics materials (e.g., mold compound as 5.4.3 Other Duromer)
  • Retention of rules and guidelines for materials in >5g components, norms and standards are optional
  • Best Practice – when creating a non-standard material, with no applicable norm or standard, especially metals, include a comment in the remarks field noting that an ‘industry norm or standard is not applicable’

What’s Next?

  • Future Model Office testing for the ability to use ‘mixed nodes’ – meaning a product can be composed of a component, semi-component and/or material on the same tree level
  • Further need to identify what are considered articles instead of materials under the 05A ruling
  • Joint efforts by AIAG, IPC, SIA & ESIA members in developing and proposing best practices for electronics reporting into the IMDS have resulted in paving a path forward. Further improvements are expected, and all electronics input is welcome.

AIAG is always looking for new members to participate on its Supplier Alliance Committee – please contact Lecedra Welch at lwelch@aiag.org for more information.

IPC Honors Apple, Inc. and MacDermid Alpha Electronic Solutions with Corporate Recognition Awards

IPC presented its highest corporate honors to two IPC member companies, Apple Inc., and MacDermid Alpha Electronic Solutions during the IPC Annual Meeting/Awards Ceremony at IPC APEX EXPO 2022. The Peter Sarmanian Corporate Recognition Award was presented to MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions, and the Stan Plzak Corporate Recognition Award was presented to Apple, Inc.                                                       

The Peter Samarian Corporate Recognition award, named for a former IPC Board Chairman, recognizes an IPC-member company in the printed board industry (PCB) that has supported IPC through participation in technical and management programs while providing leadership for the industry. 

IPC members since 1962, MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions lends nearly two dozen employees to participate in IPC standards development committees ranging from printed board fabrication and electronics assembly to automotive electronics and press-fit technology. Numerous company employees have received awards for contributions to standards development, and many staff members have presented at IPC workshops and conferences.

Named for former IPC Board Chairman and founding member of the IPC Electronics Manufacturing Services Industry Management Council, the IPC Stan Plzak Corporate Recognition Award honors an IPC-member company in the electronics assembly industry (EMS) that actively contributes to the industry while supporting IPC technical and/or management programs.    

Apple staff members are active on multiple technical committees ranging from product design to materials declaration and green cleaners. They have been instrumental in helping IPC and the industry to develop a new standard, IPC-1402, Standard for Green Cleaners Used in Electronics Manufacturing, a standard that defines the criteria for what constitutes a green cleaner for electronics manufacturing and will specifically apply to cleaners used in the manufacture of electronic assemblies, components, and materials.  Enthusiastic supporters of IPC training, 40 Apple engineers have participated in the Electronics Assembly for Engineers course.            

“IPC benefits tremendously from Apple and MacDermid Alpha’s leadership, knowledge and expertise,” said John W. Mitchell, IPC president and CEO. “Their involvement in IPC has directly contributed to IPC’s global growth in the electronics industry.”

 

IPC’s Highest Honor, the Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame Award, Presented to Joe O’Neil, Long-time IPC Volunteer

In recognition and acknowledgment of his extraordinary contributions to IPC and the electronics industry, Joe O’Neil, OAA Ventures, was presented with the IPC Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame Award at IPC APEX EXPO on Tuesday, January 25. IPC’s most prestigious award, the Hall of Fame is given to individuals who have provided exceptional service and advancement to IPC and the electronics industry.

O’Neil, principal at OAA Ventures, formerly served as CEO of Green Circuits. An exceptionally involved IPC volunteer, he was an active participant in the IPC Cares program, the IPC Workforce Champions initiative, and served on the IPC Board from 2006 to 2018, most recently as Chairman of the Board. A member of the Global Government Relations Committee, and Board Chair of the IPC Education Foundation (IPCEF), O’Neil also serves on the IPC Thought Leaders Program, and recently published, “Printed Circuit Boards Matter: Rebuilding the U.S. Electronics Supply Chain,” a report that outlines steps that the U.S. Government and the industry itself must take if it is to survive in the United States.

“Described as a ‘true industry leader’ by his peers, Joe is among the first to volunteer himself and does so without ego and in the spirit of collaboration, speaking with authority on both technology trends and operations. Understanding both the needs of business and industry, he brings his excitement about what is happening now in electronics manufacturing, and what is possible in the future,” said John W. Mitchell, IPC president and CEO.

“Joe is a true leader in the global electronics industry and has made immense and long-lasting contributions to IPC and to electronics manufacturing,” Mitchell added. “We are thrilled to welcome him as the newest Hall of Fame inductee.”  

North American EMS Industry Up 0.9 Percent in December

IPC announced today the December 2021 findings from its North American Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 1.55.

Total North American EMS shipments in December 2021 were up 0.9 percent compared to the same month last year. Compared to the preceding month, December shipments rose 8.0 percent.

EMS bookings in December rose 47.1 percent year-over-year and rose 13.8 percent from the previous month.

“IPC recorded the strongest monthly North American EMS bookings on record in December 2021,” said Shawn DuBravac, IPC’s chief economist. “Strong bookings pushed the book-to-bill to near record levels, tying levels in May 2021 and only slightly below the all-time record high set in April 2021.”

December 2021 EMS book to bill ratio chart

Detailed Data Available

Companies that participate in IPC’s North American EMS Statistical Program have access to detailed findings on EMS sales growth by type of production and company size tier, order growth and backlogs by company size tier, vertical market growth, the EMS book-to-bill ratio, 3-month and 12-month sales outlooks, and other timely data.

Interpreting the Data

The book-to-bill ratios are calculated by dividing the value of orders booked over the past three months by the value of sales billed during the same period from companies in IPC’s survey sample. A ratio of more than 1.00 suggests that current demand is ahead of supply, which is a positive indicator for sales growth over the next three to twelve months. A ratio of less than 1.00 indicates the reverse.

Year-on-year and year-to-date growth rates provide the most meaningful view of industry growth. Month-to-month comparisons should be made with caution as they reflect seasonal effects and short-term volatility. Because bookings tend to be more volatile than shipments, changes in the book-to-bill ratios from month to month might not be significant unless a trend of more than three consecutive months is apparent. It is also important to consider changes in both bookings and shipments to understand what is driving changes in the book-to-bill ratio.

IPC’s monthly EMS industry statistics are based on data provided by a representative sample of assembly equipment manufacturers selling in the USA and Canada. IPC publishes the EMS book-to-bill ratio by the end of each month.

North American PCB Industry Sales Up 16.9 Percent in December

IPC announced today the December 2021 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 1.17.

Total North American PCB shipments in December 2021 were up 16.9 percent compared to the same month last year. Compared to the preceding month, December shipments grew 21.5 percent.

PCB year-to-date bookings in December were up 33.6 percent compared to last year. Bookings in December grew 47.1 percent from the previous month.

"PCB bookings rose sharply in December 2021, the strongest month of bookings since December 2005,” said Shawn DuBravac, IPC’s chief economist. “For the calendar year, bookings rose 19.3 percent and shipments rose 6.7 percent."

December 2021 book to bill ratio chart 1
December 2021 book to bill ratio chart 2

Detailed Data Available

Companies that participate in IPC’s North American PCB Statistical Program have access to detailed findings on rigid PCB and flexible circuit sales and orders, including separate rigid and flex book-to-bill ratios, growth trends by product types and company size tiers, demand for prototypes, sales growth to military and medical markets, and other timely data.

Interpreting the Data

The book-to-bill ratios are calculated by dividing the value of orders booked over the past three months by the value of sales billed during the same period from companies in IPC’s survey sample. A ratio of more than 1.00 suggests that current demand is ahead of supply, which is a positive indicator for sales growth over the next three to twelve months. A ratio of less than 1.00 indicates the reverse.

Year-on-year and year-to-date growth rates provide the most meaningful view of industry growth. Month-to-month comparisons should be made with caution as they reflect seasonal effects and short-term volatility. Because bookings tend to be more volatile than shipments, changes in the book-to-bill ratios from month to month might not be significant unless a trend of more than three consecutive months is apparent. It is also important to consider changes in both bookings and shipments to understand what is driving changes in the book-to-bill ratio.

IPC’s monthly PCB industry statistics are based on data provided by a representative sample of both rigid PCB and flexible circuit manufacturers selling in the USA and Canada. IPC publishes the PCB book-to-bill ratio by the end of each month.

High Material and Labor Costs Continue to Challenge the Electronics Manufacturing Industry

New data from IPC show that supply chain challenges remain acute, but may have peaked, while lead times remain high. IPC’s February economic update and global electronics manufacturing supply chain sentiment reports found that high material and labor costs are expected to continue for at least six months while recruiting and finding skilled talent continues to be difficult.

Among other conclusions, the global electronics manufacturing survey results show:

  • Nearly nine in ten electronics manufacturers report material costs are rising, with an additional four-fifths reporting rising labor costs
  • Only 13 percent of the electronics manufacturing supply chain reports inventory is growing and one in ten say inventories from their suppliers are growing
  • Ease of recruitment and profit margins are currently declining, along with inventories, especially those available from suppliers
  • The electronics supply chain reports orders, shipments, and capacity utilization are expanding, but weak inventory availability and higher costs for materials and labor hurts profit margins

The data on future economic outlook suggests growth is decelerating, but good growth is expected in the year ahead. After growing 6.1 percent in 2021, global growth is expected to slow to 4 percent in 2022 and close to that in 2023. In North America, growth will fall from 5.4 percent in 2021 to 3.7 percent in 2022. In 2023, growth is expected to slow further, anticipated at 2.6 percent. In Europe, growth is expected to slip this year from 5 percent to 4 percent and decline to 2.4 percent next year. In Asia, growth is expected to fall from 6.7 percent to 4.8 percent this year. Five percent growth in Asia is predicted for 2023.

“While growth slows this year, this should not necessarily be interpreted as weak growth,” said Shawn DuBravac, IPC chief economist. “Growth rates in 2022 will generally be higher than they were headed into the pandemic.”

IPC surveyed hundreds of companies from around the world, including a wide range of company sizes representing the full electronics manufacturing value chain.

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