We just experienced the first-ever all virtual IPC APEX EXPO

Mar 12, 2021
| By Deanne Janda

We did it! We just experienced the first-ever all virtual IPC APEX EXPO. We hope that you enjoyed it and that you found the content valuable. We appreciate all the work the instructors, exhibitors, and attendees did to adapt to the virtual platform.

Missed out on technical conference sessions? Still need some professional development courses to update your skills and enhance your career? IPC President and CEO, John Mitchell, provides you with more information on what happened during the week and how you can access courses until June 13.

“We are in the midst of a massive transformation.” Shawn DuBravac and John Mitchell discuss the move from digitization to datafication and the ethical, environmental and workforce issues surrounding that change during a lively post-keynote Q+A.

Live Q&A with Shawn DuBravac

Want to be motivated, educated and inspired? Register for the Event Essentials Pass and gain on-demand access through June 13. FREE!

  •  John Mitchell, IPC president and CEO | “Industry 2030: The Big Ideas Reshaping Electronics Manufacturing.”
  •  Travis Hessman, IndustryWeek editor-in-chief | “The Great Digital Transformation.”
  •  Shawn DuBravac, IPC chief economist | “The Tech Industry in a Post-pandemic World.

“Think Big, Start Small, Scale Fast.” Yesterday’s technical educational session “MTC Factory of the Future Advancements” provided in-depth information on the many aspects of Factory of the Future, from IPC CFX, to augmented reality and robotics, and how they will affect the electronics industry. For a limited time, you can watch one of the MTC presentations for free. Want to see them all? You can still register and receive on-demand access through June 13. View the complete technical conference.

MTC Technical Conference Session

 

“You need to have objective evidence if you have minor and major changes. All of these need a qualified #manufacturing process.” Mark McMeen, Magnalytix, explains changes requiring objective evidence in the PD course “Designing Reliable Electronics in Accordance with IPC-J-STD-001 Section 8 Cleanliness.”

Professional Development Course at IPC APEX EXPO

Shout out to our media partners for covering this year's event- IPC APEX EXPO is making headlines thanks to you. We appreciate all you do for IPC!

VIEW OUR MEDIA PARTNERS

 

One of the benefits of going virtual was the opportunity to deliver more content in new ways that will allow you to access the content for a second, third and fourth time so you can derive the full benefit from more than 100 educational options. This way, you can experience IPC APEX EXPO content for months instead of days. You have from March 15 to June 13 to take advantage of all your chosen courses.

As APEX EXPO draws to a close, we thank you for your participation in our first virtual IPC APEX EXPO, and we look forward to seeing you next year, in-person, at IPC APEX EXPO 2022. Save the date! January 22-27, 2022 at San Diego Convention Center.

European Parliament Paves Way for Due Diligence Requirements

Mar 11, 2021

On March 10, the European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution with recommendations on the future of due diligence legislation in Europe.

This is an important step toward a legislative proposal that is expected from the European Commission in June. (See October 16, 2020 IPC blog post.)

The resolution states that companies should identify, address and remedy aspects of their entire value chain (e.g., all operations, direct or indirect business relations, or investment chains) that could or do:

  • Infringe on human rights (including social, trade union and labour rights);
  • Harm the environment (contributing to climate change or deforestation, for example); and/or
  • Infringe on good governance (such as corruption and bribery). 

Importantly, due diligence is stressed as a proportionate activity based on the likelihood and severity of the impacts, the sector of activity, the size and length of the value chain, and the size of the undertaking.

Companies that want to access the EU internal market, including those established outside the EU, would have to prove that they comply with environmental and human rights due diligence obligations. The resolution also calls for additional measures, including a ban on imports of products linked to severe human rights violations such as forced or child labor. The report also calls for effective reparations for victims, and for companies to be held liable for their actions and subject to fines for causing or contributing to harm, unless they could prove they had observed due diligence obligations and taken measures to prevent harm.

The exact measures to be proposed by the European Commission as part of broader measures on corporate sustainable governance are currently under deliberation in Brussels, following industry consultations. In those consultations, IPC called for measures that are both effective in combatting the issues of concern and workable for electronics manufacturers; providing legal certainty, “reasonable” tier liability, and a light administrative burden.

The devil will now be in the details of the pending proposal, with questions remaining over, among other things, scope and liability (including the proportionality principle), expectations for environmental due diligence, as well as how EU-level obligations will interact with a spate of national-level measures, including a German supply-chain law currently nearing completion

For further information, contact me at AlisonJames@ipc.org.

 

IPC Launches New Thought Leaders Program to Enhance Awareness and Insights on Electronics Industry Trends

IPC today unveiled a new Thought Leaders Program in which industry experts will assist IPC on key industry issues and offer valuable insights to IPC members and key external stakeholders.

“IPC is building its leadership on the issues that are driving change for the electronics manufacturing industry,” said John Mitchell, IPC President and CEO. “As an association representing thousands of companies, we need to be astutely aware of a range of change drivers and how they are interconnected. IPC will leverage these experts’ insights to lead and influence change for the better.”

The Thought Leaders Program will be chaired by Mike Carano, an executive at RBP Chemical Technology and a member of IPC’s Hall of Fame.  

“I’m thrilled and honored to coordinate the Thought Leaders Program and the work of this distinguished and diverse group of individuals,” said Mike Carano. “The industry is on the cusp of exciting change, and the thought leaders IPC has assembled will help guide the industry to new heights.”  

IPC has retained a select group of experts to generate ideas and insights in five areas: education and workforce; technology and innovation; the economy; key markets; and environment, health, and safety. The Thought Leaders named today are:

The Thought Leaders’ responsibilities will include providing publishable material in their subject areas; flagging opportunities for IPC engagement; and participating in quarterly roundtable discussions. Each expert is expected to fulfill at least one 12-month term, during which quarterly contributions will be expected.

One of the program’s first projects will be a report on the U.S. Defense Department’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), an ambitious effort to better protect the cyber security of the defense industrial base. The electronics industry supports this initiative but has concerns about its ongoing implementation.   

More information about the IPC Thought Leaders Program including a dedicated webpage will be available soon.

Welcome to Thursday at IPC APEX EXPO 2021

Mar 11, 2021
| By Deanne Janda

Which famous scientists were also artists? Name a rock star who studied at the London School of Economics. There’s still so much to take in at IPC APEX EXPO, including Trivia Networking and Name that Tune. What else is going on? Find out from IPC President and CEO John Mitchell, here:

There is still time to register for this year’s event! Don’t miss out on the opportunity for on demand access to more than 100 educational courses and sessions, yours to enjoy until June 13.

 

REGISTER NOW

 

ALREADY REGISTERED

 

“The answer is frustratingly simple. The answer is complicated.” Thought-provoking keynote by Travis Hessman, IndustryWeek, about factory of the future yesterday. You can listen to his keynote, and the recorded Q&A session on demand starting March 15.

Live Q&A with Travis Hessman

 

 

"Career life is not school life - it's a transition." Milea Kammer, Honeywell International, joins Tayler Swanson, Digital Instruments, Inc, in leading the IPC Emerging Engineers roundtable discussion yesterday!

Emerging Engineer's Roundtable Discussion

 Now accepting applications for the 2022 Emerging Engineer Program!

 

View Thursday’s Sessions:

MTC Factory of the Future Advancements
Data Analytics 1 Case Studies
Data Analytics 2 Mining and Refining
PCB Reliability
PCB Design - HDI and Signal Integrity Considerations
PCB Advancements
Electronic Materials - Thermal Interface Materials
Electronics Assembly Materials and Coatings
Assembly Design
Traceability for Electronics Manufacturing
AFFOA Session: Advancements in E-Textiles 1

 

Tune in to technical conference sessions today! Yesterday there was so much to choose from, including “PCBA Quality, Reliability and AI-based Inspection, with Murilo Levy Casotti, Embraer, and others. Want to attend on demand?

Technical Conference Session

“We need to reduce the power consumption and we need stakeholders involved in the process” –Michael Hayes, Tyndall National Institute, moderating “PSMA Packaging and Manufacturability Considerations for Strategic Power Applications.” Register to view it on demand, March 15–June13.

Professional Development Course

View Thursday’s Courses:

Low Temperature Soldering, Assembly, Inspection & Defects - Causes & Cures - Part I


Low Temperature Soldering, Assembly, Inspection & Defects - Causes & Cures - Part II


J-STD-001 Section 8 Objective Data – Where Do I Start?


Designing Reliable Electronics in Accordance with IPC-J-STD-001 Section 8 Cleanliness


Troubleshooting and Process Optimization - Lessons Learned from the Trenches and a Decade of Board Talk - Part I


Troubleshooting and Process Optimization - Lessons Learned from the Trenches and a Decade of Board Talk - Part II


Measurement System Analysis for Electronics Assemblies - Part I


Measurement System Analysis for Electronics Assemblies - Part II


Role and Selection Criteria of Surface Finish for Next Generation PCB Technologies - 5G, HDI, RF-Microwave, High Frequencies


PCB Fabrication Basics: Process and Specification

 

Note: New this year, all 29 professional development courses offered both live and on-demand are applicable toward continuing education points toward MIT recertification.  Learn more.

Looking for that next piece of equipment to update your facility? Learn about the newest products available by sitting in on product presentations from over 200 exhibitors. Connect with exhibitors for individual chats for detailed information on which products you need to succeed. View the schedule here.

New Product at IPC APEX EXPO

Additionally, the Online Exhibit Hall offers new product listings from more than 200 exhibitors!

Stay connected at www.ipcapexexpo.org

Four Industry Rising Stars Recognized at IPC APEX EXPO 2021

In recognition of their leadership roles and support of IPC standards, education, advocacy and solutions to industry challenges, four of industry’s best and brightest were presented with an IPC Rising Star Award at IPC APEX EXPO 2021. Award recipients were Benoit Dagenais, Radu Diaconescu, Vladan Koncar, and Audra Thurston.

Dagenais, an electric vehicle technician at the Innovative Vehicle Institute in Quebec, Canada, was honored for his leadership of IPC’s 7-31FHV: IPC/WHMA-A-620 High-Voltage Cable Task Group and embracing the innovation of the automotive world.

Diaconescu, an electrical engineer at Swie.io in Lausanne, Switzerland, was honored for his technical expertise and high energy to the nine standards committees on which he serves. In the last year, Diaconescu took on a leadership role for IPC’s traceability standard while also acting as a key contributor to the brand-new digital twin standard.

Koncar, a distinguished professor at ENSAIT in Roubaix, France, was honored for leading IPC’s D-75-a-EU Task Group developing IPC-8981, Quality and Reliability for E-Textiles Wearables, and for this active participation on/contributions to five additional e-textile committees.

Thurston, a chemical engineer at Calumet Electronics in Calumet, Michigan, was honored for her work on four standards development committees: the Solder Mask Performance Task Group; the Rigid Printed Board Performance Specifications Task Group, the IPC-A-600 Task Group; and the Trusted Supplier Task Group.

“The work that the Rising Star recipients have done to enrich the industry and IPC within the last five years will continue to have a lasting impact for many years to come,” said John Mitchell, IPC president and CEO. “IPC is privileged that Ben, Radu, Vladan and Audra have chosen to share their knowledge and expertise with us and with the entire electronics industry.”

Welcome to Wednesday at IPC APEX EXPO!

Mar 10, 2021
| By Deanne Janda

Welcome to Wednesday at IPC APEX EXPO! Our technical conference sessions are open, providing brand-new material to keep you up to date on our ever-changing industry. In addition, there is a great keynote today. IPC President and CEO John Mitchell explains:

 
 

Three cheers to this year’s IPC award winners! We celebrate your dedication and expertise, and we thank you for all you do. You ARE IPC, and your valuable work helps the industry build electronics better. Watch all the award winner’s videos: IPC APEX EXPO 2021 Award Winners playlist.

IPC APEX EXPO 2021 Award Winners

IPC elected two board members — Elke Eckstein, Enics, as a first-term director and Xi Cao, Huawei, as a second-term director. Read news release here.

IPC Board Nominees

There is still time to join us for a jam-packed week of cutting-edge technical conference sessions, inspiring keynotes, and exciting networking opportunities. And don’t forget the on-demand access of all technical sessions and professional development courses until June 13!

REGISTER NOW

 

ALREADY REGISTERED

 

Look no further than IPC APEX EXPO for the latest innovation in electronics. Learn what’s new during 30-minute New Product Presentations, allowing you to access new equipment, products, and services from a variety of exhibitors. View the schedule here. Additionally, the Online Exhibit Hall offers new product listings from more than 200 exhibitors!

“Manage your resources, manage your process." – Bob Willis, from Tuesday’s professional development course, “Lead-Free Wave Soldering & Process Troubleshooting Failures, Causes & Cures.” Missed it? That’s ok! Recording will be available March 15 – June 13.

Professional Development

 

Note: New this year, all 29 professional development courses offered both live and on-demand are applicable toward continuing education points toward MIT recertification.  Learn more

The much-anticipated technical conference is kicking off today!
Tune in for presentations featuring topical studies, new technologies, advanced materials, and the latest processes that help improve the efficiency and quality of your manufacturing. All sessions will be available on demand for 90 days after the conference.

For a limited time you can take a FREE sneak peek of one presentation from the Manufacturing Technology Center (MTC) Session: Factory of the Future Advancements. In this presentation, Barry Maybank and Naim Kapadia of MTC discuss their vision and journey enabling smart factory for electronics manufacturing for low-volume, high-mix environment using legacy equipment by implementing IPC-CFX. Barry and Naim share why MTC chose this path and what they see as the future for IPC-CFX as part of their goals and vision for their smart factory initiatives.

Stay connected at www.ipcapexexpo.org

Two Industry Volunteers Receive IPC President’s Award

In recognition of their significant contributions of time, talent and ongoing leadership in IPC and the electronics industry, Yusaku Kono of Japan UNIX, and Jon Vermillion, Ball Aerospace and Technologies, were presented with IPC President's Awards at IPC APEX EXPO on March 9.            

Kono, who serves on the Connected Factory Initiative Subcommittee, the J-STD-001 and IPC-A-610 Automotive Addendum Task Group, the High Voltage Cable Task Group, and the WHMA A-610 training committee, was honored for dedicating his efforts to enhancing the growth of IPC standards among Japanese electronics manufacturers.    

Vermillion, a mentor to emerging engineers who co-chairs the 5-22A (IPC-J-STD-001) committee and IPC-J-STD-001 training committee, was honored for his leadership of the IPC-J-STD-001 task group as well as his activity on the 20 IPC committees on which he serves. His volunteer activity with IPC includes his Certified Standard Expert certification in IPC-J-STD-001, IPC/WHMA-A-620, and IPC-6012.                               

“We are happy to present the President’s Award to Yusaku and Jon, in appreciation of their dedication to IPC and to the global electronics industry,” said John Mitchell, IPC president and CEO. “They are prime examples of leaders helping industry build 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 2021. Michael Ford, Jan Pedersen, and Peter Tranitz 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.                  

Michael Ford, Aegis Software, is an established thought leader for Industry 4.0 and digital smart factories. Serving on 18 technical committees including the Committee Chairman Council, the Connected Factory Initiative (CFX) Subcommittee, Supply Chain Traceability and Trust Subcommittee, and the Technical Activities Executive Committee (TAEC), Ford chose the engineering department of Villanova University, alma mater to the founders of Aegis, as the scholarship recipient, with a specific request that it be used to promote an opportunity for a woman in the industry.

Jan Pedersen, Elmatica, active on 30 IPC committees, is the chair of the IPC-6012 Medical Addendum Task Group and the IPC-6012 Automotive Addendum Task Group. Pedersen led the development of the first IPC document dedicated to automotive electronics – IPC-6012DA, and the first dedicated to medical device electronics – IPC-6012EM.                    

Pedersen chose a specific project as the recipient of the Dieter Bergman memorial scholarship. Two universities – one in Norway and one in Romania, collaborate to create an arm neuroprosthesis equipped with artificial skin and sensorial feedback for patients with partially amputated limbs. Elmatica has agreed to double the scholarship so that two students will receive the benefit of the Dieter Bergman award.

Peter Tranitz, Continental Automotive, is active on several IPC committees, and co-initiated the Cold Joining Press-fit Task Group and Cold Joining Press-fit Handbook Task Group, serving as co-chair. An expert in press fit technology and tin whiskers, Tranitz was instrumental in developing IPC-9797, High Reliability Press-fit standard. 

Tranitz offered his scholarship to the physics department at the University of Regensburg, Germany.               

“The recipients of this year’s Dieter Bergman Fellowship award have brought innovation and international influence on IPC standards development. We are indeed fortunate that they have chosen to volunteer their considerable talents and expertise with IPC and the electronics community,” said John Mitchell, IPC president and CEO.

Happy Tuesday from IPC APEX EXPO 2021!

Mar 09, 2021
| By Deanne Janda

Happy Tuesday from IPC APEX EXPO 2021! We hope you enjoyed the cutting-edge content of our professional development courses along with the inspiring keynote delivered by John Mitchell, IPC president and CEO.

John is back to give you the highlights of today’s schedule.

Watch this space for more IPC APEX EXPO news – we have two more keynotes for you to enjoy, another day of professional development courses, technical conference sessions will be underway tomorrow, and you will have chances to win prizes, but only if you register for IPC APEX EXPO 2021!

 

There is still time to join us for a jam-packed week of professional development courses, cutting-edge technical conference sessions, inspiring keynotes, exciting networking opportunities, as well as new product presentations from more than 200 exhibitors! 

REGISTER NOW

 

ALREADY REGISTERED

IPC President and CEO John Mitchell announced IPC’s ESG (environmental, social and governance) for Electronics initiative during Monday’s keynote: Industry 2030: The Big Ideas Reshaping Electronics Manufacturing. The new ESG for Electronics Initiative will develop guidance for electronics manufacturers on an industry-specific approach to ESG practices and reporting and to develop aspirational goals that the industry is working together to achieve. To view additional information on IPC’s ESG for Electronics Initiative, including an ESG FAQ and call for steering group participation, go to www.ipc.org/esg-electronics. The recording of this keynote will be available on demand March 15 through June 13, 2021.

IPC APEX EXPO 2021 Keynote

Professional Development courses delivered this week will be available to registrants Monday March 15 through June 13, 2021. See a complete list of available courses.

One of Monday’s courses, “Reflow Soldering Process and Influence on Defects,” led by Dr. S. Manian Ramkumar, included live demos to better demonstrate the reflow process for tin-lead and lead-free soldering.

Reflow

What encourages potential tombstoning? Dale Lee, Plexus Corporation, explained in his professional development course Design for Excellence, Reliability, Assembly, Printed Board Fabrication and mores.

Dale Lee Presenting at IPC APEX EXPO

Advice to the Emerging Engineers: “With determination and focused effort, you can go as far as you want to go in this industry.” Bob Neves, Microtek Laboratories, and Don DuPriest, Lockheed Martin, lead the conversation on “Forgotten Tribal Knowledge” with IPC Emerging Engineers. The recording of this session will be available Monday, March 15, through June 13, 2021.

Bob Neves and Don DuPriest

Stay connected at www.ipcapexexpo.org.

 

IPC’s Highest Honor, the Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame Award, Presented to Karen McConnell, Long-time IPC Volunteer and Mentor

In recognition and acknowledgement of her extraordinary contributions to IPC and the electronics industry, Karen McConnell, Northrop Grumman, was presented with the IPC Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame Award at IPC APEX EXPO on Tuesday, March 9. 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.

McConnell is a senior staff CAD CAM engineer in the engineering environment development and support department at Northrop Grumman Enterprise Services sector in Linthicum, Maryland. Her primary responsibility is developing a common shared EDM library and supporting the electrical and PCB design tool initiatives across Northrop Grumman Mission Systems.  

An active IPC volunteer and leader for IPC and the electronics industry for more than 30 years, McConnell supports numerous IPC standards development committees, including the Land Pattern Committee, Design for Excellence (DFX) Subcommittee, Generic Requirements for Digital Twin Task Group, CFX Subcommittee, Terms and Definition Committee and Electronics Documentation Committee.

Karen was elected Chairperson of IPC’s Technical Activities Executive Committee (TAEC) in 2020 and serves as Chairperson of the Technical Activities Executive Committee Global Committee. She is also chairperson of the IPC Design Community Leadership team. A recipient of the IPC President’s Award in 2013, McConnell is a strong advocate for new engineers, serving as one of the first mentors in IPC’s Emerging Engineer program. 

“Karen’s contributions to IPC are extraordinary,” said John Mitchell, IPC president and CEO. “Her passion for the industry and commitment to the growth of younger engineers moved IPC and the electronics industry forward. We are thrilled to welcome her as the newest recipient of the IPC Hall of Fame award.”
 

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