IPC Issues Position Paper on Priorities for an Ambitious EU Industrial Policy Strategy

Supports skills gap closure, R&D incentives and strong IP protection

IPC has issued a position paper, “IPC Priorities for an Ambitious EU Industrial Policy Strategy” in support of EU Industry Day, taking place February 22-23, 2018.

Last September, the European Commission published a Communication on a renewed EU industrial policy strategy that emphasizes crucial aspects for the electronics industry, such as the need for substantial investment in advanced manufacturing, skilled and talented workforce as well as research and innovation.

EU Industry Day will update stakeholders on the Commission's strategic approach to industrial policy and actions to further develop industrial competitiveness in Europe.  During this forum, stakeholders contributing to European industrial competitiveness can showcase their activities, learn from each other, discuss cross-cutting issues and develop joint visions for the future.

“IPC welcomes the EU Industrial Policy and related efforts to address these issues that are critical for our members,” said IPC President and CEO John Mitchell. “With more than 650 members in Europe, the majority of which are small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), IPC has long advocated for an ambitious industrial agenda for Europe.

“I also encourage our member companies to participate in IMPACT Brussels 2018 this fall, when we will meet with EU officials to address the EU Industrial Policy and other issues, such as environmental regulations. A save-the-date for IMPACT Brussels 2018 will be sent to our members soon.”

For more information on IPC’s position paper, “IPC Priorities for an Ambitious EU Industrial Policy Strategy,” visit IPC’s website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IPC Releases New IPC/PERM-2901, Pb-free Design and Assembly Implementation Guide

IPC-PERM-2901 addresses the impact of Pb-free on reliability and service life for aerospace, defense and high-performance products

IPC — Association Connecting Electronics Industries® Pb-free Electronics Risk Management (PERM) Council has developed the first single document dedicated solely to assisting design engineering in the development of electronics that are completely lead-free (Pb-free) and meet the demanding requirements of aerospace, defense and high performance (ADHP) products and systems.

IPC/PERM-2901, Pb-free Design and Implementation Guide, provides an in-depth review of printed board defects, manufacturing and soldering processes, supply chain control, selection, use and assembly with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products and obsolescence management.

While the commercial electronics industry has almost eliminated the need for tin-lead (SnPb) based electronics systems and products, the ADHP industry, due to a lack of industry-accepted reliability models for Pb-free interconnections, has continued to rely on SnPb for their products. As it becomes more cost-prohibitive for the ADHP industry to continue to use SnPb products, and with failure mechanisms for Pb-free materials being significantly different than SnPb materials, gaining knowledge and understanding of how Pb-free materials affect the ADHP industry has become critical.

Although many technical papers and industry studies have been published addressing the Pb-free soldering process over the past 20 years, the IPC/PERM-2901, Pb-free Design and Implementation Guide is the first to assist design engineering, quality assurance and manufacturing engineering in understanding and appreciating the differences in mechanical and physical behaviors of Pb-free soldering and providing avenues for risk mitigation.

This guideline specifically addresses the “delta” differences between SnPb and Pb-free solder technologies relative to manufacturing the same products. The differences in these solder technologies are generally categorized (with respect to Pb-free solder alloys) as:

  • Typically poorer wetting ability
  • Differences in appearance and inspection criteria
  • Typically higher melting temperature
  • Potential tighter process window for repair/rework
  • Increased potential of tin whiskers

The PERM Council, comprised of global participants from government, military, medical, academia and other not-for-profit organizations, along with private companies, was created to address the need for how Pb-free materials directly affect product performance, reliability and service life.

The European Union’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) profoundly affected the electronics industry when lead was listed as a restricted substance. According to Linda L. Woody, formerly of Lockheed Martin and former PERM Council Chair, “ADHP systems and products have a broad range of performance requirements, and have relied on SnPb products for decades. We created the guideline to ease the transition from SnPb to Pb-free, and to help the industry meet the demanding requirements of the ADHP systems and products.”

For more information or to purchase IPC/PERM-2901, Pb-free Design and Implementation Guide, visit the IPC Online Store.

IEC Electronics Corp. Has Recertified for IPC Qualified Manufacturers Listing

IPC's Validation Services Program is proud to announce the recertification of two IEC Electronics Corporation facilities, located in Newark, New York and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Both facilities are certified to IPC-J-STD-001, IPC-A-610 and IPC/WHMA-A-620 Qualified Manufacturers Listing (QML) at the Class 3 level.

“We are pleased to be certified and part of the IPC Qualified Manufacturers List (QML) for Validation Services,” said Mark Northrup, IEC’s vice president of Advanced Technical Operations & Strategy. “We know that IPC is a globally recognized trusted source for standards and training programs within the electronics manufacturing industry. We believe the QML certification process helps to bring those elements together and illustrate our commitment to quality with respect to the life-saving and mission critical products we manufacture. We are also honored to provide support for the upcoming DoD Executive Agent Defense Electronics Supplier Roundtable via the DoD Trusted Electronics Supplier Program as we continuously strive to minimize supply chain risk for our customers.”

IPC's Validations Services QPL/QML Program was developed to promote supply chain verification. It also provides auditing and certification of electronics companies' products, and identifies processes which conform to IPC standards.

"Different from other audit programs, IPC's Validation Services Programs uniquely provides technical and in-depth assessments of products and processes in accordance with IPC standards," said Randy Cherry, IPC director of Validation Services. "We are pleased to recognize both IEC Electronics Corporation Newark, New York and IEC Corporation Albuquerque, New Mexico for recertifying and continuing to be members of IPC's network of trusted QML suppliers."

For more information about IPC's Validation Services QPL/QML Program, visit www.ipcvalidation.org or contact Randy Cherry at RandyCherry@ipc.org or +1 847-597-2806.   

Show Floor Sells Out for IPC APEX EXPO 2018

IPC — Association Connecting Electronics Industries® announced today that all 149,700 sq. ft. of exhibit floor space has sold out for IPC APEX EXPO® 2018, making it the largest IPC APEX EXPO in the last decade. The premier technical conference and exhibition will take place February 27–March 1, 2018, at the San Diego Convention Center.

To visitors, the sold-out status means that the show floor will be busy and informative, with 479 exhibitors introducing new product technologies, innovations and demonstrations of the industry's newest advancements, many of which will also be highlighted in the dedicated New Products Corridor on the show floor. Top-rated suppliers in every major electronics industry category will present best-in-class equipment, materials, processes and services to help attendees gain greater efficiency while improving their bottom lines.

"One of the top objectives for attendees is to see new products on the show floor. IPC APEX EXPO has been recognized as the 'best show to do business,' and provides ample opportunities to network with existing customers, meet new customers, grow business and increase revenue," said Alicia Balonek, senior director of trade shows and events. “For many attendees, IPC APEX EXPO provides them the unique opportunity to see the largest gathering of the electronics industry's top suppliers all under one roof,” Balonek added.  

Exhibit hours are Tuesday, February 27 from 10 am–6 pm, Wednesday, February 28 from 9 am–6 pm and Thursday, March 1 from 9 am–2 pm. To view a complete list of companies exhibiting at IPC APEX EXPO, visit www.IPCAPEXEXPO.org/exhibitors.

For more information about the show or to register, visit www.IPCAPEXEXPO.org. Exhibits-Only registration is free to individuals who pre-register online ($35 on-site). To maximize event experience, individuals can take advantage of the All-Access Package which includes the technical conference; professional development courses; standards development meetings, IPC luncheons and more.

Best Technical Paper at IPC APEX EXPO 2018 Selected

The best technical conference paper of IPC APEX EXPO® 2018 has been selected. Voted on through a ballot process by members of the IPC APEX EXPO Technical Program Committee, the paper authors will receive their awards during the opening keynote session on Tuesday, February 27.

Taking top honors, the winning paper is, “Equivalent Capacitance Approach to Obtain Effective Roughness Dielectric Parameters for Copper Foils” by Marina Y. Koledintseva, Oracle. Her co-author was: Tracey Vincent, CST of America. This paper will be presented during Technical Conference Session 16 (PCB Signal Integrity/ High Speed/ High Frequency) on Wednesday, February 28.

This year, two papers were selected in the honorable mention category. Honorable mention went to, “Derivation of Equation on Thermal Life Prediction of Plated Through Hole for Printed Wiring Board” by Yoshiyuki Hiroshima, Fujitsu Advanced Technologies Limited. His co-authors were: Shunichi Kikuchi and Akiko Matsui, Fujitsu Advanced Technologies Limited; Yoshiharu Kariya and Kazuki Watanabe, Shibaura Institute of Technology; Hiroshi Shimizu, Hitachi Chemical Company, Ltd.; and Jack Tan, HDP User Group International, Inc. This paper will be presented during Technical Conference Session 12 (PCB Reliability) on Wednesday, February 28.

Honorable mention also goes to “Bottom Heating during Manual Rework” by Lars Bruno, Ericsson AB. This paper will be presented during Technical Conference Session 20 (Rework) on Wednesday, February 28.

The papers were evaluated on their technical content, originality, test procedures and data used to deduce conclusions, quality of illustrations and the clarity and professionalism of writing as well as value to the industry.

To register for the IPC APEX EXPO technical conference or for more information on all the activities taking place including standards development committee meetings, professional development courses, the exhibition and more, visit www.IPCAPEXEXPO.org.

Industry 4.0 Gets Significant Boost at IPC APEX EXPO 2018

More than 20 companies to participate in IPC CFX Showcase

When the IPC APEX EXPO show floor opens on Tuesday, February 27, more than 20 equipment vendors, software providers and customers from across the electronics industry will participate in an IPC Connected Factory Exchange (CFX) Showcase. The IPC CFX Showcase -- a technological demonstration operating in real time -- will deliver standardized machine data from participating exhibitors through the cloud and onto visitors’ mobile phones.

“When visitors enter the show floor or a participating exhibitor’s booth, they will scan a QR code using their phone, which will bring up a mobile device website driven by the CFX cloud server,” said Dave Bergman, IPC vice president of standards and training.

“Visitors can then observe real-time analytical reports, such as overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), unit counts and more as well as the live data stream showing actual machine activity. This is a first-of-its-kind demonstration and with no software to install, this illustrates the true nature of IoT, with IPC CFX as a one hundred percent open industry standard,” Bergman added. “We’re essentially turning the IPC APEX EXPO show floor into a factory floor!”

“The critical roadblock that has been keeping industry from accessing Industry 4.0 benefits has been the issue of reliable and meaningful data across disparate machines and devices,” said Jason Spera, co-chair of the 2-17 Connected Factory Initiative Subcommittee that is developing the IPC CFX standard, and CEO of Aegis Software. “IPC CFX is open, totally comprehensive in scope and native to the machines,” he added.

In addition to the IPC CFX Showcase, members of the 2-17 Connected Factory Initiative Subcommittee will review the current building blocks of the standard and will address new developments in how the standard enables complete digital modeling from design through manufacture with feedback paths of information from manufacturing back to design. On Wednesday, February 28, IPC will host an Industry 4.0 Buzz Session. The Buzz Session will feature short presentations, a panel discussion and opportunities for attendees to ask questions.

For more information on the IPC CFX Showcase or Buzz Session on Industry 4.0, visit www.ipcapexexpo.org and for more information on the CFX standard, visit, www.ipc.org/Connected-Factory-Initiative

Strong and Varied Opinions Expected at IPC Microvia Virtual Summit

Jun 26, 2020

The upcoming IPC Microvia Virtual Summit (July 15-16) offers presentations from subject matter experts focused on determining the root causes for observed weak interface failures as well as mitigation techniques and test protocols.

IPC Events Connection (EC) editorial staff went behind the scenes to talk to IPC’s John Perry, director, printed board standards and technology, to find out how the challenge of weak microvias came to the attention of his committees.

EC: You are responsible for setting up meetings and leading committee members through numerous activities related to printed board fabrication and acceptance. Can you tell us how and when the issue of weak microvias came to the attention of IPC? Which committees were involved in the initial discussions?

JP: Our test coupon design, printed board performance and thermal stress testing task groups had already been working collectively, going back over 10 years, on new ways to thermally stress board samples to screen for latent via defects, but things really began to hit home several years ago when we were approached by a number of OEMs who were dealing with multiple instances of high-profile, expensive functional failures of product – product that had passed existing IPC and OEM testing and inspections and had featured stacked and/or staggered microvia structures.

EC: Is there a global awareness of this issue? How is that reflected in committee meetings?

JP: We’ve heard from OEMs in North America and Europe who have experienced microvia failures in deployed product that had passed traditional IPC-6010 performance specification evaluations, which included thermal stress testing such as IPC-TM-650 Method 2.6.8 and microsection inspection of legacy IPC-2221 A/B test coupons.  So, it has validated our goals of providing better and more modern test coupon designs and testing protocols.

EC: How are the committees currently addressing the possible solutions to the issue of testing? Is there a consensus on next steps? If not, how will that be addressed at the IPC Microvia Virtual Summit?

JP: We’ve had a collective IPC committee effort in place, including the 1-10c Test Coupon, D-32 Thermal Stress Methodology, D-33a IPC-6012, D-12 IPC-6013 and D-22 IPC-6018 groups, and have come up with a couple of integrated solutions:

First, through industry standard consensus, we’ve designed newer test coupons that can better represent the complex stacked and staggered microvia structures present in many board designs, through the IPC-2221B Appendix A.  This suite of test coupons has been developed through industry consensus and are available to anyone who wants to use them.

Second, we’ve developed the IPC-TM-650 Test Method 2.6.27B, which provides for thermal stressing of IPC-2221B Appendix A test coupons in a convection reflow environment with continuous electrical resistance measurements throughout the reflow profiles.  Our group of IPC committees feel that replicating the type of thermal reflow profiles that the actual production boards will be subjected to throughout the manufacturing process is a better way to thermally stress test coupon samples.  When you pair that up with the continuous monitoring of the percent change in resistance during reflow simulation, OEMs have told us that this procedure has helped to shelter them from numerous possible defect escapes, in comparison with other thermal stress procedures that have been used in the industry for many years.

EC: Which IPC standards reflect this issue? Are there new standards in development?

JP: We published the IPC-2221B printed board design standard with the Appendix A test coupon suite a number of years ago, and we make the Appendix A itself available for free download from our website, as we continually add and update coupons in that design suite.  Anyone can freely make use of these test coupon designs.

We also published Revision E to the IPC-6012, Qualification and Performance Specification for Rigid Printed Boards, earlier this year in March.  In that revision we’ve added a caution statement about the microvia-to-target land plating failure mode, and offered suggestions on performance-based acceptance testing using the IPC 2.6.27B test method and the IPC-2221B Appendix A “D” via integrity test coupon.

And later this year we will begin work on an Amendment to IPC-6012E that provides requirements for the usage of the IPC-2221B Appendix A test coupons in printed board production lot acceptance testing, giving OEMs the option to specify the usage of the more modern test coupons for lot acceptance.

EC: Is there a consensus on test protocols or can we expect opposing viewpoints on the best way to test for microvia reliability?

The test coupon designs provided by IPC-2221B Appendix A were developed through industry consensus and are freely available – anyone can make these test coupons if they desire.  And the test protocol called out in IPC-TM-650 Method 2.6.27B? Anybody can make a thermal oven that meets the profiles called out in that test method.  I’m not saying it is easy to build a system that can make the number of electrical resistance measurements required throughout the thermal profiles in that test method, but the test coupon designs and the test procedure are not proprietary – anyone can use them and make them if they desire.

The same cannot be said for some of the older thermal stress test protocols out there.  You’re going to hear strong and varying opinions on these different testing protocols within the IPC Microvia Virtual Summit, but hey, that’s okay, isn’t it?  In the long run, healthy, even contentious debate is a good thing for the industry, right?

For more information on the IPC Microvia Virtual Summit, July 15-16, visit www.ipc.org/Microvia-Summit.

 

North American PCB Industry Growth Continues Strong

IPC Releases PCB Industry Results for November 2019

IPC announced today the November 2019 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. Sales and orders in November were strong and continued to outpace last year. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 1.08.

Total North American PCB shipments in November 2019 were up 17.2 percent compared to the same month last year. Year-to-date sales growth as of November is 7.7 percent ahead of the same period last year. Compared to the preceding month, November shipments increased 0.7 percent.

PCB bookings in November increased 11.1 percent year-over-year. Year-to-date order growth is up to 4.4 percent. Bookings in November fell 18.6 percent from the previous month.

“Business is booming for the North American PCB industry as sales and orders outpace last year’s performance by a substantial margin,” said Sharon Starr, IPC’s director of market research. “A strong book-to-bill ratio following three months of positive ratios indicates the likelihood for continued sales growth through the first quarter of 2020.”


Note: The January 2019 ratio has been revised since its original publication due to updated data from statistical program participants.


Note: The November 2018, January 2019, June 2019 and October 2019 growth rates have been revised since their original publication due to updated data from statistical program participants.

View Chart in PDF

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. PCB companies that are IPC members doing business in North America are invited to contact marketresearch@ipc.org for information about participating in 2020.

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.

Electronics Manufacturers Applaud U.S. House for Passing USMCA with Bipartisan Support

The following statement can be attributed to John Mitchell, president and CEO of IPC, a global electronics industry association:

“The electronics manufacturing industry is pleased that the U.S. House approved the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) with broad bipartisan support. Now we call on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to bring the legislation to a successful vote in the Senate as soon as possible.

“With electronics exports making up over 30 percent of U.S. exports of manufactured goods, natural resources and energy exports to Mexico and nearly 20 percent of such exports to Canada, USMCA will pave the way to continued prosperity for electronics manufacturers, U.S. workers and consumers.

“An approved agreement will also accelerate IPC’s efforts to launch new initiatives in Mexico and bolster the industry’s confidence in making investments in human resources and equipment in all three nations.”

Earlier this month, IPC sent a letter to all members of the U.S. Congress, urging them to vote promptly and affirmatively on the USMCA implementing legislation.   

In May, IPC released a study that found the total value of U.S. electronics trade with Canada and Mexico was $155.5 billion in 2017, with trade in electronic systems and components being especially important to the North American automobile industry. Mexico imports 34 percent of U.S. printed circuit board production—larger than the next four largest markets combined.

U.S. Congress to Approve Funds for R&D on Lead-Free Electronics in Aerospace, Defense and High-Performance Applications

In a win for U.S. taxpayers, defense readiness, and the electronics industry supply chain, the U.S. House and Senate are poised this week to approve a defense spending bill that includes $5 million for research and development on the issues surrounding lead-free electronics in mission-critical applications.

IPC and dozens of its members and allies supported the request for these funds, which are included in the final version of the Fiscal 2020 defense appropriations bill, being voted upon in the U.S. Senate today. The House has already approved the spending package, and President Trump is expected to sign the measure within hours after its passage.

Over the last 15 years, the commercial electronics industry has largely phased out its use of lead (Pb) in the manufacture of electronic components and circuit assemblies, due to government regulations driven by lead’s harmful effects on human health and the environment. However, the aerospace, defense and high-performance (ADHP) electronics sectors have secured exceptions to these restrictions because there is not enough data to guarantee the reliability of lead-free components in ADHP applications.

The lead-free gap between commercial and defense electronics will only grow as lead-free becomes more entrenched in cutting-edge commercial technologies, and as governments – especially the European Commission – seek even more stringent rules on the use of lead.

“The migration of the commercial industry to lead-free electronics has introduced technical and supply-chain concerns in the aerospace, defense and high-performance sectors that can only be addressed through greater, more focused public-private R&D,” said Chris Mitchell, IPC vice president of global government relations. “The funds in this bill will help support the much-needed collective effort and help ensure that mission-critical systems have full access to cutting-edge electronics from a robust global supply chain.”

“Together with our partners in the Pb-Free Electronics Risk Management (PERM) Council, IPC will continue to advocate for a proactive, long-term approach to this issue,” Mitchell added.

IPC and its partners believe that a five-year, $40 million investment in a public-private R&D program would yield more than $100 million in U.S. defense savings per year and improve military readiness and overall innovation.

For more information, read this IPC Blog from April 2019. 

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