IPC Hand Soldering Competition Winner Crowned at What's New in Electronics Live 2019

IPC, in conjunction with What’s New in Electronics Live and ART-- Advanced Rework Technology Ltd., conducted the IPC Hand Soldering Competition in Warwickshire, United Kingdom, on September 18-19, 2019. Twenty competitors demonstrated their soldering skills with the hope of winning the coveted hand soldering competition crown.

Participants were tasked with building a functional electronics assembly with more than 400 components, within a 60-minute time limit. The completed assembly was judged not only on speed of completion, but on workmanship, overall functionality and compliance with IPC-A-610G Class 3 criteria. Taking first place with a cash prize of £300 and new soldering stations from JBC and Hakko was Justyna Mikolajczyk, Zettlex. Mikolajczyk, who completed a functional board in 52 minutes and 42 seconds, and earned 440 points out of a possible 445, is eligible to compete at the IPC Hand Soldering World Championship at productronica in Munich this November.

Second place went to Phillip Smith, CIL, who completed his board in 60 minutes, earning 421 points. Smith, a former UK champion in hand soldering, received a cash prize of £200.

Third place went to Przemyslaw Marzalek, MSF Technologies, who completed his board in 56 minutes, 30 seconds, earning him 405 points and a cash prize of £100. Przemyslaw was the UK Champion last year and competed for the world championship title at the World Championship held at IPC APEX EXPO in San Diego, Calif earlier this year.

“It was evident that the best hand soldering talent in the United Kingdom came to compete at What’s New in Electronics Live,” said David Bergman, IPC vice president of standards and training. “The competition was tough, but each competitor rose to the challenge. We look forward to hosting more hand soldering competitions across the globe.”

Bergman added, “IPC would like to thank hand soldering competition sponsors: JBC, Hakko, Thalès, Optilia, The Daylight Company, NCAB, Almit, Electrolube, Zestron, and ART-Advance Rework Technology Ltd. For their support.”

All 2019 regional winners will take their hand soldering skills to the IPC Hand Soldering World Championship which will be held at productronica in Munich on November 14-15. For more information on upcoming IPC hand soldering competitions, visit www.ipc.org/events.

North American PCB Industry Turnaround Shown in New IPC Report

IPC’s 2019 Annual Report on the North American PCB Industry, published last week, shows that the PCB industry in North America has turned a corner. For the first time in five years, domestic PCB production grew in 2018. North America’s PCB market also grew last year by nearly eight percent, solidifying the turnaround that began in 2017.

Other key findings include the breakdown of vertical markets for PCBs, showing that PCBs for military and aerospace, and medical devices and instrumentation markets make up the lion’s share of both rigid PCB and flexible circuit markets in North America.

The report contains current estimates of PCB domestic production value from Prismark Partners and shows historical trends in the size and growth of PCB markets. Data from IPC’s North American PCB Statistical Program cover 2018 sales and order growth by board type and company size tier, vertical market sizes, prototype sales growth and percentages of PCBs with special technologies including RF, metal core and embedded components. Other industry data include revenue per employee, capacity utilization, production capacity expansion and planned 2019 expansion, inventory turns and lead times.

PCB fabricators use this annual report to see what product types are gaining or declining in the marketplace, update estimates of their market share and compare their business performance to industry averages. For PCB industry suppliers and customers, the PCB market is a useful gauge of trends and growth in electronics manufacturing.

The 2019 Annual Report on the North American PCB Industry, priced at $450 for IPC members and $900 for nonmembers, is available for download in IPC’s online store. Information about IPC market research reports and services is at www.ipc.org/market-research-reports.

M-EXPO Wire Processing Technology 2019 Exhibit Space Sold Out; Wait List Open

Exhibitor booth space at the third annual M-EXPO Wire Processing Technology 2019 in Ciudad Juárez, México, is sold out and wait-list applications are being accepted.

M-EXPO 2019 has more than doubled its event space from 2018 and has exceeded expectations by selling out the exhibit space a month before the event. This year’s event is being held on October 9-11, 2019 at the Cuatro Siglos Convention Center, co-locating with the ninth annual EXPO-MRO.

Featuring  nearly 50 exhibitors showcasing the latest equipment, tools, materials and technologies within the wire and cable industry, exhibitors include Komax, Schleuniger, Cirris, HellermannTyton, HST, Identco, Immsa, Lakes Precision, Lone Star, Schaefer Megomat, IPC/WHMA, Wiring Harness News, BiTech, Cami, Curti, Schunck, Ricardo & Barbosa, and many more. Check the M-EXPO website for the full exhibitor list.

In addition to the sold-out exhibit space, the show sponsored by IPC/WHMA, includes an exciting lineup of conferences and training sessions:

Wednesday, October 9, 2019
12:00 pm  What is IPC/WHMA? What Can IPC/WHMA Do for You?
Presented by IPC/WHMA
3:30 pm Managing the Risks of your Supply Chain
Presented by APICS
5:00 pm Crimping Beyond the Basics
Presented by Crimping & Stamping Technologies
Thursday, October 10, 2019
12:00 pm  IPC/WHMA-A-620 Emerging Needs for Criteria – Repair/Rework, Design for Manufacturing (DFM) Issues, High Voltage Electric Mobility
Presented by IPC/WHMA
3:30 pm Arcadia Wire Harness Software
Presented by Cadonix
Friday, October 11, 2019
3:30 pm  Ultrasonic Welding
Presented by Schunk Sonosystems

Presentations are open to everyone at no additional cost. Since seating is limited, advance registration is advised. For more information on M-EXPO or to register, visit www.mexpowire.com.

For companies interested in being added to M-EXPO exhibitor wait list , contact Ricardo Aguirre at 915-304-4291 or contact.us@mexpowire.com.

IPC Designs for Excellence in Conjunction with PCB Carolina

Speaker Dale Lee, Plexus, to lead day-long instruction on DFX

IPC offers a day-long technical education seminar, Design for Excellence (DFX): DFM (Design for Manufacturing) DFR (Design for Reliability) DFA (Design for Assembly), in conjunction with PCB Carolina November 12, Raleigh, N.C., at the McKimmon Conference and Training Center.

Providing a comprehensive review of pitfalls that can occur in assembly and how they often have a direct link to design, the seminar will be led by instructor Dale Lee, senior staff DFX strategy engineer, Plexus Corporation.

Geared toward designers, manufacturing/process engineers, quality and reliability engineers, and managers or technicians involved in the design, fabrication, assembly or testing of printed board assemblies, attendees will learn:

  • The effect of bare board choices on function and reliability of assembly
  • How PCB design complexity impacts on fabrication costs and reliability
  • Limitations of industry standards
  • PCB design effects on assembly: thermal balance, trace routing, via interconnection, Z-axis TCE
  • Impacts of component and PCB warpage/flatness on yields and reliability
  • Impacts of design on process control issues; paste volume, SMT and PTH thermal shock, reflow warpage

 “There is a direct connection between the design of a device and complications that may occur in the assembly process,” said Brook Sandy-Smith, IPC technical conference program manager. “This course will shine a light on those opportunities for improvement, taught by a distinguished expert in the field.”

For more information on Design for Excellence (DFX): DFM (Design for Manufacturing) DFR (Design for Reliability) DFA (Design for Assembly) or to register, visit www.ipc.org/DfX-workshop.

Emerging Technologies Take Center Stage at IPC Electronics Materials Forum

New IPC technical conference features keynote by autonomous auto expert Lenora Clark

The IPC Electronics Materials Forum is a new technical conference focused on developments in materials and processes associated with advanced electronics assembly and manufacturing for board fabrication, assembly and post-assembly protection. The three-day forum, to be held November 5-7 in Bloomington, Minn. Will be co-located with a Pb-free Electronics Risk Management (PERM) Council meeting.

Geared toward engineers and managers that procure materials or seek an understanding of advancements in materials for the board, assembly, components and protective layers, the IPC Electronics Materials Forum will emphasize the emerging technologies that challenge the existing materials set. Interactive panels and networking opportunities will provide attendees an open forum to discuss solutions to challenges.

The Forum will feature a keynote by Lenora Clark, director, autonomous driving and safety technology for MacDermid Alpha Automotive, who will present insights into all aspects of electronics, uniting circuitry, semiconductor and assembly solutions to support future automotive market needs.

“You can envision many future technologies, but you cannot create them without materials and processes to manufacture them,” said Brook Sandy-Smith, technical conference program manager. “Emerging technologies that challenge our existing materials set will inform the developments needed for the future, and we have an impressive lineup of speakers, including Lenora Clark as our keynote, at IPC Electronics Materials Forum to lead the way.”

More than 20 companies will be represented at the Forum, including Continental Automotive Systems, Averatak, Calumet Electronics, Indium, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, among others.

Topics to be presented include:

  • Semi-additive processes for high density interconnect
  • Additive textile manufacturing for electrical connections
  • SIR test method for underfill reliability in automotive electronics
  • Digitization of organic electronics information: Materials, manufacturing and devices
  • Reliable and cost-effective nickel-free solutions for high-frequency/high-density applications
  • Evaluation of PCB through hole plating, drill, and desmear quality for new laminate materials
  • Trends and developments in electronic protection materials

For more information about the IPC Electronics Materials Forum or to register, visit www.ipc.org/Materials-Forum-2019.

B. Gentry Lee to Keynote 2020 WHMA 27th Annual Wire Harness Conference

Award-winning engineer, space explorer, and novelist to share highlights of his career

B. Gentry Lee, chief engineer for the Solar System Exploration Directorate at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and successful science fiction writer, will present his keynote address, “A Passion for Space Exploration,” at the WHMA 27th Annual Wire Harness Conference, February 19, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada. During his keynote presentation, Lee will talk about the highlights of his exploration career and touch on the role of wires and harnesses on the most memorable spacecraft.

Responsible for the engineering integrity of all robotic planetary missions managed by JPL for NASA, Lee provided engineering oversight for the Curiosity rover mission to Mars in 2012, the Dawn mission to the asteroids Vesta and Ceres, the Juno mission to Jupiter and the GRAIL missions to the Moon. Previously, Lee provided oversight and guidance for the engineering aspects of the Phoenix and twin rover missions to Mars, as well as NASA’s successful Deep Impact and Stardust missions.

Recipient of the Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement and their Distinguished Service Medal from NASA, Lee received the Harold Masursky Award from the American Astronomical Society, the Al Seiff Memorial Award from the International Planetary Probe Workshop, and the Simon Ramo Medal by the IEEE for “career excellence in engineering.”

“Not only has Mr. Lee’s made outstanding contributions to solar system exploration, but his work as a science fiction novelist, futurist, computer product designer and lecturer have significantly enhanced science literacy,” said David Bergman, WHMA executive director. “We are thrilled to welcome him to WHMA and we look forward to his keynote speech. With the recent discovery of thousands of planets orbiting around other stars, it allows keynote participants to truly question, are we alone in the universe?”   

For more information on conference including schedule, speaker profiles or to register for event, visit http://annualconference.whma.org.

IPC Invites Industry Leaders to Submit Poster Abstracts for IPC APEX EXPO 2020 in San Diego

IPC invites researchers, technical experts and industry leaders to submit abstracts for poster presentations at IPC APEX EXPO®, the industry’s premier conference and exhibition for printed board design and manufacturing, electronics assembly and test. Poster presentations are scheduled for Wednesday, February 5, 2020, and will be displayed throughout the event, offering additional visibility.

Technical poster presentations are being sought on all relevant electronics topics, including design, materials, assembly, processes and equipment and test, especially:

  • 3D Printing in Electronics Manufacturing
  • Automation in Electronics Manufacturing
  • Adhesives
  • Advanced Technology
  • Area Array/Flip Chip/0201 Metric
  • Assembly and Rework Processes
  • BGA/CSP Packaging
  • Black Pad and Other Board Related Defect Issues
  • BTC/QFN/LGA/MLF Components
  • Business & Supply Chain Issues
  • Cleaning
  • Conformal Coatings
  • Corrosion
  • Counterfeit Electronics
  • Design
  • Electromigration
  • Electronics Manufacturing Services
  • Embedded Passive & Active Devices
  • Environmental Compliance
  • Graphene in Electronics Manufacturing
  • Lean Six Sigma
  • LED Manufacturing
  • Failure Analysis
  • Flexible Circuitry
  • HDI Technologies
  • Head-on-Pillow
  • Board and Component Warpage
  • High Speed, High Frequency & Signal Integrity
  • Industry 4.0
  • Lead-Free Fabrication, Assembly & Reliability
  • Miniaturization
  • Nanotechnology
  • Optoelectronics
  • Packaging & Components
  • PCB Fabrication
  • PCB and Component Storage & Handling Performance
  • Quality & Reliability
  • Photovoltaics
  • PoP (Package-on-Package)
  • Printed Electronics
  • Reshoring
  • RFID Circuitry
  • Robotics
  • Soldering
  • Surface Finishes
  • Test, Inspection & AOI
  • Tin Whiskers
  • 2.5-D/3-D Component Packaging
  • Underfills
  • Via Plugging & Other Protection
  • Wearables

An abstract of up to 300 words summarizing technical and previously unpublished work covering case histories, research and discoveries should be submitted by Friday, November 15, 2019, to https://ipcapexexpo2020.ipc.org/secure/CFPosters.aspx.

For more information about poster participation or other opportunities to participate in IPC APEX EXPO, contact Toya Richardson, IPC technical programs coordinator, at ToyaRichardson@ipc.org. Or Brook Sandy-Smith, IPC technical education program manager, at BrookSandy@ipc.org

IPC Names Shawn DuBravac, Global Tech Trends Expert, as New Chief Economist

Today, IPC announced Shawn DuBravac, Ph.D., CFA, will serve as the association’s chief economist. In this role, DuBravac will expand IPC’s research program and provide insights on the biggest issues facing the $2 trillion global electronics industry, including supply chain resiliency/uncertainty, trade wars, skilled workforce shortage, and the expanding role of electronics in the global economy.

“The electronics industry is at the heart of thousands of essential products and services, as well as millions of jobs across the globe,” said DuBravac. “I look forward to working with the leaders and members of IPC to uncover actionable insights about the most pressing issues impacting the health of the electronics industry.”  

For more than a dozen years, DuBravac served as chief economist for the Consumer Technology Association, a U.S. trade association representing more than 2,000 consumer tech companies. More recently, he has provided consulting, research, and advisory services to clients on topics including digital transformation, business model disruptions, and global supply chains. He is also the author of the New York Times best seller, “Digital Destiny: How the New Age of Data Will Transform the Way We Work, Live, and Communicate,” and has appeared in Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Financial Times, Washington Post and more. DuBravac is a member of the National Association of Business Economists and currently serves as the president of the Conference of Business Economists.

“Shawn’s expertise in providing insightful analysis on the technological and economic trends shaping our world is perfectly aligned with IPC’s role as a trusted source of industry information,” said Chris Mitchell, IPC’s vice president of global government relations. “He will be an asset to IPC and our members as we look to expand our research, education, and advocacy efforts.” 

IPC E-Textiles Europe 2019 to Bring Technical Education to European E-textiles Community

IPC E-Textiles Europe 2019, a two-day technical education conference for innovators, technologists and brands/OEMs, will provide a platform for education and collaboration among a diverse group of professionals interested in producing e-textiles technologies and products. Developed by the e-textiles industry for the e-textiles industry, IPC E-Textiles Europe 2019 will also provide technical insights of interest to myriad market segments, including fashion design, health monitoring, medical, automotive, aerospace and military. The conference will take place in Munich, Germany, November 12-13, 2019.

Presentation highlights of the technical conference agenda include:

  • Design and Fabrication Techniques of Textile-Based Embroidered RFID Tags for Apparels
  • Reliability and Washability of Textile-Based Circuit Boards
  • Warp Knitted Solutions for E-Textile Applications
  • Conductive Patterns on Textiles by Laser Welding
  • Printed Electronics – Electrifying Textiles for Smart Applications
  • The New Drug Delivery frontier – Textiles
  • Wearable Sensors for Your Favorite Sports
  • E-Textiles as an Enabling Technology to Create More Discreet and Desirable Assistive Technology for Older Adults
  • Advanced Inkjet Printed E-Textiles for Health Monitoring in Military Applications
  • Design in Confidence in E-Textiles

“Smart textiles, encompassing electronics combined with textiles (e-textiles) have a very promising realm in science and technology,” said Vladan Koncar, ENSAIT, GEMTEXT, University of Lille and IPC E-Textiles Committee Europe chair. “Numerous materials, systems and devices are available for e-textiles applications, but there are challenges to making these materials, systems and devices compatible as a full e-textiles product. As a conference where scientists and people from the industry can meet and exchange experiences and knowledge, IPC E-Textiles 2019 is, therefore, tremendous.”

Unique to any other e-textiles event in Europe, IPC E-Textiles Europe 2019 will also include an IPC E-Textiles Committee in Europe meeting, where participants will be able to collaborate on IPC international standards for e-textiles.

For questions about the conference or joining the IPC E-Textiles Committee in Europe meeting or any other IPC international e-textiles standards activities, contact Chris Jorgensen, director, technology transfer, at ChrisJorgensen@ipc.org or visit www.ipc.org/E-Textiles-EU19.

IPC and Automotive Industry Action Group Enhance Partnership Agreement

“Direct part” manufacturing suppliers offered complimentary AIAG membership

With electronic systems expected to reach 50 percent of the total car cost by 2030, electronics companies are of critical importance in the automotive supply chain as a driver of quality and supporting OEM development goals.                                  

To reinforce the importance of quality in process and manufacturing, standardization for supply chain effectiveness and industry advancement, IPC and the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) renewed their cooperative agreement. As part of the agreement, IPC and AIAG agreed to work closely in the areas of thought leadership, quality and supply chain best practices, and community awareness building. Together, the industry associations will educate the automotive supply chain on compliance requirements, evaluate how IPC standards and AIAG guidelines align and impact both industries, and work together to identify training that builds on professional standards.

“Today’s automobiles contain multiple electronics systems that control or monitor all aspects of the vehicle, and the quality and security of vehicle software and electronics are key requirements to guarantee safety,” said Tracy Riggan, senior director, Solutions, IPC. “The partnership of IPC and AIAG will enable both organizations to share, support and develop standards and education, and participate in industry research.”

“We maintain very close working relationships with industry associations that serve the needs of the automotive industry, and believe IPC will be a key partner in representing the electronics supplier segment,” explained AIAG vice president of member services, Dave Lalain. “We’ve already invited IPC to support our Electronics Advisory Board and are looking forward to their involvement in bringing electronics supplier issues to the forefront.”

Part of the IPC AIAG partnership includes an opportunity for complimentary AIAG membership for direct suppliers to the automotive industry. To complement the supplier tools shared by IPC and AIAG and to help the supply base improve, any direct suppliers with under $20 million in global annual sales are eligible.

To apply for AIAG membership and find out if you qualify for the IPC-sponsored membership, go to http://go.aiag.org/joinipc. Additionally, AIAG members are invited to join IPC and all new members receive 50 percent off the first year’s membership. To apply or learn more, www.ipc.org/membership.

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