IPC Issues Statement on NDAA Provisions Aimed at Bringing Resiliency and Security to Supply Chains

Today, IPC, the global association of electronics manufacturers, issued a blog post in support of the FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) provisions that would bolster the resiliency and security of the electronics manufacturing ecosystem, including printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication and printed circuit board assembly (PCBA), the green-and-gold hardwiring at the core of all electronics systems. These provisions, approved in both the U.S. House and Senate, aim to improve the security of electronics purchased by the Defense Department. Excerpts from the blog post argue the following:

“The NDAA provisions aim to improve the security of electronics purchased by the Defense Department by developing an affirmative list of allied, trusted countries from which the DoD can source those boards and assemblies. The United States should not be sourcing electronics for national security systems from countries it deems a current or potential security threat. Nor should any other country, for that matter.

“Today, without this requirement, there are potential national security risks associated with systems that are built with PCBs and PCBAs from sources that are beyond the visibility of the DOD. These risks have been well-documented by the Defense Department and outside experts.

“The opposition fears the new requirements will disrupt their established supply chains in countries that are not affirmatively covered. But the provisions explicitly authorize the Secretary of Defense to add countries to the list of locations from which PCBs and PCBAs can be sourced. And, with over $10 billion of PCB manufacturing today in allied countries and the U.S., there is ample capacity today to meet DoD demand for military and commercial off-the-shelf electronics. 

“In addition to down-stream electronics industry support, the provisions have over four dozen supporting members of Congress from both sides of the aisle in the House and the Senate. Not a single member of Congress has risen in opposition. 

“Moreover, both the full House and Senate have voted to include these provisions in the bill, so in keeping with committee precedent, the broad parameters of issue are settled.

“The NDAA provisions offer the ancillary, but meaningful, benefit of strengthening supply chain resiliency by growing the market for electronics manufactured in the United States and its allies. In fact, U.S. CEOs have indicated a desire to grow their manufacturing operations in the United States but are hedging for the moment. They are waiting for the passage of the NDAA and the demand signal it will send.” 

IPC and PSMA Form Powerful Partnership, Sign MoU Focusing on Standards Development, Education and Training

IPC and Power Sources Manufacturers Association (PSMA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) pledging to build a strong complementary relationship between the two entities with a focus on standards development, education and training.

“The technical interest areas, expertise and goals of PSMA and IPC are closely aligned, making collaboration a clear path,” said Tracy Riggan, senior director, IPC business development. “One example is the IPC standard, IPC-7092: Design and Assembly Process Implementation for Embedded Components, which contributes to PSMA member needs for integration of power supplies. In turn, PSMA brings input to enhance and increase the knowledge base for IPC standards.”

“PSMA and IPC have informally collaborated for many years with many overlapping areas of interest and it is great to put some strategic direction to strengthen links and increase collaboration levels to our mutual benefit,” shared Mike Hayes, PSMA Board chairman. “We are both non-profit entities with similar but complementary missions. All electronic devices need a power source, all power sources involve electronic device/module manufacture. Both organizations have interest in developing standardized and interoperable technology platforms for high growth application areas such as Industry 4.0, smart mobility and IoT along with long established applications and this is a great way to work together and address these opportunities and challenges.”

IPC and PSMA will continue to collaborate on education and training between organizations, with PSMA sharing key technical insights in a session at IPC APEX EXPO 2021 and IPC participating in APEC, a conference hosted by PSMA and IEEE.

IPC and 40 Groups Urge European Commission President to Postpone Reporting Deadline for SCIP Database

IPC, the global electronics manufacturing association, today joined with almost 40 other groups in calling on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to postpone the January deadline for a new chemicals database and to study related issues further before it goes forward.

Under current plans, companies supplying articles containing substances of very high concern (SVHCs) to the EU market will be obligated to submit information on these articles to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) beginning on 5 January 2021.

“IPC supports the intent of the SCIP database to make information about SVHCs available throughout the life cycle of products and enable circular economy efficiencies,” said Dr. Kelly Scanlon, IPC director of EHS policy and research. “However, the  development and implementation of the database has raised doubts regarding its workability, proportionality, and value.” 

Specifically, the groups say ECHA failed to finalize the database within a timeframe that would enable companies to develop, test and adapt their own systems to meet the January deadline. Moreover, contrary to the EU Better Regulation principles, the requirements were adopted without any prior stakeholder consultation or impact assessment.

A link to the industry joint news release and the list of signatories is here.

“IPC will continue to work on this topic with our industry colleagues and European policy makers, and we will keep our members engaged as it develops,” said Alison James, IPC senior director for government relations in Europe.

IPC Releases IPC-6012EM, Medical Applications Addendum to IPC-6012E, Qualification and Performance Specification for Rigid Printed Boards

IPC is known for developing addendums to some of its most widely used standards for specific industry sector use, including military/aerospace, space flight, automotive and telecommunications.  Now, IPC has responded to requests from the medical device segment of the electronics industry and has released IPC-6012EM, Medical Applications Addendum to IPC-6012E, Qualification and Performance Specification for Rigid Printed Boards.

The IPC D-33AM Task Group developing IPC-6012EM realized that there are two different focuses for electronics in the medical device industry sector: the relatively high-volume production of “standard-sized” printed boards for medical diagnostic equipment applications; and the miniature, high density printed boards for very small devices which are often human body implantable.

“We understand the medical industry utilizes electronics in laser surgical devices, radiation emitting devices, x-ray machines, ultrasound devices and implantables where product failure can result in the high risk of injury to the patient,” noted John Perry, IPC director of printed board standards and technology. “IPC recognized the industry’s desire for more stringent printed board fabrication requirements than can be provided within the current IPC Class 3 Performance class for these types of medical devices. The IPC D-33AM Task Group was created to develop an addendum to the base IPC-6012E printed board performance specification that addresses those technological needs.” 

IPC’s family of printed board design standards (IPC-2220 series) and board performance specifications IPC-6010 series) make use of three IPC producibility levels, intended to convey to the end user an increasing cost and sophistication with respect to fabricating printed board features of smaller and smaller size. IPC-6012EM is the first addendum to an IPC specification that makes use of a new design level “D”, which was created to address the miniaturization level of medical devices. This new design level “D” goes beyond the typical feature sizes of what is typically considered “high density interconnect” (HDI) and addresses conductor width/spaces below 60 µm as well as via structures below 100 µm.

Many regulatory requirements provided by both the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Union (EU), help ensure the safety and security of human beings (and animals) with respect to not only human and veterinary drugs and biological products, but also electronic medical devices. Examples include the EU Medical Device Directive, EU Active Implantable Medical Devices Directive and the EU Commission Regulations. As noted by Andres Ojalill, IPC technical staff liaison to the IPC D-33AM Task Group, “IPC-6012EM has been written to streamline the production of high reliability printed boards for medical devices in accordance with regulations mentioned above so that there are no gaps between technical and regulatory requirements.”

For more information on IPC-6012EM, visit https://shop.ipc.org/IPC-6012EM-English-D.

IPC E-Textiles Europe 2020 | Virtual Summit Highlights E-Textiles Labs in Four Countries in Two Days

Event to feature e-textiles laboratory demos and keynote from European Commission

IPC E-Textiles Europe 2020 | Virtual Summit, a two-day technical education conference for innovators, technologists, and brands/OEMs, will provide a platform for education and collaboration among professionals interested in producing e-textiles technologies and products. Consisting of four educational workshop sessions from four university laboratories in Europe, IPC E-Textiles 2020 | Virtual Summit will take place November 19 and 20.

Workshops will include virtual demonstrations by ENSAIT GEMTEXT Lab in France, Empa in Switzerland, the Centre for Textile Science and Engineering at the University of Ghent in Belgium, and the University of West Attica in Greece.
The Virtual Summit will feature keynotes by:

  • Andreas Lymberis, European Commission – E-Textiles and Smart Wearables: A Multifaceted EU Support in Research, Technology and Innovation
  • Christian Dalsgaard, Ohmatex – Advancing the Smart Textile Industry Globally

In addition to virtual demonstrations and keynotes, each workshop will include technical instruction on a variety of topics, including:

  • Standards for wearable e-textiles
  • Smart fiber technologies for sensing applications
  • Smart textiles for first responders
  • Challenges in manufacturing e-garments

“E-Textiles Europe 2020 | Virtual Summit is an ideal event for companies actively involved in e-textiles development, such as EMS or OEM companies, as well as product innovators and materials suppliers investigating how to apply e-textiles technologies to future products,” said Vladan Koncar, ENSAIT, chair of the E-Textiles Committee, Europe.

For more information on participating in IPC E-Textiles Europe 2020 | Virtual Summit, visit www.ipc.org/E-Textiles-EU20 or contact ChrisJorgensen@ipc.org, IPC’s director of technology transfer.

IPC Releases New “H” Revision to Two Leading Standards for Electronics Assembly, IPC J-STD-001 and IPC-A-610

IPC has released H revisions of two leading standards for the electronics assembly industry. IPC J-STD-001H, Requirements for Soldered Electrical and Electronic Assemblies is recognized as the sole industry-consensus standard for soldering processes and materials, and IPC-A-610H, Acceptability of Electronic Assemblies, is a post-assembly acceptance standard used to ensure electronic assemblies meet acceptance requirements for the electronics industry. These two documents can be used together for the manufacture of electronic assemblies.

Revisions to these standards are completed every three years, with significant changes made to each one.

Changes to J-STD-001H and notes of significance include:

  • Representatives from 27 countries (9 new countries) worked on the standard
  • With industry approval, IPC-J-STD-001G-AM1 is now incorporated to IPC-J-STD-001H
    • Section 8 is all new - Cleaning and Residue Requirements
    • 1.56 µg/NaCI equivalence/cm2 value for resistivity of solvent extract (ROSE) – no longer acceptable basis for qualifying a manufacturing process
    • IPC-WP-019B provides explanation and rationale for Section 8
  • Added Appendix D – Using X-ray for Acceptance for Solder Connection
  • Removed references to international space station symbol
    • Rationale, IPC-J-STD-001H is a base document
    • The space addendum covers space, military, aerospace requirements
  • New criteria for wrapped terminals

Changes to IPC-A-610H and notes of significance include:

  • Representatives from 29 countries (11 new countries) worked on the standard
  • Removed all target conditions – following the steps in IPC/WHMA-A-620D
  • New criteria on wrapped terminals 
  • ESD moved to a separate appendix
  • Separation of board assembly vs. cable and wire harness
  • General updates throughout the standard
  •  Jumper wire criteria folded into their own chapter

“The pandemic hit just as our dedicated committee members were deep in the revision process for these critical standards,” said John Mitchell, IPC president and CEO. “While sheltering in place all over the world, they found a way to work together to ensure that these documents were finished early. It is a remarkable achievement, and we are so grateful for their dedication.”

In addition to the new revisions for IPC-J-STD-001H and IPC-A-610H, redline documents are also available along with the revised white paper, IPC-WP-019B, “An Overview on Global Change in Ionic Cleanliness Requirements.” To purchase the revised standards and redlines, as well as IPC-WP-019B, visit the IPC Online Store.

Addressing the Skills Gap

IPC Launches New Electronics Workforce Training Courses
Nov 02, 2020
| By Corey Lynn

John Mitchell, IPC president and CEO, addresses how IPC Electronics Workforce Training courses will help IPC members overcome workforce skills gap challenges with essential and value-added coursework that is curated exclusively to address the most difficult-to-fill positions in the electronics industry.

SCIP Database Requirements May Apply to Your Company

Nov 02, 2020
| By Kelly Scanlon

Key Summary

• ECHA launched the SCIP database for products containing substances of very high concern
• Companies selling articles in the EU with SVHCs above 0.1 percent must submit data to SCIP
• Requirements take effect January 5, 2021, despite concerns raised by industry groups
• IPC continues advocating for a more workable approach and clearer guidance
• ECHA offers tools and a webinar to help companies meet reporting obligations

On October 28, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) formally launched the Substances of Concern in Products (SCIP) database. Any company importing, producing, or supplying products on the EU market that contain substances of very high concern will have to comply with the database reporting requirements. Specifically, if your company places on the market any articles with SVHCs on the REACH Candidate List above 0.1% weight by weight then the company must submit information on these articles to the SCIP database as of January 5, 2021.

Despite urgings from IPC and other associations, the European Commission rejected the possibility of an ex-post impact assessment. Under the current timeline, the regulatory obligations regarding the database are set to come into effect on January 5, 2021, just 10 weeks after the database was unveiled for the first time. However, industry advocacy will continue, and IPC recently signed a cross-industry letter to the German Presidency of the European Union and heads of the European Council and European Parliament, reiterating the need for a more workable solution.  IPC will continue advocacy efforts and stresses the need for companies to increase their awareness about this regulatory requirement.

ECHA has tools available to help you to meet reporting obligations and be sure to tune into the ECHA’s November 19 webinar if you have any questions about the notification process, and let us know if we can help you. 

Q:
What is the SCIP database?
A:

The SCIP database is a reporting system created by ECHA for products containing substances of very high concern. Companies must disclose information to support transparency and help improve safe use and waste treatment of affected articles.
 

Q:
Who must comply with SCIP reporting requirements?
A:

Any company importing, producing, or supplying products in the EU that contain SVHCs above 0.1 percent weight by weight must submit information. This applies to a broad range of businesses placing articles on the EU market.
 

Q:
When do the SCIP requirements take effect?
A:

The obligations took effect on January 5, 2021, just weeks after the database was first introduced. Companies must be prepared to meet the reporting rules for any affected articles placed on the EU market.
 

Q:
What resources are available to help companies comply with SCIP requirements?
A:

ECHA provides tools to guide companies through the notification process and will host a webinar on November 19. These resources can help businesses understand their obligations and complete required submissions.

North American PCB Industry Sales up 3 Percent in October

IPC Releases PCB Industry Results for October 2020

IPC announced today the October 2020 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 0.97.

Total North American PCB shipments in October 2020 were up 3.0 percent compared to the same month last year. Compared to the preceding month, October shipments fell 12.6 percent.

PCB bookings in October fell 19.0 percent year-over-year and decreased 22.8 percent from the previous month.

“The current environment is starting to look increasingly like a normal recession and less like the initial shock. While PCB shipments were generally in line with expectations, bookings continue to fall below average,” said Shawn DuBravac, IPC’s chief economist. “There does appear to be some backlog within the system which should sustain shipments in the next month or two, but it is increasingly looking like weaker bookings, especially for flexible PCBs, will define the start of 2021.”

October 2020 book to bill graph 1

October 2020 book to bill graph 2

View charts 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.

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.

 

 

 

 

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