Fueled by strong growth in electric vehicles and autonomous cars, and a dramatic increase in electronics content in conventional automobiles and trucks, automotive electronics are crucial components of engine, ignition, and transmission management; entertainment, navigation, diagnostic tools and safety systems. IPC has gathered thought leaders and subject matter experts from leading electronics and automotive companies to discuss the future of automotive electronics design and manufacturing at “IPC Automotive Electronics Reliability Forum,” June 4-5 in Nuremberg, Germany.

IPC – Association Connecting Electronics Industries, the global industry association representing the $2 trillion global electronics industry, today warned that the Trump administration’s plan to impose higher tariffs on goods imported from China could harm many small- and medium-sized U.S. electronics manufacturers that rely on Chinese materials, components and equipment to produce their products.

IPC and the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) will host a conference series on “Critical and Emerging Environmental Product Requirements” this June.The conference series, to be held in the Boston, Chicago and Silicon Valley areas on June 4, 6, and 8, respectively, will feature well-known United Kingdom (UK) regulators Steve Andrews, deputy head of the resources and waste division at the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra); Chris Smith, senior technical advisor for the office of product safety and standards at the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Mil-aero and automotive engineers who want to increase their knowledge of electronics subjected to harsh use environments should attend IPC’s High Reliability Forum in Linthicum (Baltimore), Md., May 15-17, 2018.

IPC announced today the March 2018 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. Industry shipments and orders continued to grow at a brisk pace in March. The book-to-bill ratio retreated from its peak but remained strong at 1.13.

The annual Quality Benchmark Study for Electronics Assembly, one of IPC’s most popular studies, is currently underway. The survey is online and available in both English and Mandarin Chinese. The deadline for participation has been extended to April 30.

IPC, in conjunction with Global Industrie/Midest, Snese and IFTEC, conducted an IPC Hand Soldering Competition in Paris on March 27-30, 2018. The competition was fierce as 48 competitors went soldering iron to soldering iron to compete for the coveted hand soldering competition crown. For the first time in the IPC hand soldering competition history, the top three winners came from the same company, Matra Electronique in France. Taking first place with a cash prize of €300 and winning a JBC soldering station was Nathalie Kaladgwe, who earned 440 points out of a possible 445. Kaladgwe will be invited to compete at the IPC World Championship Hand Soldering Competition at IPC APEX EXPO 2019, San Diego, in January 2019

Don Dupriest, Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control, has been elected chair of the IPC Technical Activities Executive Committee (TAEC) for a two-year term. Dupriest succeeds Chris Mahanna of Robisan Laboratory, Inc., who held the role for IPC's top standards development oversight committee for the past two years.

IPC announced today the February 2018 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. Year-over-year shipment and order growth continued in February, and the book-to-bill ratio climbed to 1.17.

IPC — Association Connecting Electronics Industries® IPC released the results of its first-quarter 2018 global Pulse of the Electronics Industry survey at IPC APEX EXPO 2018 in San Diego on February 28. The survey shows worldwide business environment scores as positive and strengthening. The outlook for the next six months and 12 months climbed to their highest levels since the quarterly survey was launched in July 2017.