IPC’s 2018 Annual Report on the North American PCB Industry, published this week, contains data showing the industry’s turnaround as it emerged in 2017 and how it affects different segments of the industry.

IPC announced today the April 2018 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. Industry shipments and orders in April continued to grow but at a slowing pace. The book-to-bill ratio decreased but remained strong at 1.08.

IPC's Validation Services Program has awarded Ventec International Group, a global electronics materials manufacturing company headquartered in Suzhou, China, a second IPC-4101 Qualified Products Listing (QPL). Ventec successfully qualified their products, VT-90H and VT-901, to specification sheet 40 of IPC-4101E, Specification for Base Materials for Rigid and Multilayer Printed Boards

C-level executives from top electronics companies across the United States – all members of IPC – will gather in Washington, D.C. on May 21-23 for discussions with members of Congress and the Administration on issues that are critical to the future of the electronics industry and U.S. economy. IMPACT Washington, D.C. 2018 is IPC’s premier advocacy event, presenting members with the opportunity to conduct high-level meetings with their elected officials.

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.