First-quarter 2019 results from IPC’s Pulse of the Electronics Industry global data service shows an electronics industry that is still riding the crest of the current growth cycle, despite cooling enthusiasm in some regions and industry segments.
In conjunction with ELECTROSUB 2019, Microsolder and IPC conducted the second regional European qualification for the IPC Hand Soldering Competition in Budapest, Hungary on April 3-5, 2019. The competition in Budapest drew 33 professional hand soldering competitors for the coveted hand soldering regional competition crown. In addition to this year’s professional competition, 34 beginners from local high schools competed for first, second and third place cash prizes over the three-day period.
Responding to industry demand and member feedback, IPC created a new certification for company subject matter experts on IPC Standards. Companies need staff that understand IPC Standards at a deep level. The Certified Standards Expert (CSE) will possess a high level of expertise and serve as an in-house expert on IPC Standards. A CSE is not required to train, unlike a Certified IPC Trainer (CIT) who is required to train to maintain their certification.
IPC announces the release of IPC-2591, Connected Factory Exchange (CFX).The electronics industry now has an industry standard available to all companies in the industry, regardless of size or location which can be used to quickly and easily implement “Industry 4.0” and “smart factory” applications to their manufacturing operations.
The IPC Technical Activities Executive Committee (TAEC) and the IPC Board of Directors approved by vote, the introduction of a Qualified Products List (QPL) requirement within IPC-4101, Specification for Base Materials for Rigid and Multilayer Printed Boards. The intent of the new requirement is to enhance supply chain verification of materials specification sheets, minimize nonverified submissions of specification sheets and give support to the committee evaluations of the new materials specification sheets.
The 2019 Study of Quality Benchmarks for Electronics Assembly, one of IPC’s most popular annual studies, is currently underway. The survey is online and available in both English and Mandarin Chinese. The deadline for participation is May 17.
IPC announced today the March 2019 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. Year-over-year growth in March was strong for sales but slipped into negative territory for orders, while the book-to-bill ratio retreated to parity at 1.00.
IPC – Association Connecting Electronics Industries® and the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) will host a conference series on “Critical and Emerging Environmental Product Requirements” in Boston, the Chicago area and San Jose on June 3, 5, and 7, respectively. The series will feature well-known United Kingdom (UK) regulators Carl Magness, product safety enforcement team leader, and Paul Tennant, product safety enforcement manager, both within the UK Office of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), and Giuseppina Luvara, a policy officer within the European Commission’s Directorate General of Environment.
IPC -- Association Connecting Electronics Industries® announces the addition of Michael Stone as senior director of sales to its staff at IPC headquarters in Bannockburn (Chicago), Ill.
Top executives from electronics companies across the United States are in Washington, D.C., this week to endorse the proposed U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA) and call on the Trump Administration and Congress to support policies that will drive advanced manufacturing.