IPC E-Textiles Exchange Update
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IPC APEX EXPO 2021 Goes Virtual
IPC APEX EXPO 2021 will be offered virtually, March 8-12, 2021.
“Given ongoing COVID-19 health and safety concerns and continued restrictions for large gatherings and events in California, it was not feasible to safely convene the nearly 9,000 expected participants at IPC APEX EXPO 2021,” said IPC President and CEO John Mitchell. “The event will now take place in a safe, all-virtual format.”
While the event is going virtual, IPC APEX EXPO will still be the place to connect, collaborate and learn as the event’s virtual platform will allow attendees, exhibitors and speakers to easily navigate more than 100 technical conference sessions and professional development courses as well as product demonstrations, and schedule one-on-one meetings with exhibitors. As an added bonus, technical conference sessions will be available to registered attendees for replay, providing a unique opportunity to take advantage of education for 90 days after the event.
And rounding out the immersive experience, attendees can attend multiple keynotes, a “meet and greet” with IPC Hall of Famers and Emerging Engineers, participate in a virtual trivia event, and learn about cutting edge products and technologies during daily exhibitor new product introductions.
Mitchell added, “Be it in person or via an online platform, it is IPC’s goal to maintain IPC APEX EXPO’s position as the premier event for the electronics manufacturing industry, providing practical applications for learning – knowledge that attendees can immediately apply to their work and as well as far-reaching insights that can be applied toward implementing future technologies. Wherever in the world you may be located, IPC APEX EXPO 2021 is the place to be.”
Registration for IPC APEX EXPO 2021 is expected to open December 17. To view schedule at a glance and exhibitor list, visit www.ipcapexexpo.org. IPC APEX EXPO will return to an in-person format in 2022 and will take place January 25–27, 2022 at the San Diego Convention Center.
What OSHA's Increasing COVID-19 Inspections Mean for You
As the coronavirus pandemic has persisted, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has strengthened its worker health protections and increased the number of workplace inspections, resulting in an increase of citations for violating certain standards. Some of the common compliance issues are related to existing standards for recordkeeping, personal protective equipment, respiratory protection programs, and obligations under the general duty clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. This recent publication from OSHA provides all the latest information on the frequently cited standards related to COVID-19; we encourage you to use this information to benchmark company practices and protocols throughout the pandemic.
IPC also strongly encourages you to take note of new and emerging workplace safety standards at the state and local levels, which are taking place in the absence of OSHA-led expanded worker protections. For example, emergency temporary standards are being issued or considered in more than a dozen states including Virginia, Oregon, Michigan, and California. Please take time to become familiar with your state-specific requirements and take appropriate actions to ensure compliance and worker protections are in place. This is particularly something to keep in mind if you have multiple facilities in multiple states, potentially resulting in multiple compliance obligations.
The health and safety of our members remains a top priority for IPC, and as always, let us know any pandemic-related issues you may be struggling with. Please contact me with any questions or concerns.
WHMA 28th Annual Wire Harness Conference Cancelled Due to COVID-19 Concerns
For nearly three decades, Wiring Harness Manufacturer’s Association (WHMA) staff and Board members looked forward to connecting with attendees, exhibitors and speakers at its annual wire harness conference, but given escalating concerns with COVID-19 infection rates, event organizers have cancelled the 2021 WHMA 28th Annual Wire Harness Conference.
“Though our 2021 conference will no longer take place in the way we intended, we remain committed to the wire harness community and are planning a virtual event on February 17, complete with speakers who will present on wire harness industry economics, new technologies and more,” said David Bergman, WHMA executive director.
Added Rick Bromm, WHMA chair, “Though not a replacement for the annual conference that so many have come to rely on for their education and business needs, we hope the virtual event will still provide an opportunity for attendees to learn, grow, share, and discover new approaches to the many aspects of our dynamic industry. We will provide updates as progress is made on this virtual event. For those who desire an in-person event, WHMA/IPC are partnering with the Wisconsin Center to produce the 2021 Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo (EWPTE) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Workshops, conference and exhibition are planned for May 11-13.”
WHMA Annual Conference dates for 2022 are still being finalized but event location and venue remains unchanged and will take place at the Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa in Tucson, Ariz. For additional information on the February 17 virtual event, visit www.whma.org.
Statement from IPC President and CEO John Mitchell on Final Passage of National Defense Authorization Act
Statement from John Mitchell, IPC president and CEO:
“President Trump's threat to veto the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) unless it includes a repeal of Section 230 imperils passage of legislation critical to U.S. military readiness. Tying an unrelated, controversial legislative priority related to liability for content posted on online platforms to the must-pass defense bill creates an unnecessary game of political chicken where, regardless of the outcome, the American people lose.
“IPC urges President Trump and the members of Congress to stay focused on the issues central to the nation’s defense with the goal of enacting the NDAA into law next week.”
IPC Releases IPC-2581 Revision C, Generic Requirements for Printed Board Assembly Products Manufacturing Description Data and Transfer Methodology
IPC-2581C, Generic Requirements for Printed Board Assembly Product Manufacturing Description Data and Transfer Methodology is the eagerly anticipated update of IPC’s widely adopted global standard for PCB design through manufacturing data flow. Revision C introduces groundbreaking new features, automation supporting Industry 4.0, and bidirectional DFX intelligence capability that eliminates the time-consuming back and forth between design house and manufacturers before production can begin.
As technology in the industry progresses, including the latest additive processes with embedded components within the PCB, the IPC-2581 committee of experts has introduced support for the latest technologies, representing every aspect of modern PCB design. Updates include overhauled support for rigid flex, embedded components, cavities, coins, attenuation parameters, connector ports, pin polarities, edge plating, countersink/counterbore, square drill, and intended net-shorts.
Ensuring that all related data is in digital form, IPC-2581 represents the method of choice for automation between design and manufacturing, significantly surpassing proprietary and legacy formats.
As a specific highlight, revision C includes the bi-directional DFX data exchange through which feedback between design and manufacturing is conveyed and tracked before manufacturing begins.
“DFM checking and resolution can be a frustrating and time-consuming process that poses little overall benefit for our customers” said Greg Link, FAE manager for WUS Printed Circuits. “IPC-2581 revision C addresses the need for a collaborative, executable exchange for DFM issues eliminating spreadsheets, PowerPoints, and emails, accelerating new product introduction for our customers."
“As the industry continues to move toward digital data exchange, the timing is right for the technology behind IPC-2581C to bring the opportunity for critical savings and efficiencies in engineering workload. The update benefits both design and manufacturing, supporting agility and responsiveness within the holistic electronics manufacturing process,” stated Matt Kelly, IPC chief technologist.
“IPC-2581C is also a major component of the digital twin architecture and strategy, setting the standard for interoperability between different digital twin solutions, bringing maximum value from data,” Kelly added. “IPC-2581 revision C is much more than an incremental update, providing the industry’s only fully digitalized and automated data exchange. It is ready to be a critical part of any PCB fabrication and assembly manufacturing smart factory strategy.”
For more information or to purchase IPC-2581C, visit the IPC Online Store.
Is IPC Education Part of Your Training Plan?
As the new year approaches, are you developing learning and development plans? IPC delivers training for a variety of job roles in electronics manufacturing. Whether you need consistent and effective training for new hires with limited experience or you need to round out the skills of your most valuable employees, IPC creates training courses with our industry partners to meet the specific needs of our membership. Learn more about our offerings:
IPC Electronics Workforce Training
Do you need consistent and scalable training for your front-line operators? The Electronic Assembly Operator course delivers the foundational knowledge needed to get your new hires off to a running start. If specific roles within your organization need more in-depth instruction about utilizing and implementing IPC Standards, we offer add-on courses that deliver a working knowledge of J-STD-001 and IPC-A-610. The IPC EDGE learning platform allows trainers to easily monitor trainee progress, provide support when necessary as well as identify the strongest learners.
In a recent article in SMT007, David Hernandez and Carlos Plaza discuss the vision driving the development of IPC Electronics Workforce Training as well as offering a sneak peek into what comes next.
PCB Design
IPC offers a full curriculum of PCB Design courses. Engineers and technicians with limited experience can take our Design I and Design II courses, while more experienced personnel can focus on specific applications in courses like Advanced Packaging, Extreme Environments or Military and Aerospace. These courses meet twice a week for six weeks and provide opportunities for participants to receive direct instruction and exchange ideas with the class.
An electrical engineer that recently took the Advanced Packaging course commented, "Just wanted to let you know that I've gone through a few designs at work and I couldn't have down it without you. I've used just about everything you taught in class and I continue to look back at my notes to remember some of the more tricky stuff."
Professional Development
IPC’s professional development courses provide extensive technical and business knowledge. PCB Defect Analysis and Troubleshooting is the seminal course in understanding how to diagnose and correct manufacturing defects in the PCB fabrication process. Our Certified Electronics Program Manager course covers a wide variety of business and technical topics that are critical to success in the EMS industry. Contracting with the Customer has a narrower focus on writing contracts that are profitable and mitigate risk.
Whatever your learning and development goals, IPC Education can help. To discuss how to implement these courses into your training program, contact sales@ipc.org.
IPC’s November 2020 Economic Report: U.S. and EU Outlook
It is, as Charles Dickens might say, the best of times and the worst of times. Across both the United States and Europe, COVID-19 cases have accelerated sharply and will curtail economic activity in the coming months. But the last month hasn’t been all bad news; there has been very positive news regarding early vaccine trials. This news was very welcome for many sectors of the economy, especially the service sector, which is hamstrung by the virus.
As we present the November economic outlook report, we find ourselves caught between very bad news that is negatively impacting the economy right now and very hopeful news that could bring about significant economic activity, but with some delay.
In this month’s report, you will find U.S. and European data on economic growth, employment, Manufacturer’s Sentiment (PMI) and end markets for electronics.
You will also find details on industrial production, capacity utilization, PCB production data and North American PCB bookings.
Please let us know how you use this research along with what other details you would like to see from IPC. We welcome your thoughts and feedback.
WHMA/IPC Issues Call for Participation for Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo 2021
WHMA/IPC invites engineers, researchers, academics, technical experts, and industry leaders to submit technical conference abstracts for the Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo (EWPTE), to be held May 11-13, 2021 at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee, Wis.
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An approximate 300-word technical conference abstract summarizing original and previously unpublished work covering case histories, research and discoveries must be submitted. The submission should describe significant results from experiments and case studies, emphasize new techniques, discuss trends of interest, and contain appropriate technical test results. Final selected presentations will be limited to 30 minutes. Technical conference paper abstracts and course proposals are due January 5, 2021. To submit an abstract or course proposal, contact David Bergman, WHMA executive director and IPC vice president, standards and technology, at DavidBergman@ipc.org.
For additional information on attending or exhibiting, visit www.electricalwireshow.com, or contact KimDiCianni@ipc.org or AliciaBalonek@ipc.org.
IPC Day EMS 2020-EMS Day and Beyond
Presented by IPC Europe and Estonian Electronics Industries Association
10:00-15:00 (UTC +2)
Detailed agenda currently shows (Local Estonian Time) :
• 10.00 – 10:15 Gathering
• 10:15 - 10:25 Welcome and Introduction, Viljar Lubi, Deputy Secretary General of Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, Otto Pukk, Chairman of Estonian Electronics Industries Association
• 10:25 – 11:10 The European EMS Industry, structure, development and future, Dieter G. Weiss, in4ma EMS
Market Statistics
• 11:10 - 11:40 Nordic and Baltic Industries During Corona Crisis, Tõnu Mertsina, Swedbank
• 11:40 - 12:10 Estonian Electronics Industry, Arno Kolk, Managing Director of the Estonian Electronics Industries Association
• 12:10 – 12:40 Lunch Break
• 12:40 – 13:00 Electronic Engineering, tbc,
• 13:00 - 13:20 Scanfil - vertically integrated EMS, tbc, Scanfil
• 13:20 - 13:40 OEM View - Why We Built Our Own Factory, Kristjan Maruste, CEO and Co-Founder of
Comodule
• 13:40 - 14:00 Recycling in Electronics Industry, Raido Oras, COO of Kat Metal
• 14:00 - 14:30 Electronics Industry in Latvia, Normunds Bergs, President of LETERA
• 14:30 - 14:50 IPC Green Standards
• 14:50 - 15:00 Wrap up
Akadeemia tee 23
12618 Tallinn Estonia
Estonia