The following statement can be attributed to Chris Mitchell, vice president of global government relations at IPC, the global association representing the electronics manufacturing industry:

“The electronics manufacturing industry welcomes the U.S.-China "phase one" trade deal being signed today in Washington, and the pathway it offers to resolution of broader issues. The deal leaves many issues unaddressed including cyber security, structural economic reforms, and the high level of tariffs that are still in place on many products that are traded in our industry. As documented in a recent IPC study, many IPC members are feeling the pain of higher costs, supply chain disruptions, administrative hassles, and reduced access to the Chinese market as a result of the U.S.-China trade conflict.

IPC's Validation Services Program has awarded an IPC J-STD-001 and IPC-A-610 Qualified Manufacturers Listing (QML) to Sartorius Lab Instruments GmbH & Co. KG. Sartorius is a leading international provider to the biopharmaceutical research and medical industry. Sartorius Electronics, a manufacturing arm of Sartorius Lab Instruments GmbH & KG (SLI), provides high-quality electronic subassemblies that are produced for end products used worldwide throughout the Sartorius Group. Since the 1990s, Sartorius Electronics has provided electronic manufacturing services (EMS) and has been supplying electronic subassemblies meeting the highest quality requirements. Sartorius Electronics is the first German company to successfully complete an intensive audit, based on two of IPC's foremost standards: IPC J-STD-001, Requirements for Soldered Electrical and Electronic Assemblies and IPC-A-610, Acceptability of Electronic Assemblies.

For many years, Sartorius Electronics utilized both IPC J-STD-001 and IPC-A-610 standards in their organization, meeting the quality requirements of customers throughout the entire development supply chain. Recently, Sartorius’s management challenged the organization to achieve a higher quality on products they produce for their customers, investing in a project to improve quality in design, purchasing, and electronic operations. Upon completion of the project, Sartorius Electronics contacted IPC Validation Services to become a certified company for the IPC J-STD-001 and IPC-A-610 Qualified Manufacturers Listing (QML).

Sartorius Electronics met or exceeded the requirements for the electronics industry's most rigorous classification, Class 2, which is intended for dedicated service electronics products. Sartorius Electronics is now one of the trusted sources of electronics suppliers and can be found on IPC's QML/QPL database at www.ipcvalidation.org.

Thomas Eckart, manager electronic production, said, “Collaboration between Sartorius Electronics and IPC has laid the essential foundations for the organization’s high and efficient performance, delivering the higher quality products our customers expect. A company certified for compliance with IPC standards attests to the fact that our products offer optimal reliability.”

IPC's Validation Services QPL/QML Program was developed to promote supply chain verification. It also provides auditing and certification of electronics companies' products and identifies processes which conform to IPC standards.

“Different from other audit programs, IPC's Validation Services Programs uniquely provide technical and in-depth assessments of products and processes in accordance with IPC standards,” said Randy Cherry, IPC director of Validation Services. “We are pleased to especially recognize the QML for Sartorius Lab Instruments GmbH & Co. KG for becoming a member of IPC's network of trusted QML suppliers.”

For more information about IPC's Validation Services QPL/QML Program, visit www.ipcvalidation.org or contact Randy Cherry at RandyCherry@ipc.org or +1 847-597-2806.

IPC announced today the November 2018 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. Year-over-year sales and order growth turned negative in November, and the book-to-bill ratio declined to 1.01.

Total North American PCB shipments in November 2018 were down 3.0 percent compared to the same month last year. This year to date, shipments are 8.6 percent above the same period last year. Compared to the preceding month, November shipments decreased 9.9 percent.

PCB bookings in November were down 12.5 percent year-over-year. Year-to-date order growth was 6.6 percent above the same period last year. Bookings in November were down 16.6 percent from the previous month.

“North American PCB industry sales growth in November fell into negative territory for the first time in 16 months, and orders also decreased sharply compared to the same month last year,” said Sharon Starr, IPC’s director of market research. “The decrease in orders brought the PCB book-to-bill ratio down to its lowest level in almost two years. It is still in positive territory, but just barely. The 22-month run of positive ratios may be nearing its end, but it still offers an indication of potential sales growth for a few more months at least.”

Note: The January 2018-March 2018 ratios have been revised since their original publication due to updated data from statistical program participants.


Note: The January 2018-March 2018 growth rates have been revised since their original publication due to updated data from statistical program participants.

View Chart in PDF

Detailed Data Available

The next edition of IPC’s North American PCB Market Report, containing detailed fourth-quarter 2018 data from IPC’s PCB Statistical Program, will be available in February 2019. The quarterly report presents 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. This report is available free to current participants in IPC’s PCB Statistical Program and by subscription to others. PCB companies that are IPC members doing business in North America are invited to contact marketresearch@ipc.org for information about participating. More information about this report can be found at www.ipc.org/market-research-reports.

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 at the end of each month. Statistics for the current month are normally available in the last week of the following month.

John Mitchell, president and CEO of IPC issued the following statement on the U.S. Senate’s vote this week to enact a criminal justice reform bill called the FIRST STEP Act.

“IPC applauds the U.S. Senate for coming together in a bipartisan manner to address criminal justice reform with the passage of the FIRST STEP Act, which includes an important provision to build up the high-tech workforce while reducing recidivism. Specifically, the bill calls for partnerships with schools and industry organizations to offer vocational training and certifications to help inmates transition into the workforce. Providing more workforce development opportunities in the electronics industry is among IPC’s top priorities, and thus we look forward to continuing to work with governments and partners at all levels to implement this provision.”

Following a successful STEM Outreach program introduced at IPC APEX EXPO 2018, IPC will build on last year’s program for high school students by introducing a hands-on soldering experience to students from the San Diego, Calif. Region at IPC APEX EXPO 2019.

The IPC Education Foundation will host approximately 100 students for a day-long event including a panel session of industry leaders who will provide detailed information on the electronics manufacturing industry, as well as a tour of the show floor, focusing on the high-tech aspects of the IPC CFX showcase/working production lines. For the first time, students will be able to experience hands-on soldering at world championship solder stations with the support of IPC trainers teaching them the purpose, design, and fundamentals of a printed circuit board (PCB). Local San Diego-area schools attending the event include Morse, Mission Hills, Otay Ranch, San Marcos, e3 Civic, and North County Trade Tech High Schools.

“The goal of the program is to expose students to see, feel, touch and experience what this industry is all about,” said Colette Buscemi, IPC’s senior director of education programs, “and there is no better way to do that than putting tools in their hands, so they can see up close just how the equipment works.”

IPC’s STEM Outreach program is designed to encourage students to consider a career in the electronics industry by spreading awareness of electronics manufacturing as a career choice. The IPC Education Foundation expects to engage the emerging workforce, improve the perception of the manufacturing industry, prepare the talent pipeline, and to offer scholarships to deserving students, “It is an effort to expose a new generation to the potential of rewarding careers in an industry that requires workers with critical skills,” added Buscemi.

Sponsors of the STEM Outreach program/Student Soldering Hands-on Experience are Blackfox Training Institute, I-Connect007, ITW EAE, Mycronic, Nordson, Panasonic and Weller Tools. “This program is subsidized by generous donations from scholarships and membership contributions,” said Alicia Balonek, IPC senior director of trade shows and events, “Staff from these companies will provide live demonstrations of the working equipment in their booths during the tour of the show floor and participate in panel discussions. It’s truly a community of people coming together to make this happen.”

For more information on the Student Soldering Hands-on Experience and other activities taking place at IPC APEX EXPO 2019, visit www.ipcapexexpo.org. For more information on the IPC Education Foundation and exciting future programming, contact Buscemi at ColetteBuscemi@ipc.org.

The best technical conference paper of IPC APEX EXPO® 2019 has been selected. Voted on through a ballot process by members of the IPC APEX EXPO Technical Program Committee, the paper authors will receive their awards during the opening keynote session on Tuesday, January 29, 2019.

Taking top honors, the winning paper is, “Reducing Dust Deposition on Electronic Equipment by Optimizing Cooling Air Flow Patterns” by Chen Xu, Nokia. His co-author was: Jason Stafford, Imperial College London. This paper will be presented during Technical Conference Session 36 (Surface Finish Reliability/ Gold Brush Plating Repair/ Creep Corrosion) on Thursday, January 31.

This year, two papers were selected in the honorable mention category. Honorable mention went to, “Head-on-Pillow Defect Detection – X-ray Inspection Limitations” by Lars Bruno, Ericsson AB. His co-author was: Benny Gustafson, Ericsson AB. This paper will be presented during Technical Conference Session 3 (Assembly/Inspection -- BTC/ BGA) on Tuesday, January 29.

Honorable mention also goes to “Analyzing a Printed Circuit Board with Oxide Residue Contamination” by Wade Goldman, The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. His co-authors were: Andrew Dineen; Hailey Jordan; Curtis Leonard, The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.; and Edward Arthur, Raytheon Company, Space and Airborne Systems. This paper will be presented during Technical Conference Session 25 (Failure Analysis) on Wednesday, January 30.

The papers were evaluated on their technical content, originality, test procedures and data used to deduce conclusions, quality of illustrations and the clarity and professionalism of writing as well as value to the industry.

To register for the IPC APEX EXPO technical conference or for more information on all the activities taking place including standards development committee meetings, professional development courses, the exhibition and more, visit www.IPCAPEXEXPO.org.

Creating the next generation of digital Industry 4.0 technology standards, IPC will again take a major step forward at IPC APEX EXPO 2019, featuring two live production lines, at which visitors can see and experience achievements made in digital standards development over the past year.

The first line will feature both the HERMES standard (IPC-9852) and IPC’s Connected Factory eXchange (CFX) IoT messaging standard (IPC-2591), working seamlessly together to deliver SMT automation value. The second line will feature the wider application of IPC CFX across multiple technologies of assembly production, including manual processes. Both lines feature machines from different vendors, all speaking the same language, creating demonstrable value from machine-to-machine communication, creating a simple to operate, practical, smart and fully connected manufacturing environment. Both standards are currently out for ballot and are expected to be approved and released prior to IPC APEX EXPO.

“Last year at IPC APEX EXPO, we started with a groundbreaking, virtual demo,” said David Bergman, vice president, standards and training, “and this year we will manufacture actual assemblies on the show floor. The CFX/Hermes line will run different board sizes to visibly demonstrate how the two standards complement each other, providing unprecedented automation of production. We are excited to have the collaboration of so many fantastic companies working together to reach Industry 4.0. This is truly an exciting time to be in electronics manufacturing.”

The following companies will be participating in the show floor production lines:

• Aegis Software
• ASM Assembly Systems
• Asys
• Cogiscan
• Creative Electron
• FlexLink
• Fuji
• Heller
• Keysight
• KIC
• Koh Young
• Kulicke & Soffa
• Nutek
• OK International
• Pemtron
• Saki
• Test Research, Inc.
• Vayo

In addition to the show floor production lines, IPC will host an Industry 4.0 Buzz Session, “How IPC-2581 Enables Industry 4.0” on Wednesday, January 30. The Buzz Session will feature short presentations, a panel discussion and opportunities for attendees to ask questions.

For more information on the IPC CFX Production Line Showcase or Buzz Session on Industry 4.0, visit www.ipcapexexpo.org and for more information on the CFX standards, visit, www.ipc.org/Connected-Factory-Initiative.

IPC announced today the October 2018 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. Year-over-year sales and order growth were positive in October, and the book-to-bill ratio held steady at 1.04.

Total North American PCB shipments in October 2018 were up 5.3 percent compared to the same month last year. This year to date, shipments are 9.7 percent above the same period last year. Compared to the preceding month, October shipments decreased 11.9 percent.

PCB bookings in October were up 2.2 percent year-over-year. Year-to-date order growth was 8.5 percent above the same period last year. Bookings in October were up 0.4 percent from the previous month.

 “The North American PCB industry sales growth trend continued for the 14th consecutive month and order growth rebounded, but the downward trend in order growth rates seen in recent months is now reflected in slower sales growth” said Sharon Starr, IPC’s director of market research. “We have seen a long period of growth. Book-to-bill ratios have been above parity for 21 straight months, which indicates the likelihood of continued sales growth at least for the rest of this year.”

Note: The January 2018-March 2018 ratios have been revised since their original publication due to updated data from statistical program participants.


Note: The January 2018-March 2018 growth rates have been revised since their original publication due to updated data from statistical program participants.

View Chart in PDF

Detailed Data Available

The next edition of IPC’s North American PCB Market Report,containing detailed fourth-quarter 2018 data from IPC’s PCB Statistical Program, will be available in February 2019. The quarterly report presents 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. This report is available free to current participants in IPC’s PCB Statistical Program and by subscription to others. PCB companies that are IPC members doing business in North America are invited to contact marketresearch@ipc.org for information about participating. More information about this report can be found at www.ipc.org/market-research-reports.

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 at the end of each month. Statistics for the current month are normally available in the last week of the following month.

Dr. Cortney Baker, nationally recognized authority on women in leadership, will speak at the IPC APEX EXPO Women in Electronics reception on Wednesday, January 30, 2019, 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Her keynote, “Closing the Gender Gap and Conquering the Mythical Glass Ceiling” will cover the progress women have made in workplace equality despite the continuing gender wage gap, and the underrepresentation of women in executive positions in various industries. Dr. Baker will discuss the challenges women face when advancing their careers, as well as strategies to implement to get beyond these challenges. Participants will gain knowledge of how their organizations can support and promote high potential women into higher level leadership roles.

Host of the talk show “Conquering the Glass Ceiling with Dr. Cortney” and author of “Unlimited: Conquering the Myth of the Glass Ceiling,” Dr. Baker was named the 2016/2017 Texas Business Woman of the Year. A researcher, author, trainer, and TEDxspeaker, Dr. Baker is the founder and CEO of KidsCareHome Health, a multi-million-dollar healthcare organization in Texas and Colorado. She holds an Ed.D in organizational leadership from Pepperdine University.

The Women in Electronics reception, sponsored by Indium Corporation, invites women in the electronics industry to join their colleagues across the supply chain to network, share ideas, and discuss career experiences.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Cortney Baker to IPC APEX EXPO 2019,” said Alicia Balonek, senior director, trade shows and events. “We are eager to learn her insights on expanding women’s leadership roles and to share our experiences navigating a career in a male-dominated industry.”

The Women in Electronics reception and other special events as well as access to the exhibit hall are free to those who register in advance, a savings of $40 on-site. Attendees who register by December 21 will save 20 percent off registration fees. In addition, attendees who register for the All-Access Package will receive a significant percentage off a la carte options. Details, including dates, time and complete registration options, are available at www.IPCAPEXEXPO.org.