IPC announced today the July 2018 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. Year-over-year growth continued for industry sales and orders. The book-to-bill ratio for July held steady at 1.05.

Total North American PCB shipments in July 2018 were up 10.8 percent compared to the same month last year. This year to date, shipments are 10.5 percent above the same period last year. Compared to the preceding month, July shipments decreased 19.1 percent.

PCB bookings in July increased 4.9 percent year-over-year. Year-to-date order growth was 11.7 percent above the same period last year. Bookings in July were down 12.3 percent from the previous month.

“Business growth continued in July for the North American PCB industry although at a slightly slower pace than in the previous month,” said Sharon Starr, IPC’s director of market research. “July was the 11th consecutive month of sales growth and the 14th month of continuous order growth. The month-to-month decreases in sales and orders in July follows a typical seasonal pattern in which business is strongest in the last month of the quarter and falls off in the first month of the next quarter, probably due to sales activity. The book-to-bill ratio in July remained above parity (1.0) for the 18th consecutive month, which is a positive indicator of continued growth for the remainder 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 June 2017 and 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 third-quarter 2018 data from IPC’s PCB Statistical Program, will be available in November. 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.

IPC in partnership with Surface Mount Technology Association (SMTA) will host the High-Reliability Cleaning and Conformal Coating Conference, November 13–15, at the Chicago Marriott in Schaumburg, Ill. The 2018 conference will focus on electronics assembly and the influence of cleanliness and coating on producing reliable hardware.

Prior to the technical conference, a full-day of classroom tutorials will be held on November 13 and will introduce attendees to basic/intermediate-level instruction. In the morning, Doug Pauls, Rockwell Collins, will present “IPC-J-STD-001G Am1-Cleaniness Requirements.” In the afternoon session, instructor Jason Keeping, Celestica, will present “Conformal Coating Best Practices.”

The technical conference begins on November 14 with opening remarks from Program Chair Dr. Mike Bixenman, KYZEN Corporation. Conference sessions on day one include: cleanliness considerations for building reliable hardware, jet printing cleaning challenges, adapting coating applications for high density electronics and improving reliability of circuit assemblies in harsh environments.

Conference sessions on day two will cover ultra-thin conformal coatings advancements, cleaning/coating test methods and process considerations links between design manufacturing, methods for conformal coating masking and engineering performance, compatibility and environmental conformance of cleaning agents.

“Today, how to address the issue of ‘how clean is clean’ is quite a challenge, as conductors and circuit traces have become increasingly narrower. What is acceptably clean for one industry segment may be unacceptable in others” said conference program chairman Dr. Mike Bixenman, CTO and founder of KYZEN Corporation. “This comprehensive event includes technical sessions, tutorials, tabletop exhibits and networking activities. It will cover technological developments in all areas of cleaning and coating with an emphasis on real-world problems and solutions.”

For complete event agenda and registration information, visit http://www.ipc.org/2018-IPC-SMTA.

Each year, IPC APEX EXPO features industry’s most dynamic, innovative minds to deliver keynote presentations that are both educational and entertaining. IPC APEX EXPO 2019 will feature JB Straubel, chief technical officer (CTO) and co-founder of electric vehicle maker Tesla, Inc. Straubel will present “Accelerating and Disrupting Innovation: The Tesla Story” on Tuesday, January 29, 2019.

At Tesla, Straubel focuses on technical direction and engineering design including battery technology, power electronics, motors, software, firmware and controls. He also launched many Tesla initiatives including: the Tesla Energy business providing grid storage for commercial utilities and residential consumers; the worldwide Tesla Supercharger network of fast DC chargers; and the Tesla Gigafactory which is leading the way toward increasing worldwide battery production and lowering the cost per kWh. He also has responsibility for new technology evaluation, R&D and technical diligence review of key vendors.

Straubel has had a lifelong interest in electric vehicles, including rebuilding an electric golf cart at the age of 14, building an Electric Porsche 944 that held a world EV racing record, solar car racing and building a hybrid trailer system that he designed while in college. In 2008 the MIT Technology Review chose Straubel as “#1 Innovator of 35 under 35 for the year.” In 2009, DesignNews named him “Engineer of the Year,” and in 2015 he was listed as #2 on Fortune’s 40 under 40 most influential business and innovation leaders.   In addition, Straubel is an inventor on more than 30 patents covering most areas of Tesla’s core battery, motor and controls systems. He received a BS in Energy Systems Engineering and an MS in Energy Engineering, emphasis on energy conversion, both from Stanford University. Outside of Tesla Motors, Straubel is also an active cyclist and pilot and holds private pilot, instrument, glider and multi-engine ratings.

Breaking through barriers to innovate faster and better has been Straubel’s strength.

In his presentation, Straubel will draw on his extensive experience and share the history of Tesla, detailing that innovation wasn’t an add-on to its operations but woven into every element of the business. He will also answer the perennial question, “How can my organization re-engineer itself to create products and ideas that answer 21st century needs?

Straubel’s opening keynote is free to all registered IPC APEX EXPO attendees. The conference and exhibition will run January 29–31, 2019. For more information, visit www.IPCAPEXEXPO.org.

IPC’s D-70 E-Textiles Committee has released IPC WP-024, IPC White Paper on Reliability and Washability of Smart Textile Structures – Readiness for the Market. This white paper provides insights from a team of researchers on e-textiles washability testing parameters and initial results from those tests. The D-70 committee plans for IPC-WP-024 to be the first in a series of papers from industry.

Current research in smart textiles and e-textiles indicates that they are not yet ready for the market at a large scale due to problems that exist with reliability and the difficulty with laundering e-textile structures. Specific to reliability, e-textile structures should be in good functioning condition over a period of several years, if used in accordance with product guidelines. However, the additional issues of integration, connector elements, and overall supply chain integration are critical for success. IPC-WP-024 emphasizes all the problems inherent in creating effective e-textiles, encompassing efforts that industry and research laboratories must undertake to make e-textile structures more robust.

The D-70 committee invites readers to also provide white papers with their own findings and perspectives on e-textiles washability reliability. To propose a white paper topic, email etextiles@ipc.org.

Chair of the IPC D-70 Committee, Stephanie Rodgers of Apex Mills says, “Home laundering and commercial cleaning is an everyday reality for millions of textile wearable products. Explosive growth in e-textiles is just starting to break through performance market segments making standardization urgently necessary. This e-textile laundering research identifies with the procedure and requirements gap of these merging manufacturing technologies. The IPC E-Textiles Committee is corralling industry manufacturers to participate in the discussion of new e-textiles standards creation.”

IPC-WP-024 will be provided free of charge to all IPC E-Textiles 2018 attendees. The D-70 committee plans to discuss how standards should address washability reliability during the standards committee forum, which will take place September 12, 2018, the day before E-Textiles 2018. To register for IPC E-Textiles 2018, visit www.ipc.org/E-Textiles-2018.

For more information or to purchase WP-024, IPC White Paper on Reliability and Washability of Smart Textile Structures – Readiness for the Market, visit http://shop.ipc.org/IPC-WP-024-English-D.

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to sign legislation on Monday that will bring greater focus and long-term leadership to the government’s interests in military electronics.

Specifically, Section 845 of the FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – passed by the U.S. House and Senate last month – calls on the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Executive Agent for Printed Circuit Board and Interconnect Technology (based at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Crane, Indiana) and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), to prepare a report to Congress by January 2019 on the health of the U.S. defense electronics industrial base. 

The report must include an examination of the department’s partnerships with industry and a plan to formalize the long-term resourcing and mission of the Executive Agent, which is the principal Defense Department entity charged with assuring the security and availability of printed circuit and interconnect technologies for defense electronics. The effort will build upon work already in progress within the Trump administration to ensure a more resilient defense equipment supply chain.

U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly (R-IN), who offered the legislative language, said: “Working together with the many companies around the state that support the electronics supply chain, Crane plays a critical role in our national defense and in Indiana’s economy. It is my honor to support these hard-working Hoosiers with this amendment, which requires a renewed focus on the defense electronics industrial base, including the work of the Executive Agent at Crane.This provision will strengthen our electronics manufacturing industry and ensure that our servicemembers have dependable access to the advanced electronics they need to succeed in any mission.”

IPC has been working on the issue for months. During IPC’s annual advocacy event in Washington, D.C. in May, member company executives discussed this subject with senior officials from the White House, the departments of Defense, Commerce and Labor, Sen. Donnelly, and Sen. Todd Young (D-IN).   

Most recently, IPC was successful in persuading members of Congress not to adopt a House provision that would have repealed the statutory requirement for the Executive Agent. Representatives Trey Hollingsworth (R-IN9), Ro Khanna (D-CA17), and Larry Bucshon (R-IN8) sent a letter to the NDAA conferees in support of the Senate language. Meanwhile, IPC members engaged their own members of Congress, alerting them of the harmful House provision.

"By including this provision in the NDAA, we’re fighting for both our country’s warfighters and the hardworking men and women of Crane Naval Base right here in southern Indiana,” said Rep. Trey Hollingsworth. “The military’s program at Crane to support domestic manufacturers will prevent our warfighters from having to depend on foreign suppliers for our most sensitive military technology.”

On a related note, the Trump administration is expected to release a report soon on the overall U.S. defense industrial base. That report, prompted by a July 2017 executive order by President Donald Trump, reflects months of analysis by the departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Commerce, and Labor, and is expected to be released within weeks. The objective of the effort has been to determine whether there are enough U.S. manufacturers and trusted foreign suppliers of vital military equipment, and whether there are enough skilled workers to work in the field.

IPC looks forward to continuing its work with members of Congress and the Trump administration to address issues of concern in the electronics supply chain.

IPC invites researchers, technical experts and industry leaders to submit abstracts for poster presentations at IPC APEX EXPO®, the industry’s premier conference and exhibition for printed board design and manufacturing, electronics assembly and test. Poster presentations are scheduled for Wednesday, January 30, 2019, and will be displayed throughout the event, offering additional visibility.

Technical poster presentations are being sought on all relevant electronics topics, including design, materials, assembly, processes and equipment and test, especially:

An abstract of up to 300 words summarizing technical and previously unpublished work covering case histories, research and discoveries should be submitted by Friday, September 21, 2018, to www.IPCAPEXEXPO.org/CFPosters.

For more information about poster participation or other opportunities to participate in IPC APEX EXPO, contact Jasbir Bath, IPC technical conference director, at JasbirBath@ipc.org or Toya Richardson, IPC technical programs coordinator, at ToyaRichardson@ipc.org.

IPC, the global industry association representing the $2 trillion global electronics industry, is applauding the U.S. Congress for sending legislation to President Trump  that will strengthen workforce education and training efforts. The President signed the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (the Perkins CTE Act) on Tuesday.

The U.S. electronics industry faces a chronic shortage of skilled workers in the United States. According to an IPC member survey, most companies say the skills gap is constraining their growth and, in some cases, their long-term viability.

IPC has been a staunch supporter of the Perkins CTE Act, having advocated for the measure over the past year. Most recently, IPC President and CEO John Mitchell sent a letter to the leaders of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee in June, urging them to complete their work on the bill. During IPC’s “IMPACT Washington, D.C.” advocacy event in May, member company executives discussed the issue directly with leaders in Congress and the Administration.

“Having access to trained individuals continues to be a top priority for IPC’s 2,300 U.S. member company sites that employ more than 2 million people throughout the United States,” said John Mitchell. “As a training and certification leader, IPC has made significant investments to address the skills gap for the electronics industry. We commend the U.S. Congress for passing this vital legislation, and the President for signing it into law, to help address these workforce challenges.” 

To address the workforce shortage, IPC is making unprecedented investments in its own education programs, including:

• IPC EDGE Online Platform – IPC is moving toward delivering more of its traditional training and certification programs online and in ways that are more likely to ensure long-term knowledge and skills acquisition.
• Jobs Task Analysis - IPC is undertaking an analysis of the critical job roles in the electronics industry to map the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform job functions. The outcome of this project will re-shape IPC’s future certification and education programs.
• Earn and Learn – IPC is partnering with academic institutions to develop apprenticeship, internship, and related opportunities that offer valuable skills in concert with academic programs.
• STEM Programming – IPC is working with schools and nonprofits on a variety of programs to get kids excited about STEM subjects and to give them a familiarity with the electronics industry.
• Veterans/Transitioning Military: IPC is supporting activities and programs that seek to recruit veterans into the electronics manufacturing industry.

To learn more about IPC’s government relations efforts on education and workforce, contact Ken Schramko, senior director of North American government relations at 202-661-8094 or KenSchramko@ipc.org.

IPC announced today the June 2018 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. Industry shipments and orders in June continued to grow at a strong pace. The book-to-bill ratio for June is 1.05.

Total North American PCB shipments in June 2018 were up 12.6 percent compared to the same month last year. This year to date, shipments are 10.5 percent above the same period last year. Compared to the preceding month, June shipments increased 18.0 percent.

PCB bookings in June increased 5.6 percent year-over-year. Year-to-date order growth was 12.8 percent above the same period last year. Bookings in June were up 5.4 percent from the previous month.

“The North American PCB industry growth trend continued in June,” said Sharon Starr, IPC’s director of market research. “Sales growth was positive year-over-year for the 10th consecutive month and order growth has been positive for the past 13 months. The book-to-bill ratio retreated in June due to stronger sales growth than order growth, but it remains above parity (1.0) for the 17th consecutive month, which is a positive indicator of continued growth for the remainder 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 June 2017 and 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 second-quarter 2018 data from IPC’s PCB Statistical Program, will be available in August. 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.

IPC is applauding leaders in the U.S. House and Senate for finalizing the FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and including a provision on military electronics backed by IPC.

Reflecting IPC’s collaboration with Senator Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Section 845 of the bill calls on the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Executive Agent for Printed Circuit Board and Interconnect Technology (based at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Crane, Indiana) and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), to prepare a report to Congress by January 2019 on the health of the U.S. defense electronics industrial base.  The report will include an examination of the Department’s partnerships with industry and a plan to formalize the long-term resourcing of the Executive Agent.

IPC was successful in persuading members of Congress not to adopt a House provision that would have repealed the statutory requirement for the Executive Agent. The Executive Agent is the principal Defense Department entity charged with assuring the security and availability of printed circuit and interconnect technologies for defense electronics.  

“This decision is a positive step for the electronics industry," said IPC President and CEO John Mitchell. "Advanced electronics are at the heart of many critical defense systems, and it is our industry’s goal to ensure a resilient global electronics supply chains. We applaud Congress for taking this step, which will bring welcome attention and support to electronics manufacturers."

During IMPACT 2018, IPC’s annual advocacy week in Washington, D.C. in May, member company executives discussed this subject with senior officials from the White House and the departments of Defense, Commerce and Labor, and IPC presented an award to Sen. Donnelly for his leadership on the issue.

IPC worked with Representatives Trey Hollingsworth (R-IN9), Ro Khanna (D-CA17), and Larry Bucshon (R-IN8) to send a congressional letter to NDAA conferees, affirming the industry's positions on both the House and Senate bills. Meanwhile, IPC members engaged their own members of Congress, alerting them of the harmful language in the House provision.

On a related note, the Trump administration is expected to release a report soon on the overall U.S. defense industrial base. That report, prompted by a July 2017 executive order by President Donald Trump, reflects months of analysis by the departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Commerce, and Labor, and is expected to be released within weeks. The objective of the effort has been to determine whether there are enough U.S. manufacturers and trusted foreign suppliers of vital military equipment, and whether there are enough skilled workers to work in the field.

IPC looks forward to continuing its work with members of Congress and the Trump administration to address issues of concern in the electronics supply chain.