IPC EMS and PCB Statistical Programs for Members Now Open for 2019

IPC’s statistical programs for the printed circuit board (PCB) and contract electronics manufacturing (EMS) industries in North America are now open to new participants for 2019. The deadline for IPC members to sign up is February 1. Participation is free to IPC-member companies as a benefit of membership.

The statistical programs give participating companies access to timely market and management data that would be impossible for them to collect themselves and prohibitively expensive for individual companies to obtain from research firms. As a neutral and trusted third party, IPC collects sales, orders and other business data from the participating companies using a secure and confidential online survey system. In exchange, these companies receive the aggregate data monthly and comprehensive quarterly reports that reveal the latest market trends for the industry, as well as financial and operational benchmarking data.

Participating companies use the data in their marketing, sales, planning and financial activities. It helps them to track changes in their market shares, compare their business performance to industry averages within their size tiers and product segments, and identify growing and declining markets.

These statistical programs have been running for decades. Participants are both public and private companies of all sizes, including many of the region’s leading PCB and EMS companies. Details about these and other IPC statistical programs is at www.ipc.org/StatPrograms.

IPC members interested in participating this year can sign up by contacting IPC at marketresearch@ipc.org or by phone at +1 847-597-2868, by February 1.

IPC Welcomes New Technical Education Program Manager

IPC -- Association Connecting Electronics Industries® announces the addition of Brook Sandy-Smith as technical education program manager, to its staff at IPC headquarters in Bannockburn (Chicago), Ill.

As manager of IPC’s technical educational program, Sandy-Smith will be responsible for content development and successful execution of IPC’s educational programs and technical proceedings for conferences, webinars, workshops, tutorials and professional development offerings for the electronics industry. She will lead the development and execution of the technical program and professional development curriculum components of the organization’s trade show events, specialty conferences and professional development events.

An experienced materials, process and applications engineer, Sandy-Smith has expertise in solving complex technical challenges, managing projects with multidisciplinary teams, and is an award-winning participant in electronics industry organizations, including three IPC distinguished committee service awards.

Prior to joining IPC, Sandy-Smith served as a senior technical support engineer and PCB assembly materials specialist at Indium Corporation, where she provided customer support of process and application development, was the preferred SMT expert for line audits and implementation of new designs and materials, and cultivated industry partnerships with equipment companies to understand new technologies in the industry. She also developed and standardized solder past test protocol and participated in training new engineers and engineering teams across the globe. An experienced presenter and author of many technical papers, Sandy-Smith won Indium Corporations’ best paper of 2016 and 2017. A graduate of the University of Rhode Island and Wilhemina Technical University in Braunschweig, Germany, Sandy-Smith is also an SMTA certified process engineer.

“We are thrilled to welcome Brook to IPC,” said Alicia Balonek, senior director, tradeshows and events. “With her extensive knowledge of the electronics manufacturing industry and IPC, she is a perfect fit as we work to create more relevant technical education programs for our membership.”

Sandy-Smith can be reached at BrookSandy@ipc.org or +1 847-597-2829.

Five IPC APEX EXPO Exhibiting Companies Earn 2019 Innovation Awards

Winners push boundaries of technology with innovative product submissions

IPC announces the winners of the IPC APEX EXPO 2019 Innovation Awards, a celebration of the innovators and forward thinkers who are changing the technological landscape of the electronics industry.

A panel of industry experts rated and scored each product and assigned a numerical value to each submitted product based on the following criteria: How is this product innovative?  How is this product changing the manufacturing industry?  What value will customers experience with this new product?

The IPC APEX EXPO Best of Innovation Awards will be presented on Tuesday, January 29 during the opening keynote to the following companies:

  • GreenSource Fabrication LLC for their printed circuit board fabrication facility, the only fully automated and "green" PCB fabricator of its kind. All chemicals and water are reclaimed and reused, and the facility’s daily water consumption is 500 gallons regardless of factory load.
  • Meyer Burger (Netherlands) BV for an inkjet printer for PCB soldermask. This novel inkjet-printed solder mask solution for PCBs, combines a dedicated production inkjet printing system based on Meyer Burger’s PiXDRO product line, Agfa’s unique DiPaMat solder mask ink, and advanced printing strategies for optimized layer deposition.
  • Nordson DAGE for Explorer one, an entry level, operator controlled, manual X-ray inspection (MXI) system for checking manufacturing quality in electronics assemblies. Common manufacturing defects such as open or bridged solder connections, BGA reflow quality and voiding can be checked quickly and easily on a high mix of product types across a PCB.
  • Henkel Corporation for its LOCTITE ECCOBOND UF 1173, a novel underfill that can withstand harsh environments and the elevated operating temperatures inherent with smaller, higher-functioning devices. In addition to its performance benefits, the product prioritizes health and safety.
  • Vayo (Shanghai) Technology Co., Ltd. for its DFM Expert v5, a unique 3D DFA/DFM solution for electronics manufacturing.

“The IPC APEX EXPO Innovation Awards allow us to celebrate the innovators and forward thinkers who are changing the technological landscape of the electronics industry,” said John Mitchell, IPC president and CEO. “This year, product and service submissions were certainly innovative and the companies did an exceptional job in identifying their product’s unique value in the industry. The innovative submissions directly indicate the strength of the electronics industry and its ability to respond to new challenges resulting from emerging technologies in the electronics marketplace,” Mitchell added.

Members of the award review board include: Dave Geiger, Flex; Don Dupriest, Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control; Carsten Salewski, Viscom Inc.; Martin Goetz, Northrop Grumman Corporation; and Terry Kocour, Lockheed Martin Corporation.

For more information on all IPC APEX EXPO activities, visit www.IPCAPEXEXPO.org.

IPC and WHMA Sign Affiliation Agreement

WHMA members to receive all IPC-member benefits

On January 1, 2019, the Wire Harness Manufacturer’s Association (WHMA), a trade association representing the cable assembly and wire harness manufacturing industry supply chain, and IPC  entered into an affiliation agreement. WHMA’s Board of Directors and membership determined that WHMA’s mission would more effectively be served by an affiliation with IPC which serves the global electronics industry supply chain, including the wire and cable industry vertical.

The IPC Board of Directors also supported the alliance. Per the affiliation agreement, IPC and the WHMA Board will work to grow the involvement of the cable assembly and wire harness industry globally. All current WHMA members become part of IPC’s membership and receive all IPC member benefits including educational, standards development, leadership, advocacy and solutions to industry challenges opportunities.

WHMA will have one voting representative on IPC’s Board of Directors with the WHMA Board of Directors structure remaining. In alignment with IPC’s structures, this group will be known as the WHMA Board. David Bergman, IPC vice president of standards and training, will support the WHMA Board as WHMA’s executive director. 

“As a global electronics industry association, IPC is honored to be able to bring the strength of its global brand and member services to WHMA,” said IPC president and CEO John Mitchell. “WHMA’s mission is very similar to IPC’s – the two associations exist to help their membership innovate, compete and succeed within the marketplace. We are knowledge providers and we connect our industries with a multitude of networking opportunities. We’re already hard at work to expand the involvement of the wire and cable industry globally in all IPC activities.”

“WHMA is thrilled to have signed the affiliation agreement with IPC,” notes Rick Bromm, president of Altex and chairman of the WHMA Board. “Our organizations have been working together for years and now with the agreement in place, WHMA will be able to access the resources of IPC to help WHMA meet our goals to ‘lead, educate and connect’ with companies in the cable and wire harness industry.”

Executives to Address Pressing Manufacturing Challenges at EMS Executive Management Meetings at IPC APEX EXPO 2019

To survive and thrive in today’s marketplace, a company needs to be as flexible as it is quick. And to excel, companies must be able to overcome both existing and new market challenges. Covering today’s current marketplace challenges and the strategies to mitigate those challenges, senior-level decision makers from international EMS companies will discuss strategies and initiatives for achieving and sustaining business success at the EMS Executive Management Meeting on January 28 at IPC APEX EXPO 2019.

Attendees will learn the latest on EMS industry trends and issues including: global trade, electronics industry market forecast, technical and legal issues in EMS customer contracts, automation for worker productivity, workforce shortage strategies, supply chain challenges, and more.

Noted industry experts from Lincoln International, IBM, Vishay Intertechnology, Jabil, Arrow Electronics, and more will share how they are addressing industry’s toughest challenges.

“The purpose of the EMS Executive Management meeting is to give executives and senior-level decision makers solutions to some of their most challenging issues,” said Tracy Riggan, senior director, IPC member support. “Presentations focus on business strategies, supply chain issues and industry trends. More importantly, the meeting provides attendees with an exclusive opportunity to network with their peers and discover how other EMS executives are resolving problems.”

To register for the EMS Executive Management meeting, or for more information on all the activities taking place at IPC APEX EXPO, including the technical conference,  standards development meetings, professional development courses, and the largest exhibition in North America for printed board design and manufacturing, electronics assembly and test, visit www.ipcapexexpo.org.

IPC Introduces Innovation Awards at IPC APEX EXPO 2018

Award recognizes outstanding products and services in the electronics industry

Members and exhibitors at the upcoming IPC APEX EXPO 2018 will have the opportunity to promote their new ideas in electronics by competing for the IPC APEX EXPO 2018 Innovation Awards, awards that recognize outstanding products and services for the electronics industry.

“The IPC Innovation Awards allow us to celebrate the innovators and forward thinkers who are changing the technological landscape of the electronics industry,” said John Mitchell, IPC president and CEO. “IPC APEX EXPO provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity for exhibitors to showcase the best-of-the-best of their products and services. We look forward to a rousing competition at APEX EXPO 2018.”

The IPC APEX EXPO Innovation Awards program recognizes two levels of honoree (Winner and Runner-up) among the following categories:

  • PCB design
  • PCB fabrication
  • Assembly
  • Test and Inspection
  • Services, other (example: software)


Products and services will be reviewed, rated and scored by a panel of industry experts who will provide a numerical value based on the following criteria: How is this product innovative?  How is this product changing the manufacturing industry?  What value will customers experience with this new product?

Each product will receive a cumulative score with a baseline value derived from the cumulative scores in each category.  All scores above the baseline are designated as Honorees.

Once a minimum score is established, the Best of Innovation will be awarded only for a product or technology that exceeds the minimum score.  If the highest-rated product in a category does not surpass the minimum score, there will be no Best of Innovation Award for that category. All award designations by our panel are final.

To be eligible to apply for a product or service to be considered for the Innovation Awards, companies must be an exhibitor at IPC APEX EXPO 2018 and a member of IPC. 

There is a $150 non-refundable application fee to apply for the Innovation Awards.  Applications must be submitted by January 31, 2018.  Winners will be notified by mid-February and awards will be presented during the keynote presentation during IPC APEX EXPO on Wednesday, February 28, 2018.

For more information or to view the application, visit: http://ipcapexexpo.org/html/exhibit/already/innovation-awards.htm.

Meet Paige Fiet -- IPC Student Board Member Liaison

Jun 09, 2020
Meet Paige Fiet, the first student member liaison elected to the IPC Board of Directors. President of the IPC Student Chapter at Michigan Tech and summer employee at IPC member Calumet Electronics, Paige is pursuing an #electrical #engineering degree with a biomed application. Paige shares her experiences and career goals with Charlene Gunter du Plessis, senior director, IPC Education Foundation (IPCEF). https://youtu.be/yFQkMbGqvuo

IPC Offers Opportunities for Online Learning

Jun 04, 2020
IPC offers many opportunities for online learning, providing relevant education to meet the needs of the industry, from operators to engineers and executives. Events Connection (EC) editorial staff talked to Carlos Plaza, IPC director of education development, about how IPC chooses which courses will benefit the industry, and what options are available for students this summer. EC: How do you decide what online courses to create? CP: We work closely with the industry to identify skill gaps and learning opportunities. We learn directly from subject matter experts in the electronics industry about what their employees need to know to do their jobs efficiently. We develop courses with subject matter experts in the electronics industry, but we also include instructional designers on our team to ensure we are using best practices in our instruction. Students get the best of both worlds, industry experts and education experts. EC: How do instructional designers contribute to course creation? CP: The education team develops the scope and sequence of the course, interactive activities, and assessments. Essentially, they build the learning modules with excellent input from industry experts, internal IPC experts, and our technical team. EC: How is online learning at IPC unique? CP: We have very skilled instructors. They provide students not only with the broad concepts of a subject, but how to utilize those skills in a way that is applicable to their job immediately. They are experts in the field, and they provide invaluable instruction helping our students transfer what they learn online into real life situations. EC: What’s happening in IPC Education this summer? CP: IPC is offering several online, instructor-led courses this summer for a wide variety of job functions and skill levels. Contracting with the Customer is what every EMS executive should know about contracts when dealing with OEMs and other EMS companies. This course is a huge value that is taught by two attorneys working in the electronics manufacturing sector. We have another section of PCB Defect Analysis and Troubleshooting that started on June 2. This course is led by industry veteran, Mike Carano, a bona fide expert on troubleshooting PCBs. For some quick insight into Mr. Carano’s expertise check out his recent article in PCB007. We offer a really in-depth series of courses in PCB Design starting June 16 – The upcoming course, Design 1 focuses on the schematic capture of the design with in-depth explorations of PCB design software. PCB Design 2 focuses more on PCB layout. Plus we’re launching our next PCB Design course that will focus on Advanced packaging (Rigid Boards). More courses are in development like Design for Manufacturability (DFM). We hope to make these available in the third quarter. In July there’s an opportunity to earn an IPC Certification in Electronics Program Management. Do you have managers that need to boost their business knowledge? This certification leverages real-world examples specific to the electronics industry to help teach program managers to make the right business decisions in concert with the right technical decisions.

New IPC Video Explains Electronics Manufacturing’s Importance in Evocative, People-Centered Language and Imagery

Jun 02, 2020
https://youtu.be/wdOfaCcnCrA A new video from IPC,  shows viewers the many ways “our lives and our communities depend on electronics” and invites them to learn more about “the crucial industry that’s at the heart of the modern world.” The 90-second video features a series of evocative vignettes in which electronics-based devices and systems are making people’s lives safer, healthier, more connected, secure, and fun. The video also demystifies electronics technology by comparing it to the workings of a lightbulb and showing animations of the hard wiring inside consumer devices. The video is free of technical jargon and aims to help tech-centric IPC connect on a gut level with non-industry audiences such as policymakers and educators. “We want people to take notice of things they’ve always taken for granted and be more curious about this critically important industrial sector,” said Chris Mitchell, IPC vice president of global government relations. “Part of our job in representing the industry is helping people understand what we do and why it matters, and this video is an effort to do that in language and pictures that will resonate with everyone.” IPC will promote the video to targeted audiences in a campaign spanning YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, e-mail newsletters, online presentations, and in-person meetings. IPC members are being encouraged to share it with their coworkers, friends, families, elected officials, and local educators and community leaders. IPC’s embrace of a more people-centered message began last year with its award-winning “Start with the Standards” campaign, which linked IPC’s industry standards program with images of “those who mean the world to us,” including a baby in an incubator; a child in car seat; and a man in an MRI machine. Most recently, IPC published new data showing that the electronics manufacturing sector supports more than 5.3 million American jobs, pays above-average compensation, and provides critical equipment and inputs to other key sectors including healthcare, transportation, and aerospace.

Deadline Extended for TSCA Fees Rule Self-Identification Obligation

May 27, 2020
by Kelly Scanlon, director, environment, health and safety policy & research IPC has posted on February 26 and March 26 regarding industry’s responsibility to determine if they are obligated to pay fees to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2020 to support risk evaluations of 20 high-priority chemical substances under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Comments were due today, May 27, but the EPA is extending the comment and reporting period on the preliminary lists of manufacturers and importers subject to fees. The new date will be Monday, June 15. The EPA is extending the comment period to allow companies additional time to self-identify as to whether they are a manufacturer that is subject to the Fees Rule. This also provides time for those who are incorrectly listed on the preliminary lists to use the Chemical Data Exchange (CDX) system to remove the company’s listing. The EPA intends to publish the final list of companies obligated to pay fees concurrently with the final scope documents for the 20 high-priority chemical substances. IPC will continue to monitor the status of the scope documents to track whether the EPA will defer the publication of the final documents or defer fee payments, two requests that have been made by both NGOs and industry. Point of contact: Kelly Scanlon.
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