Optimizing Cleaning Products Used in Electronics Manufacturing

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The electronics industry is committed to improving manufacturing practices and one way to do this is using safer and more sustainable cleaning products across the electronics manufacturing life cycle. IPC-1402, “Standard for Green Cleaners Used in Electronics Manufacturing” is for engineers, chemists, environment/health/safety professionals, purchasers, and those involved in formulating and selecting cleaning products for electronics manufacturing. 

This standard is useful to original equipment manufacturers, electronics manufacturing services companies, printed circuit board manufacturers, cable and wire harness manufacturers, as well as the cleaning product manufacturers. Formulating safer and more sustainable cleaning products and using these products is an important way for the industry to reduce potential impacts to worker health and the environment. 

IPC, in collaboration with ChemFORWARD, welcome a variety of electronics manufacturing companies including electronics cleaning product formulators to attend this webinar to:

  • Understand the utility of IPC-1402 in defining cleaning products and processes, determining impacts to humans and the environment, managing health and safety and physical hazard requirements, and how to verify and assess relevant criteria. 
  • Learn how to use the new CleanScreen application and reporting tool, which incorporates IPC-1402 criteria, to rapidly screen cleaning formulations and create your product safety profile for B2B communications. 
  • Increase your awareness of other tools, standards, and certification programs available to develop and market safer and more sustainable cleaners for electronics manufacturing applications.
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Global
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3000 Lakeside Dr.
Suite 105N
Bannockburn, IL 60015
United States

Online Event

Online Event
3000 Lakeside Dr.
Bannockburn, IL 60015
United States

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Sustainability and Profitability: WHMA Annual Global Leadership Summit Offers Workshop Topics that Impact Wire and Cable Industry

Two career enriching topics of great interest to the wire and cable industry, sustainability and profitability will be covered during WHMA’s Annual Global Leadership Summit, January 28-30, 2025, in Fort Myers, Fla. 

On Tuesday, January 28, Kelly Scanlon, DrPH, CIH, IPC’s lead sustainability strategist will present “Navigating Sustainability Challenges in Electronics,” and delve into critical sustainability topics impacting electronics manufacturers. From reporting and disclosure to managing natural resources and waste, Dr. Scanlon will provide a comprehensive overview of the key challenges and "pain points" manufacturers face today. Attendees will discover how workforce dynamics, value chain resiliency, and other sustainability factors shape the industry, and learn practical strategies to address these issues effectively.

On Wednesday, January 29, Lisa Lang, Ph.D., president, Science of Business, will present a two-part workshop, “Maximizing Profitability. Dr. Lang will instruct workshop participants how to leverage their existing resources using the Theory of Constraints (TOC) to maximize profitability. They will also gain an understanding on how to make product flash service mix and investment decisions to maximize profitability; practice applying the four TOC profitability metrics and three decision rules of business to make decisions aligned with profitability goals; and learn how operations sales/marketing and financials are interconnected and how to leverage them to create a competitive advantage.

“During their workshops, both Drs. Scanlon and Lang will apply practical approaches and offer actionable strategies for maximizing sustainability and profitability in companies’ business plans. These workshops are an integral part of the global leadership summit’s educational program agenda,” said David Bergman, WHMA executive director. 

For more information on the leadership summit including schedule, exhibition, speaker profiles, sponsorship opportunities, or to register for event, visit https://annualconference.whma.org.

New IPC Video Calls Attention to Dramatic Workforce Challenges Facing Electronics Industry

Nov 07, 2024

Today, IPC released a new offering in its series of short “explainer videos,” this one tackling the critical labor shortage faced by the electronics manufacturing industry. The United States is expected to have an unprecedented 2.1 million unfilled jobs in manufacturing by 2031. More than two-thirds of IPC’s U.S. members report that an inability to find and retain skilled workers is limiting their growth and competitiveness. 

The video shares details from IPC’s recent white paper outlining a comprehensive strategy to tackle these workforce issues. The white paper, “Building Electronics Better: A Plan to Address the Workforce Challenges Facing the Electronics Manufacturing Industry,” targets immediate needs and long-term growth by fostering a skilled, adaptable, and motivated workforce. This multi-faceted approach defines ways to establish partnerships among educational institutions, businesses, government agencies, and non-profits to ensure a steady flow of skilled workers with defined career pathways. 

With more than 145,000 people credentialed annually, IPC has been the global leader in electronics workforce and education for more than 50 years. The video calls on others to join us in this effort. Government can prioritize electronics manufacturing programs and partnerships; businesses should adopt IPC’s growing suite of career pathways; and communities can offer workforce education opportunities. 

IPC is promoting the video to targeted audiences via its social media accounts, newsletters, magazines, and other channels. IPC members and partners are invited to help IPC spread the word by sharing the new video with professional networks and elected officials. 

 

 

Statement on U.S. Election Results

John W. Mitchell, IPC president and CEO, issued the following statement on the United States’ election results:

“On behalf of thousands of IPC members across the United States, we congratulate President-elect Donald Trump on his election, along with all of the newly elected and re-elected members of Congress. We look forward to working with the new Administration and Congress to advance policies that promote innovation, investment, and resilience over the coming decade. 

“We worked with the 2016-2020 Trump administration to raise awareness of the electronics industry’s importance to national and economic security, and we will continue to do so over the coming years. Electronics are at the heart of the modern economy, and the U.S. Government needs to overcome decades of neglect and do more to ensure the industry’s long-term success.” 

More information on IPC’s policy priorities can be found here: Advocating for the Global Electronics Industry. 

IPC Electronics Forum @ electronica

Date
- (3:00 - 11:00am CST)

 

electronica 2024
Messe München

Am Messesee 2
81829 München
Germany

Messe München

Messe München
Am Messesee 2
München, 81829
Germany

Sustainability – A View from the C-Suite

Oct 31, 2024
| By Kelly Scanlon

By Kelly Scanlon, IPC lead sustainability strategist

Many company executives, whether in the electronics industry or other manufacturing industry sectors, have sustainability at the top of their minds and agendas. Defining what it means for their company to be sustainable and setting out and achieving goals related to sustainability has become a critical part of CEO leadership actions.

Recently, John Mitchell, IPC’s President and CEO, asked executives Greg Maxwell, Northrop Grumman Corporation, and Tom Edman, TTM Technologies, about how they prioritize sustainability in their companies. In a series of videos, we learn about their challenges—and solutions—for issues such as reporting and disclosure of energy, water, and chemical data, workforce development and retention, regulatory obligations, supplier demands, and customer needs. It’s not a quest for what to do but how to do it. 

These include evaluating the energy needs of their facilities, ensuring workers are keeping up with regulatory obligations, and meeting their customers’ needs while also meeting their own needs.

Hearing from executive decision makers about their successes, their challenges, their ambitions, and their worries provides all of us – including engineers and manufacturing line workers – with a path forward and a set of best practices that we can learn from so that we can all build electronics better. 

VIDEO LINKS:

IPC wants to help you broadcast your best practices and tell your stories about how you got to where you are today. Please let us know what you think about the videos in the comment section. 

New IPC Video Calls on Europe to Adopt “Silicon-to-Systems” Approach

Oct 30, 2024

IPC just released another video in its series of short explainers supporting its chips-related advocacy campaign – this one focuses on the need to take a complete “silicon to systems” approach to investing in Europe’s electronics industry. 

With fresh animation and graphics, the video takes a common sense approach to explaining that electronic systems are at the heart of many critical products and services from cars to computers, phones, and medical devices. With so much at stake, focusing on only one part of the electronic system – semiconductor chips – isn’t enough to ensure Europe’s innovation, resilience, and security.  Instead, the EU should take a comprehensive, “silicon-to-systems” approach to the European Chips Act and to its digital and green transitions, the video says.  

In Brussels and around the world, IPC is urging policymakers to take a broad approach to electronics manufacturing, including investing in R&D and manufacturing capacity for printed circuit boards (PCBs), IC substrates, and advanced packaging technology. IPC has called for establishing a continent-wide Electronics Manufacturing Strategy; enacting tax incentives for purchases of domestic PCBs; and developing more skilled workers and career pathways in electronics in the EU. 

Earlier this year, IPC released a U.S.-focused video focused on the need for a “silicon to systems” approach to electronics manufacturing. IPC is promoting the videos through its social media accounts, newsletters, magazines, and other channels. IPC members and partners are invited to help IPC spread the word by sharing the U.S. or European video with professional networks, partners and elected officials. 

 

 

Legal Risks Related to Compliance with Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC)

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IPC is teaming up with the U.S. Partnership for Assured Electronics (USPAE) to offer an expert-led discussion on the legal risks related to compliance with the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). This discussion will be held on November 19, 2024 at 1pm ET and will be led by Eric Crusius, a Partner at Holland & Knight. 

Earlier this month, the DoD published its final rule on CMMC. CMMC is designed to ensure that federal contractors are taking appropriate safeguards on their nonfederal systems to protect sensitive unclassified information. In complying with CMMC, federal contractors and subcontractors face risk under the False Claims Act (FCA). The FCA can be used to pursue cybersecurity-related fraud by entities that do business with the DoD and do not comply with the CMMC standards.  

Date: November 19, 2024

Time: 1:00 – 2:00 PM EST

Registration: Click here

 

Please note that this meeting is for IPC members and USPAE alliance partners only. Moreover, this event is intended for DoD contractors and subcontractors. If you have questions about the event, please contact Jim Will at JimWill@uspae.org.

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Electronics Industry Sentiment Remains Subdued in October

IPC releases October 2024 Global Sentiment of the Electronics Manufacturing Supply Chain Report

Industry sentiment in the electronics sector improved marginally in October after a sharp decline in September. Improvements in demand and costs combined to help lift sentiment according to IPC’s October Sentiment of the Global Electronics Manufacturing Supply Chain Report. 

 

The Demand Index rose 1.3 percent in October, but demand sentiment remains muted for the second consecutive month. The Backlog Index, already in contraction, dropped another two points to its lowest level in a year. Capacity Utilization fell into contractionary territory, while the New Orders Index remained there for the second consecutive month. The Shipment Index rose from an all-time low last month, bouncing back into expansionary territory. 

 

In response to special questions on interest rate cuts in Europe and the United States, electronics manufacturers expect interest rate cuts in Europe and the United States to have a moderate to minimal impact on the industry overall, with the greatest effect likely on capital investment, financing, and sales growth.

 

According to Shawn DuBravac, IPC chief economist and report author, industry outlook remains positive this month despite cooling demand sentiment. “Despite some easing in cost pressures, the outlook for costs actually increased in October as more manufacturers reported an expectation for higher labor costs in the coming months.”

 

Additional survey data show:

  • Half (50 percent) of electronics manufacturers are currently experiencing rising labor costs, with nearly two-fifths (37 percent) reporting increased material costs. At the same time, profit margins, ease of recruitment, backlogs, shipments, and orders are presently declining.
  • Over the next six months, electronics manufacturers expect labor costs to remain high, while ease of recruitment, backlogs, and profit margins are likely to remain challenging. 
  • Electronics manufacturers in APAC expect backlogs to decline more so over the next six months when compared to firms operating globally. 

These results are based upon the findings of IPC’s Current State of Electronics Manufacturing Survey, fielded between September 16 and September 30, 2024.

Read the full report. 

Economic Outlook 2025

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In the face of numerous challenges, the global economy has demonstrated remarkable resilience, especially in regions like South Asia and the United States, where growth has exceeded expectations. As we look to 2025, vulnerabilities remain. Central banks are easing rates, yet the pace varies significantly across regions, casting uncertainty over economic activity. Geopolitical tensions and persistent inflationary pressures are also key concerns that could influence monetary policy and impact markets.

The global growth landscape continues to present a mixed outlook, with downside risks amid lingering inflation pressure and geopolitical uncertainties, such as escalating tensions in Ukraine. In Europe, certain economies continue to face headwinds, and in Asia, China faces its own challenges. However, opportunities for growth in the electronics industry persist as sectors like defense and renewable energy remain resilient in the face of broader manufacturing slowdowns.

Join IPC on November 19 at 4:00 pm EST for a free live event, Economic Outlook 2025, led by IPC Chief Economist Shawn DuBravac. This session is an opportunity to stay informed about the latest economic trends and prepare for the coming year with expert insights.

What You Will Gain:

  • Global Economic Snapshot – Obtain a comprehensive analysis of the current global economic outlook, with a focus on risks and opportunities to watch in 2025.
  • Central Bank Perspectives – Understand how regional inflation trends and central bank policies will shape interest rates, offering insights into likely monetary shifts.
  • Regional Growth Trends – Explore how diverse economic growth trajectories in regions like South Asia, the U.S., Europe, and China could impact global business strategies.
  • Sector-Specific Insights – Learn which sectors remain resilient amidst economic uncertainty and how this could influence strategic investments.
Region
Global
Online Event

3000 Lakeside Dr.
Suite 105N
Bannockburn, IL 60015
United States

Online Event

Online Event
3000 Lakeside Dr.
Bannockburn, IL 60015
United States

REGISTER FOR LIVE EVENT
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