Save the date for the Regional Qualification for the IPC Hand Soldering Competition (HSC) being held at electronica – Munich, Germany - Hall #A1, IPC Booth #A1-465 - on 12-15 November 2024.

Skilled soldering experts (F/M) will be competing for 60 minutes on a complex circuit board assembly in the regional competition (12-13 November 2024) to win the 2024 Regional title, earn a cash prize , and a coveted spot at the IPC Hand Soldering World Championship.  (HSC World Final to take place on 14-15 November 2024 at electronica in Munich, Germany).

Competition for Professionals

The professional competitors will be judged by IPC Master Instructors (MIT) on soldering a complex printed circuit board with a maximum time of 60 minutes in accordance with IPC-A-610 Class 3 criteria. Additional criteria will include the quality of the results achieved and of the assembly process, the overall electrical functionality of the assembly as well as the speed at which the assembly was produced.

Prizes for Professionals

The professionals will receive cash prizes: the winner and two runners-up.

• 1st place – 300€
• 2nd place – 200€
• 3rd place – 100€

IPC Hand Soldering World Championship: The regional competition winner at electronica will be invited to participate in the HSC World Finals, 14-15 November 2024, IPC booth #A1-465.

Hand Soldering Best Company Team Award: This year, again nominate a team to win the Hand Soldering Best Company Team Award. For any company enlisting 2 or 3 competitors, the highest combined scores of competitors from the same company will determine which company will receive the HSC Best Company Team Award.

Registration is free of charge.

You do not need to be an IPC member to take part.

You do not need to be IPC-certified to take part.

IPC may supply an electronica trade show day pass for free (upon request). 

The competition setup is supplied by the organisers. You do not need to bring any equipment except your ESD clothes (with or without corporate branding).

How to register?

Please click here to register. 

For more information, please contact Philippe Léonard, IPC Europe director (PhilippeLeonard@ipc.org)

We are delighted to welcome expert panelists to discuss what automakers, startups, and T1s are demanding from their supply chains in terms of sustainability. Panelists will weigh in the top 3 challenge areas beyond current regulatory reporting and what may be coming next. They will touch on recycling, PFAS, carbon neutrality, and the changeover of electronics assembly reporting. Understand from various perspectives what the focus is, what carbon neutral really means, and what potential impacts on your business. An honest discussion on the musts, 'should's, and 'could's of meeting OEM expectations. Join us and voice your opinion.

Our "Road to Reliability" series aims to bring industry leaders together to discuss the hurdles in achieving reliability for new e-mobility technology. We will examine reliability drivers, technology applications, and target lifecycles.

Join us for this informative session to better understand technology gaps, broaden your professional connections, and uncover strategies for meeting reliability objectives.

Moderator: Brenda Baney, BCubed Consulting

We want to thank our Road to Reliability series sponsor: Indium Corporation

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 11:00 am 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.

November 20, 2024 | 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Romano’s Macaroni Grill
12875 Towne Center Dr.
Cerritos, CA 90703
(562) 916-7722

Join fellow EMS leaders in the region to discuss key performance indicators and share industry pain points and solutions.

We will start out by sharing some unique industry metrics and then share some ideas regarding KPI’s and potential benchmarking. Participants will then discuss how to utilize KPIs, how they relate to strategy & daily execution, how to report them and how they ultimately should drive business decisions.

Discussion will pull from direct experience, questions, and ideas. From there, the conversation goes where you, the leaders, take it – whether related to benchmarking and KPIs or into totally different topics. Every roundtable ends in unique takeaways. 

Complimentary registration includes: 
•    Peer-led roundtable discussions
•    Updates on relevant EMS industry studies/reports
•    Recap of business resources available
•    Reception and dinner
•    Peer networking, partnership building 

Have questions? Email Mark Wolfe at MarkWolfe@ipc.org.

Description

This course addresses specific challenges encountered in military and aerospace applications, including the effects of vibration, shock, radiation, altitude, extended operating temperature range, and other design considerations for high-reliability applications. The class also focuses on the impact of these designs on manufacturing and assembly techniques, documentation, and manufacturing file generation.  

Taught by an IPC-certified industry expert with 25+ years of experience in the field, the six-week program utilizes interactive webinars, on-demand recorded class sessions, job-specific exercises, and team projects to facilitate mastery of the key concepts required to design boards for military and aerospace applications. 

PCB Design for Military and Aerospace Applications is ideal for designers, engineers, technicians, and others who want to acquire or increase their ability to meet the design, manufacturing, packaging, and routing challenges posed by military, aerospace, and space applications. 

Before taking this course, it is recommended that participants complete the PCB Fundamentals courses (I and 2), OR be familiar with the following:

• Schematic symbol creation
• Schematic Generation
• Documentation and Dimensioning
• Standard Rigid Printed Board Design

The wire harness industry is constantly evolving with new technology and practices. The 2025 WHMA Annual Global Leadership Summit offers the tools you need to help your business succeed in this fast-changing landscape. WHMA's Annual Global Leadership Summit (formerly the WHMA Annual Conference) is a networking event for executives representing wire harness manufacturers, OEMs and suppliers for companies that build wiring harnesses and cable assemblies.

• Peer-to-peer networking provides countless opportunities for you to improve your business as you learn, share, and discover new approaches to the wire harness industry.
• Learn from industry leaders at best-practices roundtables, technical education workshops, and keynote speakers.
• Get the first look at cutting-edge technology in the Exhibit Hall featuring industry leading suppliers.

Invest in your business and your future at WHMA's Annual Global Leadership Summit!

Discover the newest innovations and hear from the best minds in the electronics manufacturing industry. IPC APEX EXPO 2025 will be our industry’s largest event in North America featuring a world-class trade show, professional development courses taught by industry experts, non-stop networking and more! Join us in Anaheim, California, March 15-20, 2025.

Why Attend the Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo (EWPTE)?

Produced by WHMA/IPC, the ONLY trade association exclusively representing the cable and wire harness manufacturing industry including manufacturers, their suppliers and customers, EWPTE is where the industry comes together with more than 3,000 attendees and nearly 200 exhibitors to find solutions to challenging wire problems through training and education and for the opportunity to network with industry leaders and subject matter experts.

Attendees at all career stages can expect to Harness the Future through:

Education & Training
Professional Development Courses with content designed to deliver new information, skills, and techniques related to the cable and wire harness industry. 

Technical Conference Sessions presented by engineers, researchers, academics, technical experts, and industry leaders who will share new technical data, significant results from experiments and case studies, emphasizing new techniques and discussing trends of interest with appropriate technical test results.

Networking Opportunities by connecting with industry leaders and subject matter experts.

Accessing New Technologies and finding new suppliers to find solutions to your challenging wire problems on the show floor from nearly 200 exhibitors.

Who Should Attend?

Anyone who designs, specifies, purchases, installs, sells, maintains or manufactures electronic cable assemblies, cord sets, wiring harnesses and other related products for the following industries:

• Aerospace
• Automotive/Transportation (Automobiles, Rail, Buses. Trucks)
• Consumer Technology (Business Equipment and Appliances)
• Defense/Military
• Medical Instruments
• Off Highway (Constructions, Agriculture and Mining)
• Recreational (RV, Marine OPE & RTV)