IPC held a sold out exhibition, showcasing 479 exhibitors and their innovating products, which makes it one of the largest shows since it was first launched in 2000. Across 43 countries, 9,169 professionals from the electronic manufacturing industry came together to exchange knowledge and ideas. On the very first day of the show, there was a 22% increase in attendance than the previous years. Visitors were exposed to new products, training and education, as well as, networked with industry professionals.
Not just a regular trade show
Continuing with its past successes, buzz sessions, keynote speaker presentations, management programs, design forums, technical conferences, and professional development courses occurred throughout the week. Within this educational portion of the show, visitors were able to gain further knowledge on today’s trends and new developments throughout the industry. This included buzz sessions on Industry 4.0 and e-textiles, as well as, programs on designing for manufacturing, reliability, and assembly. There were also lectures and presentations on a variety of topics, including solder joint reliability, advanced rework, and electronic assembly reliability.
“When I spoke with exhibitors and attendees at this year’s show, feedback was resoundingly positive. Attendees said that networking and educational events and activities helped them find new ways to solve challenges; the exhibition provided them the opportunity to meet suppliers that could help them save time and money, and foster new business opportunities,” said John Mitchell, President and CEO.
Awards based on its value in the industry
Given to the most innovative companies and products, Innovations Awards were awarded within the following categories: PCB design, PCB fabrication, assembly, test and inspection, as well as, services. The submissions were ranked based on the impact the product or software had within the industry and its value for customers. Out of the 32 participating companies, the Best of Innovation Awards for 2018 went to:
- DfR Solutions for the Sherlock Automated Design Analysis software, which improves reliability prediction, and increases product quality.
- JBC Tools for its JCB Net, a software that manages and optimizes the soldering process.
- Metcal for its Connection Validation Robotic Soldering system, which shows when a good joint is created and increases productivity.
- Orbotech, Inc. for its Ultra Dimension, a 4-in-1 AOI solution system which includes pattern inspection, laser via inspection, Remote Multi-Image Verification (RMIV) and 2D metrology.
For the past several years, Apex has also had a technical paper competition where members of the Technical Program Committee selects the best paper based on its content, including the procedures and data used for its conclusion, as well as, writing professionalism, and its value to the industry. Out of over 100 submitted papers, this year’s winner was from Oracle and its topic covered copper foils.
First look at industry’s initiative
What marked the greatest highlight of Apex 2018, is undoubtedly the live demonstration on the show floor. Introduced for the first time, 24 exhibitors took part in the Connected Factory Exchange Showcase. To continue to grow within Industry 4.0, communicating throughout the entire manufacturing process, as well as, being able to use large amounts of data are challenges that need to be surpassed. The CFX Factory Connectivity standard is a free data and control method used to communicate across the entire process. This includes machines, sensors, software, etc.
Also known as IoT electronics network, EMS and OEM manufacturers, suppliers, and vendors allowed visitors of the show to see machine data in real-time. Right after scanning a QR code with a cell phone, visitors were able to access analytical reports and live machine activity data, which was connected via the CFX cloud server. Never before seen, the floor demonstration introduced this standard to everyone on a firsthand basis. This is just the beginning of this initiative, and what a great beginning it was.
Upcoming shows
IPC Apex has already been set for
the next 4 years:
- 2019: Jan. 29-31
- 2020: Feb. 04-06
- 2021: Jan. 26-28
- 2022: Jan. 25-27
