-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- design007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueBreaking High-speed Material Constraints
Do you need specialty materials for your high-speed designs? Maybe not. Improvements in resins mean designers of high-speed boards can sometimes use traditional laminate systems. Learn more in this issue.
Level Up Your Design Skills
This month, our contributors discuss the PCB design classes available at IPC APEX EXPO 2024. As they explain, these courses cover everything from the basics of design through avoiding over-constraining high-speed boards, and so much more!
Opportunities and Challenges
In this issue, our expert contributors discuss the many opportunities and challenges in the PCB design community, and what can be done to grow the numbers of PCB designers—and design instructors.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - design007 Magazine
IPC Design Competition: On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!
April 10, 2024 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
I recently spoke with IPC’s Patrick Crawford, manager of design standards and related industry programs, and Kris Moyer, certified IPC master instructor, about this year’s IPC Design Competition. Now in its third year, the preliminary heat began in January, and the winners will compete in the final heat at IPC APEX EXPO in Anaheim.
I asked Patrick and Kris to discuss the Design Competition, advice for contestants, and why designers should enter next year’s competition. As Kris points out, an open mind and knowledge of IPC standards will go a long way.
Andy Shaughnessy: Patrick, give us an overview of the IPC Design Competition.
Patrick Crawford: The competition was launched in 2022 from a desire to engage with designers in an extracurricular way, outside of standards, development, and work. This is our third year and it’s been successful so far. We opened registration on Jan. 1, and 50 people signed up in the first week, which is really cool. We do two heats—a preliminary and a final heat. The preliminary heat is an at-home design. We provide contestants with a schematic, a bill of materials, a scope of work—it’s all on paper, and we say, “Go forth and read the design, schematic, specs, and requirements.” We expect them to create a fabrication file for us. The few that we've gotten in so far have all been Gerber and the associated manufacturing files, but in theory, they could also give us IPC-2581.
IPC India has its own competition designed a little differently than ours, but we invite their two finalists. They're essentially assessing the same criteria in a different format. We invite the IPC India winner and runner-up, but we only invite three of the top-placing competitors from the prelims to the final heat. Last year, the final heat featured five competitors: two in the room at IPC APEX EXPO and three people calling in. This year, based on travel budgets and some competitors requiring a visa, I it won’t surprise me to have full virtual attendance. But that doesn't matter; we'll still have competitors. Last year, Sathish Vijayakumar from India, won the IPC India competition and eventually the whole shebang. He couldn't be in India's competition this year, so he signed up for our competition. We'll see if he can take the top prize again.
To read this entire conversation, which appeared in the April 2024 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.
Suggested Items
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
05/17/2024 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineThis week, trade shows are at the top of our feed, with our coverage of the Del Mar Electronics and Manufacturing Show and IPC APEX EXPO. These two longtime events are almost polar opposites in size and scope, but Del Mar seems to be expanding from its roots as a “neighborhood gathering” with its move into the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The Del Mar show always has a good “buzz factor,” which is something you can’t buy.
IPC APEX EXPO: Some Thoughts About Growth
05/16/2024 | Dan Feinberg, I-Connect007After two and a half days of wandering the aisles at IPC APEX EXPO 2024, for the first time, I almost felt like I was exploring CES. There were so many booths and exhibits that I could describe, but I’d like to focus on the growth and huge value of this event, which has expanded well beyond just the growing and impressive exhibit show floor.
IPC Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame Award: Pierre-Jean Albrieux
05/10/2024 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineCongratulations to Pierre-Jean Albrieux, who received the 2024 IPC Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame Award. The award is given to individuals in recognition of the highest level of achievement, extraordinary contributions, and distinguished service to IPC and toward the advancement of the industry, including helping to create a spirit of mutual esteem, respect, and recognition among members consistent with the goals and mission of IPC.
IPC Focuses on Education and Onboarding
05/09/2024 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineI recently spoke with Carlos Plaza, senior director of education for IPC, about expanding educational efforts in the PCB design, fabrication, and assembly segments. As Carlos explains, PCB design is a hot topic, but onboarding may be the hottest one of all.
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: Industry Growth, Challenges, and Technological Advancements
05/09/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOEditor Nolan Johnson and Shawn DuBravac, IPC chief economist, dive into key industry topics such as growth, challenges, and technological advancements. They discuss shifts in the global competitive landscape, downstream demand, customization, and how AI is enhancing human skills. The industry outlook appears promising for both the short and long term.