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Register Now for the IPC Design Competition 2024
December 19, 2023 | IPC StaffEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Every year, thousands of printed board design engineers spend countless hours completing and perfecting their designs. IPC is inviting these designers to put their skills to the test and compete to become the IPC Design Champion of 2024.
“I’m really excited about the IPC Design Competition,” said Patrick Crawford, Manager of Design Standards. “There’s still time to register, so don’t miss out.”
As in previous years, the IPC Design Competition is composed of two parts: a Virtual Heat and a Finals Heat. Each heat features a board design created especially for this competition by IPC instructor Kris Moyer.
The Virtual Heat consists of a full board buildup, starting with a component BOM, schematic, and use-case brief. Competitors will be responsible for completing the board and exporting a documentation package via Gerber or IPC-2581. Competitors can use their own preferred EDA tools.
This year, IPC has made this design easier to complete in the time allotted. The preliminary designs should take no longer than 10-12 hours for the average designer to complete. Competitors have 25 days to complete their Virtual Heat design and are judged on their implementation of design rules and layout per IPC standards as well as general implementation of DFX principles.
The Finalist Heat will take place at IPC APEX EXPO in Anaheim, California on April 9, 2024. Three finalists will be invited to IPC APEX EXPO for an in-person layout showdown. Competitors will be provided complimentary short-term licenses of Altium Designer to use for the Finals Heat.
Can you route the best board and take home the prize? If you think you have what it takes, register now by clicking here.
Registration closes January 12, 2024, so don’t wait!
Suggested Items
Navigating Global Manufacturing in an Era of Uncertainty
05/07/2025 | Philip Stoten, ScoopThe EMS industry faces unprecedented challenges as global trade tensions rise and tariff announcements create market uncertainty. In an overview of IPC Europe’s podcast, MADE IN EUROPE, industry experts from GPV and Zollner examine how these developments impact our businesses and customers, and what strategies will prevail in this new landscape.
Nick Koop Launches IPC Flex Design Class
05/06/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineNick Koop is director of flex technology for TTM Technologies, and he’s been a staple of IPC’s flex committees for decades. He’s also a longtime flex design instructor, and he’s about to debut a new IPC class, Flex and Rigid-Flex Design for Manufacturability, which will run May 12–21. In this interview, Nick tells us about this new class and what attendees can expect to learn.
The Government Circuit: Trump’s Trade War Disrupts the Electronics Ecosystem
05/06/2025 | Chris Mitchell -- Column: The Government CircuitThere is certainly no shortage of work to be done in the IPC Government Relations department, as the U.S. waged a tariff campaign on practically every industrial country in the world and several countries embarked on high-tech initiatives with a mix of approaches to the crucial foundations of electronics manufacturing. Indeed, the breadth and speed of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff campaign continues to be a serious challenge for our industry.
Meet Thiago Guimaraes, IPC's New Director of Industry Intelligence
05/05/2025 | Chris Mitchell, IPC VP, Global Government RelationsThe fast pace of innovation in the electronics manufacturing industry means business owners must continuously adapt their processes and capabilities to meet changing customer demands and market trends. To that end, IPC has hired Thiago Guimaraes as the new director of Industry Intelligence. In this interview, Thiago shares key goals and objectives that could revolutionize the industry as he helps stakeholders navigate industry trends and challenges.
Nolan's Notes: The Next Killer App in Component Manufacturing
05/02/2025 | Nolan Johnson -- Column: Nolan's NotesFor quite a while, I’ve been wondering what the next “killer app” will be in electronics manufacturing and why it has been so long since the last disruptive change in EMS. I believe the answer lies in artificial intelligence, which has exploded as the next disruptor.