IPC Hand Soldering Competition Winner Crowned at ELECTROSUB 2017 in Budapest

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

IPC, in conjunction with ELECTROSUB 2017, conducted the IPC Hand Soldering Competition at ELECTROSUB 2017 in Budapest, Hungary. The competition in Budapest drew the highest number of professional hand soldering competitors to date in Europe—51.

Unique to ELECTROSUB 2017 was an IPC HSC competition for high school students. The 16 high school competitors were not going to be outdone by their older professional competitors as they put their best soldering techniques on display vying for cash prizes for first, second and third place. Taking first place in the high school competition with a cash prize of €30 was Mate Toth, Technical High School, Komarno, Slovakia. Second place with a cash prize of €20 went to Bence Marki, Palfy Water Management Technical High School, Szolnok, Hungary. Taking third place with a cash prize of €10 was Gilles Cumin, from Lajos Bardos Elementary School, Lagymanyos, Budapest, Hungary.

In the professional competition, taking first place with a cash prize of €300 was Istvan Bidlek from Elektromont Kft. In Paszto, Hungary, who earned 429 points out of a possible 446. Bidlek will now compete at the IPC World Championship Hand Soldering Competition located this year at productronica 2017.

Second place and a cash prize of €200 this year went to Aniko Papp Bacso from National Instruments Hungary Kft. Debrecen, Hungary, who earned 427 out of a possible 446. Istvan Adam from Eurocircuits Kft. In Felsotarkany, Hungary, took third place and a cash prize of €100.

The professionals in the hand soldering competition were tasked with building a functional electronics assembly within a 60-minute time limit. IPC Master Instructor Trainers served as independent judges and evaluated each assembly based on workmanship, overall functionality, compliance with IPC-A-610 Class 3 criteria, and speed to complete the printed circuit board.

"The best-of-the-best hand soldering talent in Hungary came to compete at ELECTROSUB 2017," said David Bergman, IPC vice president of standards and training. "The competition was tough, but each competitor rose to the challenge. We look forward to hosting more hand soldering competitions across the globe."

Bergman added, "IPC would like to thank hand soldering competition gold sponsor: Kurtz Ersa; silver sponsors: Balver Zinn, Kester, Auter Electronics; bronze sponsor: MicroCare, Global Source, Microsolder; Contributor: Rondo; for their support."

With the continued success and excitement generated around the IPC Hand Soldering Competitions, IPC is planning to hold additional competitions in Europe, later this year in November as well as in 2018. Watch for announcements from IPC with locations and times. For more information on IPC events visit, click here.