-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- pcb007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueIn Pursuit of Perfection: Defect Reduction
For bare PCB board fabrication, defect reduction is a critical aspect of a company's bottom line profitability. In this issue, we examine how imaging, etching, and plating processes can provide information and insight into reducing defects and increasing yields.
Voices of the Industry
We take the pulse of the PCB industry by sharing insights from leading fabricators and suppliers in this month's issue. We've gathered their thoughts on the new U.S. administration, spending, the war in Ukraine, and their most pressing needs. It’s an eye-opening and enlightening look behind the curtain.
The Essential Guide to Surface Finishes
We go back to basics this month with a recount of a little history, and look forward to addressing the many challenges that high density, high frequency, adhesion, SI, and corrosion concerns for harsh environments bring to the fore. We compare and contrast surface finishes by type and application, take a hard look at the many iterations of gold plating, and address palladium as a surface finish.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - pcb007 Magazine
IPC Issues December Global Sentiment of the Electronics Supply Chain Report
December 23, 2022 | IPCEstimated reading time: 1 minute

Per IPC’s December Global Sentiment of the Electronics Supply Chain Report, over the next six months, manufacturers expect to see continued increase in both labor and material costs. Ease of recruitment and profit margins are likely to remain challenging.
Among other data, survey results show:
- Demand remains solid, but closes the year on a lighter note: The Orders Index began the year at 123, strongly in expansionary territory, but closes the year at 107. This is solidly in expansionary territory but down for a second consecutive month and the lowest reading this year.
- Supply chain constraints have improved notably since the start of the year: The Inventories Available to Customers (IAC) Index has improved throughout the year. It began the year in contractionary territory but ends the year at 105 suggesting available inventories are growing.
- Costs remain elevated: The Materials Costs Index dropped one-point last month, to an all-time low, but the index remains high, suggesting cost pressures continue.
For the report, IPC surveyed hundreds of companies from around the world, including a wide range of company sizes representing the full electronics manufacturing value chain. View full report.
For more information on IPC’s industry intelligence program including new reports, visit: www.ipc.org/advocacy/industry-intelligence.
About IPC
IPC (www.IPC.org) is a global industry association based in Bannockburn, Ill., dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its 3,000+ member companies which represent all facets of the electronics industry, including design, printed board manufacturing, electronics assembly, test and advanced packaging. As a member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy, IPC supports programs to meet the needs of an estimated $2 trillion global electronics industry. IPC maintains additional offices in Atlanta, Georgia; Washington, D.C.; Orlando, Fla.; Munich, Germany; Brussels, Belgium; Bangalore and New Delhi, India; Bangkok, Thailand; and Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Suzhou and Beijing, China.
Suggested Items
Living His Dream: IPC EAO Course Leads Thejas K to Role as Quality Engineer
05/30/2025 | Michelle Te, IPC CommunityIt’s not often that a child wants to follow in the footsteps of their parents’ career. But Thejas K, a 22-year-old from Mysuru, India, whose mother Padmavathi was an EMS operator for nearly 20 years, is now an associate engineer in the quality department at Cyient DLM where PCB assemblies are manufactured for aerospace and defense.
GTSMT SMT Production Lines are Transforming Modern Electronics Manufacturing
05/29/2025 | EINPresswire.comGTSMT, a prominent leader in the Surface-Mount Technology (SMT) sector, announced the introduction of cutting-edge innovations designed to tackle the evolving challenges facing the global electronics manufacturing industry.
IPC Applauds Leadership of Reps. Moore and Krishnamoorthi on PCB Manufacturing Bill
05/28/2025 | IPCIPC, the global electronics association serving more than 1,400 U.S. companies and over 3,200 worldwide, strongly supports the bipartisan reintroduction on May 28 of the Protecting Circuit Boards and Substrates (PCBS) Act in the 119th Congress.
Smart Automation: AI—Revolutionizing Inspection in Electronics Manufacturing
05/27/2025 | Josh Casper -- Column: Smart AutomationArtificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming a staple in our personal and professional lives. In electronics manufacturing, integrating AI to combat common inefficiencies and to contextualize data will open new doors into how we supplement our traditional processes. In some specific areas of the electronics manufacturing process, integration of AI on the factory floor is already having a tremendous effect. One such area is PCBA inspection, particularly 3D automated optical inspection (AOI) systems.
Indium Promotes O’Leary to Director of Global Accounts
05/27/2025 | Indium CorporationIndium Corporation, a leading materials refiner, smelter, manufacturer, and supplier to electronics, semiconductor, thin-film, and thermal management industries, announces the promotion of Brian O’Leary to Director of Global Accounts.