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The New Chapter: Dip Your Hand in the IPC APEX EXPO Candy Jar

As IPC APEX EXPO quickly approaches, aligning your agenda with personal and professional development goals is necessary to get the most out of your show week. If 2024 is planned for growth opportunities, whether presenting, expanding your technical repertoire, or learning something new, this show and conference is for you. I see several opportunities that can easily align with those goals.

Keynote Presentations
To kick off the show, the keynote speaker is Paul Bailey, former principal concept director for Walt Disney Imagineering, who will be discussing some of his former projects, including Disneyland rides Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. We will learn what goes on behind the brain of an Imagineer and see the depth of managing blockbuster projects.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been the rave in the industry. Almost every day, I hear someone talking about how AI will take over our jobs. IPC President and CEO Dr. John W. Mitchell, and IPC Chief Economist Shawn DuBravac will be highlighting AI implementation in their keynote presentations. Mitchell will be discussing the future of the workforce and how AI and automation may be incorporated into jobs we see every day. He will also teach us how to embrace the ever-changing work environment we live in. DuBravac will highlight emerging technologies gaining interest, which of course, includes AI. The 2024 conference is looking bright with this set of incredible speakers.

Technical Conference
After attending IPC APEX EXPO the past two years, one of my favorite parts is attending a variety of presentations in the Technical Conference and the Professional Development Courses. They have enough to satisfy anyone’s career development needs. My favorite course from last year was on RF antenna design. The presenter gave real-life examples and theory to help design and use your very own antenna. I left the presentation inspired to do some independent study, and I designed several of my own antennas based on the theory I learned from this professional course.

Attending the technical paper reviews has helped broaden my awareness of the electronics industry and helped me grasp where the industry is focused concerning new technology. This year, you can expect to see tracks from design to manufacturability, and I’m really excited to learn from the technical track about emerging technologies.

Networking Opportunities
Did you know IPC APEX EXPO is more than just grasping technical knowledge? It may be the place where you find your company’s next technical expert or maybe you’ll meet a mentor to help propel your professional career forward. Networking is one of the biggest opportunities you’ll have there. To help with networking, IPC hosts several events that bring together companies, technical presenters, and experts in their specified fields. Other opportunities include a newcomers networking reception, women in electronics reception, and chatting with poster presenters and people on the show floor. After all that hard work, you will definitely want to cool down at the ice cream social. Companies from all over the world, even Lockheed Martin, NASA, and Apple, will be in attendance. Whether you’re looking to grow in technical knowledge or build out another area of interest, be sure to have your business cards in hand and get ready to mingle.

Standards Development
Last but not least, I think the most important part about attending the conference is participating in standards committee meetings. IPC sets the standards for all things PCB, and your company’s voice needs to be heard. From IPC-J-STD-001 to IPC-610, participating in standards committee meetings will set the tone for the latest technologies and help grow the development of technologies that may not even be on the market yet. Participating in committees, even those that my work does not directly align with, have been incredibly useful in expanding my technical expertise. I can learn about topics from manufacturing tolerances to chemical bare boards. Meanwhile, I can also contribute my thoughts and ideas on changing documents, even while being a first-year engineer.

Conclusion
As a young engineer, IPC APEX EXPO is a candy factory full of powerful networking opportunities and a vast technical repertoire. It is a place that encourages technical and professional growth. The experiences I have gained there have helped in my own decisions about my career. So, if 2024 is a year of growth for you, attending IPC APEX EXPO 2024 should be number one on your bucket list.

This column originally appeared in the February 2024 issue of PCB007 Magazine.