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Current IssueIPC APEX EXPO 2025: A Preview
It’s that time again. If you’re going to Anaheim for IPC APEX EXPO 2025, we’ll see you there. In the meantime, consider this issue of SMT007 Magazine to be your golden ticket to planning the show.
Technical Resources
Key industry organizations–all with knowledge sharing as a part of their mission–share their technical repositories in this issue of SMT007 Magazine. Where can you find information critical to your work? Odds are, right here.
The Path Ahead
What are you paying the most attention to as we enter 2025? Find out what we learned when we asked that question. Join us as we explore five main themes in the new year.
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Much Ado About Factory of the Future
March 13, 2024 | Chris Jorgensen, IPCEstimated reading time: 2 minutes

For attendees looking for guidance on modernizing their manufacturing, IPC APEX EXPO 2024 will provide plenty of opportunities to learn about the latest innovations and how to begin applying them in your operations today.
Get Connected
Think you know all there is to know about IPC-CFX, how to implement it, and the myriad benefits you can reap from it? IPC APEX EXPO will provide the latest updates on this plug-and-play shop floor communication standard and how to put yourself on the path to success.
When walking the show floor, look for the IPC-CFX flags at vendor booths. These are equipment vendors who know the importance of IPC-CFX for their customers and the industry, and have demonstrated proficiency in IPC-CFX implementations.
These vendors will represent a large portion of the more than 90 pieces of equipment on the IPC-CFX-2591 Qualified Products List (QPL). Ask them about their implementations and how IPC-CFX can benefit your operations.
Want to peek behind the curtain at plans for IPC-CFX Version 2.0? Attend the IPC-CFX Standard Task Group meeting, 10:15 a.m. to noon Monday, April 8. The task group has a lot in store for this full-version update, including the addition of capabilities for dispensing equipment, hand soldering stations, and wave soldering machines, not to mention support for getting IPC-CFX into existing lines with legacy equipment.
Analyze That
Is your company getting the most out of the data flowing through your operations? As our industry evolves to meet new challenges and respond to more complex demands for electronic devices, there is an increasing need to use manufacturing data to improve the way our operations are run.
Get a leg up on best practices for understanding and analyzing the data from your equipment to help you respond to problems faster or before they happen. Attend the professional development course, “Introduction to Machine Data Analytics in the EMS Industry,” led by Tim Burke, PhD, chief technology officer, Arch Systems Inc. This course, on Monday, April 8, will use anonymized data sets from real-world SMT equipment for students to learn how to read and analyze the data and then contextualize it for their factories.
Visit IPC booth #4420 Tuesday through Thursday to grab your free copy of the new IPC Industry Intelligence white paper, “Outlook for Data Analytics in the Electronics Manufacturing Industry.” This white paper provides a nuts-and-bolts approach to the need for data analytics with EMS companies and provides a top-five list of data analytics use cases.
Continue reading this article in the March 2024 issue of SMT007 Magazine.
Suggested Items
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
03/14/2025 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Inside the industry, it feels like we’re getting ready for a big party holiday, and I’m feeling the whole Mardi Gras vibe. This weekend, IPC APEX EXPO kicks off with standards development committees and the Technical Conference before the Expo starts on March 18. We’ll be sneaking out of our network of evil lairs scattered around North America and convening at the I-Connect007 booth in the middle of the Anaheim Convention Center. Be sure to stop by and say hello.
IPC Hall of Fame Spotlight Series: Highlighting Denny Fritz
03/13/2025 | Dan Feinberg, I-Connect007This month, the Hall of Fame spotlight features Denny Fritz, a long-time friend and associate of mine. Denny first got involved with IPC in 1978 while working with MacDermid. His first efforts were with the various board fabrication committees, something he believes helped lead to his eventual Hall of Fame award.
IPC Asia’s Talent Development Program Opens Pathways to a More Qualified Workforce
03/14/2025 | Evelyn Cui, IPC AsiaIn Asia, the contradiction between the rapid development of the electronics manufacturing industry and the shortage of talent is particularly evident. The existing talent pool cannot fully meet the market's demand for highly skilled professionals. According to feedback from industry companies, there is an urgent need for professionals with knowledge of IPC standards and practical skills in electronics. However, the reality is that most academic courses are disconnected from the actual needs of the industry, leading to disappointing results when companies recruit from universities and schools.
Ventec International Group Announce Launch of VT-47LT IPC4101 /126 Prepreg for HDI
03/12/2025 | Ventec International GroupVentec International Group announce launch of VT-47LT IPC4101 / 126 Prepreg. Are Microvia Failures Plaguing Your HDI Any Layer Designs? High-density interconnect (HDI) designs are pushing the envelope - higher layer count HDI relies on complex microvia designs: skip vias, staggered microvias, and stacked microvias in sequential laminations.
IPC Releases Latest List of Standards and Revisions
03/12/2025 | IPCEach quarter, IPC releases a list of standards that are new or have been updated. To view a complete list of newly published standards and standards revisions, translations, proposed standards for ballot, final drafts for industry review, working drafts, and project approvals, visit ipc.org/status. These are the latest releases for Q1 2025.