One World, One Industry: IPC APEX EXPO 2025 Marks a Special Anniversary Year
Nolan’s Notes: Your Golden Ticket
The Knowledge Base: Challenges and Considerations of Harsh Environments
DesignCon 2025: Looking Great at 30
January 30, 2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007Estimated reading time: 1 minute
DesignCon may be turning 30 this year, but the Silicon Valley staple doesn’t look a day over 25. Attendees turned out for this celebratory bash, many of them reminiscing about their first DesignCon event 20 or 30 years ago.
The Tuesday night welcome reception was basically a 30th birthday bash, sponsored by Mouser. Show managers went all out, with strobe lights and a DJ blasting a mix of old and new dance tunes. That was fitting, because I spoke with engineers from ages 21 to 81 at DesignCon this year. Nice to see more younger folks each year.
On Wednesday morning, NVIDIA’s John Linford gave a keynote presentation to a packed room, with attendees standing on the stairs, along the back wall, and anywhere they could find a spot in the Elizabeth A. Hangs auditorium. “The Transformative Power of Accelerated Computing and AI” focused on the many innovations possible with AI, now and in the near future. He showed an example of design modeling of an automobile’s aerodynamic “fluid flow” in a virtual wind tunnel, which can now leverage real-life data. The digital twin is becoming mainstream.
Traffic on the show floor stayed busy for most of Wednesday. This year’s event seemed to be at least as busy as last year’s, which was the biggest show since the days before COVID. Show mascot Chiphead posed for photos throughout the day.
AI was the topic all over the conference and the expo hall, from manufacturing and supply chain optimization to EDA tools. JITX founder Duncan Haldane describes the company’s tools as “code-based AI-driven” design software, and he cites the acceleration of design cycles up to 30x. AI is definitely here to stay.
Let’s all wish DesignCon a happy birthday, and raise a toast to 30 more years as Silicon Valley’s destination for electronics desginers.
Marcy LaRont, managing editor of PCB007 Magazine, wrote a review of the keynote address and some technical sessions. Read the review here.
Share on:
Suggested Items
One World, One Industry: IPC APEX EXPO 2025 Marks a Special Anniversary Year
03/06/2025 | John Mitchell -- Column: One World, One IndustryThis year marks the 25th anniversary of IPC APEX EXPO and IPC is thrilled to celebrate this event milestone with attendees, exhibitors, and presenters. Their dedication to and involvement in IPC APEX EXPO is directly responsible for its success and their efforts clearly illustrate how the entire electronics manufacturing industry comes together to “Reimagine the Possibilities of Electronics” (our theme for this year).
Nolan’s Notes: Your Golden Ticket
03/03/2025 | Nolan Johnson -- Column: Nolan's NotesWelcome to the IPC APEX EXPO 2025 preview edition. If you’re going to Anaheim for this event, consider this issue of SMT007 Magazine to be part of your planning for the show— your golden ticket, if you will. If you’re not making the trip, perhaps this content can help you make the case for why you should.
Target Condition: ‘Boomer to Zoomer: Do You Copy?’
03/04/2025 | Kelly Dack -- Column: Target ConditionLet’s just admit it. The baby boomer PCB designers are looking at retirement, but it’s been a good run. In the 1980s, many of us still “taped out” our PCB artwork layers and then drove them over to the graphic art service to be photo-reduced onto film positives and negatives. Then, almost overnight, the PCB design industry changed.
Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo Named in Trade Show Executive’s Top 100 List of Fastest Growing Shows of 2024
02/27/2025 | IPCIPC/WHMA and Baird Center announce that for the second consecutive year, Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo (EWPTE) has been recognized as a top 100 fastest growing show in the United States for net square footage and number of exhibiting companies by Trade Show Executive.
It's Only Common Sense: Maximizing the Five Stages of Your Trade Show Exhibit
02/26/2025 | Dan Beaulieu -- Column: It's Only Common SenseI have been advocating for trade shows for years. I know they’re not cheap. Booth space, travel, hotels, promotional materials, and time away from the office can add up quickly. But they are one of the most significant investments your company will make in marketing and sales. If done right, trade shows can be a gold mine of opportunity to gain leads, build relationships, and showcase your business to the world.