-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- smt007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueSupply Chain Strategies
A successful brand is built on strong customer relationships—anchored by a well-orchestrated supply chain at its core. This month, we look at how managing your supply chain directly influences customer perception.
What's Your Sweet Spot?
Are you in a niche that’s growing or shrinking? Is it time to reassess and refocus? We spotlight companies thriving by redefining or reinforcing their niche. What are their insights?
Moving Forward With Confidence
In this issue, we focus on sales and quoting, workforce training, new IPC leadership in the U.S. and Canada, the effects of tariffs, CFX standards, and much more—all designed to provide perspective as you move through the cloud bank of today's shifting economic market.
- Articles
- Columns
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - smt007 Magazine
Best Technical Papers at IPC APEX EXPO 2025 Selected
March 3, 2025 | IPCEstimated reading time: 2 minutes

The best technical conference papers of IPC APEX EXPO 2025 have been selected. Voted on through a ballot process by members of the IPC APEX EXPO Technical Conference Program Committee (TPC), the international group of paper authors will be recognized during show opening remarks on Tuesday, March 18.
“The TPC is absolutely focused on providing the highest quality content to the technical conference,” said Stan Rak, co-chair of the TPC. “This commitment to quality is reflected in this year's selection of Best of Conference, NextGen, and Best Student Research papers. We extend our congratulations to all the award winners and a thank you to all paper contributors in this 25th anniversary year of IPC APEX EXPO.”
Taking top honors in the Best of Conference category, the winning papers are:
- “High Voltage Temperature-humidity-bias Testing of Electronic Materials on the Outer Layer of a PCB – A Round Robin Study and Beyond” by Dr. Lothar Henneken, Robert Bosch GmbH. This paper will be presented during Technical Conference Session 1 on March 18.
- “A Method for Real-Time Rejection of Defective Components During the Pick and Place Process Using AI Technology” by Dr. Eyal Weiss, Cybord. This paper will be presented during Technical Conference Session 3 on March 18.
- “Alternative Methods in Measuring BGAs for Thermal Warpage” by Neil Hubble, Akrometrix. Co-author: Chris Gastaldo, Akrometrix. This paper will be presented during Technical Conference Session 5 on March 18.
The NextGen best paper is awarded to:
- “Improving THT-AOI Image Classification through Federated Learning: A Study on Model Performance and Training Stability under Various Data Distributions” by Ben Rachinger, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. Co-authors: Nils Thielen, Sven Meier, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Franke, Prof. Dr.-Ing Florian Risch, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Institute for Factory Automation and Production Systems. This paper will be presented during Technical Conference Session 26 on March 19.
The Best Student paper (and scholarship) is awarded to:
- “Flexible Hybrid Electronics Created from a Multicomponent System of Electroless Copper on Laser-Induced Graphene” by Attila Rektor, Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering, Boise State University. Co-authors: Dr. Josh Eixenberger, Boise State University; Dr. Tony Vayalil Varghese, Boise State University; Brian Cummings, Boise State University; Michael Curtis, Boise State University, Science Applications International Corporation; Dr. Nicholas McKibben, Boise State University; Dr. John Timler, Science Applications International Corporation; and Prof. David Estrada, Boise State University, Idaho National Laboratory. This paper will be presented during Technical Conference Session 23 on March 19.
All technical conference papers were evaluated on their technical content, originality, test procedures and data used to deduce conclusions, quality of illustrations and the clarity and professionalism of writing as well as value to the industry.
To register for IPC APEX EXPO 2025 or for more information on all the activities taking place, including professional development courses, exhibition, keynote presentations, networking activities and more, visit www.IPCAPEXEXPO.org.
Testimonial
"Our marketing partnership with I-Connect007 is already delivering. Just a day after our press release went live, we received a direct inquiry about our updated products!"
Rachael Temple - AlltematedSuggested Items
PEDC Call for Abstracts Deadline Extended to Aug. 31
08/20/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamThe second Pan-European Electronics Design Conference (PEDC) will take place Jan. 21-22, 2026, in Prague, Czech Republic. The call for abstracts deadline has been extended to Aug. 31. Organized jointly by the German Electronics Design and Manufacturing Association (FED) and the Global Electronics Association (formerly IPC), PEDC serves as a European platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and innovation in electronics design and development.
Prague PEDC: Call for Abstracts Deadline July 31
07/16/2025 | Pan-European Electronics Design Conference (PEDC)The second Pan-European Electronics Design Conference (PEDC) will take place Jan. 21-22, 2026, in Prague, Czech Republic. The call for abstracts deadline is July 31. Organized jointly by the German Electronics Design and Manufacturing Association (FED) and the Global Electronics Association PEDC serves as a European platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and innovation in electronics design and development.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
06/20/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007It’s been a busy week in this industry, and we have news and articles from the PCB design, fabrication and assembly communities. Some of this news is out of this world. We may be losing the high ground—the really high ground. Columnist Jesse Vaughan explains how the U.S. seems to be falling behind in space, and how this could affect our ability to defend ourselves in the future. We have an update on the U.S.-China tariff talks, which seem to be moving forward, though sometimes at a snail’s pace.
IPC Issues Call for Participation for IPC APEX EXPO 2026
06/02/2025 | IPCIPC is now accepting abstracts for technical papers with presentations, posters, and professional development courses at IPC APEX EXPO 2026.
The Knowledge Base: Beyond the Badge—Why Membership Matters More Than Ever
05/28/2025 | Mike Konrad -- Column: The Knowledge BaseMembership in trade associations like the Surface Mount Technology Association (SMTA) offers substantial benefits that can significantly enhance a professional's career in the electronics manufacturing industry. These advantages encompass extensive networking opportunities, access to specialized technical conferences, and complimentary training programs, all contributing to professional growth and industry recognition.