IPC APEX EXPO 2025 Review: Shifting My Focus to the Show Floor

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

IPC APEX EXPO 2025 marked a significant milestone as it celebrated its 25th anniversary. (Personally, I don’t think it looked a day over 20.) If you didn’t attend this great event, why not? This was my 10th anniversary of attending, and it had a distinctly different feel. There was a celebratory atmosphere as both veterans, like myself, and first-time attendees, were drawn into a celebratory occasion marking the significant milestone of the 25th anniversary. 

But more than that, I felt that through the various battles of those 25 years, our industry was turning a corner. Before entering the Anaheim Convention Center, you could look up and see a giant banner on the front of the building declaring, “Imagine the Possibilities.” It wasn’t just a cute adage, but for myself and many of you, it took on a deeper meaning as a challenge. I knew then that this would be a unique event. It did not disappoint. 

From the exhibit halls to the technical presentations, throughout the whole convention, the “buzzword” for everyone was AI. Leading the charge on that topic was the Design Leadership Council's Town Hall meeting on AI discussing precisely how this new technology could impact our industry and how our jobs will change in the future. Fascinating discussion with the panel and audience.

Because of my new role in the industry, my focus this year was slightly different from that in years past. This time my focus was on the exhibition floor, a bustling hub of activity featuring over 400 exhibitors. The one that stood out for me was Elephantech, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, which showcased utilizing newly developed copper nanoparticle ink and primer technology for rigid and flex PCBs. This advancement provides enhanced adhesion on various substrates and offers potential applications in advanced PCBs and printed electronics, addressing environmental concerns and promoting more efficient manufacturing processes. Additionally, the copper nanoparticle ink enables the direct printing of PCB traces, resulting in reduced waste compared to traditional subtractive etching methods. It's amazing.

Additionally, I was interested in the new IPC Learning Lounge, a designated area on the show floor where attendees could learn about electronics manufacturing. It offered free sessions where experts shared valuable tips and innovative ideas. Visitors could learn about training programs, new PCB design methods, and techniques to improve manufacturing efficiency. 

One thing I missed and was frankly disappointed by was not having the PCB design challenge. In years past, it was a great way for engineers and students to showcase their design skills. The challenge was also an opportunity for new designers to get noticed, so skipping it might make it harder for beginners to showcase their talent. I hope this is not a sign of an IPC shift in focus away from the design side of the industry. I hope it will return in the future, possibly with new vigor and purpose.

Maybe the real excitement of IPC APEX EXPO wasn’t the obvious but something more. As Albert Einstein once said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” 

This reminds us that the power of imagination can take us beyond what we know today and help us create the future. Imagine the possibilities when we use our creativity to solve problems, invent new things, and push the boundaries of what’s possible. The world is full of endless opportunities, and with a bit of imagination, anything is possible.

John Watson is a professor at Palomar College, San Marcos, California and an I-Connect007 columnist. To read past columns, click here.