Nolan’s Notes: Finding Your Sweet Spot
Standard of Excellence: Delivering Excellence—A Daily Goal
Knocking Down the Bone Pile: Tin Whisker Mitigation in Aerospace Applications, Part 3
Advancing in a New Era
March 22, 2023 | John W. Mitchell, IPCEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
What goes down must also come up. This is not the idiom we’re used to hearing, but I’d like to apply it to IPC APEX EXPO 2023. After a few years of lower attendance numbers due to the COVID pandemic, 2023 ushered in a re-invigorated group of attendees, exhibitors, speakers, event contractors, and staff to the show floor and meeting rooms.
IPC APEX EXPO 2023 was fueled by the possibilities of new advances in electronics manufacturing. We saw this in the exhibition, where a multitude of high-tech machinery (artificial intelligence, in some cases) showcased cutting-edge assembly, testing and inspection equipment, software automation, laser systems, additive manufacturing, and Factory of the Future technologies. The Technical Conference sessions and Professional Development courses covered such hot-topic tracks as Smart factories, PCB fabrication and materials, and high-density interconnects.
From what I observed and heard directly from exhibitors, the exhibition experience was positive for the 376 exhibitors who showcased their products and services on 122,700 square feet of show floor space. Davina McDonnell, global marketing manager for Cogiscan, told me, “IPC APEX 2023 was a big hit for us—the best show in years! Our booth was consistently packed with every demo station in use by customers. Our team had meaningful and productive conversations with lots of new contacts and we all left the show energized and excited about what’s in store for the rest of the year. This was the best IPC APEX EXPO we have participated in.”
From attendees, I was pleased to hear accolades on technical program offerings, many stating that it was the best conference in years; attendance was at an all-time high in more than a decade. The Technical Program Committee built a strong program with five tracks, 28 sessions, and 104 papers, with peer-reviewed content from 18 countries, detailing original research and innovations from industry experts around the world. The paper presenters—international subject matter experts—eagerly shared their knowledge and expertise, and provided attendees with quality technical content not found or presented anywhere else. We are very proud of the Technical Conference and set the bar high for paper submissions.
New this year were two special technical sessions, one on advanced packaging presented by IPC’s Chief Technical Officer Matt Kelly, and another on e-mobility led by Brian O’Leary of Indium and Jason Schwartz of KYZEN. Both special sessions drew capacity crowds and earned high marks from attendees for their thoroughness of content.
To read this entire article, which appeared in the 2023 edition of Show & Tell Magazine, click here.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Seeing a Future in Mexico
07/09/2025 | Michelle Te, I-Connect007The Global Electronics Association (formerly known as IPC) has been instrumental in fostering a partnership with Guanajuato, a state north of Mexico City with 12 industrial clusters and close to 150 companies involved in electronics. This past spring, Alejandro Hernández, the undersecretary for investment promotion in Guanajuato, attended IPC APEX EXPO 2025 at the invitation of IPC Mexico Director Lorena Villanueva, where he met with several companies to discuss the opportunities available in Mexico. He is inviting electronics-related companies seeking long-term investment in a centrally located area with access to highways, railways, and ports.
The Global Electronics Association Releases IPC-8911: First-Ever Conductive Yarn Standard for E-Textile Application
07/02/2025 | Global Electronics AssociationThe Global Electronics Association announces the release of IPC-8911, Requirements for Conductive Yarns for E-Textiles Applications. This first-of-its-kind global standard establishes a clear framework for classifying, designating, and qualifying conductive yarns—helping to address longstanding challenges in supply chain communication, product testing, and material selection within the growing e-textiles industry.
IPC-CFX, 2.0: How to Use the QPL Effectively
07/02/2025 | Chris Jorgensen, Global Electronics AssociationIn part one of this series, we discussed the new features in CFX Version 2.0 and their implications for improved inter-machine communication. But what about bringing this new functionality to the shop floor? The IPC-CFX-2591 QPL is a powerful technical resource for manufacturers seeking CFX-enabled equipment. The Qualified Product List (QPL) helps streamline equipment selection by listing models verified for CFX compliance through a robust third-party virtual qualification process.
The Knowledge Base: A Conference for Cleaning and Coating of Mission-critical Electronics
07/08/2025 | Mike Konrad -- Column: The Knowledge BaseIn electronics manufacturing, there’s a dangerous misconception that cleaning and coating are standalone options, that they operate in different lanes, and that one can compensate for the other. Let’s clear that up now. Cleaning and conformal coating are not separate decisions. They are two chapters in the same story—the story of reliability.
Advancing Aerospace Excellence: Emerald’s Medford Team Earns Space Addendum Certification
06/30/2025 | Emerald TechnologiesWe’re thrilled to announce a major achievement from our Medford, Oregon facility. Andy Abrigo has officially earned her credentials as a Certified IPC Trainer (CIT) under the IPC J-STD-001 Space Addendum, the leading industry standard for space and military-grade electronics manufacturing.