Design Innovations and Best Practices at IPC APEX EXPO 2012

“In today’s high-tech, competitive and socially responsible environment, it’s imperative that we all understand the choices available in materials, processes, requirements, quality and parts — as well as how those choices impact the final design’s performance and reliability,” says Dieter Bergman, IPC director of technology transfer. “Most important, is how to convey these requirements to the manufacturing supply chain.”



With benefits for staff and managers in engineering, sales, purchasing, layout, library and quality departments, the IPC Designers Forum on Monday, February 27, is a half-day program of education and technical exchange on critical design issues. Bergman will kick off the Forum with a discussion of the next level of information exchange. Other subject matter experts joining him include: Karen McConnell, CID, Northrop Grumman, who will discuss the documentation paradigm shift from drawings to data; Tom Hausherr, CID+, PCB Libraries, Inc. will discuss optimal design; Vern Solberg, Solberg Consulting, will share insights into flexible circuit applications and design standards; and Rick Hartley, CID, L-3 Avionics Systems, will talk about tough choices in cost/quality trade-offs.



In addition to the IPC Designers Forum, several professional development courses held February 26-27 and March 1, focus on meeting the informational needs of today’s designers. Courses include:



PD08: Design for Manufacturing — DFM

PD11: Designing with Flex in Mind: Next Generation

PD12: Design and Packaging for Space Hardware and Other High-Reliability Applications

PD14: Signal Integrity Problem Prevention: High-Speed Routing & Termination

PD21: Basics of PCB Design

PD35 and PD50: Design for Flexible and Rigid-Flex Circuits (two parts)

PD36: Control of EMI Coupling Mechanisms

PD41: Designing PCB Stackups to Balance Signal Integrity Against Manufacturability

PD43: Designing Complex Boards

PD44: Package-on-Package Design, Assembly, Rework and Inspection

PD45: Front-End Engineering Perspective on Design Issues



For PCB designers who want to earn the professional credential that demonstrates organizational and personal excellence to customers and suppliers, IPC designer certification workshops (CID and CID+) will take place on the days preceding IPC APEX EXPO. The two-day workshops will be held February 24–25 with the final exam being given on February 26. Registration for the CID or CID+ workshops is available at www.ipc.org/designer-certification



To view all design-related programs to be held at IPC APEX EXPO, visit www.IPCAPEXEXPO.org/design