APEX Commemorates 50 Years of IPC

01/01/2007

LOS ANGELES - IPC Printed Circuits Expo/APEX/Designers Summit, February 18-22 in Los Angeles, will host the 50th anniversary celebration of the IPC - Association Connecting Electronic Industries, as well as various other celebratory and informative events.

In recognition of 50 dynamic years in the industry, IPC will release From Vacuum Tubes to Nanotubes: An Amazing Half Century - The Emergence of Electronic Circuit Technology 1957-2007, a book chronicling technological and personal experiences in electronics. The association is hosting an anniversary dinner February 20, and sharing stories, letters, and a photo gallery at www.ipc.org/50th.

On February 18, Swapan Bhattacharya, Ph.D., of Georgia Tech, will teach a professional-development course, “Embedded Passives and Actives in Multilayer Organics,” exploring the impact and viability of this packaging technology. Other presentations of note include “Flex: New Technologies and New Opportunities,” and the BGA Task Group meeting, both on the 20th. Packaging experts will review the advanced packaging developments headed for mainstream adoption in a technical session, “Advanced Packaging,” on the 22nd. Dongkai Shangguan, Ph.D., of Flextronics; Vern Solberg of Micro Electronic Engineering Services; and Park Se Chueli of Samsung Techwin will speak.

Plenty of experts from outside the industry will join the party - astronaut Buzz Aldrin’s keynote on the 20th will focus on space travel for the common man, and the crew from Discovery Channel’s popular show MythBusters, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, will answer questions at an open session February 22nd.

IPC’s EMS Management Council Meeting will host “CEO to CEO Benchmarking,” February 19, an informative networking forum for EMS executives. The session will focus on global competition, outsourcing, and inventory issues such as RoHS conversion, along with the candid roundtable discussion and VIP dinner. Those interested in joining can contact Susan Filz, IPC industry programs project manager, at [email protected].

Advanced Packaging’s sister publication SMT will host the VISION Awards, February 19th at the Wilshire Grand Hotel. The event includes dinner and dancing, and will be a tribute to the great inventors and inventions that shaped our industry.

“It’s Your Show!,” this year’s APEX motto, will be the theme of IPC’s gala, It’s Your Party, at the California Science Center on the 21st. Complete with cocktails, comedy and music acts, and a Star Wars exhibition, the party is open to all but does require ticket purchase. Karaoke and “planetary treats” promise to make the evening memorable for you and your colleagues.

IPC also welcomes attendees to the California Circuits Association Annual Golf Outing at the Strawberry Farms Golf Course. The mid-winter golf tournament will take place on Sunday, February 18, in Irvine, CA, with four-person teams and every skill level.