Printed Circuit Design & Fab - May 2008 - (Page 39)

PHOTO BY PHIL BUONPASTORE Matrix Circuits showed an array of PCBs at IPC Expo. CPCA’s PCB focused event mixed suppliers of all things related to circuit board fabrication. PHOTO BY PHIL BUONPASTORE By Thursday afternoon, even APEX was slow. WKK’s booth at CPCA was popular with attendees. this year. Rohm & Haas has attended Semicon China, versus making an appearance across the fairgrounds in the CPCA halls. Other chemical companies such as OM Group and Cookson/Enthone also did not exhibit at CPCA. In contrast to the large PCB fabrication-focused CPCA event, IPC Expo/Apex was dominated by assembly companies and assembly equipment. That said, the total floor coverage for the Las Vegas-based IPC event, including space occupied by EMS companies, was less than half the size of CPCA. More people attended the IPC exhibits than did last year, when the show was in Los Angeles, but the initial tally of exhibit attendees (3300) was less than 10% of the threeday CPCA crowds. (Official numbers for IPC Expo/Apex had not been released as of April 15, when we went to press.) A number of products were introduced at the show, including products from Arlon; Automa-Tech ORC Imaging; Bürkle North America; Circuit Technology Center; Fischer Technology; March Plasma Systems; Printar Ltd.; TrueLogic Co; World Mastery Technology; American Plating Power; Baker-MEI; C.A. Picard; Shanghai FAST-PCB Circuit; Sunstone Circuits; Excellon Automation; Taiwan Union Technology; UPA Technology; Allied High Tech Products; Count On Tools; and Unichem Industries. A full listing can be found at pcdandf.com/cms/IPCExpo2008. While most assembly suppliers found the traffic good, many fabrication vendors voiced concerns about the lack of attendees in their areas from early afternoon on Wednesday through the close of the show on Thursday. A number of global materials suppliers agreed that IPC Expo has become a regional event, so the moderate traffic levels did not come as much of a surprise. The attendees, citing the conference and exhibition in MAY 2008 Las Vegas said it is a “love it or hate it” affair. We spoke with as many fans as detractors. Regardless of their position, everyone found the distance between hotels and the conference center trying, the lines for cabs excessive, check-in and dining untenable and the less-than-business-like atmosphere problematic more than once during their stay. There were engineers and researchers who have avoided attending the conferences over the past few years, as Anaheim wore thin and Los Angeles failed to entice. A number of them made their way to Las Vegas this year because they could, and they called it “an interesting place to visit.” I met a number of spouses for the first time and reacquainted myself with old friends who had not been to an IPC conference in over three years. Most said they would probably not be back next year. We were told that a number of exhibitors captured new sales on the show floor, and others have a few new leads to point to for the time and investment spent. Most of us had an opportunity to network but even this was hampered by the location, this distance between hotels and the hall and the general distractions associated with Sin City. From a personal perspective, I like my business in a suit and prefer to have my fun without endless lines and disorganized crowds of people, so Vegas is not my cup of tea. After four days of extended waiting for everything from baggage claim to check-in to cabs to registration at the event to the never-quick lunches, I was ready to head home. A longtime colleague mused on Thursday as we headed to catch a cab to the airport, I feel like I spent the week in an ‘E ticket’ line and I’m still waiting for the fantastic ride.” We didn’t find one in Vegas. Perhaps you did. PCD&F KATHY NARGI-TOTH is editor of PCD&F. PRINTED CIRCUIT DESIGN & FAB 39 http://pcdandf.com/cms/IPCExpo2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Printed Circuit Design & Fab - May 2008

Printed Circuit Design & Fab - May 2008 Contents Our Line Market Watch Around the World Happenings ROI EMC For the Real World PCB East Conference Brochure Positive Plating Don't Let your Signals Stub Their Toes Improve PCB Layout With Skill Utility Programs The Next Generation Design Tool Challenge Thermally Conductive Microwave Materials PCB Dielectric Degradation in Lead-Free Assembly Applications A Tale of Two Trade Shows Eliminating Board Defects Off the Shelf Marketplace Ad Index BGA Bulletin

Printed Circuit Design & Fab - May 2008

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