March 2017
IPC Hand Soldering Competition Takes on the Electronic World
By Lars Wallin, IPC European Representative During an electronic engineering managers brainstorming meeting in Sweden 2008, one of the local managers came up with the idea of organizing a “Swedish Championship for Hand Soldering” competition. The first competition took place at the local SEE (Swedish Electronic Event) in the spring of 2010 with 25 competitors vying to become the Swedish [...]
February 2017
The New EU Skills Agenda
Attracting and retaining a skilled workforce has become an increasingly important factor of competitiveness in a globalised market place. Recruiting the necessary talent is a fundamental concern for the advanced manufacturing industry in Europe, which consists of more than 700,000 enterprises and employs more than 13 million people. Addressing the Skills Gap Facing the European Advanced Manufacturing Industry IPC — [...]
Trains of the future
Trains as we know them today will not be around in the future. Rail travel and transport will be of a totally different kind. Artificial intelligence and big data will make them tailor-made work. By using big data the traveller’s ticket will signal to the train where it will be going and where it will automatically be stopping. Train and [...]
January 2017
Ultimate responsibility and damage claims
Damage claims are the stuff of nightmares for producers. They not only entail financial losses, but, even more importantly, they tarnish a producer’s good reputation. This naturally explains the recall actions seen worldwide, especially in the automotive industry but increasingly also in other consumer goods industries. A generic cause of recall actions cannot be pinpointed, though it is clear that partners [...]
Health care is set to change drastically in the years to come
Health care will be different in the future. It remains to be seen whether GP's and general hospitals will still be there. Current work practices may become obsolete in the near future. If we look at current developments and extrapolate them to the future, artificial intelligence and the integration of big data will be dominant forces in health care. Big [...]
New tablets in the classroom for examination
Already available equipment has been replaced by 90 identical new Android tablets. The tablets are provisioned and ready for use in our classrooms. Direct links to relevant websites and of course to the IPC CQI portal. More people can simultaneously make the exam online. Therefore, training courses that take place on your site, a stable WiFi connection is desirable. If [...]
Kazakhstan added to our list of countries trained
After so many years of being active in the electronics manufacturing industry, it is becoming less common that we can add a country to our list of countries where we have people trained and certified. Now we can still add one, namely: Kazakhstan! We are proud!
December 2016
IPC Essentials course in IPC EDGE
All IPC Trainers must complete the IPC Essentials course in IPC EDGE by February 1, 2017. More information: edge.ipc.org/course/ipc-essentials More details on our part will follow soon...
‘I am blind without a computer’ – an interview with cardiologist Bas Streukens
Drs Bas Streukens has been working for the Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+) for two years now. He is a non-invasive imaging cardiologist, working with heart ultrasound equipment, CT scanners and MRI scanners. PIEK interviewed him at length about his daily work, the impact of electronics on his work and profession, and the developments in imaging cardiology. Bas Streukens belongs [...]
November 2016
Management PIEK visits Fraunhofer Institute in Aachen
The Fraunhofer Institute in Aachen has two main fields of research, production technology and laser technology. Both technologies have much ground in common with the technical connections industry. For PIEK contact with the Fraunhofer Institute is self-evident, and it goes without saying that PIEK is monitoring all technological developments that will impact the technical connections industry. The recent visit has [...]
Hello drone, goodbye smart phone
Imagine that it is 2026 and we look back at 2016. Why on earth did we all want an iPhone7? In ten years’ time a drone rather than a phone will be the prime wanna-have. Drones will be omnipresent and they will be easier to make. Currently big companies such as Google, Boeing, Amazon and Lockheed are already investing heavily [...]
Cybercrime and Pokémon Go
Pokémon Go has been rather a nuisance. People not only get hurt when trying to catch the small creatures, being oblivious of other traffic and pedestrians, but they also trespass and disrespect other people´s privacy. On the other hand, Pokémon Go is often considered a good way to activate children and quite some initiatives have been taken to link the [...]
DCT Czech cooperation with PIEK
Earlier this year DCT Czech, www.dct.cleaning/en/, a reputable Czech company specialised in own development and production of cleaning machines, cleaning fluids and cleaning process control, and PIEK decided to cooperate. For over 15 years DCT has been the cleaning specialist for the electronic connections industry, with production facilities in Boskovice, and PIEK is delighted to have such an outstanding partner [...]
September 2016
Sensors in industry 4.0
Sensors can already be found everywhere and will make our lives even more pleasant in the future. Take sensors in lamps: dimming lamps is made possible by just touching them. Machines also get sensors: they indicate when a machine needs servicing or a component has to be replaced. In industrial era 4.0 robots will carry out this maintenance. Still, that [...]
IPC Validation Services – Taking Certification to the Enterprise and Product Level
IPC's Validations Services QPL/QML Program was developed to promote supply chain verification. It also provides auditing and certification of electronics companies' products, and identifies processes which conform to IPC standards. With IPC's Validations Services, companies can differentiate itself from the competition by becoming part of IPC's global network of trusted industry sources. For more information, take a look at our IPC Validation [...]
Industry 4.0 and its influence on our daily lives
When looking at the various industrial revolutions from a historical perspective, we see the following developments. The first industrial revolution took place in the late 18th century, introducing mechanical production and using water and steam as its energy sources. The late 19th century saw the second industrial revolution, making mass production commonplace and using electricity. The third industrial revolution started [...]
