-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- design007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueLevel Up Your Design Skills
This month, our contributors discuss the PCB design classes available at IPC APEX EXPO 2024. As they explain, these courses cover everything from the basics of design through avoiding over-constraining high-speed boards, and so much more!
Opportunities and Challenges
In this issue, our expert contributors discuss the many opportunities and challenges in the PCB design community, and what can be done to grow the numbers of PCB designers—and design instructors.
Embedded Design Techniques
Our expert contributors provide the knowledge this month that designers need to be aware of to make intelligent, educated decisions about embedded design. Many design and manufacturing hurdles can trip up designers who are new to this technology.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - design007 Magazine
IPC Commends Biden Administration on 100-Day Review of Strategic Supply Chains
June 9, 2021 | IPCEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
IPC commends the Biden administration for completing its 100-day review of strategically important supply chains and for outlining bold actions to strengthen U.S. semiconductor manufacturing and ensure the availability of minerals critical to electronics manufacturing.
The results of the 100-day review are captured in an 11-page White House fact sheet and a 250-page report, released today. IPC believes the review has been helpful in bringing key issues into focus, including the importance of strengthening the entire electronics manufacturing ecosystem. The entire supply chain includes printed circuit board (PCB) and PCB assembly manufacturing; access to raw materials; and next-generation “advanced packaging” of substrate-based multichip modules.
IPC’s recommendations to the administration – many of which are reflected in the documents published today – are summarized in a recent letter to U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
“For far too long, the U.S. Government has neglected its important role in strengthening the nation’s manufacturing base and instead has watched passively as other countries around the world invested in their manufacturing capabilities,” said IPC CEO John Mitchell. “U.S. electronics manufacturers appreciate the Biden administration’s decision to highlight the longstanding and significant challenges facing the U.S. electronics manufacturing base as a result.”
“This report outlines important, initial steps to address the current crisis and reaffirms the President’s commitment to preserve and extend U.S. leadership in innovation and advanced manufacturing. But addressing America’s manufacturing capacity decline will be a long process,” Mitchell added. “We look forward to working with the Executive Branch, Congress, and an array of stakeholders to reverse the erosion of the U.S. electronics industrial base and related risks to economic and national security.”
IPC and the electronics manufacturers it represents support the following actions being taken or proposed by the Biden administration:
- Address semiconductor shortages by expanding U.S. production of chips; creating a task force to address supply chain challenges in several electronics-dependent sectors; and investing in domestic “advanced packaging” capabilities, of which printed circuit boards (PCBs) and PCB assembly manufacturers are critical components.
- Adjust federal acquisition policies to identify and support procurement of critical products like PCBs and printed circuit board assemblies.
- Bolster investment in domestic and international production of critical minerals, most notably though the Defense Production Act.
- Strengthen U.S. apprenticeships programs to ensure a skilled workforce.
- Promote international cooperation to support supply chain resiliency, which will be critical because no nation in today’s world can be completely self-sufficient in electronics and manufacturing.
- Ensure a level playing field by addressing long-standing trade disputes.
In addition, IPC supports other efforts outlined by the Biden administration as part of this announcement to strengthen the U.S. industrial base, including:
- Appropriation of $50 billion in dedicated funding for semiconductor manufacturing and R&D;
- Establishment of a new Commerce Department Supply Chain Resilience Program, backed by no less than $50 billion in federal funding;
- Funding under the Defense Production Act to support manufacturing resilience in critical industries;
- Creation of sector-specific workforce education and training programs; and
- Support of the R&D and capital needs of small- and medium-sized businesses that that are the foundation of the U.S. electronics manufacturing base.
Suggested Items
HQ NextPCB of HQ Electronics Debut on the International Stage for Electronics Manufacture at IPC APEX 2024
05/01/2024 | PRNewswireHQ NextPCB of HQ Electronics, a leading Chinese-based multilayer PCB manufacturer and assembly house showcased its industrial prowess on the international stage for the first time at the IPC APEX Expo 2024.
IPC's Vision for Empowering PCB Design Engineers
04/30/2024 | Robert Erickson, IPCAs architects of innovation, printed circuit board designers are tasked with translating increasingly complex concepts into tangible designs that power our modern world. IPC provides the necessary community, standards framework, and education to prepare these pioneers as they explore the boundaries of what’s possible, equipping engineers with the knowledge, skills, and resources required to thrive in an increasingly dynamic field.
North American EMS Industry Down 4% in March
04/29/2024 | IPCIPC announced the March 2024 findings from its North American Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 1.31.
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: A Global Presence in PCB Manufacturing
04/29/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPORob DiGiovanni, VP of sales for the Americas at STARTEAM Global, discusses the company's global presence in PCB manufacturing. As he explains, the firm operates facilities across Europe, Asia, and North America, specializing in serving contract manufacturers in the automotive and medical industries. They emphasize quality and meeting OEM standards, focusing on offshore supply and non-Chinese factories in the North American market. The company has grown through acquisitions and rebranding to offer multiple products.
EIPC Issues Letter of Urgency
04/29/2024 | Alun Morgan, EIPCAlun Morgan, president of EIPC, issued a letter last week in an effort to raise awareness of the state of PCB manufacturing in Europe. He writes, "The European PCB manufacturing industry and its supply base has been steadily shrinking since the dot com crash at the start of the millennium. European demand for PCBs and assemblies has, however, continued to grow, thus creating an ever-widening gap between European domestic capacity and consumption. The risks posed by this imbalanced supply and demand pattern came into sharp focus during the Covid-19 pandemic which caused chaos in extended supply chains across the world and resulted in widespread shortages."