Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/924542
52 PCB007 MAGAZINE I JANUARY 2018 We have a design session looking at differ- ent redesigns and how to do it the right way, ECAD/MCAD tools, etc. We have a session on flex with areas covered including minimizing signal degradation for flex PCBs. We have ses- sions on conformal coatings covering issues on high temperature protective coatings, and nano coatings, etc. We are also looking at re- liability modeling and reliability of adhesives. That pretty much covers the conference. We have some new sessions, some sessions on ex- isting material developments, where we're go- ing, and then test and papers to cover some of the challenges and development that we need for new technologies. Goldman: How many papers total for the 32 sessions? Bath: Approximately 75. The sessions are ei- ther two-or three-paper sessions running from Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday all day, and then Thursday morning. Stephen Las Marias: Compared to last year, do you have more papers for 2018? Bath: It's about the same. If the paper is be- ing presented in another conference we don't accept it. Basically, we want what is new. We set a higher bar for our criteria for acceptance. Our philosophy is not quantity, but quality. If it doesn't add value we won't include it with- in the technical conference. Our review pro- cess is such that, when we're reviewing papers and presentations, we're reviewing for techni- cal content, as well as grammatical issues, and making sure that the paper is a good read for the audience. We're reviewing papers to make sure they read well. That's something that I don't think other conferences do as well. Our process for review can take 2–6 weeks be- cause of the back and forth with the authors. When we do reviews on the papers or presentations, we general- ly get good feedback. Some people don't like some aspects when we ask them to update them. But, in general, we get a lot of feedback that says, "Thank you for helping me to provide a better paper and presentation." Because, at the end of the day, we're trying to enhance the informationvalue to the audience. That's the idea. Goldman: Do you also put together the buzz sessions? Bath: The buzz sessions come in with industry challenges. Typically, we ask within IPC, "What sessions do you think would be of use to the in - dustry?" The sessions typically are presented by IPC staff, but buzz sessions could be from some- body who comes to IPC and says, "We would lik e a session in this area." These are free ses- sions which are giving the status of some area of inter est. For example, the first buzz session this year is a politics and policy roundtable. What's going on in government relations? What are the issues? Your typical technical confer - ence session may not have this kind of discus- sion. These usually have two or three speakers, a panel, a short pr esentation, and then ques- tion and answer with the audience, and more inter action. The second buzz session will be a standards update. Three is on printed electron - ics. Where are we going? Where do we need to go to get to the next level? These are things that someone who is a chair of a standard commit - tee, or an IPC staff standard commitee liaison, has been talking within their committees, and is saying, "Couldn't we have a buzz session on this area?" Maybe it's not fully developed, but it's developing, and they can give a status of where they are at and say, "Here's where we need to go to." It should be of inter- est to the audience. Goldman: I see there's also one called "Student Presentations," al- though there's nothing listed yet. Bath: Yes. The suggestion came during the Technical Program IPC APEX EXPO 2018 PRE-SHOW SPECIAL COVERAGE