Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1355791
110 I-CONNECT007 I REAL TIME WITH... IPC APEX EXPO 2021 SHOW & TELL MAGAZINE based in my hometown, Coventry, UK. MTC specialises in robotics and autonomous sys- tems, and is recognised for developing and proving innovative manufacturing processes, with a general policy of "thinking big, start- ing small, and scaling fast." It was interesting to hear MTC's views on factory-of-the-future advancements and, in particular, the strategy for implementing IPC-CFX with legacy equip- ment—not everyone can afford to start with brand-new equipment—and envisage a smart factory for electronics manufacturing in a low- volume, high-mix environment. A significant "headwind" encountered by Alex Stepinski in starting-up a new PCB fab- rication plant in the U.S. had been in address- ing the challenge of a "missing generation" of skilled labour resulting from downsizing of the industry over the last decade. Dr John Mitchell was clearly very much aware of the urgent need to maintain succession, as he discussed IPC's endeavours to bring young engineers into the industry through its participation in college and high school programmes and STEM projects, and its commitment to transferring knowledge and capability to the incoming generation. e need to pass on the "forgotten tribal knowledge" was emphasised in the special event led by IPC Hall of Famers Bob Neves and Don Dupriest with a group of emerg- ing engineers. I would have liked to sit in on the IPC Emerging Engineers Roundtable on Wednesday, but as a consequence of parallel tracks, it coincided with the live Q&A session with Travis Hessman that I had been pleased to be asked to moderate. at was an ener- getic hour—the questions kept coming, and Hessman responded to them all with lucid and pragmatic logic. Because I found the Managers Forum and keynote sessions so absorbing, I probably didn't spend enough time attending product introduction presentations. Under normal circumstances I would have spent a fair pro- portion of the day, when not engaged in Real Time with… interviews, making the rounds of the exhibition hall. However, it's good to see exhibits presented online; in many cases more effectively in terms of clarity of presenta- tion and certainly involving a lot less hauling of heavy freight! But what about the face-to- face conversations with exhibitors and the old and new acquaintances I would bump into in the aisles and at the keynotes and receptions and social events? at's inevitably what was missing, although all credit to the IPC team for making the most of the digital experience. And, as an educational opportunity, the event was mind-blowing! One lasting memory? e creative "thank you" video message from Elmatica in Norway, showing Senior Technical Advisor Jan Peder- sen being notified that he had been honoured with the Dieter Bergman IPC Fellowship Award by a message in a bottle he fished out of the icy water, and the award itself being deliv- ered from the same icy water by tough-guy Elmatica CEO Didrik Bech, clad in his swim- trunks and masquerading as a FedEx man! What about next year? Provided we are free to travel and visit in person, would it be a realistic proposition to run a mixed event, a fusion? Split the action—place the professional development courses and the tech- nical conference online, accessible on-demand, and still run a tradi- tional physical exhibition com- plete with keynotes, receptions and social experiences. e best of both worlds? It remains to be seen! S&T