Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1433652
DECEMBER 2021 I SMT007 MAGAZINE 43 is growing as these technologies mature. e same trend is underway on the PCB fab side. Of course, then there are the tried and tested PCB standards. ose are being updated with new technology or we are in the process of creating new standards. e best area for that would be in this additive process space. Matties: Let's talk markets for a moment. We all have cellphones, and we know that market is growing. What other markets should we be paying attention to? Kelly: Automotive is huge. We're seeing the electrification of vehicles, not just from a drive- train perspective, but from a cockpit perspec- tive. Gaming and entertainment also; the com- mercial electronics market is what is driving technology advancements today, not aero- space or defense. ey are not first movers, and that's by design. ey want to make sure it works, it's good, it's strong, and it works for long as it needs to. Matties: We haven't touched on cybersecurity, which must be an area of growing interest. Kelly: Absolutely. ere's the new IPC-1792 Standard for Cybersecurity in the Manufactur- ing Industry Supply Chain, and it tries to mar- ry the data streams and end points within the manufacturing environment—the shop floor and the office. It's basically a combination of OT and IT cybersecurity. Matties: e issue that many companies have, generally, is with the Factory of the Future: big data, implementations, cybersecurity. e smaller companies especially, they don't have the talent on their staff. How do the programs you're offering—technical, professional, or otherwise—help a fabricator navigate those challenges? Kelly: We're very aware that there are some risks, and the migration is still just beginning. Remember, we just started the Factory of the Future this year. We haven't even done our first full year yet, so we are now raising this aware- ness and this big picture strategy. We are work- ing on this in a variety of ways. Take IPC EDGE and similar training programs as an example. Matties: It would be nice to see in 2023 some programs connected to navigating these chal- lenges, because they're still going to exist. When you start looking at limited resources in an inflationary period, people are very cau- tious as to where they're spending their capital. Kelly: We are definitely trying to build this into the content. Tim Burke from Arch Systems, for example, will be presenting the first F2P course on data analytics. We will pilot this pro- gram to determine the kind of draw we can ex- pect. Course details can be found on the IPC APEX EXPO website. Matties: Do you have any final thoughts, Matt, that you want to share regarding the technical program at IPC APEX EXPO? Kelly: We are focused on delivering the indus- try's premier technical conference. I think that about 40–45% of these classes are being pre- sented by an advanced-degree lead author. Nearly half the conference will be offered by PhDs. Matties: at's great. Matt, thank you so much. Have a wonderful day. Kelly: ank you. SMT007 Remember, we just started the Factory of the Future this year.