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122 I-CONNECT007 I REAL TIME WITH... IPC APEX EXPO 2022 SHOW & TELL MAGAZINE In the equipment vendors' booths, equip- ment power consumption is becoming a key differentiator with the competition. Attendees looking to invest in new equipment are start- ing to consider the cost and emissions required to operate the machines and factor these into the total cost of the investment. On the soware side, there are many trends impacting sustainability. New manufacturing execution systems (MES) can track energy con- sumption during manufacturing and provide the analytics needed to improve power usage. In addition to monitoring power consumption, manufacturers are looking to soware to stream- line their production schedule or even reorga- nize their factories to eliminate waste, improve power consumption, and reduce emissions. Socialize: Meeting in Person, Finally! IPC APEX EXPO 2022 provided the per- fect opportunity to meet face-to-face with col- leagues, clients, and partners from whom we have been separated for the past two years. Aer working almost completely remotely since the pandemic began, I nearly forgot how productive it can be to sit with a partner to discuss a challenge, or the understanding that can be gained over a drink or bite to eat. I was pleasantly surprised by the attendance at the show. I had expected a small crowd of attendees who were very focused on solving specific problems. What I found were much larger crowds with broad interests. Many visi- tors to the Siemens booth came in groups with cross-functional representatives from engineer- ing, operations, quality, and procurement, indi- cating that the challenges being encountered today and the opportunities for improvement reach across organizational boundaries with requirements affecting all parts of the business. Looking Ahead Attending IPC APEX EXPO 2022 was the per- fect way to start the year. It was a great opportu- nity to talk face-to-face about the challenges and opportunities in the industry. I'm already look- ing forward to APEX EXPO 2023. S&T Zac Elliott is technical mar- keting engineer for Siemens Digital Industries Software, and an I-Connect007 columnist. To read past columns or contact Elliott, click here. Additional content from Siemens Digital Industries Software: • The Printed Circuit Designer's Guide to... Stackups: The Design within the Design • The Printed Circuit Assembler's Guide to... Smart Data: Using Data to Improve Manufacturing • The Printed Circuit Assembler's Guide to… Advanced Manufacturing in the Digital Age • Siemens' free, 12-part, on-demand webinar series "Implementing Digital Twin Best Practices From Design Through Manufacturing." • RealTime with... Siemens and Computrol: Achieving Operational Excellence in Electronics Manufacturing I was happy to see sustainability becoming a focus at APEX EXPO. For many years the electronics industry was considered the savior for less environmentally friendly industries.