IPC International Community magazine an association member publication
Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1527867
IPC COMMUNITY 38 FALL 2024 "circularity" means specifically for electronics. This shared understanding is essential for devel- oping cohesive strategies and measuring prog- ress across the sector. 3. Economic incentives: The industry is explor- ing whether financial motivations are necessary to accelerate the adoption of circular practices. Understanding the potential ROI and other eco- nomic benefits could be key to encouraging the widespread implementation of circularity prin- ciples. 4. Expertise and education: There is a rec- ognized gap in knowledge and skills related to circularity. The sector must identify what infor- mation and training are needed to optimize the effective implementation of circular practices. To address these challenges, the electronics industry has begun taking concrete steps. The EGG workshop, "There's No End to a Circle: A Workshop on How to Address Circularity Chal- lenges in Electronics Manufacturing," brought together industry experts to scope out solutions for critical circularity challenges. Discussions centered around developing systems and pro- cesses for remanufacturing, recycling, repair- ability, reusability, upgradability, and resource efficiency. The event featured keynote speeches from Dr. Stephan Harkema of Holst Centre, who spoke about circular strategies for printed elec- tronics, and Dr. Carol Handwerker from Purdue University, who shared insights on the circular economy for hard disk drives. To build on the momentum, a follow-up webinar took place on July 17. This online event reviewed the outcomes from the Berlin work- shop and continued the dialogue on collab- orative approaches to circularity challenges. The webinar included real-time polls to identify a n d ra n k t h e m o s t p r e s s i n g i s s u e s i n circularity, helping to shape the direction of future efforts.