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46 SMT007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2024 heat dissipation. e adoption of CPO is being driven by major industry players, and the tech- nology is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. However, there are also chal- lenges, including manufacturing complexity and the need for specialized equipment and materials. Addressing these challenges will be crucial for CPO implementation and wide- spread adoption. SMT007 Mike Konrad is founder and CEO of Aqueous Technolo- gies, and vice president of communications for SMTA. To read past columns, click here. to provide a disruptive system value. Copper interconnects are reaching their limits, and silicon photonics offer a solution with higher speed, longer reach, reduced latency, and energy efficiency. is integration minimizes signal loss and power consumption, leading to faster data transfer rates and lower energy usage. CPO also provides increased scalability and design flexibility, allowing for the integration of mul- tiple optical and electronic components within a single package. is is crucial for meeting data centers' growing demands. Effective thermal management is a critical challenge in semiconductor packaging. By inte- grating optical components, CPO improves IPC hosted its Hand Soldering World Champion- ship in Munich, Germany, at electronica Nov. 14-15, welcoming 14 competitors from 13 companies and 12 countries worldwide. Skilled contestants competed to build an electronics assembly in accordance with IPC- A-610 Class 3 criteria, and were judged on the func- tionality of the assembly, compliance with the assem- bly process, and overall product quality. The contes- tants were allowed a maximum of 60 minutes to com- plete the assembly. Taking top honors this year were: First place: Zhiheng Zhou, Jiangsu Jinling Mech- anism Manufacture Company, China, scoring 801 points out of the maximum possible of 816 points. Second place: Roshan Dhyani, Barco Electronics Systems (P) Ltd, India, scoring 795 points out of the maximum possible of 816 points. Third place: Stéphanie Devy, Thalès, France, and Regional Champion for Germany, scoring 795 points out of the maximum possible of 816 points. IPC is grateful to the HSC sponsors for their generous support: Gold Sponsors: Weller Tools and JBC Soldering Silver Sponsors: ACB Group, Almit, Davum TMC, Optilia, SFM - Société Française de Microscopie, and Polygone CAO. "IPC extends its thanks and congratulations to all the participants and their companies for their enthusi- asm and commitment to taking on the challenge. The new competition board was very complex this year, and the contestants rose to the challenge with amaz- ing performances" said Philippe Léonard, director of IPC Europe. "We look forward to seeing the first-place winners from each regional competition compete in next year's Hand Soldering World Championship, which will take place at productronica." (Source: IPC) IPC Hand Soldering World Championship 2024 Winners Announced