IPC International Community magazine an association member publication
Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1543307
78 I-CONNECT007 MAGAZINE I FEBRUARY 2026 E L E M E N TA RY, M R . WAT S O N carrying doesn't feel quite as heavy. He opens his eyes and realizes he isn't alone. A figure stands nearby. It's quiet and unassuming. It gives no warn- ings or demands, but rather a calm understanding. It is the Ghost of APEX EXPO Past. It gently gestures for the engineer to stand up. As he does so, the light softens, the hallways fade from his view, and the carpet disappears beneath their feet. The engineer is now standing in the expo hall of the IPC Printed Circuits Expo in Boston, 1994. There are 1,700 people in atten- dance and approximately 158 exhibitors participat- ing. This was the beginning. There are no massive screens or towering displays, but rather engineers, manufacturers, and suppliers bringing questions from their facto- ries and design benches, and looking for ways to solve problems that haven't yet been standard- ized or simplified. Conversations spill out of meet- ing rooms into hallways. Standards are introduced not as abstract documents, but as tools to bring clarity and consistency. Ideas are openly debated, disagreements are worked through face-to-face, and partnerships are formed, often over coffee or hand-drawn diagrams. These partnerships will go on to influence how electronics are built and veri- fied for years to come. The Ghost of APEX EXPO Past turns and leads the engineer to another show, this time in 2000, the formal creation of IPC APEX EXPO as a unified event, bringing together IPC's techni- cal conference and standards activities with the APEX (Advanced Packaging and Electron- ics Assembly) exhibition. The Ghost shows him the years when quality systems took hold and inspection became intentional. Reliability was no longer left to luck; it was designed in, measured, and protected through disciplined processes. The industry learned, sometimes the hard way, that moving too fast without care causes problems, and doing quality work and trying new ideas work best when they go together. The Ghost doesn't linger here for nostal- gia. His face tells a story: "This is where you came from. This is what you're capable of." Even without words, the engineer under- stands. Progress has never come from rushing ahead mindlessly, but from people willing to pause, reflect, and build together. The scene shifts again. The older floors fade and the early booths dissolve. The engineer finds himself back on the floor in the present. He senses another presence beside him. This one feels different: sharper, faster, and always in motion. It's the Ghost of APEX EXPO Present. Light and data flicker across him like screens. He points to what's happening: busy people, running machines, and fast decisions. The hall comes alive. Conversations echo, displays glow, and an energy fills the space. The Ghost turns the engineer's attention to APEX EXPO 2026, with an estimated attendance of 9,000 and 500 exhibitors. Once again, leaders from across the global supply chain are gather- ing, not just to see new technology, but to under- stand it, learn from one another, and strengthen the industry together. With multiple floors of activity, the Ghost points out various sessions focused on sustainability, advanced packaging, workforce development, and emerging processes. There are workshops where skills are sharpened and experience is shared, and a show floor filled with innovation. It's not tech- nology for its own sake, but tools meant to solve real problems. " It's quiet and unassuming. It gives no warnings or demands, but rather a calm understanding. It is the Ghost of APEX EXPO Past." " The scene shifts again. The older floors fade and the early booths dissolve. The engineer finds himself back on the floor in the present."