IPC is a global not-for-profit Association established in 1957 in the USA representing all facets of the electronics manufacturing industry in 70+ countries. IPC helps organizations to achieve high-quality end products in the manufacturing process and builds capability in the export market & supply chain. Member representations are from SMEs, large, Global & Government organizations.
Since 2010, IPC has had a regional presence in India and is responsible for member business development services for India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and countries in the Middle East & Africa region. IPC India Regional Office supports OEMs, EMS, PCB manufacturers, electronics industry suppliers, and cable & wiring harness manufacturers to build Electronics Better.
1. As the industry evolves rapidly, what steps do you recommend for individuals and businesses to stay ahead and remain relevant in this dynamic tech landscape?
In order for companies to thrive is today’s dynamic tech landscape, leadership needs to continually train and upskill their workforce. Good business leaders understand and adopt technologies to make their operations more efficient: automation, additive manufacturing, robotics, AI, etc.
2. What are the current trends in PCB?
Key microtrends impacting the electronics industry include: computers in everything, connected/smart everything, datafication, artificial intelligence, extended reality, digital trust, 3D printing, gene editing and synthetic biology, nanotechnology and materials science, new energy solutions, and 5G/6G cellular technology. If I had to pick my top microtrends that are shaping the future of electronics, it would be computers in everything, connected/smart everything, datafication and 5G/6G cellular technology.
3. What are the needs of PCB design in 5G applications and what are the challenges?
As technology gets smaller and faster, understanding the limitations and interferences this places on electronics is critical to having devices that function. This only gets more important as we are now moving into the 6G era.
4. According to you what are the prospects of Indian PCB industry?
I believe India has some great advantages … they have a technically savvy workforce; English speaking; and a large population. Poised to become a global manufacturing hub, India is emerging as a dynamic market for our industry and is a major demand generator for contract manufacturing, components and sub-assemblies. Current opportunities in India are forecasted to expand the Indian electronics manufacturing industry to US$400 billion by 2025. Special government policies on electronics manufacturing are driving increasing investment from global OEMs.
5. Where does India stand in PCBA production?
Computers, tablets, cell phones, and other electronics use rigid PCBs in areas critical to the functionality of such devices, like motherboards; thus, the growth of the consumer electronics industry in India is expected to have a positive effect on the progress of the PCB industry. The market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 18.10% between 2023 and 2028.
6. What are your views on Make in India and challenges for India manufacturers?
The government of India places a high priority on electronics hardware manufacturing, as it is one of the crucial pillars of “Make in India,” “Digital India”, and “Start-up India” programs, all geared to ensure that India becomes a global design and manufacturing hub. The policy of “Make in India” and the large OEMs looking to “buy from India” has helped the EMS industry grow and has helped solve supply chain issues. The Indian ESDM industry is focusing on PCB manufacturing within India and large companies are looking at investment opportunities within the country.
7. What are the future promising applications for PCB design and manufacturing?
6G is coming fast as is the ‘computing everywhere’ idea. Electronics have and continue to infiltrate every aspect of our lives. This is seen in home automation, automobile utilization of electronics, etc.
8. Please let us know about IPC standards in PCB design and its purpose?
PCB design standards provide guidance for manufacturability of electronics that will help ensure lower waste and higher reliability of the products used. These standards, training and certifications are continually evolving as the technologies and processes change, so it is important to stay up-to-date with the latest developments. For PCB designers, the must-read IPC standard is IPC-2221. IPC-2221 is the generic standard that covers almost every aspect of PCB design. The standard details how electrical considerations such as PDN bus layouts, conductor clearance, and impedance control should be implemented on a PCB. In addition to IPC-2221,IPC has an array of board design standards that can help any designer design electronics better. For more information on IPC’s design standards, I suggest visiting www.ipc.org/ipc-board-design-standards.
