Oct 18, 2017 
IPC, in conjunction with IFTEC, conducted the IPC Hand Soldering Competition at IFTEC in Paris because the MIDEST exhibition, originally scheduled for October 2017 was moved to 2018. The competition was fierce as 33 competitors went soldering iron to soldering iron to take the hand soldering competition crown. Taking first place with a cash prize of €300 and a JBC Soldering Station was Catherine Cardinal-Simon from Thales Microelectronic in France, who earned 443 points out of a possible 446. Cardinal–Simon will now compete at the IPC World Championship Hand Soldering Competition located this year at productronica 2017 on 17 November.
Second place and a cash prize of €200 this year went to Mathieu Roudier from 3D Plus in France, who earned 438 out of a possible 446. Valerie Elliot Saudras from SELHA Group in France, took third place and a cash prize of €100. Participants in the hand soldering competition were tasked with building a functional electronics assembly, a new design this year, within a 60-minute time limit. Master Instructor Trainers from IFTEC served as independent judges and evaluated each assembly based on workmanship, overall functionality, compliance with IPC-A-610 Class 3 criteria and speed to complete the printed circuit board.
“The best-of-the-best hand soldering talent in France came to compete at IFTEC,” said David Bergman, IPC vice president of international relations. “The competition was tough, but each competitor rose to the challenge. We look forward to hosting more hand soldering competitions across the globe.”
Bergman added, “IPC would like to thank hand soldering competition gold sponsors: JBC, Kurtz Ersa, Thales and Weller; silver sponsors: Icape, MBO, Metronelec; bronze sponsor: CIF, IFTEC, JBC, MicroCare, SDEP, for their support.”
IPC is planning to hold additional hand soldering competitions in Europe, later this year in November as well as in 2018. Watch for announcements from IPC with locations and times. For more information on IPC events visit, www.ipc.org/events.
IPC (www.IPC.org) is a global industry association based in Bannockburn, Ill., dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its 4,200 member companies which represent all facets of the electronics industry, including design, printed board manufacturing, electronics assembly and test. As a member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy, IPC supports programs to meet the needs of an estimated $2 trillion global electronics industry. IPC maintains additional offices in Taos, N.M.; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, Ga.; Brussels, Belgium; Stockholm, Sweden; Moscow, Russia; Bangalore and New Delhi, India; Bangkok, Thailand; and Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Suzhou and Beijing, China.
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