IPC and JEDEC Help Industry Transition to Lead Free Associations Host Conference on Transitioning to Lead Free � Strategies for Implementation

BANNOCKBURN, Ill. and ARLINGTON, Va., USA, February 19, 2009 � IPC � Meeting the requirements of RoHS (restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment) compliance and successfully implementing lead-free electronics assembly processes is an ongoing challenge for the electronic interconnect industry. To help companies work toward their compliance goals, IPC and JEDEC present �Transitioning to Lead Free � Strategies for Implementation,� a three-day conference to be held March 3�5, 2009 in Santa Clara, Calif.

The event features a full-day technical conference on March 4. An outstanding roster of industry experts will cover such topics as: supply chain communication for a lead-free world, aerospace response to lead-free solder, lead-free implementation for SON and QFN devices, mitigation of corrosion-induced tin whiskers, and more.

Flanking the technical conference are two days of half-day workshops on March 3 and 5. Workshop instructors will address lead-free soldering processes, lead-free systems performance and reliability, lead-free reliability in packaging and assembly, failure and root-cause analysis in lead-free electronics, managing lead-free transition and SMT in a lead-free world.

�Lead-free has impacted almost everyone in the electronics industry, from suppliers of components, boards and materials to manufacturers and users of electronic products and equipment, including the military and medical industry,� says Jean Hebeisen, IPC director of professional development. �Anyone in process, quality, manufacturing, design, purchasing, supply and management that wants to get a good understanding of the lead-free transition and how to successfully implement needs to attend this conference.�

JEDEC President John Kelly added, �This joint conference provides a comprehensive and up-to-date compendium of information on the transition to lead free. As member-driven organizations, IPC and JEDEC believe it's imperative to offer the industry real-world information on how companies are meeting the challenges of implementation.�

For more information on the conference or to register, contact Michelle Michelotti, IPC professional development coordinator, at +1 847-597-2822 or MichelleMichelotti@ipc.org.

About IPC

IPC (http://www.ipc.org/) is a global trade association based in Bannockburn, Ill., dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its 2,700 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 $1.5 trillion global electronics industry. IPC maintains additional offices in Taos, N.M.; Arlington, Va.; Garden Grove, Calif.; Stockholm, Sweden; and Shanghai, China.