IPC PCB Executive Agent Task Force Optimistic About Efforts: Two Government Reports Recognize Vital Role of U.S. PCB Industry.

BANNOCKBURN, Ill., USA, - Following a year of active engagement with Congress and Department of Defense (DoD) policy makers, IPC and the IPC PCB Executive Agent Task Force members' are pleased to see their efforts are having a noticeable effect. Two recently released reports from the DoD and the U.S. Commerce Department emphasize the government’s growing awareness of the importance of the U.S. printed circuit board industry in protecting national security.

The DoD publication, "Report on Trusted Defense Systems in Response to National Defense Authorization Act, Section 254," was developed to fulfill a FY09 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) requirement to assess DoD programs to identify vulnerabilities in the supply chain of each program’s electronics and information processing systems that potentially compromise trust in the systems. Although the body of the report is classified, the report recognizes the critical role of domestic manufacturing of electronic interconnect hardware and technology and the need to focus on their security, in addition to that of integrated circuits. The report is intended to be the basis for new DoD policies to promote security of the most sensitive defense electronic hardware.

In January, the U.S. Commerce Department released a comprehensive study titled “Defense Industrial Base Assessment: Counterfeit Electronics.” The Executive Summary of the study includes the statement, "Naval Air Systems Command suspected that an increasing number of counterfeit/defective electronics were infiltrating the DoD supply chain and affecting weapon system reliability." The report, available at http://www.ipc.org/DOC-report-counterfeit, identifies printed boards as well as both passive and active components as key counterfeit parts.

Recognizing the vital role of the printed board industry in ensuring national security, Congress, in the FY09 NDAA, directed the DoD to appoint an PCB Executive Agent (EA) to ensure the future supply of leading-edge circuit board technology to the DoD from secure sources. IPC, in turn, created an IPC PCB Executive Agent Task Force, made up of leading North American printed board manufacturers, to assist the PCB Executive Agent.

According to Michael Moisan, corporate vice president of technology, TTM Technologies Inc. and a member of the IPC PCB Executive Agent Task Force, “There is no doubt that the efforts of the IPC and the IPC PCB Executive Agent Task Force, have clearly raised the visibility and the vital importance that the North American printed circuit board industry plays in defense systems.”

IPC's PCB EA Task Force has published two documents which were made available to the industry and the DoD: "IPC Policy Recommendations to the Department of Defense Printed Circuit Board Executive Agent — North American Electronic Interconnect Industry Support to the Department of Defense" and "IPC Printed Board Defense Roadmap — Future Needs of Printed Boards in Department of Defense Electronics Identified by the North American Electronic Interconnect Industry."

The IPC PCB EA Task Force is currently developing a standard on “Best Industry Practices for Intellectual Property Protection,” which will assist printed board manufacturers in the development of requirements for the legal protection of intangible rights for their customers in commercial, industrial and military/high reliability markets.

For more information on the activities of the IPC PCB Executive Agent Task Force, visit http://www.ipc.org/PCB-Competitiveness or contact Fern Abrams, IPC director of government relations and environmental policy, at +1 703-522-0225.

About IPC

IPC (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 $1.7 trillion global electronics industry. IPC maintains additional offices in Taos, N.M.; Arlington, Va.; Garden Grove, Calif.; Stockholm, Sweden; Moscow, Russia; and Shanghai and Shenzhen, China.

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The Impact of Updates to J-STD-001 - May 17, 2010, Irvine, CA, USA

The Impact of Updates to IPC-A-610 - May 18, 2010, Irvine, CA, USA

The Impact of Updates to J-STD-001 - May 19, 2010, San Jose, CA, USA

The Impact of Updates to IPC-A-610 - May 20, 2010, San Jose, CA, USA

The Impact of Updates to IPC-A-600 and IPC-A-6012 - June 8, 2010, Irvine, CA, USA

Lean in the Electronics Industry: Applying Theory to Practice - June 9, 2010, Irvine, CA, USA

The Impact of Updates to IPC-A-600 and IPC-A -6012 - June 10, 2010, San Jose, CA, USA

Lead-Free Assembly for High Yields and Reliability - June 22, 2010, San Jose, CA, USA

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IPC International Conference on Reliability and Quality on Lead-Free Electronics - A focus on the bare board, components and solder joints — what can a lack of reliability and quality cost? - May 20–21, 2010, Frankfurt, AM Germany

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IPC Executive Market & Technology Conference/ IPC Capitol Hill day. - High Reliability Electronics and the Future of American Electronics Manufacturing - June 9–10, 2010, (Co-located with IPC Capitol Hill Day), Washington, D.C.

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IPC International Conference on Flex Circuits. Get the Answers You Need on Flex! - June 15–16, 2010, Irvine, CA, USA

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