NEPCON West conference enhanced with new sessions and special events

Citation

Galbraith, T. (2000), "NEPCON West conference enhanced with new sessions and special events", Soldering & Surface Mount Technology, Vol. 12 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/ssmt.2000.21912aac.007

NEPCON West conference enhanced with new sessions and special events

NEPCON West conference enhanced with new sessions and special events

Keywords: NEPCON, Conferences

The NEPCON West 2000 Conference kicks off at the Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA, 27 February-2 March with new industry special events and sessions and the support of the industry's leading professional associations and publications. (NEPCON West 2000 Exhibition dates: 29 February-2 March).

Presenting more than 100 innovative sessions plus numerous special industry events conducted by internationally renowned experts, the broad-based conference offers sessions in the following tracks:

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  Design - topics include: DFM for cost effective, quality and speedy electronics design, manufacture and assembly; Fine pitch PCB design for manufacture and assembly; practical methods to design-in and predict surface mount attachment reliability; practical design of experiments for SMT/FPT/TH/flip chip and electronics manufacturing DFM.

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  Assembly - topics include: lead free soldering options; scientific hand soldering in touch-up and rework; BGA/CSP interconnection and rework; conductive adhesives for advanced packaging; reliability of BGA, flip-chip, and chip-scale assemblies; CSP/MicroBGA.

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  HDI - topics include: high density issues: motherboard, packaging/cost technology; boundary scan: the logical enhancement for testing high density circuit boards; advanced SMT manufacturing with high density components tips and technology; microvia technology: processes, applications and economics.

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  Inspection - topics include: fundamentals of machine vision; assessing the inspection alternative; expanding today's BGA inspection capabilities; applying machine vision to the electronics industry.

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  Management - topics include: supply chain management; optimizing plant availability for lead time reduction; successfully making the transition to chip scale and chip size packages.

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  Packaging - topics include: wafer level packaging: principles and practices; flip chip technologies: designs, materials, processes and reliability; wafer level packaging and interconnection; flexible circuit technology for modern electronic packaging.

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  Test - topics include: manufacturing test in a high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environment; automated board handling at in-circuit and functional test; built-in self-test (BIST) for manufacturing and support; testing SMT circuit boards using ICT/MDA, vision and flying probe technology.

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  EMS/contract manufacturing - topics include: considerations in outsourcing SMT to contract assembly; economic analysis and selection of new SMT and electronics manufacturing and test equipment; buying or building today's automatic testing equipment (ATE).

The conference also features sessions on lead free solder, including lead free soldering options, lead free soldering: status and technology review; and impact of lead free solder on global manufacturing.

"The NEPCON West 2000 curriculum provides practical, cutting-edge information and extensive training for every member of the manufacturing team, from design and assembly through test", said Cynthia Holloway, director of industry development, NEPCON. "Since the inception of the NEPCON conference series, we have worked to bring together the most respected speakers with the real-world perspectives that manufacturers can benefit from immediately."

"This year's conference lecturers include an internationally recognized panel of highly qualified electronics industry professionals, including Dr Sammy G. Shina, Howard H. Manko, Dr Jennie S. Hwang, Dr W. Kinzy Jones, and John H. Lau, to name a few", Holloway said.

Industry associations support conference program

Among the associations and publications offering their support and endorsement for NEPCON West and the NEPCON West Conference are the Surface Mount Technology Association (SMTA), the American Society of Test Engineers (ASTE), the International Institute of Connector and Interconnection (IICIT), the Electrostatic Discharge Association (EDA), and the National Electronic Distributors Association (NEDA), SMT magazine, Advanced Packaging, and NEPCON sponsor Electronic Packaging & Production (EP&P).

"The learning opportunities at NEPCON West Conference are enhanced through our interactive relationships with these supporting professional associations and our sponsoring publications", Holloway said. "NEPCON Conference organizers rely on these relationships to add greater depth, scope and professional expertise to the program, making it the most comprehensive offered in the electronics manufacturing industry."

Special events and feature areas

Numerous special events, many of which are free to attendees, create even greater learning opportunities at the NEPCON West 2000 Conference. These include:

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  Industry keynote address - astronaut and international hero, Dr Buzz Aldrin will present, "From the moon to the next millennium", Wednesday, 1 March at 8.00a.m.

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  Contract Manufacturing Symposium - presented by Technology Forecasters, Inc.

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  Contract Manufacturing Executive Forum - sponsored by Technology Forecasters, Inc.

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  Advanced Packaging Symposium - wafer level packaging and interconnection.

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  International panel discussion - "Technology and processes - what does the future hold for the industry?"

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  Excellence Awards presented by Electronics Packaging & Production.

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  Best in Test Awards presented by Test & Measurement World.

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  Service Excellence Awards presented by Technology Forecasters, Inc. and Circuits Assembly.

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  ASTE Test Technology Student Awards presented by the American Society of Test Engineers.

Additionally, NEPCON West attendees can visit the show's technology feature areas. Sponsored and staffed by an association/industry group and a corresponding industry publication, attendees can gather information on that technology and find exhibitors in that category. These include:

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  Microvia Pavilion (Kirk-Miller Associates and Printed Circuit Fabrication magazine).

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  Environmental Issues Clinic (Global Centre for Process Change and SMT magazine). (This area covers all environmental standards and cleaning processes and will focus on no-lead solder.)

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  Contract Manufacturing Center (Technology Forecasters, Inc. and Circuits Assembly magazine).

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  Components Distribution Forum (NEDA and EB magazine).

For more information about NEPCON events, contact NEPCON customer service at REC, 383 Main Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851. Tel: 203 840 5656; E-mail: inquiry@nepcon.reedexpo.com. Access the NEPCON Website at: www.nepcon.com for more information (including travel and lodging information) or for free show registration.

Trevor Galbraith