Addressing Challenges in the Electronics Industry

Why We Established the PCEA

Several well-organized groups cater to the electronics industry. These organizations tend to feature a specific segment of this industry by hosting highly focused major conferences. These conferences tend to be one or two times a year at different locations.

Each of these conferences specifically focuses on a skill segment, such as design, assembly, manufacturing, etc. With technology changing at a rapid pace, it becomes very difficult and expensive for professionals to attend the plethora of major conferences conducted in the course of a year.

The strength – and market need – for PCEA is the cadre of experts that formed it. Everything starts at design. Yet no other organization fundamentally concentrates on design engineering and its role in the product development process.

Design engineers need a way to access information on existing and new design methods, materials, packages, manufacturing processes, etc., that will enable next-generation products and more functional/higher yielding current generation products. And then they need to push those designs downstream in a way that ensures the design intent is met.

Standards alone aren’t enough. CAD tools aren’t enough. As product development gets more spread out geographically and split up by specialty, access to experts outside one’s company is crucial to progress, both from a product and a career development standpoint.

That’s our value proposition. Join us today!

To address the changing demands, some organizations have set up local chapters to address our rapidly changing industry on a regional basis. It has been very difficult to fully address the needs of disciplines required to produce a workable product. The main theme was to understand each other’s challenges and how to assist each other. The role of the printed circuit engineer is often misunderstood by other industry segments.

Printed circuit engineers are technologists who must understand the needs and requirements of the many disciplines that contribute to the final product. They must have a comprehensive understanding of all phases from concept, engineering development, standards implementation, and manufacturing including fabrication, assembly, test, compliance and field service. This knowledge includes details concerning printed circuit board materials, components, manufacturing processes, allowances and limitations. The final product should have high producibility, reliability and yield. This should all be confirmed by quality assurance, compliance. The Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA) is structured for the challenges we face.