Learning With Leo: Observations from IPC Builds in Paris
I spent a week in Paris in September at the IPC Builds meetings, and it gave me the chance to see, take part in, and document a broad range of technical and training-related discussions affecting the electronics manufacturing industry. I go to these meetings because what gets decided in those rooms ends up in the classes we teach at EPTAC. In addition to attending committee meetings, I participated in keeping minutes for several sessions because some meeting leaders were unable to attend due to travel restrictions.
We met in the St. Denis area, about six miles from central Paris and near the site used for the 2024 Olympic Games. The week also coincided with a large gathering for Pope Leo at Place de la Concorde. It did not interfere with the meetings, but it was part of the conversation all week. The standards work is what took me there. It is not what stayed with me, and I will come back to that.
J-STD-001 and IPC-A-610 Combined Meetings
The technical meetings began on Saturday, Sept. 19 with combined J-STD-001 and IPC-A-610 sessions and continued through Sunday. Approximately 24 people attended. The group reviewed 47 comments on the first day and 48 comments on the second day. These discussions reflected the detailed committee work needed to resolve comments and move standards toward their next revision.
IPC-A-600 and IPC-6012 Activities
I also attended the IPC-A-600 and IPC-6012 meetings on Sunday. The next revision of the documents is planned for 2027, with discussion of the next revision training program and subsequent steps expected at APEX 2027.
IPC-6012 topics included the copper penetration table, minimum surface conductor thickness, material fill for through-hole structures, and blind and buried microvia structures. Committee comments were reviewed and discussed. One major direction is to release IPC-A-600 and IPC-6012 together in the next revision, to better coordinate the documents and their associated training.
IPC/WHMA-A-620 and Cable/Wire Harness Topics
Monday began with the IPC/WHMA-A-620 meeting. A major discussion concerned clarification of the terms "wire strands" and "conductor strands." Although these expressions are often used interchangeably, they can become confusing or ambiguous in translation. The discussions indicated that the term "conductor strands" should be used consistently throughout the documents. This may look like a small point. After 40 years of watching requirements get translated, interpreted, and argued over, I can tell you it is not. A requirement can be technically correct and still fail the person reading it in another language. Another significant topic was the application of pull testing to measure crimping efficiency.
A later IPC/WHMA-A-620 training session had 18 attendees. Discussion included center conductor pin conditions, associated damage, and interpretation of those conditions. The group also found a need for Space Addendum training for new revisions, with a working group assigned to review the Space Addendum material.
Training Program Advisory and Translation Activities
The Training Program Advisory Committee (T-PAC) and the European training-material translation group were also part of the week's activities. Training materials for IPC-A-610, J-STD-001, IPC/WHMA-A-620, and IPC-7711/7721 are now available in multiple translations. Work on IPC-A-600/IPC-6012 training has progressed more slowly because of industry workload and the needs placed on trainers.
Workforce Training Development
The Workforce Training Committee discussed methods for creating and introducing workforce training programs, including both instructor-led and non-instructor-led approaches. The Global Electronics Association is working on online programs and needs additional industry participation to review and analyze these programs. The new programs being developed include advanced soldering, train-the-trainer, and wire-harness training.
Tuesday included additional work task force discussion on communication between industry and the Association. Online training programs are being developed for use as preparatory programs for certifications and certificates. These self-paced programs may affect how students enter traditional training programs. From a training-provider perspective, this could change program participation and may also require additional capital investment. I have seen training delivery change several times over the course of my career, and it has never changed the part that matters most. Someone still has to turn information into capability.
Training and Certification Program Status
The committee reviewed the status of workmanship training and certification programs. J-STD-001 and IPC-7711/7721 were reported as 100% complete, while IPC/WHMA-A-620 was approximately 80% complete, with beta testing scheduled to begin in October.
Leader roles and responsibilities were also discussed, particularly the need to follow established requirements as new instructors enter the program. Other topics included awards, committee meetings, the need for new leaders, and the importance of recruiting both individual leaders and company support for committee activities.
Additional Standards and Training Developments
IPC-A-610 document changes are progressing, with training-program work expected to begin after document comments have been addressed and the document has gone to ballot. New specifications identified during the meetings included IPC-7712 for component reclamation and IPC-7731 for rework and repair of cable and wire harness assemblies.
The IPC-A-610 training meeting had no comments to review at this session, while the continuing need for new photographic examples was noted.
Final Day
Wednesday was my final day for the meetings. J-STD-001 Revision K was discussed and was reported as ready for ballot. The group also reviewed the new workmanship process and comments from the previous meetings concerning implementation of the workmanship portion of the program and the educational phase for the engineering community.
A recurring theme was the need to educate manufacturing personnel so that inspection and auditing can be performed objectively. That is the same gap I run into in almost every class I teach at EPTAC. IPC-A-600 and IPC-6012 training discussions indicated relatively minor program changes, with participants working from the latest revision. The next meeting was identified as Anaheim, California, in April 2027.
My Takeaways
Looking back on the week in Paris, what stood out to me most was not any single standard, meeting, or technical discussion, but the sheer amount of work that goes into keeping our industry moving forward. Sitting in these meetings and listening to people debate terminology, workmanship requirements, training programs, translations, and certification gave me a much greater appreciation for how much effort happens behind the scenes before a standard ever reaches the classroom or the manufacturing floor.
It also reinforced for me that standards are only part of the equation. What ultimately matters is how effectively we take that knowledge and transfer it to the people who use it every day. Whether through an instructor, a training center, an online program, or an experienced professional on the manufacturing floor, the value of a standard comes from how well it is understood and applied.
The continued move toward online learning, new training programs, translated materials, and evolving certification requirements will undoubtedly change how training is delivered. Rather than viewing those changes as a challenge, I see them as an opportunity for EPTAC to continue adapting, contributing, and staying ahead of where the industry is going.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from Paris was simply the value of showing up and listening. Being in the room, hearing the conversations firsthand, and seeing the amount of thought and collaboration that goes into our industry provided a perspective that cannot be gained from reading a standard or attending a class alone.
I came to Paris expecting to learn about standards and training. I left with a greater appreciation for the people, collaboration, and responsibility behind them, and a renewed sense of how important it is for EPTAC to be part of that conversation.
Leo Lambert is the Technical Director at EPTAC Corporation.
