Despite chilly temperatures in Munich last week, things got heated as 43 competitors went soldering iron to soldering iron at IPCs Hand Soldering Competition at productronica 2013, November 12-15. Emerging victorious and taking first place, a cash prize of 500 and a new soldering station from JBC Tools, was Jacek Majchrzak, PartnerTech, Poland. In addition, Majchrzak earned a coveted spot at the IPC Hand Soldering World Championship at IPC APEX EXPO 2014 in Las Vegas.
Second place and a cash prize of 300 went to Baigyou Tamas, GE MOSZ Elektronikai Kft, Hungary; Halil Ibrahim Demir, Tai Tusas Aerospace, Turkey, took third place and a cash prize of 100.
Participants in the hand soldering competition were tasked with building a functional electronics assembly within a 45-minute time limit. A panel of independent judges from Institut IFTEC and PIEK International Educational Centre evaluated each assembly based on workmanship, overall functionality, compliance with IPC-A-610E Class 3 criteria and speed of completion.
Judges and spectators got a first-hand look at the best-of-the-best hand solder talent in Europe. Competitors displayed workmanship, quality and speed and put on quite a heated show, said David Bergman, IPC vice president of international relations. The competition was a great success and we plan to continue with this highly popular event at locations across the globe in 2014.
Bergman added, IPC thanks hand soldering Gold Sponsors: Kurtz Ersa, JBC Tools, PACE Worldwide and Thermaltronics; Silver Sponsors: Almit GmbH, Balver Zinn GmbH, and Elmatica AS; Bronze Sponsors: Institut IFTEC, PIEK International Education Centre, Reeco, O.C. White Co., Purex and Microsolder; and contest contributor sponsor DNZ Ltd., for their support of the IPC Hand Soldering Competition at productronica.
For information on upcoming IPC Hand Soldering Competitions, visit www.ipc.org/hs.
