With a view to promote electronic product design & technology specifically required for the Printed circuit Boards’ manufacture, the Annual General Body of our Association in its last annual meeting on September 21, 2001 have unanimously decided to establish ELECTRONIC DESIGNERS’ COUNCIL OF INDIA and to be affiliated to IPC, USA, one of the premier organizations at the global level, devoting its interests and activities to the progress of PCB industry in the world, through the forum of World Electronic Circuits Council (WECC) formed with the membership of all leading Printed Circuit Board industry Association of the world. We are one of the members of the WECC.

Pursuing the resolution adopted in the General body, the Executive Committee of IPCA has decided to have this Council formed and inaugurated with a suitable Technical Conference, Free Workshop for the electronic designers and a suitable Exposition on Electronics software etc. on the 12th and 13th of October, 2001 in the premises of CEDTI, Mohali, Chandigargh.

The objectives highlighted in establishing an Electronic Designing Council are:

1. The ELECTRONIC DESIGNERS' COUNCIL OF INDIA will be a technical wing of IPCA affiliated to IPC, USA as an Indian Chapter with membership of all the willing electronic designers at a nominal fee devoting their time and toil for the development of suitable design and software for the manufacture of Printed circuit Boards. The technical coordination with IPC, USA will provide to the Council all the advanced inputs of the technology required for promoting the design aspects, technical documents, standard specifications etc. from time to time. Such affiliated Councils for PCB industry are existing only in a few countries of the world like Germany and UK. India will take a lead through IPCA in establishing such a Council in India.

2. The Council on its formation will provide a forum to Professional Designers, experts from industries, R & D Organizations & Educational institutions for interacting with each other and exchanging views on the developing technologies for design in PCBs.

3. Presently there is a very big gap existing between the academic institutions and R & D centres associated with Engineering colleges etc. and the industry that manufactures PCB for all the electronic hardware required. This Council is specifically formed to bridge the gap and to provide opportunities for Designers, students pursuing electronics in engineering colleges to interact with the industry design requirements and promote its progress for practical viability. Such an effort will pool up the brainpower of software potential available in abundance in our country.

4. Also the Council aims to help setting up modernized PCB laboratories in Engineering colleges to help the students and to bring awareness and knowledge about the current technologies aspects as a part of their curriculum in their studies with a futuristic plan to help the PCB Industry to be on par with international standards in their manufacture to compete globally.

5. It is a joint effort in collaboration with the CEDTI, Mohali one of the eight centres of CEDTI, established already as autonomous scientific Societies under the Ministry of Information Technology (MIT)

The activities associated with the formation of the Council during Oct. 12-13:

a) A NATIONAL TECHNICAL CONFERENCE ON "THE EMERGING TRENDS IN ELECTRONICS DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY" was held for two days during October 12-13, 2001 in the premises of CEDTI, Mohali under the joint auspices of both CEDTI and IPCA bringing in the relevant speakers and experts from all over the world, representing industries, equipment manufacturers Designers etc. on advanced technologies.

b) A FREE WORKSHOP cum COUNSELING was also conducted along with the Technical Conference especially for the staff of Engineering colleges and polytechnics with a view to help them setting up / modernizing of PCB labs in the respective colleges with special emphasis on environmental aspects, as a part of their curriculum.

c) An EXPOSITION ON Electronics & Software, (IPCA EXPO - 2001) associated with the manufacturing machinery’s of PCBs, advanced materials for manufacture and technology required for prototype pattering of circuits needed for the design Engineers to bring home latest technologies in their field was also held during the Conference, with the participation of entrepreneurs manufacturing equipments and materials for the PCB Industry from all over the world to exhibit demonstration models to students, the desired catalogues on the technology equipment details etc. to help them with the awareness of the impacts of the modern technology of PCB Design and manufacture.

d) PUBLICATION OF SOUVENIR: To mark this important occasion and the events associated with it, a Souvenir was released to publish all the technical articles, symposium mattes on the free workshop etc. as a valuable document to be distributed among the participants presented in the Seminar.

e) As a right sequel to all the technical events as programmed and conducted as detailed above, the formation of the ELECTRONIC DESIGNERS’ COUNCIL OF INDIA took place with as many as 47 delegates enrolling themselves as the pioneer members of the Council under the Chairmanship of Mr. R.S.Khandpur, Director, CEDTI, Mohali and thus the long cherished dream of IPCA, ELECTRONIC DESIGNERS’ COUNCIL OF INDIA was inaugurated with the adoption of the relevant Constitution for the Council by its General Body with the members enrolled. The first Working Committee of the Council was also constituted with the election of its office-bearers and Committee members by unanimous choice from among the members of the General Body.

R.Chellappa
Secretary General
IPCA