Trade shows have their own psychology. Consultants charge mega bucks to teach exhibitors the proper techniques for working a show booth: Make eye contact, avoid sitting and eating, never turn your back on the aisle, and never read anything for too long.
Why? Because most people are polite. Attendees won't want to disturb you if you have your feet up while eating a Twinkie and reading "Dilbert."
A trade show also provides a snapshot of the industry it caters to. At the PCB Design Conference West's 15th anniversary show in Santa Clara, the discouraging signs were few. Most attendees and exhibitors said they'd had great Q4 numbers and were enjoying a good Q1. Sales are solid and travel budgets are healthy.
The number of attendees at the conference classes was up 12% from last year. That's a great harbinger; when economic times are good, managers aren't skittish about flying a designer to a conference and footing the bill for classes, food and a hotel room for a week. And over half of the conference-goers were first-time attendees.
Every year at PCB West there's one issue that perplexes the attendees. This year the EU's Restrictions on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) seemed to trigger more emotion than outsourcing, thanks to the looming July 1 RoHS deadline.
EMA Design Automation drew a crowd to its panel discussion on RoHS and WEEE compliance. Several designers in attendance said the panel not only opened their eyes, but it also scared them half to death with talk of legal liability. EMA President Manny Marcano said the industry is still unprepared for RoHS.
Innov-X demoed its Alpha handheld analyzer gun and Hawk-i benchtop analyzer, which provide a breakdown of an object's metal content by percentage. RoHS and WEEE concerns are driving sales. The U.S. Navy is using these analyzers to test boards before rework.
Mentor Graphics demonstrated the XtremeAR autorouter, the second tool in the Xtreme lineup. This router can run simultaneously on up to 15 processors for better routing times on larger boards.
DownStream demoed its new BluePrint PCB documentation software, and founder Rick Almeida said sales of CAM350 have been surprisingly strong. The company recently moved into a new office in Bolton, MA.
Intercept Technology demonstrated its newest interactive router, available with Pantheon 5.1. Craig Yano, Intercept's director of marketing, said the company planned to make a "big announcement" soon.
Valor Computerized Systems, with the success of its TraceXpert assembly tool, is poised to spend $10 million on R&D.
DDi seems to be getting back on track with new CEO Mikel Williams after its near-delisting. Corporate Marketing Director Carolyn Perrier said higher-end technologies such as HDI and hybrids drove much of the 2005 growth. DDi definitely has "a better climate" now that the excitement has subsided, Perrier said.
Prototype maker Shenzhen Fastprint Circuit Tech was a new exhibitor at PCB West. With factories in Shenzhen and Guangzhou, staffers said it is the biggest prototype builder in China.
DesignAdvance announced the release of its CircuitSpace v 1.5 placement software tool, expected to be available sometime in Q2. The Carnegie-Mellon offspring company recently secured $3 million in funding.
Expect RoHS to still be the center of attention at PCB East in Durham, NC, this fall. The first non-compliance lawsuits will have been filed by then.
Are you ready?
