The International IC-China Conference & Exhibition (IIC-China) symbolizes in many ways the quest that design engineers in mainland China have embarked on to move from the manufacturing realm into the design space. During the last 12 years, the show, organized by EE Times-Asia publisher eMedia Asia, has evolved along with mainland China's learning curve in electronics design, and it's been one remarkable ride.

Things change considerably every year, surprising many industry pundits, who are sometimes quick to relegate China to the lower end of the electronics design spectrum. The IC Design Surveys carried out by EE Times-Asia every year are testament to this makeover that happened over the course of a decade or so. Moreover, IIC-China's program itself—and its growing content to serve the design engineering community in mainland—is a reminder of how far China's design capabilities have come since the early 1990s.

Summits, conferences and seminars have always been a vital part of the IIC-China program. The summit program this year focuses on major design challenges facing the electronics industry. Speakers from IC players such as ADI, Altera, CEVA, Infineon, SigmaTel and Tensilica chair the panels. Topics include portable and multimedia devices, wireless design and SoC design complexity.

Among the companies hosting vendor seminars are ADI, Altera, Freescale, Maxim, Micrel, Micron, Qimonda and TI. This year, key industry leaders from NXP, TI and Atmel are presenting keynote addresses at the Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing shows, respectively.

New events
Apart from keynotes, seminars and summits, this year's affair announces some exciting new events. The Global Media Usage Study provides some insight on how engineers use media to overcome challenges at different stages of the design cycle.

Another noteworthy addition is the Components Pavilion at the IIC-China show in Shenzhen. At a time when more and more design houses are writing specs for component suppliers on manufacturers' behalf, the need to increase components' exposure to design circles is compelling. And the blurring lines between OEM, ODM, ESM and CEM firms reinforce this need for a component-related venue at a leading design show.

Still another first is the Electronics Supply Summit (ESS), which presents supply-chain solutions from leading manufacturers in mainland China. The summit is organized by our sister publication Electronic Supply and Manufacturing-China and will be held at the Shenzhen and Shanghai shows.

Last but not least, after the first-day action on the show floor in Shenzhen, the inaugural Annual Creativity in Electronics (ACE) Awards will be held at a gala dinner on the evening of March 5 at the Marco Polo Hotel. Reflecting how far electronics design has come in mainland China, the ACE Awards will honor those technology providers who have enabled electronics engineers to achieve the current level of design sophistication.

As part of our efforts to create a greater media synergy with China's largest system design show, EE Times Asia, along with its sister publications serving design audiences in mainland China, South Korea and Taiwan, will bring a special coverage of the key highlights in its print and online editions. Your feedback is welcome.

Email the Editor

Back to top