The Institute of Circuit Technology

Recent Articles

  • ICT Evening Seminar and AGM

    ICT Spring Seminar and AGM on 5th March At the Manor Hotel, Meriden Alun Morgan, EIPC President will present the Jan 2024 Custer Business Update The AGM this year involves the election of a Chairman and Vice Chair. Nominations are invited for these posts and also for the election of new Council Members. Read More......
  • Industry News January 2024

    News from A-Gas, Adeon, Amphenol - Invotech, Atotech, Eorotech Group, Exception PCB, GSPK, HMGCC, Jiva Materials, MacDermid Alpha, Merlin PCB Group, Newbury Electronics, Pillarhouse, Polar Instruments, Strip Tinning, Taiyo, Technic Eelectric, Ventec Read More......
  • Members News Jan 2024

    Anthony Jackson joins Graphic plc Engineering Team. Stuart Down, Sales Manger Taiyo, is elected Board Member of EIPC Read More......
  • The Institute of Circuit Technology Christmas Seminar 2023

    A multitude of delegates from the UK printed circuit industry made the journey to the Institute of Circuit Technology Christmas Seminar on December 5 at the grandiose Majestic Hotel in the picturesque spa town of Harrogate in North Yorkshire. They were welcomed by ICT Chair Emma Hudson, who introduced a program of three... Read More......
  • Suppliers September Webinars Review

    In response to a suggestion from Neil Martin, Chairman of Merlin PCB Group, ICT Technical Director Bill Wilkie organised a series of Institute of Circuit Technology Supply-Chain Webinars designed to let corporate supplier-members present their technical specialities and showcase their products. The 4pm slot each Wednesday... Read More......
  • Industry News October 2023

    Features news from Exception PCB, Jiva Materials, Merlin Flex, Teledyne Labtech and Polar Instruments. Read More......

Recent Journals

  • ICT Journal Vol 17 No 1

    IIn this issue of The Journal our first paper is fom Atotech and outlines the lessons learned while investigating microvia failures. There is a thorough review of the examination techniques and the recommended assessment procedures used. Our second paper is from Resonac Group of Japan and describes the development of a low loss adhesive film for bonding multilayer PTFE substrates. Finally we... Read More......
  • ICT Journal Vol 16 No 4

    In this issue of The Journal our first paper is an intriguing study of fine line etching of 16µm line pitch using software modelling to prepare the correct manufacturing parameters, followed by fabrication and assessment of the final product. Our second paper explores the additive manufacturing of pcb's using laser assisted deposition of conductive and dielectric layers. Our final paper... Read More......
  • ICT Journal Vol 16 No 3

    In this issue of The Journal we have included 3 interesting papers. The first 2 are linked to the subject of the skin effect of conductors and how the finish and surface roughness affect the signal integrity. The first paper is an assessment of Surface Finish on the performance of high frequency PCB's from MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions. The second describes a process of Photoresist... Read More......
  • ICT Journal Vol 16 No 2

    In this issue of The Journal we have included a paper from Don Ball of Chemcut, explaining the practical aspects of etching copper for HDI applications. There is an absorbing overview of thermal management in high performance RF and microwave pcb's from John Priday of Teledyne. There is a paper describing a novel 2-layer solder mask for extreme applications from Ying Hsuan Chou of Taiyo. We also... Read More......

Brief History of the Institute of Circuit Technology

In 1964 a group of enthusiastic Individuals, under the sponsorship of Kodak Ltd., who were then active in supplying Photo resists to the infant Printed Circuit Industry, set up an inaugural Meeting with the express object of forming an Institute or Society.

Subsequently a Printed Circuit Group was formed but unfortunately, due to lack of support from the PCB Processors of the day,  it ran into financial difficulties.  As a result the group instead allied itself to the Printed Circuit Group of The Institute of Metal Finishing.

In 1974, ten years later when the Industry had become more established,  and after a spell as the Association of Circuit Technologists (ACT), The Institute of Circuit Technology (ICT) was formed and soon could boast over 400 Members with a brief to reflect the technologies of the day in Printed Circuit Board Manufacture. 

The first elected ICT Council formed in 1974 was composed of 7 Members. They were D.A.Taylor as Chairman, W.Macleod Ross, H.G.Manfield, P.Millett, M.Webberley, R.A.Neale and R.V.Broughton.

LIST OF ICT CHAIRMEN

1974- 1977 Douglas Taylor First ICT Chairman

1977-1984 Reuben Josephs

1984-1986 J.B.O’Hara

1986-1988 David Clayton

1988-1990 Douglas Taylor

1990-1992 John Walker

1992-1994 Rex Rozario

1994-1998 Adrian Freakes

1998-2000 David Woodley

2000-2002 Steve Payne

2002-2004 Chris Wall

2004-2007 Andrew Hall

2007-2009 Steve Payne

2009-2015 Martin Goosey

2015-2020 Andrew Cobley

2020- Emma Hudson

 

The ICT has been responsible for many Initiatives, the most significant being as a Founder Member of the World Convention under our then Chairman, Reuben Josephs. The first World Convention was held at the Café Royal in 1978 which was attended by over 1000 delegates from all over the world.

It was in 1984 that another Organisation, the Printed Circuit Association (PCA) came into being aimed at representing the commercial aspects of the new Industry.  Inevitably there was some transfer of Personnel from the ICT to this new body which effectively halved its membership. However both Organisations worked harmoniously together for many years  each going their own way without confliction. However it was recognised at the time by both Parties that such a fragmented representation of the PCB Industry was inefficient and in 1988 the Buzz Word was "Unification". After much discussion between the two parties concerned the Printed Circuit Interconnection Federation  (PCIF) was formed. Eventually the fortunes of the PCIF suffered when this body ultimately became a pawn in a progression of larger Trade Organisations ending up as a member of Intellect.

The ICT's Training Courses, held regularly at the External Studies Dept. of Oxford University under the direction of Pat Kirby, grew to be extremely popular but suffered a major set back in the 1989 recession when few delegates registered and the project became uneconomical and had to be discontinued.  Subsequently several attempts were made to revive the Courses but without success.

 Through the various transformations of ownership the ICT has retained its identity, maintaining an active Council and running its own activities. One attractive feature of the Institute is its grading system in which Persons entering the ICT are accessed on their qualifications and experience and are awarded grades to represent their level of competence. These grades are Fellows, Full Members, Associate Members and Students and can act as guidance to potential Employers should the situation arise.

Although now in the 21st. Century, with a depleted Printed Circuit Industry, the ICT is once again an independent body, embarking on an expansion phase to revive it membership. The ICT has placed an emphasis on the holding of Evening Technical Seminars located in various parts of the country organised by our Director Bill Wilkie and is supported mainly by Supply Houses. To supplement this the ICT regularly holds One Day Symposia which concentrate on the very latest technology which appeals to the more imaginative Engineers of our Industry. Further to these its Educational Activities are once again in full swing with Courses held at Loughborough University and at other locations.

 In 2014 the ICT held an inaugural Dinner, hosted by our then Chairman Martin Goosey, to celebrate their 40th Anniversary having by now achieved a membership of over 300 and still rising.

John B. Walker

Hon Sec ICT

September 2014

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