The Electronics Group

Happy International Dog Day! 🐶🐾

Of course, we couldn’t let the day pass without giving a little shoutout to one of the most important members of The Electronics Group team… Belle! 🤎

A very well-loved and always welcome visitor to the office, she never fails to brighten up everyone's day.

We hope all the dogs out there have a great day and get thoroughly spoiled! 🐾

Are you looking to get IPC certified or maybe your certification is up for renewal soon? Check out our upcoming course dates with limited space still available:

07/09 - 11/09 | IPC J-STD-001 | Leeds

07/09 - 10/09 | IPC 7711/7721 | Cirencester

18/09 | Intro to Through-Hole Soldering | Leeds

21/09 - 24/09 | IPC WHMA-A-620 | Cirencester

28/09 - 01/10 | IPC WHMA-A-620 | Leeds

28/09 - 02/10 | IPC 7711/7721 | Cirencester


📞 Get in touch on 0113 274 4270 or email [email protected] to reserve your place today!

Don't see the course you're looking for, or need alternative dates? Please get in touch with a member of our team and we will happily help find more suitable options for you.

(*Please note: we can combine CIS, CIT and CSE courses to be run at the same time. So, no matter which level you wish to certify at, we can accommodate you.)

Our team are always looking for new ways to make our courses more practical and engaging.

This week, Kevin Whitehead shared one of the new demonstration boards we’ve introduced to our Electronics Fundamentals training course.

These boards will give our delegates a hands-on way to explore how logic gates work. Rather than simply learning the theory from a presentation, students can change the inputs themselves and see how different combinations of 1s and 0s affect the output in real time.

They demonstrate several common logic gates, including AND, OR, NAND, NOR and XOR, helping to make an important concept in digital electronics much easier to visualise and understand.

It’s another way we’re bringing more hands-on learning into the classroom and helping beginners build their knowledge and confidence before moving on to more complex electronic circuitry.

You can find full details of our Electronics Fundamentals courses on our website - https://electronicsgroup.co.uk/introduction-to-electronics-fundamentals/ or get in touch with our team on 0113 274 4270 if you have any questions about the training or which course is right for you.

We want to hear from you! 👋

We’re always looking for ways to better support the electronics industry, and who better to ask than the people working in it?

So, is there anything specific you'd like us to offer to better support you and your team?

It could be:
🔹 More technical tips and advice
🔹 Particular training courses or topics
🔹 More resources and guides
🔹 Questions you’d like our trainers or technical team to answer
🔹 Or something we haven’t thought of yet!

Whether it’s something that would make your job a little easier, help your team, or simply something you’d find interesting, we’d love to hear your ideas.

💬 Let us know in the comments below, or send us an email at [email protected].

If you're working with IPC standards, you'll probably have noticed that new revisions are released from time to time. But have you ever wondered why they need to be changed?

That's because electronics manufacturing doesn't stay the same for very long. New processes and technologies are constantly being introduced, as well as new materials and components, so the standards need to continue to evolve alongside them.

Revisions can also be made to:

🔹 Clarify requirements that may have caused confusion previously
🔹 Update criteria to reflect changes in technology and manufacturing practices
🔹 Add new information, images or examples
🔹 Address feedback from people using the standards in industry
🔹 Keep requirements relevant to the way electronics are actually being designed and manufactured today

IPC standards are developed and updated through industry committees that bring together manufacturers, suppliers, customers and technical experts from all over the world. This means that revisions aren't just made for the sake of it. They're designed and updated to keep the standards useful and relevant and make sure they represent current industry practices.

That's also why it's important to check which revision you're working to, particularly when a customer or contract specifies a particular standard.

Our team can help with the latest IPC standards, training and advice if you're unsure which revision you need. Get in touch with us today on 0113 274 4270 or drop us an email at [email protected] if you have any questions.

All the latest standard revisions and many previous revisions are available to buy on our website - https://electronicsgroup.co.uk/shop/

One of our IPC trainers, Dave, recently shared a tip that we wanted to share with you.

💡 If you use IPC-A-600, it's worth having IPC-6012 alongside it.

This is because the two standards are actually designed to work together.

IPC-6012 defines the rules and performance requirements for making a rigid printed circuit board (PCB), while IPC-A-600 provides the visual photographs and illustrations used to inspect the board and verify that those rules are met.

Throughout IPC-A-600, there are references back to the IPC-601X series, making it a companion document rather than a standalone specification.

So, if you're inspecting rigid PCBs, having both standards available gives you the complete picture: the performance requirements and the visual guidance to help interpret them.

Thanks to Dave for the tip! 👏

If you have any questions about either standard you can always contact our team on 0113 274 4270 or drop us an email at [email protected]

Both standards are available to purchase through our website - https://electronicsgroup.co.uk/shop/

We're proud to share that we are now the main sponsor of Yorkshire Terriers FC. ⚽🌈

A big thank you to everyone at Yorkshire Terriers FC for the warm welcome. We're looking forward to supporting the club and wish the team every success this season!

Here's what some of our delegates had to say about us last month:

💭 "The Trainer had very good knowledge on the subject and was able to show me where I was going wrong during the practice piece."

💭 "Martin was a great teacher and has a very approachable attitude, and great patience."

💭 "Claire is extremely knowledgeable and answered all my questions and queries. I have left today feeling more confident to use my CIT status in my workplace."

💭 "Very informative and well-structured course. Practicals were demonstrated very well."

💭 "Everything was perfect."


We love to hear your feedback! Whether it's positive or constructive, it all helps us to continue to improve our services.

If you have an experience you would like to share, please feel free to email us anytime at [email protected]

Looking for IPC or electronics skills training? Take a look at our available courses on our website - https://electronicsgroup.co.uk/ipc-training-courses/

It's Yorkshire Day tomorrow 🎉 so we thought we'd make sure you're up to speed, wherever you're joining us from...

You might hear:
"Ey up! Ow do? If tha's after nowt but reight good trainin', get thi sen o'er 'ere, tek a pew, sup thi brew an' we'll sort thee reight."

Translation:
"Hello! Looking for high-quality training? Come and join us, grab a brew and we'll take care of the rest."

We look forward to welcoming you to one of our training centres soon.

Happy Yorkshire Day from all of us at The Electronics Group! ☕ 🫖

💡 IPC CID & CID+ Frequently asked questions!

We get asked a lot of great questions about our IPC CID and CID+ courses, so here’s a quick FAQ to help you decide if they're right for you or your team:

🔹 What is IPC CID?
CID stands for Certified Interconnect Designer and is a globally recognised certification for PCB design professionals. It covers everything from design theory and materials to layout, documentation and manufacturability.

🔹 And what’s IPC CID+?
CID+ builds on the CID course with more advanced knowledge, covering topics such as high-speed design, complex layouts and real-world challenges faced by experienced designers.

🔹 Who should take the course?
If you’re involved in PCB design or engineering, this is for you. The IPC CID course is ideal for those with some experience who want to validate and grow their skills. IPC CID+ is aimed at seasoned designers looking to deepen their expertise.

🔹 Do I need CID before CID+?
While there are no strict requirements to join the IPC CID+ course, If you haven't completed the CID yet, we recommend starting there before progressing to CID+.

🔹 How long are the courses?
Both courses run over three days.

🔹 How long does IPC CID/CID+ certification last?
Your certification is valid for life, no renewal or recertification required.

🔹 Can I get certified to CIS or CIT level for CID/CID+?
No – CID and CID+ are individual design certifications, so there’s no CIS (Certified IPC Specialist) or CIT (Certified IPC Trainer) level for these courses.

🔹 When can I join a course?
Get in touch with us today to find out when the next course is running, alternatively we can arrange training at a date that suits your team.

See the full course details on our website - https://electronicsgroup.co.uk/ipc-cid-certified-interconnect-designer/

If you have more questions, give us a call on 0113 274 4270 or send us an email to [email protected], we’re always happy to chat.