PEACHTREE CITY, GA – CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY is accepting entries for its 2026 New Product Introduction Awards for electronics assembly equipment, materials and software suppliers.

Colloquially referred to as the Engineer’s Choice Awards – a nod to the background and independence of the judges – the 20th annual NPI Awards recognize the leading new products for electronics assembly during the past 12 months. Recipients are selected by an independent panel of practicing industry engineers and are presented by CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY.

Registrations must be received at this link: https://pcea.net/npi-award.

The 2026 winners included:

• Adaptsys Group First Article Inspection
• Austin American Technology Cleaning Equipment
• CalcuQuote Software – Management
• Data I/O Device Programming
• Fuji America Corp. Automation Tools (conveyors, feeders, etc.)
• ITW EAE Soldering – Wave
• KIC Soldering – Process Control
• Kurtz Ersa Soldering – Reflow
• Kyzen Cleaning Materials
• SAKI Corp. Software – Production
• Sierra Electronics Component Placement – Accessory Technologies
• VJ Electronix, Inc. Rework and Repair Tools
• Fuji America Corp. Component Storage
• Seika Machinery Process Control Tools
• Keiron Printing Technologies Screen/Stencil Printing
• Arch Systems Software – Process Control
• Kurtz Ersa Soldering – Selective

How It Works

Entrants must submit a single registration form for each product and category entered. All entries must include a 250- to 1,000-word statement describing the product in the following terms:

• Creativity and innovation
• Compatibility with existing technology
• Cost-effectiveness
• Design
• Expected reliability
• Flexibility
• Expected maintainability/reparability
• Performance
• User-friendliness
• Speed/throughput.

Evaluations will be based on the above list.

The entry fee is $500 per product. The deadline for entries is Dec. 14, 2026.

To be eligible, entries must have been introduced to market (any region) no earlier than Jan. 1, 2026.

Categories

• Equipment: automation tools (conveyors, feeders, etc.); bonders; cleaning equipment; component placement - high-speed; component placement - multifunction; component placement - accessory technologies; component storage; device programming; dispensing equipment; labeling equipment; process control tools; rework and repair tools; screen/stencil printing; screen/stencil printing peripherals/consumables; soldering - reflow (convection); soldering – wave; soldering – selective; selective soldering tools and accessories; soldering – alternative (vapor phase, hot bar, laser, etc.); soldering – hand tools; test and inspection – AOI; test and inspection – AXI; test and inspection – ICT; test and inspection – SPI; test and inspection – functional test; first article inspection; curing ovens (for non-solder materials); ESD
• Materials: adhesives; cleaning materials; coatings/encapsulants; underfills; thermal interface materials; flux; soldering materials (paste, bar, wire, core, etc.); cored wire
• Software: process control; production; management (ERP, MRP, etc.)
• Training Materials
• Process Innovation (assemblers only)

For more information and to register, visit https://pcea.net/npi-award.