Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1040234
10 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2018 Feature interview by Andy Shaughnessy I-CONNECT007 When we started planning this issue on design data, I knew we'd have to speak with Steph Chavez. Andy Shaughnessy: Steph, can you tell us about your background? Then, we'll talk about what you are seeing and hearing regarding PCB design as a design instructor for EPTAC Cor- poration. Steph Chavez: Sure. I hold a seat on the global IPC Designers Council (DC) Executive Board. I am my local area's IPC DC chapter president in Phoenix. I have about 28 years of experience in the industry. I've spent the last 15 years of my career as a lead designer successfully designing a wide spectrum of PCB designs—both simple and complex—including HDI, flex, and rigid- flex. I've also led global PCB design teams, which include managing diverse, multicultural teams in multiple time zones. The foundation of my education and leadership stems from my time in service in the U.S. Marine Corps as an avionics technician. Whenever I'm speaking, I always stress that you should have plenty of knowledge resources in your "bag of magic," so to speak, This includes establishing your professional network, which I believe this is key for your overall success. I-Connect007 is a great resource of knowledge sharing and up- to-date industry content. Shaughnessy: We appreciate that. We like to publish information that designers can use right away. Speaking of which, one thing everybody was talking about at IPC APEX EXPO 2018 was data. The Design Forum hardly covered any- thing about how to design a board; it was all about data. You hear from fabricators that 90% of new customers submit design data packages that are incomplete or inaccurate. They don't provide an updated netlist, etc. You said that you've been dealing with a lot of data issues lately. Can you tell us about that? Chavez: As a designer, when you think about the data you're presenting or handing off to