Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1161956
SEPTEMBER 2019 I SMT007 MAGAZINE 9 Researchers from the Functional Materials and Micro- systems Research Group at RMIT University drew inspira- tion from optogenetics to develop a device that replicates the way the brain stores and loses information. The new chip is based on an ultra-thin material that changes electrical resistance in response to different give-or-take." He concluded, "That explains why it was getting sloppy; the standard says '50 miles at 50 miles an hour.'" Chuckling, I added, "I guess I took that as more like a rec- ommendation." An hour later, I was on my way with four good tires and a car that went where I pointed her. While it wasn't pretty, that tire did its job and got me where I needed to go even while going well beyond what it was specified to deliver. The point is that there are rules, and then there are recommendations. One person's rule might be another person's recommendation and vice versa. That is where standards come into play. What are they? What do they mean? How do they get specified? And what are the impacts on our industry? Sometimes, the way you treat them is situational. We begin with an interview titled "To Improve the Standards Process, Get Involved" with Jan Pedersen and Ray Prasad—both I-Connect007 columnists. Next is a conversa- tion on "The Convergence: IPC Merging CFX With IPC-2581" with Gary Carter and Michael Ford. Then, Barry Matties speaks with Gra- ham Naisbitt about "The Long Road to a New Standard." Following that, I examine the his- tory of standards in "Standards Through Time: Changing to Stay the Same" and am reminded how familiar the standards definition and rat- Nolan Johnson is managing editor of SMT007 Magazine. Nolan brings 30 years of career experience focused almost entirely on electron- ics design and manufacturing. To contact Johnson, click here. ification processes are, regardless of the stan- dard under development. Eric Camden's column, "Reliability by the Book" discusses definitions and specifications for IPC Class I, II and III products. Then, we feature perspectives from three organizations in "The Ecosystem of Industry Standards." Next, Michael Ford's column delves into the skill for "Recognizing the Need for Change," and Ray Prasad discusses "How Standards Impact You and Your Company." Scott Sommers, Molex's director of industry standards, provides a piece on "Explaining the QSFP-DD Data Center Interconnect Standard." Then, Alfred Macha's column outlines how to "Transform your Operations with Nadcap." And our technical paper this month comes from Jon Bengston and Richard DePoto from Uyemura titled "Comparing Soldering Results of ENIG and EIPG Post-steam Exposure." Bob Wettermann's column closes us out with "Pro- cess Methods for Reworking High Lead Count SMT Parts." SMT007 wavelengths of light, enabling it to mimic the way that neurons work to store and delete information in the brain. Research team leader Dr. Sumeet Walia said the tech- nology moves us closer towards artificial intelligence (AI) that can harness the brain's full sophisticated function- ality. Dr. Taimur Ahmed, the lead author of the study pub- lished in Advanced Functional Materials, said being able to replicate neural behavior on an artificial chip offered exciting avenues for research across sectors. Developed at RMIT's MicroNano Research Facility, the technology is compatible with existing electronics and has also been demonstrated on a flexible platform for integration into wearable electronics. (Source: RMIT University) Electronic Chip Mimics the Brain to Make Memories in a Flash