Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1163814
18 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I SEPTEMBER 2019 they needed access to the design information to understand where the components were supposed to go, what measurements they were supposed to take, and what they should expect to see in visual inspection. As far as translating the standard design for- mat into a standard manufacturing format, it's the same data source, but sections of the data are being used for the different manufacturing processes. So, CFX already carries the ability to take the data derived from the design and out to the machines. We're improving on that as time goes on. We're collaborating in terms of the definitions of the standard so that we can be more specific and make it easier for machine vendors, for instance, to understand the layout of this board in terms of X, Y, and Z, and know how to get that data through CFX, which is derived from DPMX. This flow, which would have taken an engi- neer hours if not days to achieve, can be done with the hit of a button because the informa- tion is now standard. It doesn't matter where it came from or where it's going in terms of engineering tools because it's the same format. Shaughnessy: Gary, you mentioned how trace- ability was a big part of this. How is that work- ing? Carter: Traceability has become a big concern, especially with counterfeit components and knowing the provenance of the materials that you are using. CFX is able to close the loop with what occurred on a line during manufac- turing assembly and test. Now, you're able to have a complete record of what your product was made of, where it was operated on, how that material moved or didn't move properly through the process, and identify where your problem areas are. Further, you can do a full Six Sigma analysis that tells you what hap- pened, why it happened, and what you need to do to eliminate it from happening again if it's not the desired outcome. Ford: Think of the sheer power this brings back to people. Let's take your phone, for instance. There's going to be a design for that. And do technology IPC standard so that everybody can use it. There's no real cost to ownership. You can choose your favorite engineering, design, or manufacturing tools. The nice thing is that digital best practices are now defined by IPC through DPMX, CFX, and even our traceability standard, IPC-1782, which defines the type of information that needs to be retained by man- ufacturing to satisfy compliance and traceabil- ity requirements. Shaughnessy: How long have you all been working on this? Carter: The last year and a half. We've been talking and co-presenting in some venues and brainstorming on other IPC standards that add to this value proposition and need to be a part of this story. Shaughnessy: It seems like there would be some natural hurdles; design data is one type of data, but CFX is a different animal. How do you blend the two? Ford: It is, though DPMX consists of many dif- ferent kinds of data, and that data is exactly what is needed in manufacturing, by machines, for example. Even before we started this proj- ect, there were cases where DPMX data was used by particular machine vendors because Gary Carter