Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1487920
40 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2022 Why should someone attend your class? Students in my class will gain a strong foundation in the basics of PCB fabrica- tion and will get to go in-depth on the com- plexities of the process. You will learn how your design and specification thereof can affect the fabrication process and, in turn, how the delivered PCB can affect the assembly process. It's a fabrication class, but your target audience includes both PCB designers and design engineers. I know many designers who haven't been in a board shop in decades, if at all; does that seem to be the case with your classes? Yes, there are many designers and engi- neers that have never set foot in a board shop. It is difficult to understand the com- plexity of board fabrication without firsthand experience. While the PCB Fabrication Basics course presentation will get you close, a "behind the glass" board shop tour can tie it all together. What is the most important piece of advice you give your attendees? Engage with your suppliers up front. is becomes increasingly more impor- tant as your designs become more complex. Work with your supplier to define a fabrica- tion stack-up that includes material selection, copper weights, plating thicknesses, and via/ trace/space metrics. You will want to discuss what qualification specification(s) the finished product will need to meet. is may be an IPC specification (typically IPC-6012 and IPC- 4101) or a corporate specification. is should be done as early in the design process as pos- sible, preferably before you start placing parts in your design. Is there anything else you'd like to add? is class has been presented before and most of the attendee feedback comments mentioned how the sample sets that are passed out during class make it easier to grasp many of the topics presented. Also, while at the conference, you should plan on attending a standards development committee meeting. If you dis-agree with what is written or would like to help improve or update current specifications, that is where you'll have your chance to make your voice heard. DESIGN007 Jim van den Hogen with Mayim Bialik from IPC APEX EXPO 2017.