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48 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2023 When looking at the PCB industry, an out- sider may have the illusion that the typically green-colored substrates populated with com- ponents use only a small amount of technology. e term "printed circuit," which in principle is accurate, does not even begin to do justice to the sheer magnitude of chemical, mechani- cal, and metallurgical—not to mention CAD and CAM engineering—that goes into today's highly reliable and complex interconnection substrate. e term "printed," along with the notion that you can simply lay out a board and press "print," as you would a piece of paper, couldn't be further from the realities of a high- tech PCB fabrication process and, impor- tantly, the complex supply chain of chemistry and laminates that feed the factory with raw materials. Industry Organizations Keep Knowledge Alive The Benefits of Industry Organizations Design and fabrication have become so spe- cialized that engineers of any discipline can easily become absorbed in their own niche. When working in those environments, it is easy to slip into thinking that your own special- ist discipline takes priority over all others. In some cases, that may be true, but in practice all disciplines are important in delivering the best specified product at the best price to the end-user. Membership in one or two industry bodies provides a broader worldview and a chance to network with people outside your usual circle. IPC, EIPC, ICT, FED, and ZveI are but a few bodies that help improve communication, understanding, and awareness within PCB manufacturing. ey oen balance a range of The Pulse by Martyn Gaudion, POLAR INSTRUMENTS