Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1509257
64 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2023 My moonshot goal is that in 10 years, every ounce of product data—design and manufac- turing data, relevant shop floor data that hooks into CFX, sustainability and compliance data, end-of-life and recycling instructions, trace- ability, and provenance information, etc.—can be found in a single IPC product file that fol- lows it throughout its lifecycle, to be modi- fied and ingested by manufacturers, suppliers, customers (both within the supply chain and end-user), regulators, and waste-handlers, etc. Data gathering is a massive time and money sink for companies, especially as regulators (and therefore end-tier manufac- turers) worldwide begin to ask for more product information for compliance reasons. Having a single source of truth for this kind of information, as well as the usual manufacturing information, can save everyone a headache. Of course, that's easier said than done, and I'm sure the reader is screaming, "Confiden- tial information!" or "One standard to rule them all!" But there are already solutions to these problems being circulated within the IPC community, and a decade is a long time to achieve a robust, workable solution to the growing complexity of the global supply chain and associated governmental and contractual requirements thereof. What advice would you give young PCB designers regarding standards? Read them and understand how they relate to and should (or "shall," as we say in standard speak) be incorporated into your designs, but also make sure that you understand, as I detailed earlier, the mechanisms and princi- ples driving them. If you aren't sure whether you're design- ing to spec, just ask your colleagues. If they don't know, take it as an opportunity to learn together or as a department; grab a copy of the relevant standard, study it, and reach out to the development committee for guidance if you have any questions on implementation. If your colleague doesn't know how to imple- ment the spec but thinks they don't need to (remember, houses and nails), be an advocate for doing things the right way. If you're brand-new to designing boards or need to shake off the dust, it's a good idea to investigate IPC's PCB Design Fundamentals courses, or any of the related advanced design topics. If you have time and your company allows for it, I also highly recommend becoming involved in standards development in gen- eral. IPC committees are always free to join and participate in, and you will help shape the future of the industry. at isn't just flashy marketing speak; some of the most important clauses in the most used standards in our industry came from hearts, minds, and laboratories just like yours. Yes, you can join even if you don't have a keycard for the lab. Plus, you'll learn so much from work- ing and hanging out with a diverse community of designers, some of whom have decades of experience to share. Trust me: you'll teach them a thing or two as well. Aside from standards, find a mentor in your company or community who will help you as you grow as an engineer. A one-on-one pro- fessional relationship can be invaluable. If you need help with this sort of thing, check out IPC's Emerging Engineer program. What else? Look to nature for some design inspiration if you need it. Don't let the initial cost of the standards outweigh the many ben- efits. Coffee can't replace sleep, as much as we would like it to, so take a break if you need it. Take a deep breath; you're doing great. Thanks, Patrick. Great talking with you. ank you, Andy. Always a pleasure. DESIGN007 If you aren't sure whether you're designing to spec, just ask your colleagues.