Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1509257
10 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2023 John Watson, CID, is a customer success m a n a g e r w i t h A l t i u m w h o a l s o t e a c h e s PCB design at Palomar College in Carlsbad, California. He's noticed that most of his stu- dents are primarily new to the industry and not familiar with IPC standards. In his classes, he teaches how to use these standards while trying to help students access the documents more easily. When we met with John, we asked him to talk about the importance of understand- ing IPC standards, the price you'll pay if you decide not to follow them, and his plans for getting new designers on board with standards as early as possible in their careers. Andy Shaughnessy: John, many of your students have never had an introduction to IPC standards and don't know why they could help them with their designs. Where is the disconnect? True, but there's an underlying issue. ere's another group of designers who don't follow any standards. When I ask them what stan- dard they're following, they respond that they don't follow standards. But that's like build- ing a house with no measuring tape. I look at PCB design and manufacturing as an all-in-one package, where it's combined with a fabrica- tion drawing and an assembly drawing; it's a contract and bill for services. IPC Standards: Ticket to a Safe Passage Feature Interview by the I-Connect007 Editorial Team