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Design007-Oct2023

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OCTOBER 2023 I DESIGN007 MAGAZINE 13 One company I worked with was having library issues with only 300 components. I asked them what they would do when they got to 50,000 components. I got a view into their library, and they had set things up based on default designators. I couldn't tell what was what. It was a great example of a company that wanted to do things their own way. I feel like I'm back in the '60s: "Hey, man, we can go do our own thing. Cool!" Shaughnessy: After Woodstock, they should have all started following standards. Right. I had the pleasure this past year of sitting on the steering committee for IPC-2221, and it was an interesting experience to work with a roomful of experts. As we went through the standard, the input from these individuals was so amazing; we're capturing real-world expe- rience and documenting it in the standards. Everyone should attend one of these meetings, even if you don't contribute; just sit and listen because you can learn a lot from these experts. Matties: How do you know which standards you should be aware of and which ones to investigate? What's the process for finding the correct standard? I use the IPC Standards Tree, which is available on the website. ere are branches for PCB design, materials, and assembly. is guide directs and helps me find the standards for that topic. It's all there: components, embedded technology, cleaning, solderability, and sup- port. Matties: If you were coming up on a job that uses a new material, would you first go to IPC to look at material standards, or would you go to the vendors? What standards play into that equation? I would start with the material itself. What are the specifics? en go into, say, slash sheets, followed by speaking with the vendor. It's all part of one big ball of wax that we call infor- mation. It's also important to understand the changes that have happened in the industry because the standard may be a few years old. Take that into consideration. IPC committees are updating the standards as quickly as they can, but it's a combination of standards and vendor information. Shaughnessy: Maybe IPC could offer a class called "Intro to IPC Standards?" Now, when someone first starts designing boards, how do they know what to make of the standards? How do you get your foot in the door with them? Most EE grads say they don't learn much about standards in college. Warning, here's where I talk negatively about my own industry. I see that oen, as design- ers, we just shoot from the hip. We look at it completely wrong by telling ourselves, "We're just connecting the dots and the board works." Just because it works doesn't mean it's right. ere may be problems inside the PCB design that haven't raised their ugly heads yet. at's where standards come in. Shaughnessy: Seems that designers don't know because most of them don't visit board shops. ey don't. How can they design PCBs without visiting a fab house? I asked one of our really John Watson

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