Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1518649
10 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2024 Feature Interview by Andy Shaughnessy I-CONNECT007 I recently spoke with IPC's Patrick Craw- ford, manager of design standards and related industry programs, and Kris Moyer, certified IPC master instructor, about this year's IPC Design Competition. Now in its third year, the preliminary heat began in January, and the winners will compete in the final heat at IPC APEX EXPO in Anaheim. I asked Patrick and Kris to discuss the Design Competition, advice for contestants, and why designers should enter next year's com- petition. As Kris points out, an open mind and knowledge of IPC standards will go a long way. Andy Shaughnessy: Patrick, give us an overview of the IPC Design Competition. Patrick Crawford: The competition was launched in 2022 from a desire to engage with designers in an extracurricular way, outside of standards, development, and work. is is our third year and it's been successful so far. We opened registration on Jan. 1, and 50 people signed up in the first week, which is really cool. We do two heats—a preliminary and a final heat. e preliminary heat is an at- home design. We provide contestants with a schematic, a bill of materials, and a scope of work. It's all on paper, and we say, "Go forth