Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1520492
108 I-CONNECT007 I REAL TIME WITH... IPC APEX EXPO 2024 SHOW & TELL MAGAZINE white papers on several key design topics involving CAD data, DFM, and stakeholder usage and accessibility. When a Q&A session started with the audience, there appeared to be several differences of opinion regarding an effort to incorporate capabilities inside PCB design software. The pitch involved adding the capability to audit for design con- formance to IPC design and manufacturing standards within a PCB layout—in effect, enabling design-rule checking to consider design spec and class automatically. While interesting PCB designer points and counterpoints volleyed across the room, I watched Chad, who raised an eyebrow, leaned over to me, and said, "Why so much on standards? No one ever creates disruptive products by following standards." Chad's comment got me thinking. New product technologies can rarely follow stan- dards. Emerging technologies or cutting- edge engineering must find ways outside of the standards or norms to be competitive. Nevertheless, design standards help any conforming stakeholder build a PCB easily. As a PCB industry stakeholder advocate, I have strived to meet this philosophy. How- ever, as an inventor/entrepreneur, Chad's perspective suggested that if everyone must be able to build it, inventors will never achieve the next life-changing product or experience. I thought of our famous inventors, those who are shrinking our components and have disrupted the electronics industry, such as Happy Holden, considered the father of HDI. These inventors drew outside the lines and had to come up with nonstan- dard ways to solve impossible engineering goals. My preconceived opinions regarding PCB designers not following standards were whiplashing about inside my head. Without Andy here to toss this concept around, I listened to some important points made by Chad. Later in the afternoon, he summed up this session in a way that makes the saying, "Everything starts with design," incomplete for me. Designing vs. Inventing As Chad and I traversed the show floor later in the afternoon, we stopped to talk to sev- eral EMS companies. We queried them about their success at the show to gain leads—cus- tomers for whom they could manufacture ideas. Their response was neutral. They summarized the overall traffic as high but described the show floor as full of people looking to buy new machines, with equip- ment setting the capability standards for design. Chad agreed. He elaborated that in EMS, we are used to customers coming to us needing solutions for their own inventions, capabilities which do not exist on this show floor. They are inventors who need "impos- sible" solutions that no one else can deliver. Chad Orebaugh, Keytronic.