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30 SMT Magazine • December 2015 Q: What types of committees/teams are currently active? A: We currently have more than 300 active stan- dard committees. All committee participants have the same goal in mind: to better the in- dustry by developing industry driven standards. With that said, we assemble these committees to uncover issues that are at the forefront of indus- try. Our committees operate on a global level, and we encourage participation from every cor- ner of the earth. Q: how does ipc cooperate with other associations? A: First and foremost, we look for a common ground. That's important. In order to benefit the industry, we look to collaborate with oth- er forward thinkers. So when it comes to co- operation, we are always ready to find other likeminded associations who are concerned with addressing the needs of the electronics industry. Most notably, we have had a great, ongoing partnership with the World Electronic Circuits Council (WECC) that includes many of our "sister associations" including HKPCA, JPCA, CPCA, EIPC IPCA and more, and joined with Wire Harness Manufacturer's Association (WHMA) to produce the standard IPC/WHMA- A-620, Requirements and Acceptance for Cable and Wire Harness Assemblies. IPC also collaborates with the electronics in- dustries' foremost thought leaders and subject matter experts to create roadmaps, white papers and other documents. The biennial IPC Inter- national Technology Roadmap for Electronic Interconnections is a prime example of an in- ternational team of experts coming together to create an invaluable resource for the global elec- tronics supply chain. Q: What upcoming standard/certifications do you feel people should be aware of? A: We have a lot on the horizon, including an update for IPC-A-600-J, Acceptability of Printed Boards. Revision J comes with much anticipa- tion, as the last needed revision was revision H, which was launched in 2010. Since then, the in- dustry has gone through some transformations and is ready for the next iteration. This revision will address a number of issues that will help usher printed boards into the next generation. Moreover, this revision is a critical companion to accompany IPC-6012D, Qualification and Per- formance Specification for Rigid Printed Boards, which is the definitive illustrated guide to print- ed board acceptability. FeATure inTerview IPc: connecTInG eLecTronIcS InDUSTrIeS