Electronics Industry Pioneer Jim Raby Passes Away

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Long-time IPC member, industry leader and founder of STI Electronics Inc., Jim Raby, 82, passed away on Friday, June 16.  

For more than 40 years, Jim worked on industry standards, including IPC-J-STD-001, IPC-A-610 and standards for wire harnesses. He was also involved in research for lead-free solder processes and materials. His seminal paper, “Standardization of Military Specifications,” was the roadmap for reducing some 219 specifications into a single four-document set known as MIL-STD-2000, the precursor to J-STD-001 and IPC-A-610.

He worked on more than a dozen standards and training programs, and chaired or vice-chaired committees on soldering, rework and repair, component mounting, and product assurance. He wrote the curriculum and conducted beta testing for IPC training programs for IPC-J-STD-001, IPC-A-610D, IPC/WHMA-A-620, and IPC-7711/7721A, and received the IPC Presidents Award in 1984.

Jim will be missed by his fellow IPC committee members, staff and his colleagues in the electronics manufacturing industry.

In a statement, the company said, "… Although Jim's passing will leave a huge void in each of our lives, his legacy will live on. His love for family, friends, colleagues and country will remain in our hearts and memories for years to come."

Funeral arrangements are pending.