-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- pcb007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueThe Hole Truth: Via Integrity in an HDI World
From the drilled hole to registration across multiple sequential lamination cycles, to the quality of your copper plating, via reliability in an HDI world is becoming an ever-greater challenge. This month we look at “The Hole Truth,” from creating the “perfect” via to how you can assure via quality and reliability, the first time, every time.
In Pursuit of Perfection: Defect Reduction
For bare PCB board fabrication, defect reduction is a critical aspect of a company's bottom line profitability. In this issue, we examine how imaging, etching, and plating processes can provide information and insight into reducing defects and increasing yields.
Voices of the Industry
We take the pulse of the PCB industry by sharing insights from leading fabricators and suppliers in this month's issue. We've gathered their thoughts on the new U.S. administration, spending, the war in Ukraine, and their most pressing needs. It’s an eye-opening and enlightening look behind the curtain.
- Articles
- Columns
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - pcb007 Magazine
Design For Excellence: Karen McConnell on Standards
October 31, 2019 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineEstimated reading time: 2 minutes

During the IPC Summer Meetings, I spoke with Karen McConnell, senior staff CAD CAM engineer with Northrop Grumman Mission Systems. Karen is a veteran PCB designer as well as an IPC committee chair and mentor. She offered an update on some of the IPC committees she chairs, the need for more mentor programs in this industry, and why you can call something a ham sandwich if you define it correctly in the standard.
Andy Shaughnessy: Karen, it’s nice to see you again. Now, you seem to be staying fairly busy—you’re a committee chair as well as an IPC mentor. Can you tell us about what’s been happening in some of the committees that you chair?
Karen McConnell: I’ll start with the Design for Excellence Committee (1-14). We recently released the IPC-2231 document on design for excellence (DFX). One of the things we’re doing immediately in the next revision is adding the phrase “Design for Excellence” in the title so that everybody knows what DFX is. The document is a guideline for a company or a group to grow or start a DFX program. It includes the science of fabrication, assembly, test, and environment. The 1-14 Subcommittee went immediately into revision because we knew that the document would never be complete. We expected it to be one of those documents that are continuously revised because of comments coming in from the industry as they start to use this document. One of the things we want to do this time with revision A is to develop a feedback loop for the industry to supply their comments or better ways of doing what we suggested.
I am also a co-chair for the Land Pattern Committee (1-13). We were trying to redo a whole revision based on things that JEDEC had proposed, but a recent decision by the 2-30 Committee is making the 1-13 Committee revisit our decision. We’re trying to come up with a plan to table some of the updates we have done, revise the 73-51 B version, correct any errors, release it, and then look at the JEDEC proposal.
Further, I’m an IPC mentor. My mentee, Kevin Kusiak of Lockheed Martin, graduated at IPC APEX EXPO last year. It is a great program if you have young engineers that you want to grow in the printed board industry. They are mentored by an experienced IPC member within your company or another company on how to navigate the IPC environment, the standards, what the standards are about, and how to take advantage of the training. They are given free admittance into IPC APEX EXPO for three years. The mentor’s and mentee’s managers have to sign off that they are committed to supporting the travel and the person’s time throughout the three-year program.
To read this entire interview, which appeared in the September 2019 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.
Suggested Items
Global Semiconductor Sales Increase 27% Year-to-Year in May
07/07/2025 | SIAThe Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) announced global semiconductor sales were $59.0 billion during the month of May 2025, an increase of 27.0% compared to the May 2024 total of $46.4 billion and 3.5% more than the April 2025 total of $57.0 billion.
SIA Applauds Passage of Strengthened Semiconductor Investment Credit
07/04/2025 | SIAThe Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) released the following statement from SIA President and CEO John Neuffer following passage in the U.S. House of Representatives of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1).
Horizon Sales Celebrates 10 Years of Exceptional Service by Sales Leader David Smith
07/02/2025 | Horizon SalesHorizon Sales, a premier manufacturers’ representative and distributor for the electronics assembly industry, is proud to announce that David Smith is celebrating 10 years with the company this month.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
06/27/2025 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007While news outside our industry keeps our attention occupied, the big news inside the industry is the rechristening of IPC as the Global Electronics Association. My must-reads begins with Marcy LaRont’s exclusive and informative interview with Dr. John Mitchell, president and CEO of the Global Electronics Association. For designers, have we finally reached the point in time where autorouters will fulfill their potential?
Reflections and Priorities: An Update to I-Connect007 Readers
06/24/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007The electronics and manufacturing industry is evolving rapidly—with new technologies, deeper global connections, and a growing drive toward sustainability. To reflect these changes and our place in this dynamic space, we’re refreshing our brand.