-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- pcb007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueThe Growing Industry
In this issue of PCB007 Magazine, we talk with leading economic experts, advocacy specialists in Washington, D.C., and PCB company leadership to get a well-rounded picture of what’s happening in the industry today. Don’t miss it.
The Sustainability Issue
Sustainability is one of the most widely used terms in business today, especially for electronics and manufacturing but what does it mean to you? We explore the environmental, business, and economic impacts.
The Fabricator’s Guide to IPC APEX EXPO
This issue previews many of the important events taking place at this year's show and highlights some changes and opportunities. So, buckle up. We are counting down to IPC APEX EXPO 2024.
- Articles
Article Highlights
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - pcb007 Magazine
A Sneak Peak with Jim van den Hogen
December 29, 2022 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineEstimated reading time: 3 minutes
Jim van den Hogen has been teaching PCB designers and design engineers about fabrication processes for decades. Twenty years ago, I had the opportunity to see a class of his at PCB West; even back then, the room was jammed with designers eager to learn more about DFM techniques. Now Jim is bringing his teaching expertise to IPC APEX EXPO 2023 this January with a similar class directed at PCB designers. I asked Jim to give us a sneak peek into his curriculum and to share what he hopes attendees will take away from his class, as well as his thoughts on how to best bridge the gap between design and fabrication.
Andy Shaughnessy: Jim, tell us a little about your Professional Development class at IPC APEX EXPO 2023.
Jim van den Hogen: The class walks you through a basic multilayer fabrication process from front to back. It includes discussions on material, stackups, via metrics, aspect ratios, solder mask, surface finish, and various other fabrication-related topics. I have several sample sets that I’ll pass around for students to inspect. Each sample set has over 25 individual pieces, all of them taken at various steps of a multi-layer fabrication process, so students will be able to visualize the concepts we’ll be discussing in the class. We will also cover the typical requirements for a PCB fabrication drawing. The final portion of the class will cover array or manufacturing panel design, and ways to maximize cost savings when working with these processes.
Shaughnessy: Why should someone attend your class?
Van den Hogen: Students in my glass will gain a strong foundation in the basics of PCB fabrication and will get to go in-depth on the complexities of the process. You will learn how your design and specification thereof can affect the fabrication process and, in turn, how the delivered PCB can affect the assembly process.
Shaughnessy: It’s a fabrication class, but your target audience includes both PCB designers and design engineers. I know many designers who haven’t been in a board shop in decades, if at all; does that seem to be the case with your classes?
Van den Hogen: Yes, there are many designers and engineers that have never set foot in a board shop. It is difficult to understand the complexity of board fabrication without firsthand experience. While the PCB Fabrication Basics course presentation will get you close, a “behind the glass” board shop tour can tie it all together.
Shaughnessy: What is the most important piece of advice you give your attendees?
Van den Hogen: Engage with your suppliers up front. This becomes increasingly more important as your designs become more complex. Work with your supplier to define a fabrication stack-up that includes material selection, copper weights, plating thicknesses, and via/trace/space metrics. You will want to discuss what qualification specification(s) the finished product will need to meet. This may be an IPC specification (typically IPC-6012 and IPC-4101) or a corporate specification. This should be done as early in the design process as possible, preferably before you start placing parts in your design.
Shaughnessy: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Van den Hogen: This class has been presented before and most of the attendee feedback comments mentioned how the sample sets that are passed out during class make it easier to grasp many of the topics presented. Also, while at the conference, you should plan on attending a standards development committee meeting. If you disagree with what is written or would like to help improve or update current specifications, that is where you’ll have your chance to make your voice heard.
Shaughnessy: Designers do like to share their opinions, so you may be in luck there. Thanks for talking with me, Jim.
Van den Hogen: Thank you, Andy.
Suggested Items
Indium Experts to Present on High-Temperature, Lead-Free Solder Paste and High Reliability Liquid Metal Alloys Poster at ECTC
05/16/2024 | Indium CorporationIndium Corporation Research Associate Kyle Aserian will deliver a presentation at the 74th Electronic Components and Technology Conference (ECTC) on May 31, in Denver, Colorado.
Indium Experts to Present at Electronics in Harsh Environments SMTA Conference
05/13/2024 | Indium Corporationndium Corporation Technical Manager for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, Karthik Vijay, will deliver a technical presentation and Indium Corporation Senior Technologist, Dr. Ronald Lasky, will deliver both a workshop and technical presentation at the Electronics in Harsh Environments SMTA Conference on May 14-16 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Connect the Dots: Designing for Reality—The Pre-Manufacturing Process
05/08/2024 | Matt Stevenson -- Column: Connect the DotsI have been working with Nolan Johnson on a podcast series about designing PCBs for the reality of manufacturing. By sharing lessons learned over a long career in the PCB industry, we hope to shorten learning curves and help designers produce better boards with less hassle and rework. Episode 2 deals with the electronic pre-manufacturing process. Moving from CAD (computer-aided design) to CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) is a key step in PCB manufacturing. CAM turns digital designs into instructions that machines can use to actually build the PCB.
AIM Solder Signs Shinil Fl Ltd. as New Distributor for Korea
05/08/2024 | AIM SolderAIM Solder, a leading global manufacturer of solder assembly materials for the electronics industry, is pleased to announce a new distribution partnership with Shinil Fl Ltd., a prominent supplier of technological solutions in the SMT and semiconductor sectors.
Indium Corporation to Showcase HIA Materials at ECTC
05/07/2024 | Indium CorporationAs an industry leader in innovative materials solutions for semiconductor packaging and assembly, Indium Corporation® will feature its advanced products designed to meet the evolving challenges of heterogeneous integration and assembly (HIA) and fine-pitch system-in-package (SiP) applications at the 74th Electronic Components and Technology Conference (ECTC), May 28‒31, in Denver, Colorado.