-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- pcb007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueDon’t Just Survive, Thrive
If we are to be relevant and prosper during these next critical decades in electronics, we must do more than survive. As an industry, we can and must thrive. In this issue, our contributors explore these concepts meant to help you take your business to the next level.
Material Matters
Materials management is nuanced, multifaceted, and requires a holistic systems approach for business success. When building high mix, low volume, and high technology, managing materials and overall cost containment are even greater challenges.
Additive Manufacturing
In this month’s issue, we explore additive manufacturing technology for the PCB fabricator: where it stands today, the true benefits, and where it seems to be headed.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - pcb007 Magazine
Jan Pedersen: Dieter Bergman IPC Fellowship Award Recipient
March 10, 2021 | Patty Goldman, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
![](https://iconnect007.com/application/files/1516/9086/7448/Jan_Pedersen_winner.jpg)
From the IPC website: The Dieter Bergman IPC Fellowship Award is given to individuals who have fostered a collaborative spirit, made significant contributions to standards development, and have consistently demonstrated a commitment to global standardization efforts and the electronics industry. Each recipient will be eligible to bestow the Dieter Bergman Memorial Scholarship upon the university or college of his/her choice.
To view a video of Jan Pedersen receiving news about receiving this award, click here.
Patty Goldman speaks with Jan Pedersen of Elmatica, Dieter Bergman IPC Fellowship Award recipient, and Guro Krossen, Elmatica's communication manager, about Jan's extensive involvement with IPC on many committees developing standards, especially the automotive and medical addendums to IPC-6012 and 6013.
Patty Goldman: Jan, congratulations on this award; it’s a big deal as you know and a great accomplishment. How did you feel when you got that phone call?
Jan Pedersen: That was amazing. John Mitchell called me, he wanted a five to 10 minutes call and I thought, “What did he call me about?” He told me about this. I said, “Wow! It’s not possible. Who recommended me?” That was really a surprise, but I’m honored and really flattered that they wanted to recognize me.
Goldman: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your involvement with IPC.
Pedersen: If I tell something about myself it would be starting as a very young boy because my father had a PCB factory. I started as a child worker (laughs). I normally joke about that. When I came into my 20s, we bought another factory, and I was leading that factory as a production manager. Then I came to Elmatica in ‘92, and from here I’ve been more or less handling technologies, suppliers, and today I’m senior technical advisor. On the way, I was engaged into IPC, I think it was 2014. Then it was Lars Wallin who asked me to come to Germany and join a meeting where we were discussing starting an automotive addendum to the IPC-6012. It was just like when you show up as a parent to your child playing football or whatever, and you’re the only one that comes and you take all the jobs.
Nobody wanted to be the chairman. I said, “Okay, I can do that.” So that was the start, actually, when we began working with IPC, and of course it was the automotive addendum the first couple of years. Then I got this idea about the medical. I asked IPC if they were interested in creating a medical addendum to IPC-6012 and IPC-6013, and that is now going to be completed. We did 6012 last autumn and the 6013 addendum is in the works because IPC-6013E is going through ballot now and we need to wait for that. But during that period, I’ve been involved in a lot of committees and task groups for press fit and quite a lot for automotive, also.
Goldman: Are all your committees related to automotive or medical?
Pedersen: Yes, mostly automotive and medical related, but others as well. There have been a lot of committees, and one of them—I call it my baby—is to connect and have a better overview of the IPC-6010 series, or what is called D-33a, which is about the performance of the PCBs: IPC-6012, IPC-6013, IPC-6018, and all the addendums. My idea is we are creating addendums, but how does that correlate with the mother document? We are implementing requirements, tolerances, and so on into the addendums that probably should have been in the main document for them, and right now we are discussing ultra HDI PCBs. That’s an interest-group across quite a few of the committees, involving design, and performance, and it’s being led by myself and Herb Snowgren. We are discussing PCBs with the tracks and gaps down to 10 microns.
Goldman: That’s pretty small.
Pedersen: It is, yes. The technology’s out there.
Goldman: Okay, so back to your regular job; how do you fit it all in?
Pedersen: Evening time (laughs). It’s a full day job, or more than full day. Guro is listening here. She is always asking me to go into LinkedIn and write some articles and so on. That’s nighttime as well. So, there’s a lot of evening time.
Guro Krossen: He is doing a very good job. He’s always on. I think it’s like a 24/7 job for him; even if I’m sitting up late until 1:30 and thinking nobody else is there. He’s always very dedicated.
Goldman: So, when you say it’s your baby, it’s really your baby—you feel like a 24/7 parent.
Pedersen: It is. I’m quite passionate about getting the standards right and also getting them up to date. Like if you saw some of the guys in IPC were writing just two years ago that in the U.S. you had very few designs below 3-mil track and gap. Today, we are working with 1 mil. I get calls from California, from South Africa, people talking about, “Hey, we really need that 1-mil or a 25-micron track and gap boards.”
Goldman: What would you say to some young engineers and people getting into IPC? What is your advice to them?
Pedersen: My advice would be to engage with other people across the world, and make sure that you are connected. For me, a very good way to be connected was to join IPC. You get a lot of connections with people thinking not necessarily the same as yourself, but they’re working with the same topics. If you’re into electronics with manufacturing design, PCB manufacturing, assembly, or test, there are lots of people connected to IPC that are willing to share with you and discuss. I think that’s the best way to be on top of what’s going on.
Goldman: Yes. Now, one of the things with the Dieter Bergman Fellowship Award is a scholarship to the university or other school of your choice. Have you made a choice yet?
Pedersen: Yes, I have chosen two students working on a medical project at the University of South Eastern Norway. There are three reasons for choosing this project: it is medical, it needs miniaturization, and I have a close relationship to the electronics industry in this area, the “electronic coast.” We use the university’s premises when we meet, discussing PCBs in harsh environments and IPC standards.
The project is called “Arm neuroprosthesis equipped with artificial skin and sensorial feedback” (ARMIN), and the two students are Saad Rabbani and Samarbir Singh. Funny enough, none of them are Norwegians. One of them is from Pakistan and the other from India, and their hometowns are on the opposite sides of Kashmir—but the conflict has not stopped the friendship between these two students!
Saad and Samarbir are both masters in micro- and nano-systems technology, working on their master's theses related to the ARMIN project. Both are working on research that is very central to this project.
Since we are giving the scholarship to two students, Elmatica has decided to double it to $2,000 USD. Inspired by IPC, we plan to take this opportunity and make the scholarship into a yearly Elmatica event.
Goldman: That’s great to hear. Thanks Jan, and congratulations again.
RELATED VIDEO:
Suggested Items
Enhance Your Electronics Expertise Through IPC Courses in August
07/25/2024 | Corey Lynn, IPCAs the global leader in standards, training, and certification for the electronics industry, IPC is pleased to announce an array of upcoming online instructor-led courses this August. These courses are designed to equip professionals with the latest skills and knowledge required to excel in the ever-evolving field of electronics manufacturing and design. Whether you want to deepen your expertise in PCB design and manufacturing, understand the intricacies of intermetallic compounds, or learn about counterfeit part mitigation, IPC has a course tailored for you.
The Knowledge Base: The Value of Industry Certifications
07/24/2024 | Mike Konrad -- Column: The Knowledge BaseIndustry certifications have become increasingly significant in the modern job market, offering a range of benefits to both individuals and employers. These certifications serve as formal recognitions of expertise and proficiency in specific areas, validating a person's skills and knowledge. In the context of the electronics assembly industry, certifications are particularly valuable, given the technical nature of the work and the rapid advancements in technology.
Tom Edman Leads IPC Board of Directors
07/17/2024 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineIPC elected several new board members at IPC APEX EXPO in April, including new Board Chair Tom Edman, CEO of TTM, who assumes the role from Bob Neves, CTO and chair of Microtek Laboratories. Tom and TTM have long been active in many facets of IPC. I caught up with Tom and asked him about his new board appointment, IPC, and the industry he serves. He emphasizes IPC’s work in standards and advocacy as especially important for our industry.
Getting Clear About Certification With Charlie Capers
07/17/2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamWalk through the entrance at Zentech Dallas and you’ll see a wall of certification plaques prominently displayed. Beyond being impressive and a point of pride, these certifications tell a story to potential customers: This company is ready to do business. Charlie Capers, former vice president and general manager, shares his insights on quantifying the ROI of certifications. You may not see it on paper, but it’s definitely there. He also talks about his expectations for new hires and shares a case study about the importance of collaborating with your PCB designers.
Winners of 2024 IPC Masters Competition China Announced
07/17/2024 | IPCFrom July 8-10, the 2024 IPC Masters Competition China was successfully held in Pudong, Shanghai. This year’s competition, was the largest in the history of the Greater China region, bringing nearly 400 electronics industry elites from 18 provinces and municipalities.