IPC-SM-782 Rev.B?

[John Wagstaff]

Tom,

I have been using your landpattern calculator for the last two years. In my experience, the data is sound. We have produced about 50 pcb's using the LMC footprints. The only problem I have is with our "quality" department. Since the footprints for LMC are not in a formal IPC spec they constantly raise their little red flags. So, I was wondering if you know of a date when the new 782 spec is to be released. Is the new spec due out shortly or is it months or even years away?

Thank you,

John

[Tom]

John,

Here is a snip from a recent e-mail from Dieter Bergman, the creator of the IPC-SM-782 handbook....

In a message dated 8/23/2002 11:54:59 AM Central Daylight Time

Tom,

John Perry and I are on the last set of land patterns for the 3-Tier analysis for the new IPC-SM-782. Then we are ready to go into publication. So we should plan to start something toward the end of the year for the master land pattern library. While you are in Toronto speaking at the IPC DLS conference, I will be in Helsinki trying to get the Japanese to agree with what we are doing. After the meeting in New Orleans we should be all set to come up with the library strategy for a master One World Library.

Dieter


Dieter does not mention the exact release date of the new 3-Tier IPC-SM-782B but my guess is that it will be available in November. I can't wait to see the final results and hope to get the second copy off the press (the first copy will go to Dieter). Because of our contribution to help IPC with this new technology, I have some of the new spread sheets and have been studying them for accuracy. IPC has a slightly different formula for land pattern calculations because Dieter does "On The Fly" calculations to derive the best possible scenario for each specific land pattern. While we have a strict mathematical formula that we apply across the board for each component family. When we match our output data with the new IPC data, our dimensional differences are so small that we refer to it as "Air" (or so small that the human eye cannot see the difference).

It's very important to point out that our calculators are used to derive data for hundreds of parts in any one-component family while IPC just focuses on specific component groups that are a small subset of what we have. This is why we have to have a strict formula driven calculator and also because we do not have Dieter working on this full time. Dieter spends the majority of his time on Fabrication and Assembly Standards and the IPC Designer Certification program. That's why it's taken so long to get the new IPC-SM-782B into publication. That's also why there are 3 - 4 years between revisions to the 782.

Dieter is like a father to me. Everything that we represent (our ultimate goals and aspirations) is synchronized. Tell your quality control department to relax. Everything is under control.

[ltrakal]

Cool, anothe LMC user. That's the way to go.

LAszlo