Circuits Assembly - March 2008 - (Page 8)

Letters A Stimulating Proposal One of the proposals under the economic stimulus packages being put forth in Congress is a provision for an immediate write-off of 50% for plant and equipment. Additional provisions would assist small businesses. Politics, however, is like sausage-making: Sometimes the end-product bears little resemblance to the ingredients. Competing interests can alter legislation substantially. If you feel this would benefit your company, contact your representatives to express your support. Being in the capital equipment business, we have a vested interest, but beyond this, the reality is that the level of investment in plant and equipment has been severely constrained for years. Technology doesn’t get easier to build, and we need the tools to do so. Competition overseas in many cases can depreciate new equipment and plant in 12 months. This is a significant financial advantage. This legislation helps level the playing field. Matthew Holzmann Christopher Associates Rabid for Raby I am one of the many people who can call Jim Raby mentor and friend. He taught me the majority of what I know about electronics manufacturing. He has impacted manufacturing of Department of Defense products in a positive way his entire career. Also, I know firsthand of his involvement with soldering/ assembly specifications from WS6536 to J-STD-001 and IPC-A-610. It is not a stretch to say that in some way he has touched everyone who has worked with military and IPC soldering specifications from the 1970s to the present. His legacy is yet to be written but his long-term impact on the electronics manufacturing industry is significant and should be recognized. Mel Scott Ed.: We received nearly 30 responses to the February Caveat Lector, all in favor of our position that Jim Raby deserves induction into the IPC Hall of Fame. A few of the comments: When Jim Raby was getting STI rolling, I was a process engineer at Avex Electronics (now Benchmark). I was in the Advanced Technology Group, and we had a lab with SEM, C-SAM, etc. Raby would come by to use the equipment. I learned more from him during those sessions than any book, class, or PAC that I’ve ever attended. Raby has been on a constant quest to make sure engineers “really understand a solder joint.” A significant portion of the “real” understanding of the solder process, especially in the South, originates with him. I dispense “Jimisms” to this day. Kevin Mobley Jim Raby is a leading light in this industry. I hope the nominations are in favor of this great man. Mike Cummings TSI Consultants Amen to your column. I have known Jim Raby since the 1970s, starting at China Lake. Raby allowed me to give a technical paper on wave soldering for one of his annual seminars. I knew him then by reputation and was so nervous meeting him that my insides were full of butterflies. Through the years, Raby has advised me on business and personal issues. I consider him one of the all-time outstanding leaders in our industry. Douglas N. Winther Technical Devices I am one of the privileged to have learned most of what I know from Jim Raby. He hired me out of college and set me on the path to understand process control and the importance of doing a job right the first time. It has been several years since I have worked for Jim, but he has always been only a phone call away. He continues to contribute to our industry and the Hall of Fame would be lucky to have such a pioneer as a member. Kathi Johnson Hexacon Electric I met Jim Raby 20 years ago at China Lake at a soldering seminar. I started my government career working at the Soldering Certification Center at Redstone Arsenal, which Jim was instrumental in starting. Over the years, I have worked with Jim on several IPC committees. One very memorable meeting, he volunteered his “end of the table” to begin writing the training plan for J-STD-001. We met at STI in Madison to begin work. (Remember the picture in the cotton field?) Over the years, anytime I had a technical problem and needed help, all I had to do was pick up the phone. Jim was always more than willing to help, and there was never a dumb question. Jim is truly an icon in the electronics industry and very deserving of this award. Sharon Ventress U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command Send your thoughts to Editor, CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY, email: mbuetow@upmedia group.com. Letters must include the writer’s name, address and company affiliation and may be edited for length and clarity. It is not often we have the chance to recognize a man who has spent more than a half century contributing to our industry, be it soldering, assembly, specification consolidation and clarifying, or in assisting the IPC with the precursor of IPC-A-610. Jim Raby’s 30-plus years in standards, his origination of the Zero-Defects program for wave soldering, and work on the Lights-Out Factory are but a few of his accomplishments and contributions. As a member of the IPC’s Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame, I would be honored to have Jim join our ranks. Gene H. Weiner Weiner & Associates Circuits Assembly MARCH 2008 8 circuitsassembly.com http://circuitsassembly.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Circuits Assembly - March 2008

Circuits Assembly - March 2008 Caveat Lector Letters Industry News Market Watch Talking Heads Focus on Business On the Forefront Screen Printing What Drives the Crowd? Mastering ESD Control in Automated Handling Systems Beating the RoHS Heat Trade Secrets True to Its Roots The Road Abroad - Strategic Alliance or Greenfield Facility? Tech Tips Wave Soldering Test and Inspection Process Doctor Pb-Free Lessons Learned Getting Lean Materials World Equipment Advances Apex Product Preview Ad Index Assembly Insider Technical Abstracts

Circuits Assembly - March 2008

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