Just to reiterate...
Designers already do get good discounts on a lot of specs by being members
of the Designers Council. That's the best way for designers to get the specs
they need. We are always lobbying to get discounts on key specs that are
needed by the designers and we get them. If you see one that you think
should be on the list... lets us know.
See the DC website for the discounts available to members...
http://dc.ipc.org/DCmembership/memhome.htm
http://dc.ipc.org/DCMembership/DISCDOCS4DCmembers.pdf
DC membership is 50.00 a year.
Corporate Members are perceived and being participants in the spec creation
process and as supporters of the IPC in general for the collective good of
the industry through their membership dues and additional intellectual and
financial contributions to the organization. Corporate membership is
1,000.00 a year.
http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=2.2
IPC also participates globally with other organizations in getting consensus
in standardization and absorbs the costs of getting the folks together to
agree at meetings in different places around the world...
http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=2.1.2
They are in the process of changing the focus of the IPC on being a global
entity as opposed to just a manufacturers' representative organization.
Nick is right to point out that their costs are substantial in making it
possible to create the standards and there needs to be a way to fund this...
very beneficial activity...
There is a substantial overhead in running an organization of this size and
scope.
http://www.ipc.org/stafflist1.asp#pro
The revenue streams are not well known by most of us designers... I am still
trying to get my arms around that one... just to get a feel for the
operating costs of the organization and how it gets money to operate the
activities it's involved in and how it uses that money to fund activities
related to educations, specification development government lobbying, etc...
http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=6.5.2.4
http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=6.5.2.3
http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=6.5.2.2
http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=6.5.2.1
I don't know if the culture of the organization is able to change in such a
way as to make the dissemination of the data more accessible to the lower
income small companies and individuals than it already does... but being a
optimist, I'm sure that they can find ways to improve somewhat and I know
they want to... so if we just be positive by trying to bring the focus back
to the issues at hand... maybe they will see a way... who knows.
One great part of being a member is your ability to help shape the future
and direction of the organization... through participation. I highly
recommend involvement and participation... it's a great way to help change
things for the better.
Best regards,
Bill Brooks - KG6VVP
PCB Design Engineer , C.I.D.+, C.I.I.
Tel: (760)597-1500 Ext 3772 Fax: (760)597-1510
e-mail:[log in to unmask]
http://www.dtwc.com
http://pcbwizards.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Nick Ban (PCBL) [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 10:47 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [DC] IPC Design Specifications
Please don't misunderstand me, I am not for IPC becoming wealthy. However, I
would like to see it operational 5 years from now.
Lowering cost of the standards may get more people to purchase more, but
that does not necessarily mean that IPC will be able to make up its expenses
in creating and promoting of the standard (ie sustain itself).
It seems to me it's about choosing the lesser of two evils:
1. Higher cost standards to cover the expenses
- Some cannot afford and probably illegally reproduce
standards; operating expenses met.
2. Low cost standards to make more affordable
- cost of creating standards remains high (even with the
cutbacks of the last several years), and liabilities
cannot be paid despite the fact that everybody in
the industry uses the standards.
While most standard users would prefer option 2, it is not a good business
model of any company that isn't otherwise adequately funded.
-----Original Message-----
From: Ray Johnston [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 11:54 AM
To: [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [DC] IPC Design Specifications
Nick,
I don't think it about getting specifications and training for free. Its
more about getting more affordable for the individual designer.
Whether a member is an individual or a company should not be an issue when
discounting to members. We all want standards to help get the job done
right, but if they are unattainable then eventually the standard will be no
more. It is more the individual then a company that keeps the standards a
standard. I know from where I sit I get the (non-member)company I work for
to buy standards from the IPC, because they are necessary. I am the only
member at this company and in the past have had some trouble getting them to
bite on the IPC standards.
What I'm trying to say is that because a company has individual member(s),
the company will buy standards at full price, and Rane (the company I work
for) buys these standards for both Engineering and manufacturing.
I would think this is worth more than a discount.
Well thanks for letting me rant.
Ray Johnston
Lead CAD Designer
Rane Corporation
425-355-6000
rayj@rane,com
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