Jeeze Jason

 Is it too late for you to become a rock-and-roll
musician or an air traffic controller and have a
relatively sane and peaceful existence instead?
No? Ok. then here are some thoughts.

1) Also sign on to [log in to unmask]

2) If you have (or have access to) a web browser:

 A) Go to DesignerCouncil email forum archives at IPC
"On Line Services", "E-mail Forums Archives"

http://www.ipc.org/html/framesetdestypes.html

and trace threads that look relevant to your needs.
You might want to look for questions with JoAnn
Amerson as the author, as she's asked some good
questions and received some good answers over the
last year or so.

  B) Go to the "PCB Process" page of

http://www.aracnet.com/~gpatrick/

where you get can a  good description of the
PWB Design process written by someone who
cares about what they do and how they do it.

 C) Lots of other helpful sites out there. Go surfin' the web.

3) Treat every contact with fabricators, assemblers, testers,
design engineers, etc. (even the occasionally irate ones)
as an opportunity for you to learn something more about the
process of turning an idea into a product in the customers' hands.
If possible, watch/help as they perform their functions on a board,
preferably one you designed. This will usually make most of the
design rules make sense, help you violate them consciously when
necessary with an understanding of the impact, and give you the
insight to negotiate away the outdated & "just because we always
have..." rules.

4)  Attend relevant workshops if available in your area.

Good Luck

Tom Martin

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