For decades, humans using software solutions created by humans have been trying to create a perfect PCB design data package that can be utilized, as is, by a PCB fabricator. The goal was to send data to computers that would automatically read and interpret the data and, from that, create production tooling without any human intervention.
So far, we have failed to achieve this goal, and there is no solution on the horizon. The media is talking about how artificial intelligence (AI) will replace all of us with its ability to search massive amounts of online data to create fast, automatic solutions. To this end, I asked ChatGPT how to solve the data transfer quality problem. Below are three questions I posed, along with ChatGPT’s unedited responses.
1. What are the three top reasons why PCB data can't be used as-is when received by a fabricator?
ChatGPT: There are several reasons why PCB data may not be suitable for fabrication as-is when received by a fabricator. Here are three of the most common reasons:
2. What are the top three solutions to create perfect PCB data packages?
ChatGPT: Creating a perfect PCB data package is essential for ensuring successful fabrication of a PCB. Here are three solutions to create a perfect PCB data package:
3. Why don't PCB fabricators send complete design rules and guidelines to their customers?
ChatGPT: PCB fabricators typically have design rules and guidelines that they use to ensure that PCBs are manufactured to their standards and capabilities. However, they may not always provide these rules and guidelines to their customers for several reasons:
Hello, readers. It’s me, Dana, again. My human reaction to the answers above is to simply sigh. As you can see, no detailed solutions were provided. ChatGPT just provided the usual, high-level, generic answers. I guess us “carbon units”—what humans are called in “Star Trek”—will have to continue trying to solve this problem manually.
It's worth noting that some PCB fabricators provide their customers with design rules and guidelines, and even online resources or software tools, to help them optimize their designs for fabrication. Ultimately, that decision is up to the fabricator. Customers, in turn, can always ask for guidance or advice on how to optimize designs.
Dana Korf is the principal consultant at Korf Consultancy LLC.
05-18-2023
The media is talking about how artificial intelligence will replace all of us with its ability to search massive amounts of online data to create fast, automatic solutions. To this end, I asked ChatGPT how to solve the data transfer quality problem. Below are three questions I posed, along with ChatGPT’s unedited responses, followed by impressions about how well the AI did.
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January: Time to leave home and travel to sunny San Diego to attend the meetings, professional trainings, technical sessions, and exhibition at IPC APEX EXPO 2023. I hear that this year promises an excellent turnout for both the large exhibit floor and IPC committee meetings; maybe Tom Cruise will give us a fly-over from the Miramar Top Gun airbase? For myself, I have a full agenda and new tennis shoes, so my feet won’t wear out as soon as they did last year.
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View Story10-06-2022
Every year children often start creating their holiday gift list before Halloween. So, I thought that it would be a great idea to provide my holiday present request list to the PCB industry this month. My fundamental wish is simple: I wish to make it easier for designers to output designs and for PCB fabricator front-engineering teams to spend less time reviewing data so they may release production tooling into their factories faster. Secondarily, these requests should reduce the NPI cycle time and cost by reducing the insidious back and forth DFM review Technical Query (TQ) cycle. Here is my gift wish list.
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IPC APEX EXPO’s emphasis on the Connected Factory Initiative based on CFX and IPC-2581 is underway in a virtual mode this month. One area that has not been addressed is the automation of industry technical specifications from organizations like IPC, ASTM, UL, IEC, etc.
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View Story07-16-2020
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the world transformed a very slow medical approval process into the equivalent of a concurrent NPI process by challenging some of the golden rules. Dana Korf shares his thoughts on four areas the PCB industry can re-evaluate and improve.
View Story05-14-2020
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View Story03-19-2020
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View Story01-09-2020
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View Story11-14-2019
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