Our stuff is not in the microwave realm, but I can tell you that (a) modern PCB layout and validation software will work IFP or metric, and (b) Almost all new electronic components are being made to hard metric dimensions (e.g., IC lead spacing, connector lead spacing).
Some of the "chip" parts use an old IPC standard that works in hundreths of an inch (e.g., 1206 resistor package), but overall the trend is clearly to metric. One of our local quick-turn PCB houses used to tell us we were their only customer working in metric. That is no longer the case -- they have numerous customers working in metric, although I don't know what percentage. Jim ----- Original Message ----- From: "Nat Hager III" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2008 10:35:35 AM (GMT-0700) America/Denver Subject: [USMA:40765] Re: BMI, Metric at Costco Jim, Having worked with the microwave printed circuit industry 10 years ago, their instance on ifp in PCB specifications drove me nuts. A quick Google search brings up the following: http://www.polyflon.com/microwavesubstrates.htm http://www.mct-rf.com/MCT-web/prod2.htm I notice this transmission impedance calculator is dual, but defaulted to ifp: http://www.rogerscorporation.com/mwu/mwi_java/Mwij_vp.html Any comments on the industry trend as a whole? From a distance it’s sometimes hard to see an improvement. Nat From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jim Elwell Sent: Sunday, 2008 April 13 10:44 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:40764] Re: BMI, Metric at Costco Jesse: Let's just say I am not nearly as pessimistic as you are about "stealth" metrication giving any ammo to the anti-metricationists, nor do I give so-called "leadership" much credence on this issue. Americans, for better or worse, are very independent-minded on some things. That means that they don't want to be told how to measure, but it also means the "anti-metric" types cannot stop metrication. Case in point: my own company, which I metricated more than 10 years ago. No one could stop me (including a couple of anti-metric employees), and I now have introduced over 100 employees to metric in their daily work lives (including things like using millimeters in word processing programs). I didn't need any "leader" to tell me to do this, and no anti-metric forces (public or private) could stop me. Furthermore, companies like mine (and we're hardly the only metric US company) help promote metrication by requiring it of our vendors. I don't know the count, but certainly dozens if not hundreds of suppliers to my company did their first metric work so they could sell to us. (We manufacture electronic equipment, so I'm talking about companies that do work like printed circuit boards, sheet metal, machining, printing, injection molding, laser and water-jet cutting, etc.) I see so much metric even in the grocery stores, and I know how much US manufacturers have metricated, that there is simply no going back. It will take a while before the consumer facade of colloquial units disappears, but it is happening. I also think it is a "tipping point" type of event -- once we reach critical mass a lot more metrication will happen a lot faster. When will that be? No one knows, but we get closer every day. Jim Elwell -- ********************** Jim Elwell [EMAIL PROTECTED] 801-466-8770 www.qsicorp.com
