A ‘Hall’ of a Man

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We are thrilled to announce the launch (opening?) of the PCD&F Hall of Fame for PCB Design.

Actually, that’s a misstatement: It’s not called the PCD&F Hall of Fame. It’s the Dieter Bergman Hall of Fame. We are naming it for the longtime technical director of the IPC, and perhaps the leading advocate over the 40 years for the printed circuit board designer. Dieter has led the efforts for a number of design standards, including those for bare board layout, land patterns, data transfer and other critical aspects. More important, he was a vital cog in getting designers the recognition they deserve within their companies, helping to launch and promote the Designer Certification program, and teaching hundreds of workshops around the world.

I recall — it was around 1995 — working the IPC booth at the PCB Design West trade show. I came to man the booth one morning, and noticed some of the standards we left in it the night before were missing. I groused about the sticky fingers that apparently were attending the show. Dieter shook his head. “These designers,” he said, “they are just so thirsty for knowledge.” It didn’t matter if they walked off with some materials without paying; they did so because they wanted to be better at their jobs, and that made it OK.

Dieter’s unwavering loyalty and respect for the profession really opened my eyes. He was right then, and he’s still right now.

CAD tools make design easier and faster, but good design is not button-pushing. Rather, it’s understanding the tradeoffs of materials properties and electrical continuity and speed and manufacturability, and getting the right mix in the most expeditious timeframe possible. A former designer himself, Dieter understood this and has always been willing to speak up to help. It’s an honor to name the Hall after him.

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About Mike

Mike Buetow is president of the Printed Circuit Engineering Association (pcea.net). He previously was editor-in-chief of Circuits Assembly magazine, the leading publication for electronics manufacturing, and PCD&F, the leading publication for printed circuit design and fabrication. He spent 21 years as vice president and editorial director of UP Media Group, for which he oversaw all editorial and production aspects. He has more than 30 years' experience in the electronics industry, including six years at IPC, an electronics trade association, at which he was a technical projects manager and communications director. He has also held editorial positions at SMT Magazine, community newspapers and in book publishing. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois. Follow Mike on Twitter: @mikebuetow

2 thoughts on “A ‘Hall’ of a Man”

  1. Dieter Bergman Hall of Fame. It has a nice ring to it.

    Congratulations on bestowing this honor upon one of our industry’s heroes.

    There is not board fabricating company in the world that does not know of Dieter Bergman.

    Dieter’s contributions to our industry cannot be measured with a few words. He has been a tireless, selfless worker in behalf of all those that wished to learn and succeed in the interconnect industry.

    His contributions to teaching us a better way to design, fabricate and assemble, and to developing standards are monumental.

    His tireless efforts to educate us, to improve, to develop road maps for our future are enormous.

    His cheerful, fun loving approach have charmed many of us to doing a bit more, to joining and contributing a bit more, to always do a bit more.

    May his star shine brightly for decades to come.

    Let’s hope that this recognition will motivate the rise of many Bergman emulators.

    Gene H. Weiner
    http://www.weiner-intl.com
    [email protected]

  2. Dear Mike,

    I concur with Gene’s comments and applaud your decision to name the designer award in Dieter’s honor.

    His half century of commitment to the ideals of design and product improvement through openness of information are a model for all of us in this industry around the globe.

    Thank you for your decision to honor the best friends and most inspirational mentors the printed circuit industry has ever known.

    Joseph (Joe) Fjelstad

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