Reliability Matters

Ebad Rehman, a Regional Product Manager at MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions and an expert in solder technology, discusses the pivotal role of solder paste in electronics reliability. He explains the evolution from leaded to lead-free solder, driven by industry demands. Ebad highlights the importance of sustainability in materials selection and common mistakes engineers make in choosing solder paste. He also shares insights on performance metrics critical for safety applications, emphasizing the need for informed decision-making in an evolving electronics landscape.

Nili Walp, Marketing Manager at Vision Engineering, shares her insights from over eight years in the electronics assembly industry. Richard Nagel, Vice President of Sales and Marketing with 21 years of expertise, discusses the pivotal role of optical microscopes in ensuring precision in electronic assembly. They explore advancements in optical and digital inspection, emphasizing the unique benefits of high magnification for hand soldering. The conversation also touches on the significance of lighting in inspections and envisions the future with virtual reality integration.

Aaron Brown, a statistics professor at NYU and UC San Diego, dives into the fascinating world of statistics and its real-world applications. He uncovers common myths like 'correlation equals causation' and the pitfalls of misinterpreting data. With a touch of humor, he discusses how statistical manipulation can mislead people. Brown also shares lessons from his Harvard experience, emphasizing the importance of embracing mistakes in learning. Throughout, he advocates for a critical approach to understanding data integrity and the ethics behind statistics.

In today's episode, we're exploring automated optical inspection (AOI) and x-ray inspection technology within the electronic assembly industry.Joining us are two experts who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table.Joel Scutchfield is the General Manager of SMT and Semicon Business Operations & Director of Sales at Koh Young, manufacturers of automated inspection and precise measurement systems with its headquarters in Seoul South Korea and R&D centers around the world. Joel has been with Koh Young for just under 10 years.Jesper Lykke is the CEO at Viscom, a manufacturer of inspection technologies, in particular for automatic optical inspection (AOI) and X-ray inspection, with headquarters in Hanover, Germany and offices worldwide. Jesper has been with Viscom for 14 years.Both Joel and Jesper are widely considered to be subject matter experts on inspection technology.In this episode, we'll delve into the principles and applications of AOI and x-ray inspection, discussing how these technologies are revolutionizing the electronic assembly industry. We'll explore the latest trends, challenges, best practices, and future directions, providing you with a comprehensive understanding of how these inspection methods are critical to maintaining high standards in electronics manufacturing.Whether you're an industry professional, a tech enthusiast, or just curious about the intricacies of electronic assembly, this episode promises to offer valuable insights and expert perspectives on the inspection technologies that are driving both innovation and quality in the field. So, sit back, relax, and join us for an enlightening conversation about inspection Technology. Guest contact information:Joel ScutchfieldKoh Youngjoel.scutchfield@kohyoung.comJesper LykkeViscomjesper.lykke@viscomusa.com

Just like the famous line from the 1984 film, The Terminator, “I’ll be back”, SMTAI is back. Back to the Chicago area.We’re back in Rosemont, co-located with the Assembly Show, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, October 20-24.Between SMTAI and the Assembly Show, there will be thousands of engineers and industry professionals in attendance.The exhibit floor features hundreds of exhibitors showing off the latest technology. But the topic we're discussing today is the Technical conference and other planned events taking place at this year’s SMTAI.This year, there are 11 scheduled professional development courses, about 100 technical presentations across seven technical tracks.Joining me to discuss what’s in store for attendees is Jason Keeping, member of the SMTA Global Board of Directors where he is Vice President of technical programs for SMTA. Jeff Kennedy, past SMTA President and Director of the Manufacturing Excellence Track, and Robert Boguski, member of the SMTA Global Board of Directors where he is VP of membership and Director of the Test and Inspection track.For more information on SMTAI, click on the link below:https://www.smtai.orgFor more information on SMTA, click on the link below:https://smta.org/default.aspx

Recorded live in Anaheim California during the IPC Apex Expo.This episode features three interviews including:• Kimberly Fagan from PVA• Taylor Wagan from CETEC ERP• Neil Hubble from Akrometrix

Recorded live in Anaheim California during the IPC Apex Expo.This episode features four interviews including:• David Chiu from Test Research, Inc.• Michael Dolan from South-Tek• Dalton Dodge from Brooks Automation • Michelle Ogihara from Seka Machinery, Inc.

Recorded live in Anaheim California during the IPC Apex Expo.This episode features three interviews including:• Gus Mavrou from Seho• Mark Stansfield from Solderstar• Jesper Lykke from Viscom

Dr. Andre Kleyner, a Global Reliability Engineering Leader at Delphi Electronics & Safety and adjunct professor at Purdue University, dives into the design challenges of electronics in extreme environments. He discusses the impact of environmental factors on reliability, highlighting failures in public EV charging stations. Kleyner explores integration of reliability engineering, the role of Monte Carlo simulations, and the need for tailored design in automotive and aerospace applications. He also addresses mentorship opportunities for younger engineers amidst a retiring workforce.

We’re the best, we’re number one, we’re better than them, we’ve won more awards than our competitors, we’ve all seen those ads. While this form of advertising isn’t unique, when’s the last time it caused you to buy a product based on the ad. I think we all know that answer.There was a time when we relied heavily on print advertising to determine what products were available and from whom. The two primary methods to gain product awareness were print advertising and trade shows. While advertising and trade shows still exist, they are no longer the primary method of product awareness.31 years ago, beginning on April 30, 1993, all of that began to change. What happened on April 30, 1993? Public access to the Internet was born.Over the past 31 years, Internet technology propelled us into an age of self discovery. The older generation accuses the younger generation of always having their face in a screen. While that may be true, it’s not always TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, or Snapchat. People today, particularly younger people, research products, technologies, and a host of other things online. Consumers today are far more educated on the products they wish to purchase them at any time in history.In what I find to be an exceptional irony, much of the industry responsible for building the technology behind Internet connectivity continues to advertise their products in a pre-Internet style.You may ask, what does this have to do with reliability? Building reliable products requires a net sum of a vast amount of best practices. One of those practices is insuring the right products, procedures, specifications, designs, and so many other factors are implemented.This goal cannot be accomplished by just reading advertisements from sellers. Frequently, engineers struggle to solve problems without a complete knowledge of the root cause of the problem. Particularly today, with so many in-house subject matter experts retiring, advertisements boasting the number of customers, time and business, and where they place in the hierarchy of competitive products do not assist the engineer and understanding the root cause of a potential problem, and certainly not the solution.Over the past several years, several companies in our industry have begun to change their advertising strategies from transactional, to transformational. That is to say they help to connect problems to solutions, more than merely hyping products.My guest today fully understands the value and effectiveness of what I like to call “Conscious Marketing “. Rick Short is Corporate Associate Vice President for Indium Corporation. Rick has been with the company since 1984 in capacities including Technical Service Manager, Marketing Director, International Sales Director, head of Technical Support, and head of Environmental, Health & Safety, in addition to his current role. He has an MBA from Ren-Se-Lere Polytechnic Institute, a bachelor’s degree in business management from Utica College, and an associate degree from Mohawk Valley Community College.I talk with Rick about his company’s unique approach to education and how that has helped to transform their customer base.