We’ve discussed the silver tsunami on the show numerous times, the unprecedented rate of which employees are retiring. When engineers and other employees retire from companies, they take with them more than a set of gold cufflinks or an engraved plaque. In many cases, they also take with them wisdom and knowledge. Perhaps this is never more true than in the case of my guest today. And who is that? My friend and colleague Doug Pauls. Doug Pauls holds a B.A. in chemistry and physics from Carthage ...
May 14, 2024•1 hr 16 min
This episode was recorded at SMTA's Pan Pacific Strategic Electronics Symposium on the big island of Hawaii. My guests on this episode are Dr. Chuck Bower, founder of PanPac, Keith Bryant, and Dr. Ron Lasky. We discussed the history of PanPac, technologies introduced at PanPac, and what makes PanPac so unique. We also discuss Dartmouth College's unique engineering innovations program.
Apr 23, 2024•38 min
Optimization has become an important goal within the electronic assembly industry. While modern electronic assembly techniques utilize a variety of equipment, one specific type of equipment often consumes a disproportionate percentage of the overall equipment budget, that is the place machine. The cost of the machine, associated conveyors and feeders, require that the machine is running as often as possible. The airline Industry refers to this as “wheels up” time. Airlines make money when the ai...
Apr 09, 2024•57 min
This episode is a little different from our usual episodes. First of all, it’s a dual-branded episode. It’s both a Reliability Matters Podcast and an Ecosystem podcast episode. The Ecosystem podcast host Judy Warner will join me for an unusual topic, at least for The Reliability Matters Podcast. Most of my audience are assemblers of circuit assemblies. Our world begins with a bare board. I reminded of the biblical passage “the Wiseman built his house upon the rock”. Circuit boards are the founda...
Mar 26, 2024•1 hr 10 min
Today, we delve into an increasingly critical aspect of technology and electronics manufacturing - the pursuit of environmentally responsible electronics manufacturing. Our industry has witnessed many environmental revolutions. The elimination of popular cleaning solvents brought on by the Montreal protocol in 1989, soon followed by strict VOC regulations pertaining to cleaning chemicals. The switch from lead-based solders to lead free alloys, led by the Restriction of Hazardous Substances direc...
Mar 12, 2024•55 min
Today we're diving deep into the world of precision and craftsmanship—two crucial elements in the realm of hand soldering and rework of circuit assemblies. Whether you're a seasoned electronics enthusiast, a hobbyist, or just someone with a curious mind, this episode promises to demystify the art and science behind hand soldering and rework. We'll be exploring the latest tools, techniques, and trends that define this intricate process, shedding light on the unsung heroes who meticulously bring c...
Feb 27, 2024•1 hr 11 min
Today, we delve into the crucial aspects of maintaining well-being on this journey—how to sidestep the notorious burnout, and perhaps more importantly, how to fuel and maintain your motivation. Because, let's face it, the road to creating a meaningful impact can be demanding, and it's essential to navigate it with resilience and purpose. Join me for a conversation with Rick Coulson. Rick recently retired from a 34 year career at Intel, most recently as a Senior Fellow in the Intel Optane Group. ...
Feb 13, 2024•1 hr 16 min
We covered the topic of ultrathin conformal coatings back in November. We covered various conformal coating materials from traditional acrylics and silicones to ultrathin parylene coatings. What other coating materials are available? Where do these types of coatings fit within specific applications? Where do health and safety, environmental concerns, and sustainability programs fit in with a coating process? To answer these other questions, I invited Dr. Cassandra Zentner, VP of Health and envir...
Jan 23, 2024•1 hr 4 min
In today's increasingly connected and digital world, PCBs are the unsung heroes that power our devices, from smartphones to spacecraft. Yet, the art and science of designing these crucial components often go unnoticed. That’s where this episode comes in. Today, I hope to shine a spotlight on the critical role PCBs play in modern technology and explore the best practices that drive innovation and reliability. In this episode, I hope to unravel the mysteries of PCB design, tackle complex challenge...
Jan 09, 2024•1 hr 14 min
On this episode, I have no guests as this is the final episode of the Reliability Matters Podcast for the 2023 season. Instead, let's review what happened on the podcast this year. A special thanks to my guests and listeners/viewers for making this podcast so successful.
Dec 26, 2023•9 min
We are all aware of the damage electrostatic discharge can wreak on components and electronic products. We mitigate ESD damage through various forms of monitoring. We wear wrist and heel straps, stand on ESD-safe flooring, utilize ESD work stations, and more. We even have ESD testing locations that will test a human standing on a specialized testing station. But what happens the moment that person steps off the tester? My guests today are Dr. Daan Stevenson and Dr. Jonathan Tapson of IONA Tech, ...
Dec 12, 2023•1 hr 6 min
Today we’ll dive deep into the world of conformal coating. More and more assemblies are being subjected to conformal coating to protect the assembly from harsh environments. What’s leading the drive to conformal coat electronic assemblies? What types of conformal coating options are available? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each type? For circuit assemblies, the protective embrace of conformal coatings ensures reliability, longevity, and performance. As technologies advance, so doe...
Nov 28, 2023•1 hr 1 min
We are all aware of the supply chain issues our industry has faced. Beginning with electronic components, it has spread to so many other types of parts are industry relies on. Fortunately, it looks like we are beginning to come out the other end of the supply chain shortage. But the supply chain problems have further spread to the labor market. If you are in a position to hire people for your company, you know firsthand how difficult that process can be today. Adding to the level of labor acquis...
Nov 14, 2023•1 hr 9 min
Some of you may recall episode 121 where I spoke with Dr. John Mitchell, president and CEO of IPC about his new book “fire your hiring habits”. During that episode, we talked about best practices for hiring the best people. I’d like to travel a little bit up the river to talk about where potential candidates for hiring come from. While most of the people we interview for positions within our companies come from other companies, more and more, we are seeing new people enter our industry. We’ve ta...
Oct 24, 2023•1 hr 3 min
We talk almost exclusively about reliability on this show. Specifically, reliability of circuit assemblies. We discuss production best practices, design for manufacturing and reliability. Failure analysis, and more. We’ve reviewed the latest trends in industry 4.0, the connectivity of machine to machine and machine to management. We discussed big data and how to make all of our newly acquired data relevant and actionable. For all this to occur, our computers must function properly. They must per...
Oct 10, 2023•1 hr 16 min
Those of us in the electronic assembly space are no doubt aware of standards. In the simplest terms, standards tell us how to build products correctly. They differentiate correct from incorrect. They tell us what type of materials to use, how a solder joint is determined to be acceptable. Standards tell us how to test various parts of our assembly. How are the standards derived? Who determines what the standards are? How often are they updated? To answer these and other questions, I invited Leo ...
Sep 26, 2023•1 hr 3 min
Welcome to another episode of the Reliability Matters podcast. For those of you keeping track, this is episode number 127. In recent episodes, we’ve covered high-level issues, such as hiring best practices, novel, training, methods, design for manufacturing, highly accelerated, life, testing, and more. On this episode, we’re going to go back to the basics. What common problems are assemblers experiencing today? What are the basics of assembly best practices? Which problems seem to live in perpet...
Sep 12, 2023•59 min
Moisture. The industrial world has been fighting moisture since the beginning of the industrial world. From a general point of view, moisture leads to issues such as • Mold and mildew • Rust • Wood rot • Damage to building materials • Microbial growth • And so much more. In the electronics world, moisture creates a host of reliability problems including: • Popcorning • Delamination of conformal coating • Corrosion • Electrochemical migration • Adhesion degradation (such as on labels and glues) •...
Aug 22, 2023•1 hr
As all of you are well aware, this show is all about reliability, specifically reliability of circuit assemblies. One challenge that seems to be persistent within our space is design for manufacturability or DFM. If you’re a contract manufacturer, I have no doubt that you’ve had the experience of being asked to build a product that seems unbuildable. One example that rings true in my world was the introduction of bottom terminated components or BTC’s. BTC’s are marvelous components. Because all ...
Aug 08, 2023•1 hr 7 min
Industry icon Dave Hillman completed a 3,600 mile solo kayak journey down the Missouri River. I spoke with Dave about the inspiration for the journey, insights gained over his four-month expedition, and how his experience as an engineer helped him prepare for this epic experience.
Jul 25, 2023•1 hr 21 min
We all strive to build products that are reliable. If you’re listening to our watching this podcast, chances are you are concerned about or at least interested in reliability. Where does reliability start? Who is responsible for reliability? What types of reliability testing can be performed? My guest on this episode will help answer these and other reliability-based questions. My guest today is Dr. Christopher Jackson. Dr Chris Jackson is a leader, engineer and logistic specialist who has helpe...
Jul 11, 2023•1 hr 6 min
When it comes to circuit assemblies, there are defects, which result in one of two situations. The preferred result of a defect is to capture it on your factory floor and repair it before it ships to the customer. The second scenario is referred to as an escape. That’s when the board ships to the customer and fails in the field. This is a scenario, all assemblers dread and strive to prevent. One way to prevent escapes is through the use of automated inspection or AOI systems. My guests today are...
Jun 27, 2023•1 hr 9 min
Most of us are well aware of the supply chain shortages, both within our industry and well beyond. Some of us are also keenly aware of labor shortages. This show is all about reliability of circuit assemblies. While reliability is often referred to as a process, it is also rooted in culture. Reliability begins with people. So, instead of talking about common reliability, subjects, such as voiding, soldering materials, assembly, best practices, and the plethora of other usual suspect topics, I th...
Jun 13, 2023•1 hr 10 min
Can reliability training the both entertaining and effective? The Manufacturing Game's Michelle Ledet Henley has a different approach to traditional training methods. Michelle Ledet Henley has worked with The Manufacturing Game since 1998 as a developer of new simulations and training material. She has traveled worldwide in her capacity as a facilitator and trainer for The Manufacturing Game and other simulations developed by Ledet Enterprises, Inc. Michelle has been instrumental in developing s...
May 23, 2023•59 min
I first met my guest at the SMTA Pan Pacific Symposium in Hawaii this past January. He was presenting a paper entitled Quantum Technology, A Theoretical Overview of the Possibilities. The more I listened to and watched his presentation, the more I wanted to learn about quantum physics and mechanics. So I selfishly invited him onto my show today so I could learn more, and perhaps you can too. My guest today is Dr. James Whitfield. Dr. Whitfield is an associate professor of physics at Dartmouth. H...
May 09, 2023•59 min
The subjects of Industry 4.0 and Big Data have been widely discussed on this podcast. What is Industry 4.0? What data is our industry collecting? And, perhaps more importantly, how can we sift through all of that data to make it useful and actionable? To help answer these and other data-related questions, I invited Ryan Gamble, CEO and Founder of Intraratio on this episode. Intraratio Corporation is a company that provides on-premise and cloud hybrid software with platforms to track, manage, con...
Apr 25, 2023•1 hr 20 min
My guest, Eric Camden (Lead Investigator with Foresite) and I discuss electrochemical migration (ECM) and other failure modes caused by residues on circuit assemblies. Eric Camden's Contact Information: ericc@foresiteinc.com https://www.foresiteinc.com
Apr 11, 2023•30 min
On this episode, I speak with Mark Goodwin, COO of Ventec Europe, a supplier of copper clad laminates and prepreg bonding materials for the circuit board fabrication industry about supply chain challenges. Mark Goodwin's Contact Information: mark.goodwin@ventec-europe.com http://www.ventec-group.com
Mar 28, 2023•17 min
You don't have to be in the tech industry you understand importance and value of data. Industries have always collected various sets of data, first manually and, in modern times, automatically. The volume of data has historically been limited to the ability to capture and store it. Recent advances in technology have vastly increased the ability to capture and store data. The industry 4.0 movement has fueled both of desire and requirement to capture data. We have created a "be careful what you as...
Mar 14, 2023•24 min
On this show, we’ve discussed many aspects of the Electronics assembly process. We talked about reflow, thermal management, printing, soldering materials, additives, and so much more. What do all these topics have in common? When done correctly, they all contribute to the reliability of circuit assemblies. Today, we’re going to dive into the subject of cleaning circuit assemblies after reflow. For many assemblers, the cleaning process was replaced by the use of no clean flux technology. Time and...
Feb 21, 2023•1 hr 12 min
