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Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO: Taiyo Focuses on Collaboration

Don Monn, Midwest regional sales director at Taiyo America, reviews the progressive adoption of inkjet solder mask technology while acknowledging that liquid photoimageable mask continues as the mainstream process, with new developments in double-sided coating and vertical drying equipment. He comments on how Taiyo’s collaborative relationships with suppliers and customers have enabled logistics to be successfully managed through difficult times.

Sunstone Growing With Supply Chain Strategies

Barry Matties and Nolan Johnson talk to Sunstone Circuits’ Matt Stevenson, Kelly Atay, and Dawn DelCastillo about the current supply chain challenges and how they are adapting. They also share insights on market conditions, including trends in reshoring and marketing strategies related to reshoring.

Making the Most of a Smart Factory Initiative

Nolan talks with Joel Scutchfield of Koh Young about trends he’s seen in 2021 and what’s ahead in 2022. “We see the expanded use of artificial intelligence in several areas,” Joel says. “We see predictive maintenance as being something that customers are asking for, and continued refinement and reduction of the human element in the programing process, data analytics, etc. Customers are also driving the trend toward more connectivity, and I don’t see that going away. It’s in their control. They’re going to make all of us get there.”

Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2022: Blackfox Mixes It Up with Training Opportunities

Andy Shaughnessy speaks with Jamie Noland, master IPC trainer and marketing manager for Blackfox Institute, about current and upcoming training opportunities and what you can expect from them at the show. Blackfox has expanded its offerings to reach a wider audience, including some very basic classes for beginners.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

No matter how you look at it, we’re already off to a roaring start in 2022. Here on the West Coast of the U.S., heavy and persistent rains are doing what they can to fix years of drought through the southwest United States. The eastern seaboard is seeing plenty of rainy weather as well. As they say on the salt containers: When it rains, it pours. That adage is rather true in the news of the industry this week. Therefore, my must-reads include a celebration of longevity in business, the launch of our next space telescope, and the sale of equipment for the printing of electronics. On a more circumspect note, we also bring you the IPC’s report on rising material and labor costs, and an article on cybersecurity.

GEN3 Webinar, Part 7 Released: SIR Test Coupon Design

In this engaging, 11-part micro webinar series, topic experts Graham Naisbitt and Chris Hunt examine the history of the influences of Electrochemical Migration (ECM) and the evolving use of Surface Insulation Resistance Testing (SIR) that has been developed over the past 25 years by GEN3 and its association with the British National Physical Laboratory. GEN3 and NPL have created the standard that has now been in widespread use around the world since the turn of the millennium.

ProMetrics: An Easy, Smart Solution

Rehm's Michael Hanke speaks about the product on process and the advantages of live process monitoring with ProMetrics, Rehm’s newest monitoring tool, which is brand new and unique in the market. Users say that it’s easy to use and, more importantly, that it provides the security in a system they are looking for.

Don’t Hit the Snooze on Cybersecurity

I have good news for small manufacturers looking for ways to stand apart from the competition: By delaying the launch of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), the Department of Defense (DoD) may have done you a favor. They’ve handed you a golden opportunity to zig when everybody else is zagging. If your competitors are small- and mid-sized businesses that supply the DoD, their concerns aren’t too different from yours. Sure, this CMMC stuff is coming, but it doesn’t seem urgent, or does it?

Don’t Miss Further Discussion of Materials Testing in GEN3 Episode 6 of ‘Predicting Reliability in Electronics’

The sixth episode, “Materials Testing—Process Materials,” can be viewed in under four minutes. Presenters share information on paste vs. flux vs. rework, limitations of standards, hand soldering/rework cautions, and more. Designed to complement GEN3’s book, The Printed Circuit Assembler’s Guide to...Process Validation, this entire webinar series can be viewed in about an hour and covers a comprehensive range of topics surrounding the four groundbreaking test standards published between 2019 and 2021 that set the scene for Objective Evidence and its widespread influence throughout the world of electronics, whether in the high reliability arena of space, medical, automotive, or general industrial applications.

Jackie Mattox Keynotes Women in Electronics Reception

Named one of the Top 21 female influencers in 2021, Jackie Mattox started her career in the electronics industry during her college years at a small rep firm in Southern California, where she worked her way into the roles of sales and distribution manager and took a passionate interest in strategic key account management. Jackie graduated from California State University?Northridge with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication/journalism. Jackie has always had a heart for people and especially for women’s issues, along with a dedication to personal and professional leadership development.

Mycronic is Bullish on Data-Driven Production

Nolan Johnson speaks with Mycronic’s Clemens Jargon and Göran Frank about data-driven production technology and strategies. With the introduction of new data-driven software, Mycronic has made monitoring the line easier to use, faster to learn, and more purposeful. They discuss the company’s plans to drive competition and improve customer engagement. "Everything in the production line needs to be rationally analyzed based on data," says Jargon. "Therefore, it is so important to collect good data, because then we can analyze it and continuously improve the performance of lines."

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

I’m starting to get more and more out-of-office replies. Are you reading this on your phone while standing in line at Best Buy? But if you’re reading this, here’s to you! It’s been a pretty good year—much better than last year, though that’s a fairly low bar to clear. It’s a mixed bag this week, with news about trade shows, along with articles and interviews focusing on everything from education to methods for dealing with supply chain issues by staying flexible and taking action earlier in the process.

Segment 12 of Koh Young Micro Webinar Series: Smart Factory Success

In under four minutes, presenter Ivan Aduna wraps up the series with the 12th episode, Smart Factory Success. Here he teaches viewers that realizing a smart factory means taking a practical approach to process and systems, while examining areas to improve productivity. Combining initiatives such as IPC-CFX, IPC-Hermes, and IPC-DPMX with machine learning and 3D measurement data generated during inspection, helps manufacturers define inefficiencies and boost line efficiency. As new data is fed to these algorithms, they learn and optimize their operations to improve performance, developing intelligence over time.

SMTAI 2021: Rob DiMatteo Turns Up the Heat at BTU

At SMTA International 2021, Nolan Johnson spoke with Rob DiMatteo of BTU International about the current shift in market drivers, pain points from customers, and what he expects to see in the near future. Chip shortages and port delays are just two of the challenges facing BTU’s customers. As general manager of BTU, DiMatteo wants his company to excel at customer service despite these challenges. He also previews a new flux management technology for keeping reflow ovens extremely clean, calling it a significant breakthrough.

GEN3 Releases Micro Webinar Episode 5, ‘Predicting Reliability in Electronics: Materials Testing—Circuit Boards’

In this engaging, 11-part micro webinar series, topic experts Graham Naisbitt and Chris Hunt examine the history of the influences of Electrochemical Migration (ECM) and the evolving use of Surface Insulation Resistance Testing (SIR) that has been developed over the past 25 years by GEN3 and its association with the British National Physical Laboratory. GEN3 and NPL have created the standard that has now been in widespread use around the world since the turn of the millennium.

Alun Morgan's productronica Slide Show

I-Connect007 has been bringing you interviews with a variety of technologists who attended last month's productronica show in Munich, Germany. As part of our continuing coverage of productronica 2021, we present this exclusive slide show of photos taken by our good friend Alun Morgan, technology ambassador for Ventec International Group and a fantastic photographer in his own right. Rumor has it that Lufthansa made him buy a separate seat for that giant camera of his.

Technical Track Opportunities at IPC APEX EXPO 2022

Matt Kelly, IPC chief technologist, discusses the growth of the technical conference tracks in this year’s IPC APEX EXPO program, as well as market dynamics that are influencing the topics presented at this year’s event. "We are thrilled with the number of abstract submissions we have received. As of today, we have over 150 submissions, which may be the highest number we’ve ever received. It shows the appetite and the interest people have to present and share their knowledge."

Real Time with… productronica: Electrolube is Going Green

Pete Starkey visits with conformal coatings expert Phil Kinner of Electrolube about the company’s involvement in productronica, its new bio-friendly conformal coatings, and how the acquisition by MacDermid Alpha is opening new doors for Electrolube in the automotive industry.

DoD Faces Growing Risks from Reliance on Lead in Electronics

Like a cancer that spreads untreated until it becomes an urgent problem, the U.S. defense community is facing a small but growing problem that is increasingly undermining U.S. military readiness and technological dominance. The problem is lead—specifically, the lead-alloy solders that traditionally have been used to attach electronic components to printed circuit boards (PCBs). Over the last 15 years, the commercial electronics industry has shifted to lead-free solders, prompted by environmental health regulations in Europe and elsewhere. However, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and its contractors never made the switch and are still heavily reliant on leaded solders. Now, leaded electronics are becoming harder to find and more outdated.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

Right now, it seems that almost everyone I know is talking about the future. Doesn’t matter whether it’s with my family, loved ones, friends, industry colleagues, or neighbors I meet on the street, conversations are almost entirely forward-looking. This being the holiday season, some reminiscing is to be expected, but I’m just not hearing it in the chatter all around me–this year is different somehow. And it shows in this edition of my must-reads for the week as well. This week we bring you forward-looking discussions with ,,,

CyberOptics: The Confluence of PCB and Semiconductor in Inspection Systems

Dr. Subodh Kulkarni talks to Nolan Johnson about CyberOptics' advancements in metrology inspection applications—especially for highly reflective surfaces—and how semiconductor inspection and PCB inspection are continuing to converge. If you didn’t make it to SMTA International in Minneapolis, don’t worry. We have interviews with the SMT segment’s top engineers and managers. Visit realtimewith.com now for all the interviews produced by I-Connect007 in partnership with SMTA at this year's event.

IPC APEX EXPO 2022: What to Expect Regarding COVID Restrictions

As IPC is adhering to California Department of Public Health Guidelines, proof of COVID vaccination or a negative test will be required to attend IPC APEX EXPO 2022. IPC has partnered with InHouse Physicians (iHP) for attendees to upload their proof of vaccine or negative COVID test results in advance of arrival at IPC APEX EXPO. Once information is uploaded via the iHP link, a trained medical professional will review the information within 24 hours and provide an email confirmation with a green check mark indicating they’ve been cleared for entry.

Test and Inspection: Competitive Advantage and Cost of Doing Business

In this interview, Charlie Capers of Zentech breaks down the changing requirements he’s seeing in test and inspection in the industry, and the growing importance of investing in testing for the future growth and success of your company. According to Capers, "When you collect statistics on defects, you will start to see a trend that says, for example, we’ve got a lot of shorts and opens, meaning that our solder paste process is not tight. If you’re collecting statistics and really studying them, you will see trends in your processes."

Segment 11 of Koh Young Micro Webinar Series: Connectivity Using CFX and Hermes

In under four minutes, episode 11 Connectivity Using CFX and Hermes teaches viewers about Machine-to-machine (M2M), the foundation that drives the smart factory vision, enabling automatic SMT line maintenance and management. The systems should be designed to work with the printer, mounter, conveyor, and other equipment types to simplify communication across the entire SMT line. Presenter Ivan Aduna shares how initiatives such as IPC-CFX, IPC-Hermes, and IPC-DPMX all help to pull the factory of the future into the present.

Navigating the Supply Chain Storm with ICAPE

Guillaume Chauvet of ICAPE Group, vice president of sales-Americas East, discusses managing the supply chain through transportation issues, raw material shortages, and longer production times. He also details how he helps customers manage different suppliers and divergent technologies. "As we’ve grown, we have opened a big office and lab in China to control the quality of our Asian suppliers," said Chauvet. "Now we also have inspectors in the factory who just check the quality of the product directly out of the lines. We send the product to the lab to validate the sample before the customer receives the boards."

Industry Market Drivers, Inflation, and the Supply Chain

In this wide-ranging interview, Shawn DuBravac, chief economist for IPC, discusses a variety of market drivers and pressures that are affecting PCB manufacturing and assembly. He also shares his thoughts on the relationship between inflation, wages, and the current supply chain challenges—and what all this may mean to your bottom line in 2022.

I-Connect007 and the Experts at GEN3 Release Episode 4 of Predicting Reliability in Electronics

In this engaging, 11-part micro webinar series, topic experts Graham Naisbitt and Chris Hunt examine the history of the influences of Electrochemical Migration (ECM) and the evolving use of Surface Insulation Resistance Testing (SIR) that has been developed over the past 25 years by GEN3 and its association with the British National Physical Laboratory. GEN3 and NPL have created the standard that has now been in widespread use around the world since the turn of the millennium. The fourth episode, “Testing Background,” can be viewed in under 11 minutes. Presenters share information on why the 1.56µg/cm2 NaCl equivalence was removed, test options, IPC-TM-650 method 2.6.3.7.1 and more.

ICT Autumn Seminar Review: Live in 2021!

Faced with the choice between a real or virtual event, Bill Wilkie took a calculated risk. It has been many long months since members of the Institute of Circuit Technology had gathered together under one roof, but a fair-sized bunch of industry stalwarts braved the weather and the threat of COVID, descended on the Manor Hotel in Meriden, UK, on Nov. 30, and applauded Bill’s decision to go live. They were not disappointed; the program was superb, the atmosphere upbeat, and the networking opportunity priceless.

John Mitchell: Focus on the Future

In a far-ranging interview, Dr. John Mitchell and Barry Matties discuss the upcoming IPC APEX EXPO, IPC programs, and the challenges (and opportunities) facing our industry. If you think Dr. Mitchell's assessment would be pessimistic, you'd be wrong. We’re an industry that enjoys and needs to work together, and we’ve been held at bay for too long. "Throughout 2021, at every conference I’ve attended, people are really excited about seeing each other again," said Mitchell. "And since APEX EXPO is one of the premier events for the industry, that is the thing I’m happiest about—getting people back together again, getting them excited."

EMS Leadership Summit Expands Its Reach

Nolan Johnson talks with Tracy Riggan, senior director of solutions, and Mark Wolfe, executive EMS advisor, both at IPC. They discuss details for the EMS Leadership Summit planned for IPC APEX EXPO 2022, how the summit program has changed from years past, and who should attend. Hint: Directors and above, along with any “rising star” managers. "It’s important in those discussions to have a wide breadth of ideas and learnings from different levels and roles of organizations," said Riggan. "We’re expanding that conversation by bringing in younger leaders, maybe those in management positions staged to be the next presidents and vice presidents of their organizations."

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

It hardly feels like the end of 2021, but here we are, looking at a new year and IPC APEX EXPO and AltiumLive coming up in less than two months. If you don’t count days lost during the holidays, it’s more like one month before showtime. Hey, at least we have some live events to attend now. This week, we have some association and trade show news, as well as articles on data management and the diminished role of U.S. chip makers in the global electronics supply chain. We’re almost behind the eight-ball here, folks, and we can’t build chip factories overnight. Let’s get a move on!

I-Connect007 Releases Segment 10 of Koh Young Webinar Series: ‘Converting Process Data Into Intelligence’

In this engaging, 12-part micro webinar series, Koh Young topic experts Joel Scutchfield and Ivan Aduna examine 3D inspection, AI, CFX, connectivity and smart factory success. Segment 10 is titled “Understanding CFX and Hermes.” Before your coffee will even get cold (just over three minutes), in this 10th episode, you will learn how initiatives like the IPC Connected Factory Exchange (CFX) and IPC-Hermes-9852 underpin e?orts within the industry to develop standards and help create a smart factory. These M2M communication standards, guided in part by Industry 4.0, are altering the manufacturing process by improving metrics such as first pass yield and throughput by applying autonomous process adjustments.

Ron Lasky: A Perspective on Writing About Solder Defects

Nolan Johnson speaks with Dr. Ron Lasky About "The Printed Circuit Assembler’s Guide to... Solder Defects." Ron is a full professor at Dartmouth College, but works part-time at Indium Corporation, helping their customers solve defects. This I-Connect007 eBook, he says, is a compilation of all he’s learned over the years as well as the deep technical knowledge of the team at Indium.

Design to Production Flow: DFT and Test Coverage Using Industry 4.0 Principles to Produce Good Products

Achieving design for test (DFT) can be challenging for both design and test groups, as sometimes both expect that the other will be the one to manage DFT. The design and test groups might be in the same organization, or they could be an OEM vs. an EMS company. It works best if both the design and test groups are engaged in the process of DFT and trying to achieve the goal of the best test coverage and lowest rate of field returns.

Now Playing: Part 3 of 'Predicting Reliability in Electronics' Micro Webinar

In this engaging, 11-part micro webinar series, topic experts Graham Naisbitt and Chris Hunt examine the history of the influences of Electrochemical Migration (ECM) and the evolving use of Surface Insulation Resistance Testing (SIR) that has been developed over the past 25 years by GEN3 and its association with the British National Physical Laboratory. GEN3 and NPL have created the standard that has now been in widespread use around the world since the turn of the millennium. The third episode, “ECM Examples,” can be viewed in under five minutes. Presenters share information on ECM types, including examples from Bosch, HP, and NP. Presenters also discuss ECM requirements and more.

Ram Wissel Details KYZEN Automated Process Control Line

Nolan Johnson speaks with Ram Wissel, VP, global technology manager, about KYZEN’s work in automated process control with its Process Care Line, designed to offer unmatched automated process management and control with remote reporting capabilities. If you didn’t make it to SMTA International in Minneapolis, don’t worry. We have interviews with the SMT segment’s top engineers and managers. Visit realtimewith.com now for all the interviews produced by I-Connect007 in partnership with SMTA at this year's event.

Nolan’s Notes: Preparing for APEX—The 2022 Edition

As summer was waning, I found myself at the airport with my carry-on, headed to a technical conference for the first time in nearly 20 months. During a normal winter trade show season, I keep a “go bag” packed, ready to just grab on my way to the airport. But after more than a year and a half travel-free, my “go bag” had gone. It had long since been unpacked, the contents folded in with my normal household belongings. Repacking my bag was a treasure hunt; I had to remember all the things I’d found useful on the road (and the ones that seemed to be useful but weren’t). But once I’d brought all my gear together, and boarded the plane, I felt a familiarity settle over me; everything seemed to be back in place again. I suspect that many of you will have a similar experience (both personally and professionally) as you prepare for IPC APEX EXPO in January 2022.

Research and Development Leads to Biogreen Coatings

In the November 2021 issue of SMT007 Magazine, we featured a pre-productronica interview with Phil Kinner of Electrolube, who shared a preview of the company’s newest products that the company planned to launch at the show in Munich. "This is the first show that we’ve been to in a while, and we have a couple of new products we are launching," said Kinner. "One is a thermal gap filler, designed in China by our Chinese team with a thermal conductivity of 6 watts per meter K, which is really decent. We also have a new conformal coating with a high degree of bio-renewable source materials."

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

If you’re in the United States like I am, and if you celebrated with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, like my family did, then you just might have fallen asleep sitting up in a chair (or in my case, stretched out on the couch) and missed some of the highlights in the news this week. Never fear, I woke up early to bring the top five news items you should know for this week. We have industry bookings and sales news from IPC, some news from the flex sector, an explanation of induction lamination from Happy Holden, and two different takes on “sustainability.”

Happy Thanksgiving From the I-Connect007 Team

In the United States, the Thanksgiving holiday is a celebration of gratitude and appreciation for the harvest and for the people close to us. Thankfulness, however, transcends just one day of official observance. The fourth Thursday of November is when the U.S. officially celebrates Thanksgiving Day and as we take time to observe this holiday, the I-Connect007 team wishes to offer our thanks to you, our global readers and contributors: designers, fabricators, engineers, assemblers, quality and process control gurus, chemists, physicists, supervisors, managers, entrepreneurs, business owners, standards writers, industry experts, and more. You breathe life into the vital, thriving, world-changing electronics industry. You are the real story.

Segment 9 of Koh Young Webinar Series: Koh Young Auto Programming (KAP)

In this engaging, 12-part micro webinar series, Koh Young topic experts Joel Scutchfield and Ivan Aduna examine 3D inspection, AI, CFX, connectivity and smart factory success. At just over 8 minutes, the ninth episode, “AI in Action” is now available to view. In this segment, viewers will learn about 3D profilometry technology and how it converges with Koh Young’s proprietary AI technology to deliver true automatic programming. This geometry-based software solution reduces the programming process to minimize time to production and reduce costs.

Koh Young Furthers Offerings in Conformal Coating Inspection

Joel Scutchfield, general manager of SMT business operations and director of sales at Koh Young, talks with Nolan Johnson about Koh Young’s newest conformal coatings inspection offerings. They also discuss how changing customer needs are creating expansion into new inspection applications. Scutchfield also announces an organizational change. If you didn’t make it to SMTA International in Minneapolis, don’t worry. We have interviews with the SMT segment’s top engineers and managers. Visit realtimewith.com now for all the interviews produced by I-Connect007 in partnership with SMTA at this year's event.

Now Playing: ‘Predicting Reliability in Electronics’ Presented by the Experts at GEN3

In this engaging, 11-part micro webinar series, topic experts Graham Naisbitt and Chris Hunt examine the history of the influences of Electro-chemical Migration (ECM) and the evolving use of Surface Insulation Resistance Testing (SIR) that has been developed over the past 25 years by GEN3 and its association with the British National Physical Laboratory. GEN3 and NPL have created the standard that has now been in widespread use around the world since the turn of the millennium. The second episode, “Electrochemical Reliability and SIR,” can be viewed in under 15 minutes. Presenters share information on research conducted by NPL as a pan-European project, provide an explanation of ECM as corrosion, discuss the meaning of objective evidence, and more.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

This month—and this year, really—has just flown by. As someone mentioned to me recently, “There are basically only three full work weeks before New Year’s Day.” Yikes. Thanksgiving is next week, which means most of your customers and suppliers will be hard to reach. Unless there’s a problem, that is! In that case, they’ll find you, even if you’re carving a turkey with the kids and grandkids. So, with a short week on the horizon, most of us are in overdrive now, trying to get ahead of the game.

MacDermid Alpha's Scott Lewin Knows What's Important in Solder

Scott Lewin, regional marketing manager for the Americas for MacDermid Alpha, leads Nolan Johnson through what's important in solder, with various scenarios and their impact on EMS efficiency and quality. As Scott explains, “It’s not what’s new that’s important to the customer; it’s what’s important.” If you didn’t make it to SMTA International in Minneapolis, don’t worry. We have interviews with the SMT segment’s top engineers and managers. Visit realtimewith.com now for all the interviews produced by I-Connect007 in partnership with SMTA at this year's event.

Segment 8 of Koh Young Webinar Series: Going the Distance With AI

Designed to complement Koh Young’s I-007eBook, The Printed Circuit Assembler’s Guide to... SMT Inspection, Today, Tomorrow and Beyond, topic experts Joel Scutchfield and Ivan Aduna share highly focused educational information on the use of data gathered during the inspection process. In recent times, artificial intelligence has demonstrated promising potential across a variety of industries, from self-driving vehicles to virtual doctors, and it has far-reaching applications within the manufacturing sector. By using the right mixture of AI technologies, manufacturers can boost their efficiency, improve flexibility, speed up processes, and even achieve self-optimizing processes.

Now Playing: ‘Predicting Reliability in Electronics’ Presented by the Experts at GEN3

In this engaging, 11-part micro webinar series, topic experts Graham Naisbitt and Chris Hunt examine the history of the influences of Electro-chemical Migration (ECM) and the evolving use of Surface Insulation Resistance Testing (SIR) that has been developed over the past 25 years by GEN3 and its association with the British National Physical Laboratory. GEN3 and NPL have created the standard that has now been in widespread use around the world since the turn of the millennium. The first episode can be viewed in just over eight minutes. Viewers will be given an introduction to SIR and ECM, including objectives, why we use standards, and why “objective evidence” should be used in place of “cleaning.”

MIRTEC Introduces Extended Z-Axis AOI Vision Capabilities

Nolan speaks with Frank Cormier, regional sales manager for MIRTEC, about the new MV-6Z OMNI 3D In-Line AOI System. Frank outlines the new extended Z-axis vision system, and highlights how this new equipment is targeted to automotive and power supply manufacturers. If you didn’t make it to SMTA International in Minneapolis, don’t worry. We have interviews with the SMT segment’s top engineers and managers. Visit realtimewith.com now for all the interviews produced by I-Connect007 in partnership with SMTA at this year's event.

KYZEN’s Customer Engagement Initiatives

Tom Forsythe, executive vice president of KYZEN, gives Editor Nolan Johnson an update on the company’s new products, product development, and customer engagement, including plans for drawing more new customers. Forsythe also explains how KYZEN’s remote process capabilities wound up being a lifesaver for customers who could not get into their facilities during the pandemic, and why sometimes, “It’s better to be lucky than right.” If you didn’t make it to SMTA International in Minneapolis, don’t worry. We have interviews with the SMT segment’s top engineers and managers. Visit realtimewith.com now for all the interviews produced by I-Connect007 in partnership with SMTA at this year's event.

I-Connect007 Editor's Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

Welcome to Friday in mid-November. If you're celebrating Thanksgiving, have you made up your menu and bought the turkey? It will be here before you know it. Around here, we're talking financial news and I've selected my top five financial news items of the week. There was plenty to choose from and my picks this week highlight a few of the most-read financial news pieces from our industry, as well as a couple high-interest technology related pieces. We also released our latest webinar, an 11-part series from the expert at GEN3. Definitely check that one out!

Honoring Those Who Served

On this Veteran’s Day holiday, the I-Connect007 staff takes a moment to honor those men and women over the years, who served to protect and defend their country. Just on the I-Connect007 staff, we have loved ones who served, ranging from World War I to present-day active-duty military. The holiday isn’t intended to be a political statement, but rather a reflection on service, duty, and personal sacrifice. In some cases, the ultimate sacrifice. Our staff has submitted images of veterans who are near and dear to their hearts. Check them out!

Conformal Coatings and Legacy X-Rays

Viscom President Ed Moll talks about test and inspection, specifically around the company’s X-ray technologies and current state-of-the-art conformal coating inspection. About pain points for customers, Ed says, "It depends on the product line, whether its solder paste inspection, optical inspection, or X-ray inspection; a new recent trend would be conformal coating inspection. We are doing quite a bit of work in conformal coating inspection, which is being driven by the auto manufacturers requiring that those who are doing conformal coating are collecting data, not just visually inspecting, using a black light, and determining that it’s good."

IPC-J-STD-001: The State of the Standard

In 2015, it was recognized that the long-standing cleanliness provisions of J-STD-001 Section 8 were no longer adequate for modern electronics and that a new approach was needed. A group of cleaning subject matter experts (SMEs), dubbed the Rhino team, were assembled to create the new protocol. This group of SMEs was led by Doug Pauls of Collins Aerospace, a long-time leader in cleaning materials and processes in the IPC. He said “tiger” was overused and he always had a fondness for the rhino, a particular animal of the Serengeti.

Market Changes Require Re-evaluating Your Testing Processes

Nolan Johnson dives into test and inspection with Bob Neves of Microtek Laboratories China. From his perspective running a test lab, Neves shares his view on the current issues for contract manufacturers regarding test and inspection. Over the course of this conversation, Neves discusses the effect of the current supply chain on testing practices, factory automation, the collection an analysis of data, and more. For all the automation and data collection possible, Neves points out, it still comes back to the people.

I-Connect007 Editor's Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

It’s merger mania! Yes, there’s been a lot of M&A activity lately in our industry over the past few months. This week was no different when it comes to merger activities. In this week’s selections, we have news about DuPont’s acquisition of Rogers, Nano Dimension’s merger with Essemtec, and NCAB’s acquisition of Elmatica. We also have news from SMTA International, and an interview with Joe Clark of DownStream Technologies about their new flex and rigid-flex technology.

Explore the Depths of Your Dispensing Process

Past missions to the “final frontier” might have been more successful if the coating on the electronic assemblies had been measured using our novel inspection technology for the dispensing process. While this is just a hypothetical statement, it is highly likely that in a harsh environment like outer space, some effects such as crystal growth and surface contamination can occur. As such, sealing the electronics assembly from environmental contaminants is particularly important because any debris or moisture can form the breeding ground for crystal dendrite growth.

Test Strategies and Pain Points

In this interview with Bert Horner of The Test Connection, Inc., a test engineering service provider, he shares his insights on the trends and challenges for test and inspection. This discussion is centered around common challenges in the industry, and the importance of setting up your test and inspection strategy. Bert states, "The biggest challenge is giving access to the key points and understanding a test strategy prior to the assembly being built."

Perfecting the Application of Conformal Coatings Without a Capital Investment

Research chemist Michael Szwarc isolated the parylene polymer series in the late 1940s at the University of Manchester, England. He discovered the polymer as one of the thermal decomposition products of a common solvent, p-xylene, at a temperature between 700 and 900°C. Union Carbide scientist William Gorham later developed a deposition process to apply the film. He deposited parylene films by the thermal decomposition of di-p-xylylene at 550°C and in vacuum below 1 Torr, a process that did not require a solvent and resulted in chemically resistant films free from pinholes. In 1965, Union Carbide commercialized the material and the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process that is unique among conformal coatings.

EPTAC Studying Low-Melt Alloys as In-Person Classes Resume

I recently spoke with Leo Lambert, the VP of Technology for EPTAC, about some research the company is doing into low-melt alloys. We also discussed EPTAC’s continuous growth, as well as some of the lessons learned during the pandemic and their plans moving forward.

I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must Reads for the Week

This week’s top picks, as influenced by readership interest, don’t seem to hold to a particular theme. Previously, I’ve referred to this as a potpourri, and now that I’ve done that once, I can’t really do so again, can I? How about a mixed bag? No, I don’t think so. While the news is certainly a diverse assortment, this just feels too obvious.
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