Reliability Matters

Episode 73: A Conversation with Solder Paste Expert Tim Jensen of Indium.Tim Jensen talks about: • Solder paste selection best practices • Low temperature solder • Common mistakes made when using solder paste • Solder paste jetting / micro-dispensing • And much moreTim Jensen may be reached here:tjensen@indium.comIndium Corporationhttps://www.indium.com

ECD's Mark Waterman discusses thermal profiling best practices. • Common mistakes made when using profilers• In-use best practices• Common applicationsMark may be reached here:mailto:mwaterman@ecd.comECD's Website:https://www.ecd.com

Episode 71: A Conversation with Manufacturer's Representatives About Sales and Support Post Covid 19Four manufacturer's representatives share their experience in supporting their customer's needs. They share how sales and support has changed over the years and review the "new normal".My guests are:David LeventhalRestronicsdleventhal@restronics.comJoan Carrol-Kennedy Restronicsjcarroll@restronics.comMurray Percival Jr.Murray Percivalmapercival@murraypercival.comTodd WittmerWittco Salestoddwittmer@wittcosales.com

My guest today is AMIT DRORCo-Founder of Nano Dimension Ltd. and Customer Success Officer. Amit served as Nano Dimension’s Chief Executive Officer from 2014 to 2019. Nano Dimension has produced a product which, arguably can be best described as a true disruptive force within the electronic assembly space.We’re all experienced with inkjet printers. Ink jet nozzles travel from left to right back and forth over a sheet of paper. When the printing process has been completed, out shoots a sheet of paper with text or images deposited on the paper’s surface. Now, imagine a different type of printer. Instead of four-color ink cartridges there are two basic inks, one a dielectric ink and the other a silver-based conductive ink. The print heads travel back and forth and, when the printing process is finished, out pops a multi-layer circuit board complete with vias, through-holes, ground planes, and conductive traces, and markings, ready for component placement and reflow. Need another board, just press print. This technology gives new meaning to "printed circuit board".Amit DrorCo-Founder of Nano Dimension Ltd. and Customer Success OfficerNano Dimensionnano-di.comNANO DIMENSION USA INC.13798 NW 4th Street, Suite 315Sunrise, FL 33325, United States NANO DIMENSION (ISRAEL) 2 Ilan Ramon St. Ness-Ziona Science Park Ness Ziona 7403635, IsraelNANO DIMENSION (HK) LTD.Unit 202. 2/F, Lakeside 2, Phase Two,Hong Kong Science Park, Pak Shek Kok,New Territories, Hong Kong

I was privileged to be a guest on the Pick-Place Podcast with Chris Denney (Worthington Assembly) and Melissa Hough (CircuitHub). This is the second of a two-part interview.In this episode we are joined by Mike Konrad to chat about board cleaning. Mike founded Aqueous Technologies in 1992 in response to the Montreal Protocol and the resulting international treaty banning most popular cleaning/defluxing solvents. Their board cleaning equipment assists manufacturers with increasing product reliability while saving both water and energy, reducing the industry's environmental impact.In addition to being the President of Aqueous Technologies, he is also a fellow podcaster and runs the Reliability Matters Podcast, which discusses reliability of circuit assemblies, reliability "best practices" and success stories.In the first part of this conversation we delve into the history of board cleaning, the electronics the industry's transition to primarily using no-clean flux, and why more and more companies are reintroducing board cleaning back into their assembly process. This episode gets us into the nitty gritty details of how to implement a proper circuit board cleaning process.Chris Denney may be reached here:cdenney@worthingtonassembly.comMelissa Hough may be reached here:melissa@circuithub.comMike Konrad may be reached here:konrad@aqueoustech.com

I was privileged to be a guest on the Pick-Place Podcast with Chris Denney (Worthington Assembly) and Melissa Hough (CircuitHub). This is the first of a two-part interview.In this episode we are joined by Mike Konrad to chat about board cleaning. Mike founded Aqueous Technologies in 1992 in response to the Montreal Protocol and the resulting international treaty banning most popular cleaning/defluxing solvents. Their board cleaning equipment assists manufacturers with increasing product reliability while saving both water and energy, reducing the industry's environmental impact.In addition to being the President of Aqueous Technologies, he is also a fellow podcaster and runs the Reliability Matters Podcast, which discusses reliability of circuit assemblies, reliability "best practices" and success stories.In the first part of this conversation we delve into the history of board cleaning, the electronics the industry's transition to primarily using no-clean flux, and why more and more companies are reintroducing board cleaning back into their assembly process. If you want to listen to us get into the nitty gritty details of how to implement a proper circuit board cleaning process, make sure to listen to the second half of this episode.Chris Denney may be reached here:cdenney@worthingtonassembly.comMelissa Hough may be reached here:melissa@circuithub.com

Episode 67: A Conversation with Rework/Repair Expert Norman Mier of Best Inc.Norman Mier is a U.S. Marine Corp. retired veteran with over 20 years of experience in the electronics rework and repair industry. He received his training through the Navy's Micro Miniature (2M) Electronic Repair Program. He has progressed through every level of rework and repair recognized in the industry. Norman has also earned the highest certifications awarded by IPC in electronics training, being certified as a Master Instructor in IPC A-610, IPC J-STD-001D, IPC/WHMA-A-620 and IPC 7711/7721.He has worked through BEST for several electronics industry leaders and created tailored courses for their equipment. This also includes providing training to technicians and engineers in surface mount and advanced surface mount technology. The knowledge Norm has brought to these companies has been invaluable to their process improvement efforts. His skill has also been a major factor in keeping BEST training at the forefront in the electronics-training field. Norman may be contacted here:nmier@solder.net

Dr. Ron Lasky (Professor at Dartmouth College) and three of his students talk about the papers they wrote which were presented at SMTA's Pan Pacific Microelectronics Symposium in Hawaii in 2020 as well as a new paper to be presented at the same conference in 2022.

Welcome to episode 65 of the Reliability Matters podcast. This is part 2 of our conservation with Aim Solder's Tim O'Neill and BTU's Fred Dimock. On this episode, we'll dive into oven profiling best practices.Timothy O'Neill is the Technical Marketing Manager for AIM Solder. Operating out of AIM’s U.S. Headquarters, Tim is responsible for developing and optimizing product and technical information, collaborating with complimentary suppliers and equipment manufacturers and ensuring AIM's products exceed expectations and meet market requirements. Tim is also a technical writer and presenter for industry trade publications and events. He has co-authored several papers on PCB assembly subjects.Tim is also an IPC-A-610 Certified IPC Specialist.Fred Dimock is the Manager of Process Technology at BTU International and recently started a consulting business, FCD-Global services. Fred holds an Associate Degree in Mechanical Design from Wentworth in Boston and a Bachelors Degree in Ceramic Engineering from the State University of New York. Fred has authored numerous articles on lead free solder, process control, and the operation of continuous furnaces. His papers have been published in English, Chinese, and German. He has taught numerous SMTA solder reflow classes and participated in the 5-45 Subcommittee for the development of IPC-7801 Reflow Oven Process Control Standard. Additionally, he wrote the chapter on solder reflow for the Handbook of Electronic Assembly and A Guide to SMTA Certification by Dr Lasky and Jim Hall.He received Distinguished Speaker status at SMTA Guadalajara Mexico and is a key presenter for the SMTA Jump Start program for new engineers.Tim O’Neill may be contacted here:toneill@aimsolder.comFred Dimock may be contacted here:fdimock@btu.com

Welcome to episode 64 of the Reliability Matters podcast. On this episode, we’ll have a conversation with two industry experts on the subject of solder voiding mitigation and oven profiling, two subjects which influence solder voiding. This will be a two part episode. Today, we’ll dive into void mitigation and how vacuum reflow technology can help reduce or eliminate voiding. Part two, on episode 65 (in two weeks), we’ll discuss profiling best practices.My guests today, and one the next episode are Tim O’Neill from AIM Solder and Fred Dimock of BTU. Tim will discuss voiding mitigation from a materials standpoint while Fred will bring cover equipment and profiling stragities.Timothy O'Neill is the Technical Marketing Manager for AIM Solder. Operating out of AIM’s U.S. Headquarters, Tim is responsible for developing and optimizing product and technical information, collaborating with complimentary suppliers and equipment manufacturers and ensuring AIM's products exceed expectations and meet market requirements. Tim is also a technical writer and presenter for industry trade publications and events. He has co-authored several papers on PCB assembly subjects.Tim is also an IPC-A-610 Certified IPC Specialist.Fred Dimock is the Manager of Process Technology at BTU International and recently started a consulting business, FCD-Global services. Fred holds an Associate Degree in Mechanical Design from Wentworth in Boston and a Bachelors Degree in Ceramic Engineering from the State University of New York. Fred has authored numerous articles on lead free solder, process control, and the operation of continuous furnaces. His papers have been published in English, Chinese, and German. He has taught numerous SMTA solder reflow classes and participated in the 5-45 Subcommittee for the development of IPC-7801 Reflow Oven Process Control Standard. Additionally, he wrote the chapter on solder reflow for the Handbook of Electronic Assembly and A Guide to SMTA Certification by Dr Lasky and Jim Hall.He received Distinguished Speaker status at SMTA Guadalajara Mexico and is a key presenter for the SMTA Jump Start program for new engineers.Tim O’Neill may be contacted here:toneill@aimsolder.comFred Dimock may be contacted here:fdimock@btu.com