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PODCAST

PCB Chat

Recorded conversations and interviews on electronics design and manufacturing with the editors of PCD&F/Circuits Assembly, brought to you by the Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA)

technology tech news

All Episodes

12:40

PCB Chat 144: The Latest PCB Design Software Market...

PCB Chat ·

2025/07/15

Wally Rhines, spokesperson for the ESD Alliance, joins Mike Buetow to discuss the first quarter electronic design automation market results.The good news: sales of PCB/MCM design software were up 5.5% to $399.8 million for the quarter, the 17th straight period of growth. Strength in Asia-Pacific offset slower results in some other regions. The four-quarter moving average for PCB and MCM rose 8.9%. The Americas, the largest reporting region by revenue, procured almost $2.21 billion of electronic

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46:40

RM 172: Steering ERP Projects Back on Track with...

PCB Chat ·

2025/07/10

Today we're diving into a topic that keeps many executives awake at night—ERP implementations. More specifically, why so many of them fail and, perhaps more importantly, how to fix them midstream before they derail your operations.Joining Mike Konrad is someone who knows this space inside and out—Chintan Sutaria. Sutaria grew up working in an EMS business from a young age, gaining firsthand experience in the unique challenges of our industry. His career path took him into the world of business

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17:30

Cofactr on Supply Chain Execution

PCB Chat ·

2025/07/08

Cofactr is a supply chain execution platform that includes source-to-pay and 3PL solutions for electronics hardware developers. Live from the show floor at PCB East in May, cofounder Phil Gulley and VP of marketing Libby Melton join Matt Leary, Geoffrey Hazelett and Mike Buetow to discuss the company's procurement process tools and software integrations.

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52:37

RM 171: Pick & Place Machine Selection and Optimization

PCB Chat ·

2025/06/26

Today we're turning our attention to a cornerstone of modern electronics manufacturing: pick-and-place technology.Joining Mike Konrad is Tim Kang, CEO of Hanwha Semitech Americas. With nearly two decades of experience in the electronics manufacturing space — starting as a mechanical engineer and now leading one of the top pick and place equipment providers — Kang brings a wealth of insight into what it takes to build reliable assemblies. In this episode, we’re covering best practices for

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29:32

RM 169: On the Road - Soldering

PCB Chat ·

2025/06/26

On this episode of the Reliability Matters podcast, Mike Konrad left his usual studio for the IPC Apex Expo trade show. He interviews two subject matter experts on topics related to electronics assembly. The guests are: Gerald Gardner, global product manager at Weller, a manufacturer of hand soldering equipment fume extraction systems, and precision tools. Mike Young – CEO OF SASinno Americas, a manufacturer of wave and selective soldering equipment.

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35:11

RM 168: On the Road - Electronics Assembly

PCB Chat ·

2025/06/26

Mike Konrad interviews three subject matter experts on various topics related to electronics assembly. The guests are: Greg Beck, director of sales at Absolute EMS, a contract manufacturer. Brian Watson, cofounder of HyRel Technologies, a global provider of quickturn semiconductor modification solutions. Keith Sweatman, technical advisor at Nihon Superior, a manufacturer of soldering materials

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09:48

Chris Banton of EMA Design Automation on Board...

PCB Chat ·

2025/06/13

Chris Banton of EMA Design Automation joins Matt Leary, Geoffrey Hazelett and Mike Buetow to talk about how the EDA vendor's helps printed circuit board designers optimize their designs.Recorded live on the show floor at PCB East 2025.

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33:40

PCB Chat 143: Frank Mullaney and Emma Hudson of iNEMI

PCB Chat ·

2025/05/28

For early 30 years, the International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (INEMI), has been the go-to consortium for many leading OEMs companies and their suppliers to identify and develop next-generation technology, and then help deploy it for high-volume manufacturing.Frank Mullaney, director of roadmapping, and Emma Hudson, new project manager, discuss some of the consortium’s ongoing projects, including new content on PCB test methods, solders, and laminates. Mullaney has a Ph.D. in electronic

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11:45

Tom Britton and Nataliia Matsiuk on an AI Solution...

PCB Chat ·

2025/05/26

Tom Britton and Nataliia Matsiuk join Geoffrey Hazelett of FreedomCAD, Matt Leary of Newgrange Design and Mike Buetow of PCEA to share work on a Department of Energy program that pair scientists with real-world industry problems. In particular, Britton and Matsiuk are focused on developing an AI solution for the PCB manufacturing industry. Among the topics discussed are roadblocks US companies face to develop a smart factory in which AI systems communicate with equipment, and how the public solution

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09:10

Robert Byrne of Allspice

PCB Chat ·

2025/05/26

Robert Bryne, director of marketing at Allspice.io, joins Geoffrey Hazelett of FreedomCAD, Matt Leary of Newgrange Design and Mike Buetow of PCEA to talk about the five-year-old company's GIT hardware platform that helps hardware and electrical engineers streamline hardware design reviews. We discuss the ECAD formats that Allspice engages with, the templates used, why GitHub matters for software teams, and the company's target markets. Recorded live on the show floor at PCB East 2025.

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56:18

RM 167: Meet the Press: A Conversation with PCEA...

PCB Chat ·

2025/04/25

Today, we’re diving deep into the world of electronics manufacturing from a unique vantage point—that of the press. Mike Konrad's guest is someone who has spent decades at the forefront of reporting on the electronics manufacturing industry. Mike Buetow, president of the Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA), has covered everything from the latest technological advancements to the biggest challenges facing manufacturers today. If there’s a major trend shaping the industry, you can bet

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12:27

PCB Chat 164: The Latest PCB Design Software Market...

PCB Chat ·

2025/04/14

Wally Rhines, spokesperson for the ESD Alliance, which is part of Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International, joins Mike Buetow to share the latest electronic design automation data.Rhines details highlights from the fourth quarter 2024, which was another record-setting period for PCB design tool sales as well as the other major EDA segments. And he notes that while historically EDA does well in the first few quarters of industry downturns, there are concerns for what the looming tariff

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39:38

RM: Electronics 166: Down Memory Lane and a Vision...

PCB Chat ·

2025/04/08

This episode is a little different in two ways.First, host Mike Konrad recorded it not in his studio but at the SMTA Pan Pacific Strategic Electronics Symposium, affectionately known as PanPac, in beautiful Maui, Hawaii. Each year, Mike records a Reliability Matters podcast at PanPac. Normally, the format of the show is to ask questions and the guests provide answers. On this episode however, the guests do all the talking. The theme of this episode is Electronics: Down Memory Lane and a Vision for

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28:42

PCB Chat 141: Integrated Library Management and...

PCB Chat ·

2025/04/07

Supply chain management looms over everything we do, but it has been more pronounced than ever over the past five years as the Covid pandemic steered so much attention to how we procure and inventory parts. About a month ago, DigiKey, one of the largest distributors of electronic components in the world, and EMA Design Automation announced the integration of DigiKey's myLists tool with EMA UItra Librarian's UltraBOM bill of materials management software. The benefit, they say, is that designers and

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57:36

RM 163: Sebastian Schaal of Luminovo on Supply Chain...

PCB Chat ·

2025/03/13

Today, we're tackling a topic that has become increasingly vital in recent years: supply chain management. With global supply chains recently under immense pressure from disruptions, shortages, and growing complexity, the need for smarter, more efficient solutions has never been greater. And what better way to explore this than by discussing the cutting-edge role of AI-powered supply chain management software. Mike Konrad's guest is Sebastian Schaal, the founder and CEO of Luminovo, a company at

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01:02:08

RM 162: Battery Selection and Safety Best Practices...

PCB Chat ·

2025/02/26

Today we’re diving into a critical yet sometimes overlooked component that powers so many of the devices we rely on: batteries. Batteries are the heartbeat of countless electronic products, from medical devices and electric vehicles to consumer gadgets and industrial systems. Choosing the right battery is not a one-size-fits-all decision. It requires a keen understanding of the application, performance needs, and environmental demands. The right selection can make the difference between a product

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45:45

PCB Chat 140: Kenny McGee on Component Circularity

PCB Chat ·

2025/02/06

Today’s guest intersects two key areas for electronics manufacturers: circularity and inventory management."The cost of a component isn't just the cost of a component. It's the cost to the planet." That's what Kenny McGee, chief executive of Component Sense, says. Component Sense is an Edinburgh, Scotland-based company that leads electronic manufacturers toward zero waste. It takes brand-new, perfectly good excess components and redistributes them to other manufacturers for use. We talk about

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01:03:45

RM 161: AI-Based Inspection Technologies with...

PCB Chat ·

2025/02/04

Today, we’re exploring a transformative topic: AI-based inspection technologies. Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing how we detect, analyze, and address defects in the electronics assembly process, combining precision with unparalleled speed to unlock new possibilities for efficiency and reliability. Our guest today is a leading innovator in this field. Priyansha Bagaria is the founder and CEO of Loopr AI, a company at the forefront of AI-powered solutions for manufacturing

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17:10

The Semiconductor/Packaging/PCB Technology Stack

PCB Chat ·

2025/01/28

This is Part 2 of a new podcast in which guest Geoffrey Leeds of Leeds AI joins Matt Leary (Newgrange Design), Geoffrey Hazelett (FreedomCAD) and Mike Buetow (PCEA) to discuss the semiconductor/packaging/PCB technology stack and what over the next two to five years will have the biggest impact on the industry at the board level.The conversation covers heterogeneous packaging, interposers, the density scale equation, silicon to systems, die desgregation, and photonics, among others. Part 1

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20:37

The Electronics Supply Chain and How Companies Can Adapt

PCB Chat ·

2025/01/25

Supply chain issues are rearing their ugly heads -- again -- with the latest blow the decision by Nippon Denkai to close and liquidate its copper foil manufacturing plant in Georgia, the last such factory in the United States. Geoffrey Leeds of Leeds AI joins Matt Leary (Newgrange Design), Geoffrey Hazelett (FreedomCAD) and Mike Buetow (PCEA) to discuss the supply chain situation and how the industry can adapt.

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312 results

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