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PODCAST

Reliability Matters

Reliability Matters is a podcast on the subject of reliability of circuit assemblies. Reliability "best practices" and success stories are discussed. This podcast features interviews with experts in the electronic assembly industry.All electronic production segments which effect product reliability are on the table. This includes contamination, coating, cleanliness assessment, inspection, building for harsh environments, reflow, printing, failure analysis, board fabrication, and much more.Your

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All Episodes

65:58

Episode 145: Designing Electronics to be Reliable in...

Reliability Matters ·

2024/06/11

The challenging world of electronics becomes even more challenging when the end product is destined for harsh environments. For high reliability products operating in a harsh environment, the quest for reliability is not just a goal—it's an imperative. These are not your everyday gadgets; often they're critical components of systems designed to operate under extreme conditions, where failure is not an option. From the scorching heat of desert landscapes to the unyielding cold of arctic tundras, from

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59:41

Episode 144: A Conversation with Indium's Rick Short...

Reliability Matters ·

2024/05/28

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

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76:29

Episode 143: A Candid Conversation with Industry Icon...

Reliability Matters ·

2024/05/14

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

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38:26

Episode 142: Live from SMTA's Pan Pacific Strategic...

Reliability Matters ·

2024/04/23

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.

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57:05

Episode 141: Component Tape Splicing Best Practices...

Reliability Matters ·

2024/04/09

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

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70:28

Episode 140: Circuit Board Design and Acquisition...

Reliability Matters ·

2024/03/26

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 foundation

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55:12

Episode 139: Environmentally Responsible Alternatives...

Reliability Matters ·

2024/03/12

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

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71:03

Episode 138: Hand Soldering and Rework Best Practices...

Reliability Matters ·

2024/02/27

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

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75:40

Episode 137: Building a Sustainable Career with a...

Reliability Matters ·

2024/02/13

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. Rick

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64:07

Episode 136: Environmentally Responsible/Sustainable...

Reliability Matters ·

2024/01/23

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

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73:54

Episode 135: A Conversation with Dr. Zach Peterson...

Reliability Matters ·

2024/01/09

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 challenges,

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8:55

Episode 134 - 2023 Podcast Season Wrap-Up

Reliability Matters ·

2023/12/26

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.

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65:55

Episode 133: Novel Wireless / Wearable ESD Monitoring

Reliability Matters ·

2023/12/12

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, a

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60:42

Episode 132: A Conversation about Ultra-Thin...

Reliability Matters ·

2023/11/28

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 does

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69:24

Episode 131: A Conversation with Industry Icon Bob...

Reliability Matters ·

2023/11/14

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 acquisition

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63:25

Episode 130: Human-Centered Approaches to Innovation...

Reliability Matters ·

2023/10/24

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 talked

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76:00

Episode 129: Network Reliability - Avoiding...

Reliability Matters ·

2023/10/10

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 perform

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63:21

Episode 128: Industry Standards Explained with Leo...

Reliability Matters ·

2023/09/26

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

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58:59

Episode 127: Ask the Experts - A Conversation with...

Reliability Matters ·

2023/09/12

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

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60:17

Episode 126: Moisture Mitigation Strategies with Dan...

Reliability Matters ·

2023/08/22

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) • And

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