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Expert has worked under sponsorship from the US Air Force on the development of integrated circuit, hybrid, and multichip module package design guidelines, focusing on reliability, to enable the design of packages for specific end-use environments. The report for this project is the first document of its kind to incorporate reliability issues directly into microelectronic packaging design and qualification. He has also demonstrated the applicability of the physics-of-failure approach on NASA's ZENO Space Shuttle Experiment, resulting in a new approach to reliability assessment.

Expert initiated a program for the development of a standardized methodology of product development, laying emphasis on microelectronic device reliability. The courses he teaches on microelectronic device reliability are attended by many companies in the field of electronics. The concepts learned in Expert's courses have proven to achieve significant improvements in the reliability of microelectronic products.


Expert has applied his expertise in electronics reliability to develop physics-of-failure based test methodologies for qualification and quality conformance testing of microelectronic devices and packages. Based on his work, NASA now requires that a justification be provided for electronics reliability test methodologies to show that they are relevant and do not induce harm to the product.

Over the course of his career, Expert has modeled solder joint fatigue damage for surface mount and plated-through hole components. He has analyzed the inelastic strain history in solder fatigue specimens (designed by NASA and UNISYS engineers) for comparing the low-cycle fatigue properties of different solder compositions under thermal cycling. The models were then implemented into the CALCE software and are now used by General Dynamics and Rockwell International for estimating PCB solder life under combined thermal and vibration conditions and by Litton for estimating the reliability of plated-through holes and vias.


Expert developed the Computer Aided Life Cycle Engineering (CALCE) and the Computer Aided Design of Microelectronic Packages (CADMP 2) software products. CADMP 2 is a set of integrated software programs used for modeling, simulation, and assessment of integrated circuits, hybrids, and multichip modules. CALCE is a set of integrated software programs used for the modeling, simulation, and assessment of printed wiring board assemblies. These two software tools have been used by a number of electronics companies, some of which are members of the CALCE EPRC consortium, to model, simulate, and assess package reliability.

He developed the first Reliability and Maintainability Computer Aided Design (RAMCAD) methodology as part of the Office of the Secretary of Defense program, the Institute for Defense Analyses RAMCAD program, and the Lockheed-Georgia RAMCAD program. As an indicator of his success, his research papers led to the development of RAMCAD software by more than 10 commercial companies.



Expert's expertise in electronics packaging comes from his unique background that combines strategic planning, research, education, management, and technology transfer. Besides founding two companies, he created a national center for research into electronic packaging as part of the University of Maryland. This center (CALCE Electronic Packaging Research Center) is funded by over 28 companies and government agencies, all interested in the design and development of cost-effective and reliable electronics products. Expert can provide insight into future plans for competing in the global market (including involvement in the military-government market) and how clients should plan to compete (or unite) with the Asian and European communities. He can advise clients on their current and planned methods for design and development, manufacturing processes, tools, the role of military-government standards, and the role of offshore manufacturing and acquisition.