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Expert has been involved with surface-mount assembly for the past 18 years. He has extensive knowledge of solder paste printing, component placement, reflow and wave soldering, cleaning, inspection, and repair. He is familiar with materials, component packages, and the related technologies. Expert has set up several low-, medium-, and high-speed assembly lines. He has authored numerous technical papers and articles on the various surface-mount assembly processes.

Expert has authored the SMT Glossary: Terms and Definitions and several course textbooks on solder paste printing, SMT design for manufacturability, SMT manufacturing, SMT soldering, and emerging SMT technologies. In addition to helping his clients select equipment and set up process lines, Expert gives seminars on SMT assembly processes as well as issues related to materials, printing and deposition, placement, reflow, cleaning, no-clean, inspection, and repair. Expert and his associates stay current on all aspects of emerging technologies through his work with clients and via his numerous contacts throughout the industry.

Expert has extensive experience with the design and development of surface-mount equipment, especially component placement and reflow soldering equipment. His firm operates as an SMT independent testing lab, where he benchmark tests manufacturers' equipment to help clients recognize both strengths and weaknesses. He stays aware of the latest developments in assembly equipment and strategies and maintains a sophisticated database on features and capabilities of SMT assembly equipment available on the market. Over the years, he has written several technical papers on SMT equipment selection in key industry magazines.

Being familiar with all aspects of fine-pitch technology (FPT) and its integration into SMT assembly processes, Expert has helped his clients work with FPT devices down to 12 mils, as well as with fine pitch alternative packages such as ball grid array, tape-automated bonding, very-small packaged array, and chip-on-board technologies.

Expert helps his clients gain process efficiency with ball grid array (BGA) package technology. He has worked with design guidelines, solder paste printing and deposition, placement, reflow, cleaning, no-clean, inspection, and repair. He stays current with the latest package developments, including mini-BGA and super-BGA, equipment, and technique improvements.

Expert has experience with chip-on-board assembly, having worked with clients who use this technology. He is familiar with materials and related processes, including wire bonding and chip attachment.

Widely recognized in the industry for his work in SMT reflow soldering, Expert has been involved with state-of-the-art convection dominant reflow ovens and writes extensively on the subject. He works with clients on all aspects of SMT and fine-pitch soldering, including design for manufacturability
guidelines, solder paste printing and deposition, placement, reflow, cleaning, no-clean, inspection, repair, and workmanship standards with a goal towards solder defect reduction. His firm serves as an SMT equipment testing lab, working regularly with reflow soldering equipment. Expert has worked
extensively developing the single center reflow soldering process, where through-hole components are soldered along with surface-mount components using a reflow system. He also serves as Chairman of the Surface Mount Equipment Manufacturers Association (SMEMA) Reflow Standards Committee.

With over 20 years of experience in the electronics manufacturing industry, Expert has worked extensively with through-hole assembly processes and equipment, including insertion, soldering, and wire/component prep. He has been involved with SMT since its inception in the late 1970s. He is knowledgeable of SMT processes, materials, and equipment, including solder paste, adhesives, printing, placement, reflow, cleaning, inspection, and repair.

Expert is widely recognized in the industry for his work in SMT reflow soldering involving vapor phase (also known as condensation inert soldering). He has written numerous technical papers, articles, and a course textbook on the subject. He also teaches reflow soldering courses.

Besides having been involved with the design of pick-and-place machines, Expert has written numerous technical papers, articles, and a selection
matrix on the subject. He has worked with clients on all aspects of SMT and fine-pitch component placement. His firm works regularly with placement equipment manufacturers in benchmark testing of their products.

Expert has helped clients work with no-clean solder paste qualification and implementation to the no-clean soldering process. He has written papers on
this subject and works with the major solder paste manufacturers to stay current with the latest developments and process parameters.

Expert has worked with solder paste qualification, including no-clean solder pastes. He has written several papers on solder paste printing and reflow soldering. He keeps in close contact with the major solder paste manufactures to stay current with the latest developments.

Expert has worked extensively with through-hole assembly processes and equipment and can answer question on insertion, soldering, and wire or component prep. He often helps clients, many of which have "mixed technology" boards, convert from through-hole to surface-mount technology. He has also worked extensively developing the single center reflow soldering process, where through-hole components are soldered along with surface-mount components using a reflow oven.

Overview: OEM manufacturer of low-volume/high-mix, highly complex Class 3 PCBAs for use in NASA and AWACS satellite systems
Objective: End customer (TRW) wanted 3rd party assessment and certification of fabrication and assembly processes
Actions: ITM audited both PCB fabrication and PCB assembly processes
Improvements: Recommendations were implemented resulting in client receiving both ITM Fabrication and Assembly Certification. Improved yields were realized. TRW was satisfied with improvements and client has since been re-certified.
Overview: OEM manufacturer of high-volume/medium-mix Class 2 automotive engine management control and entertainment systems
Objective: Corporate management wanted review of assembly process and quality systems with goal of improving throughput and yields
Actions: ITM audited two facilities in the US and two facilities in Mexico
Improvements: Recommendations improved product quality and first-pass yield. Areas of improvement included lack of documentation adherence and process control problems. Implementation of scaling back excessive lean manufacturing resulting in improved quality.
Overview: OEM manufacturer of low-volume/medium-mix Class 3 medical equipment per FDA and other specs
Objective: Field failure of heart/blood perfusion system manufactured for client prompted investigation of supply chain
Actions: ITM audited design and box-build/test facility, PCB fabricator and PCB assembler
Improvements: Documentation was found to be weak in key areas and root cause of field failure was identified. While improvements were recommended in test, box-build, final assembly and DFMA, another CEM was ultimately qualified based upon ITM guidelines.
Overview: High-volume/low-mix Class 2 uninterruptable power supplies/battery backup systems assembled in Philippines by Korean CEM
Objective: Client was converting assembly processes and materials to lead-free for purpose of compliance with the EU RoHS directive
Actions: ITM performed process audit and lead-free gap analysis to assure world-class practices
Improvements: Recommendations included quality systems, material control and process procedures. Follow-up audit determined improved quality yields and RoHS compliance. ITM certified the lead-free assembly process.