PCB Chat

PCB Chat 150: Wally Rhines on the Latest ECAD Market Data

Wally Rhines the spokesperson for the ESD Alliance, part of Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International. He joins Mike Buetow each quarter to share details from the latest ESD Alliance report on sales of computer-aided engineering tools, semiconductor tools, PCB design software, related IP and services, and employment.

We discuss:

• The latest PCB/MCB design tool market data
• The 19-quarter streak of year-over-year gains (can it continue?)
• The massive spike in Asia sales
• The remarkable resilience of the Americas in maintaining ECAD market share
• The employment growth -- will everyone eventually work in ECAD?

RM 184: Advances in Dispensing Automation and Thermal Management with PVA’s Jon Urquhart

Jon Urquhart is director of global applications engineering at Precision Valve and Automation — one of the world’s leading developers of dispensing, coating, and industrial motion-automation systems. Since joining PVA in 1993, Urquhart has become widely recognized for his expertise in fluid material processing, precision dispensing, and the engineering-to-manufacturing handoff that so often makes or breaks product reliability.

Urquhart holds multiple patents and has helped shape advanced processes used in industries where the stakes couldn’t be higher — from aerospace and EV battery systems to semiconductor packaging, medical devices, and high-density electronics assembly. His work spans everything from protective coatings that safeguard electronics in extreme environments, to next-generation thermal interface material (TIM) deposition, to automation strategies that reduce human error, improve consistency, and dramatically scale production.

He joins Mike Konrad to discuss the real-world challenges of protecting critical electronics and batteries, the latest advances in TIM materials and deposition, sustainable precision-coating techniques, and the power of a strong collaboration model between vendors, manufacturers, and lab technicians.

PCB Chat 149: Maggie Frachioni on the Evolution of a PCB Designer

Margaret (Maggie) Frachioni is a semiconductor hardware engineer at General Motors, where, armed with a bachelor’s in computer engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, she started out college as a software engineer in its automotive test lab. 

While at GM, she started work toward her master’s at Wayne State University in Detroit. Last year, she was part of the first PCEA Certified Printed Circuit Designer course taught as part of a university curriculum.

She speaks with Mike Buetow on her evolving role at GM, her college preparation for electronics engineering, and how the CPCD class altered her career arc from semiconductor methodology to designing and building boards.

RM 183: A Reliability Matters Podcast Year-End Reflection

Since 2018, Reliability Matters has been building a knowledge vault, capturing the wisdom of industry experts for engineers everywhere. 

In this special year-end episode, we celebrate the journey, the growth, and the community that made it possible.

RM 182: How to Work Effectively with your CM - with Daniel Stanphill & Sean Kincaid

Mike Konrad continues a dive into the world of contract manufacturing—a vital piece of the electronics ecosystem.

Joining him are two industry leaders who know this space inside and out. First, we have Daniel Stanphill, SMT process engineer at Aurora Boardworks, and alongside him, Sean Kincaid, president of K & F Electronics. 

Both companies provide contract manufacturing services to a wide range of customers, helping turn design concepts into dependable, production-ready circuit assemblies.

In this conversation, we’ll explore what makes for a successful relationship between contract manufacturers and their customers. We’ll talk about the types of customers they look for, the challenges they face in today’s manufacturing environment, and the common mistakes that can derail a project if not addressed early on. 

Most importantly, we’ll dig into best practices that can help customers and manufacturers work together more effectively.

RM 181: Working with Contract Manufacturers - with Raymond Novara

The next two episodes of Reliability Matters will be all about contract manufacturing, an area that can make or break the reliability and success of a product. 

Mike Konrad's guest on this episode is Raymond Novara, founder and owner of East End Assemblies, a US-based contract manufacturer recognized for its focus on quality, customer service, and compliance with AS9100 and IPC standards.

During our conversation, Raymond talks about key questions that every OEM should be considering:

• What are the best practices for selecting a contract manufacturer?
• What common mistakes do companies make when working with a CM—especially in communication and hand-offs?
• How can design-for-manufacturability feedback prevent problems down the road?
• What should customers know about transitioning from prototypes to volume production?
• And how can contract manufacturers help ensure long-term product reliability, not just passing initial tests?

If you’re an OEM evaluating partners, an engineer preparing to hand off a design, or someone interested in how contract manufacturers contribute to product reliability, this episode is packed with insights.

RM 180: Low Temp Soldering for a High-Reliability World

Note: This is the fourth of four episodes on the subject of soldering materials.

 

Today, we're diving into a topic that's reshaping how we think about thermal management, energy efficiency, and long-term performance in electronics manufacturing—low temperature soldering. Joining Mike Konrad is Dr. HongWen Zhang, principal metallurgist and R&D manager of the Alloy Group at Indium Corporation.

 

Dr. Zhang is not only a seasoned materials scientist with a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering, a master’s in materials science and engineering and in mechanical engineering and a bachelor’s in metallurgical physical chemistry he’s also coinventor of Durafuse, a family of solder alloys that are redefining what's possible at low reflow temperatures—which, reportedly, does not compromise reliability.

 

In this episode, we’ll explore how low temperature solders are helping manufacturers lower energy consumption, protect heat-sensitive components, and still meet the rigorous mechanical and environmental demands of today’s electronics—from wearables to wafer-level packaging. We’ll also talk about the challenges of brittleness, drop shock resistance, activation and encapsulation of no clean activators, and how cutting-edge materials research is solving problems that used to be considered trade-offs.

 

Whether you’re a reliability engineer, a process expert, or just solder-curious, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

 

PCB Chat 147: Matthias Wagner of FluxAI

Today’s guest is Matthias Wagner, chief executive and cofounder of Flux. Flux is maker of a Agentic AI-based PCB design platform and programmable simulator that runs in a browser environment. Regular listeners may know we have spoken with Matthias a few times in the past, most recently in February 2024.

Since we last spoke, Flux has built out its platform with a variety of tools for design planning, parts searching, netlist generation, design review, firmware coding and testing and debugging, to name a few.

 

We discuss

• AI-powered PCB design challenges
• Language prompting capabilities 
• Democratization of product design, and
• Technical specifications and platform limits.

 

 

 

RM 179: Indium's Ross Berntson

This is the third of four episodes on the subject of soldering materials.

Today, we’re continuing our deep dive into the world of soldering materials, from advanced alloys and flux chemistries to global manufacturing strategy and materials innovation, with one of the industry’s most respected leaders. Joining Mike Konrad is Ross Berntson, president and CEO of Indium Corp.

Berntson has been with Indium for nearly 30 years, starting as a product specialist and rising through the ranks with leadership roles in product management, technical support, and international operations. He even spent time leading Indium’s Asia Holdings while based in Singapore, strengthening the company’s presence across Southeast Asia. In his current role as CEO, Berntson sets the strategic direction for a global materials powerhouse, one that’s known not only for its high-performance soldering products but for its commitment to innovation, collaboration, and engineering support through the company’s “One Engineer to Another” philosophy.

Berntson holds degrees in chemistry, teaching and an MBA from Cornell University, where he earned several prestigious academic awards. He’s also deeply engaged in both the electronics industry and his community, serving on multiple boards and leading with a strong emphasis on culture, opportunity, and respect, the core of what Indium calls “The Indium Way.”

In this episode, we’ll discuss how soldering materials are evolving to meet the demands of modern electronics, from miniaturization and harsh environments to UHDI and advanced packaging. We’ll also talk about Indium’s unique positioning in the industry, the challenges of global supply chains, and what the future of soldering looks like from the vantage point of a company that’s helped shape it.

PCB Chat 146: The Latest EDA Market Results

Wally Rhines joins Mike Buetow each quarter to share details from the latest ESD Alliance report on sales of PCB design software, computer-aided engineering tools, semiconductor tools, related IP and services, and employment.

This chat, we discuss the long PCB/MCM design tool rally, a massive jump in employment. broader strength across the ECAD industry, and the effects US policies toward China are having on the market.