The D-Code

The D-Code Podcast

About the show

Decoding electronics manufacturing! Sean Kincaid, Elias Malfavon, and Daniel Stanphill along with an expert guest, talk all things PCBA.

Newest episodes

SMTAI 2026 - Francesca Lehtomaa

Nov 14, 2026 12 min

Think about the last time you had a weird question at work. Did you type keywords into Google and click through ten blue links, or did you just ask ChatGPT or Claude? Most people in our industry are already treating AI tools like a smarter search engine. Which brings up a problem most manufacturing companies have not thought about yet: when an engineer asks an AI tool who solves a specific problem, does your shop show up in the answer, or do your competitors? At SMTA International 2026, Francesca Lehtomaa (founder of Lehtomaa Group) sat down with Elias Malfavon Jr., Sean Kincaid, and Daniel Stanphill to talk about Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), targeted LinkedIn strategy, and taking the leap into business ownership after 17 years at one company. We talked through: • What GEO actually means for B2B manufacturing companies trying to get cited where buyers are searching today • Why posting what genuinely interests you beats polished corporate copy every time • Getting the next generation onto the production floor through EMAC and the Bright Manufacturing Challenge • Why Daniel and Sean agree you could identify water-soluble solder paste blindfolded from across the room (and why Elias got called "Unc" on the mic)

Apex 2026 - Ethan Shipp

Nov 13, 2026 17 min

Every winter, the same mystery plays out on SMT floors across the country. A board that printed great in September goes back on the line in December. Same paste, same squeegee parameters, same board support, same stencil. Suddenly the paste stops rolling right, hangs up inside the apertures, and somebody picks up the phone to tell the stencil guy his stencil "stopped working." Down at the pick-and-place, static on the cover tape starts turning 0201 LEDs into jumping beans, flipping parts upside down in the pocket before the nozzle even gets there. Nothing broke on the machines. The building heat kicked on and your shop humidity tanked to 12%. At SMTA International 2026, Ethan Shipp from Ikeuchi USA ("the Dry Fog engineers") joined Elias Malfavon Jr., Sean Kincaid, and Daniel Stanphill at The D-Code booth to talk about one of the most overlooked variables in electronics assembly: relative humidity. We got into: • How atomizing water down to 7.5-micron droplets creates a "dry fog" that bounces right off surfaces (you can hold an open laptop three feet from the nozzle and pull it away bone dry) • Why Sean mounted his AKIMist "Green Egg" right next to his pick-and-place and watched his 0201 feeder static headaches vanish • The counterintuitive reason low winter humidity actually makes many air-cured conformal coatings and adhesives take longer to dry, even when your thermostat stays at 68 degrees • Building localized microclimates over specific SMT lines in high-ceiling warehouses without plumbing the whole building (plus the unofficial winter bonus of fewer shop-floor sick days)

SMTAI 2026 - Juan Arango

Nov 12, 2026 15 min

"This is the first time we brought equipment into the facility that not one person complained about." Anyone who manages an electronics assembly floor knows how rare that sentence is. That's what Gary Bailes (Daniel's Boss) had to say about ABW's PARMI inspection suite. Juan Arango (Head of Sales and Business Development at PARMI USA) joined Elias Malfavon Jr., Sean Kincaid, and Daniel Stanphill at SMTA International 2026 to talk shop on 3D laser inspection, eliminating tall-component shadowing, getting full-board FOD detection without a cycle-time hit, and cutting AOI programming from half a shift down to under 45 minutes. Plus, Juan owns up to a myth he used to tell customers about red solder mask boards before he joined PARMI, and Sean shares how a demo scan caught a shorted resistor under a tall connector that his own AOI passed.

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All episodes

SMTAI 2026 - Francesca Lehtomaa

Nov 14, 2026 12 min

Apex 2026 - Ethan Shipp

Nov 13, 2026 17 min

SMTAI 2026 - Juan Arango

Nov 12, 2026 15 min

SMTAI 2026 - Mike Young

Nov 12, 2026 20 min

Walk onto almost any spotless SMT floor in the country, walk past the shiny pick-and-place lines, and open up the wave solder machine. Nine times out of ten, the only clean thing inside that cabinet is the molten wave itself right before it collapses into a crust of dross. Why? Because most soldering equipment is miserable to clean. And on a busy production floor, if a machine fights you on maintenance, maintenance does not get done. Mike Young (CEO and General Manager of SASinno Americas) started his career at Electrovert back in the early '90s and jokes that he is one of maybe three people in the entire industry who genuinely loves wave solder. Better yet, he spent years in the field as a manufacturer's rep listening to the daily moans and groans of process engineers. Now he builds machines around fixing the exact headaches engineers complain about. When Mike sat down with Elias Malfavon Jr., Sean Kincaid, and Daniel Stanphill at the SMTA International 2026 booth, we got into the practical, quality-of-life details you rarely think about when signing a PO, but feel every single week on the floor: • Designing wave cabinets where every door, preheater plate, and fluxer pulls straight out, plus automatic end-of-shift flux purging so nozzles do not crust up overnight • Current-draw sensors on heaters that warn you weeks before an element dies (beating Sean's traditional "hold your hand over the preheater to see if it burns" test) • Putting heaters at the very base of selective electromagnetic pumps so operators can actually shut the wave off at lunch instead of oxidizing solder and eating up nozzles just to keep the cylinder from sludging up • How one solid XYZ gantry platform took them from selective soldering into conformal coating and high-speed PCB laser marking

SMTAI 2026 - Rich Burke

Nov 11, 2026 18 min

If you are running an inline cleaner and measuring your chemical costs by how often you dump the tank, you are looking at the wrong number. Rich Burke from KYZEN joined The D-Code booth at SMTA International 2026 to lay down the real math: Dumping an 80-gallon tank monthly burns about 2.5 drums of chemistry a year. Stretching that bath dump saves you maybe one drum. Meanwhile, poor exhaust balance and fixture drag-out can quietly vent and spill 42 drums of chemistry a year right out of your building. Rich sat down with Elias Malfavon Jr., Sean Kincaid, and Daniel Stanphill to talk about bath life myths, enhanced pH buffering, defluxing under bottom-terminated components, and what real chemical process control looks like on an active production line.

SMTAI 2026 - Doug Pauls

Nov 11, 2026 21 min

In our industry, people throw around the term "High Reliability" like it’s just a box to check on an IPC audit sheet. Then you hear Doug Pauls tell the story of the M1A2 Abrams battle tank. On our latest SMTAI 2026 episode of The D-Code Podcast, we sat down with Doug Pauls (IPC Hall of Fame, former cleaning & coating lead at Rockwell Collins, and founder of It Depends Electronics). Doug told us about giving a talk showing an Abrams tank, and then showing a picture of his son, Captain David Pauls, who was commanding those exact tanks in the US Army. That tank relied on the JTIDS communications system to tell commanders who is friendly and who is enemy on the battlefield. That exact JTIDS unit was being assembled and conformally coated in the building right next to Doug’s desk. When Doug got back from that trip, he went straight to the coating line and made what he calls "a serious pest of myself." An operator looked at him and said: "Doug, you’ve always cared about quality, but you’ve never been a pain in the ass like this." Doug replied: "My son’s life depends on how well you do that coating job." Coating defects plummeted the next week. That is what high-reliability actually means. We also get into inline vs. batch washers (why Doug picks inline hands down), Sean’s 14-hour marathon dialing in Humiseal spray keep-outs, and why IPC’s current design guidelines for conformal coating are "abysmal."

SMTAI 2026 - Chrys Shea

Nov 10, 2026 17 min

"If you're doing a trial by fire, Chrys Shea doesn't just run the trial. She invents the fire." Our SMTAI 2026 floor interview with Chrys Shea (Shea Engineering) is officially out on The D-Code Podcast. Chrys just dropped the next evolution of her industry test board—stripping out the 1206s and 0603s and replacing them with 600 bottom-terminated micro-LEDs, "Tombstone Alley" 01005s, and D-Paks with tiny T-Rex legs. We talk: • Why the board is 100% Made in America (designed in RI, laid out in FL, fabbed in MI, stencils in SoCal) • The nightmare of component metallization changing from reel to reel • Why every OEM looking for a new CEM should make this board their standard entrance exam

SMTAI 2026 - Anna Lifton

Nov 10, 2026 17 min

"People make stuff. I break stuff. That's the fun part." Our first episode from the SMTAI 2026 show floor is live, featuring Anna Lifton, failure analysis veteran at MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions and newly elected SMTA Global Board Director. We pressed Anna on the Low-Silver (Low-Ag) debate: is it a legitimate engineering play, or just everyone trying to shave BOM cost after silver prices skyrocketed? The answer comes down to physics: • Better for drop shock and vibration? Yes. • Better for extreme thermal cycling? Absolutely not. Catch the breakdown, plus talk on thixotropes, formic acid reflow, and why solder paste behavior is never as simple as SAC305.

Rev 3.13 Dr. Adam of KYZEN

Oct 20, 2026 1 hr 1 min

Thank you Dr. Adam Klett of KYZEN Corporation! This was a highly engaging conversation, as always. We appreciate each time we get to speak with you and the knowledge and insight you share. Since the last time we had a chance to listen to Dr. Adam present, we've been brushing up. Learning. And waiting. Waiting to ask about flux. Flux selection, flux activity, flux impacts on cleaning, flux impacts on long-term reliability... We also had the chance to go deep into process concepts and best practices of cleaning. Bath life health, measuring vs monitoring, batch vs semi-batch vs in-line cleaning, even SIR testing and upcoming advancements in faster methods of process monitoring.

Rev 3.12 Dr. Elliot

Sep 22, 2026 47 min

Dr. Elliot, thanks for joining us! What a fun and stimulating conversation. How does one get into becoming a Subject Matter Expert on Cleaning at a National Lab? The traditional way, by studying frogs and ladybugs of course! Dr. Elliot takes us on a brief tour of his academic career, some highlights of projects he's worked on, and shares a lot of insight about preparing for and presenting your knowledge for others.

PCB West Preview Episode - What Not to Miss with Chrys Shea and Mike Buetow

Sep 8, 2026 22 min

Recurring guests and good friends, Chrys Shea and Mike Buetow, join us to discuss PCB West! This year, The D-Code Hosts with knowledge worth sharing - Daniel and Elias - will be attending PCB West and presenting during the first Assembly Track! The D-Code Podcast formed in part due to the desire to bridge our knowledge gaps, and use informal conversation and our natural inquisitiveness to draw out fun, educational conversations. The fact that those conversations have led to opportunities to present our knowledge at events is a serious honor. Thank you for all of your support. We cover a lot in just 20 minutes, so just jump in and get to it!

Rev 3.11 - Phil Marcoux (The Father of SMT)

Aug 25, 2026 1 hr 14 min

When we started rolling at Apex to talk to Phil, we didn't want to stop. Before the cameras were even turned off, we were already asking him on to a full episode. This one is full of good stories, and we were having such a great time we went way beyond our planned topics. Here, Phil shares his personal participation in a wide range of companies, technology advances, strategic conversations, with plenty of humor along the way. Particularly insightful is the breakdown of prescriptive vs generative AI and the mental shifts that will need to accompany streamlined work processes and AI activity.

Rev 3.5 Mike Buetow of PCEA

Aug 14, 2026 48 min

We are a great experience for guests here on The D-Code Podcast. One example is this fascinating and fun interview with Mike Buetow of the Printed Circuit Engineering Association. From learning the PCB industry via osmosis to casting doubt on his wife's career, this open and informative conversation goes well, despite Sean starting out with a question he claims "usually doesn't go well"...

Rev 3.10 Michael Sivigny of CeTaQ

Aug 4, 2026 58 min

Michael Sivigny brings 25 years of experience to the table, and he shares a wealth of knowledge with us in this one. Michael leads CeTaQ Americas, and does an excellent job here of describing just some of the reasons that calibration of equipment isn't a simple checkbox, but requires a rigorous methodology. From the first time we talked to Michael, we've been wanting to have him on and this conversation is an excellent starting point for understanding how variability at each stage of the SMT process impacts the next stage. Thanks Michael for a fun conversation!

Rev 3.9 Miles Moreau of KIC

Jul 28, 2026 51 min

What a fun conversation! Usually sitting in the backseat for conversations about reflow, Elias had the opportunity to sit down in person with Miles at KIC after seeing some live demos. Fresh and bubbling with his knowledge, he gets to sit in the driver's seat a bit and guide the conversation, bringing in Daniel and Sean's expertise with the actual products in use along the way. There is a lot of quality discussion along the way. We pruned the chapters down to the following

Rev 3.8 Juan C Frias

Jul 7, 2026 43 min

Many thanks to our latest guest, Juan C Frias, for sharing his time and expertise with us. With 20 years of experience, Juan is an excellent source of all sorts of design knowledge. From "What is a component engineer?" to "Why would you put a via THERE?" we get a great overview of basic to more advanced and recurring questions Sean and Daniel find themselves asking regularly in assembly.

Rev 3.7 Hayden Lee AI Special

Jun 9, 2026 45 min

Hayden Lee of [REDACTED] has extensive knowledge of AI tech for his ripe old age of 17. Starting at 12 with Python, Hayden hit the perfect timing for growing up with modern AI and LLM architecture as an extension of his natural inquisitiveness and tech interest.

Rev 3.6 - Gayle Towell of AIM on Developing Best Practices via Experimentation

May 26, 2026 44 min

When we interviewed Gayle our first time at a tradeshow, the second the mics went cold, the first thing to be said was "We need to get you on for a full episode!" At long last, the Gayle Towell episode. When you spend your life thinking about physics, the SMT industry is highly welcoming and a logical place to land. Gayle demonstrates here that it isn't the number of years under your belt in your current position - it's about the knowledge you bring with you. From meta-analysis to quantifying the area ratio relationship to ALL forces acting on solder, she shares a lot of wisdom in this one.

APEX EXPO 2026 Olivier Carnal - Essemtec

Apr 30, 2026 18 min

he folks at Essemtec are always a blast to talk with, and they usually bear gifts! One of those gifts was a Swiss Army knife, which is probably the best way to describe their Fox platform with its ability to jet paste and place components, all within a space-saving footprint. We are all equipment nerds here at The D-Code Podcast, so being able to get hands-on with some of Essemtec's innovative platforms was a real treat!

APEX 2026 Mike Konrad - Aqueous Technologies

Apr 23, 2026 28 min

Author, business owner, multi-podcaster, and one of the most recognizable faces in the SMTA... Mike Konrad is all over the place, and killing it. Unfortunately or fortunately for him, depending on the day, he has become a huge part of The D-Code Podcast origin story and gets a front row seat to how the sausage is made. He still joins us on set anyway! Thanks for the mentorship Mike!

APEX 2026 Bobby Glidwell - Magnalytix

Apr 22, 2026 16 min

How clean is clean enough? If you answered 1.56 µg/cm2 of NaCl equivalent, it's time to update your version of IPC J-STD-001! Class 2 and Class 3 assemblies now require "Objective Evidence" of cleanliness. Bobby Glidwell from Magnalytix stops by the set to explain how obtaining Objective Evidence doesn't have to be a pain, in fact they've put everything you need into a box!

APEX EXPO 2026 Juan Arango - PARMI

Apr 21, 2026 16 min

We get it—if you hear the word "AI" one more time, you might lose it. But a couple of us recently headed up to Massachusetts to check out Parmi’s new SPI and AOI tech, and it actually lived up to the hype. It’s more than just the cool laser visuals and heat maps (though those are pretty slick). The real kicker? Seeing these machines practically program themselves. We threw a board with over 100 line items at it—something the machine had never seen before—and it handled it right out of the box. No gimmicks, just results. In this episode, we’re sharing our conversation with Juan Arango at APEX and geeking out over what this means for your line. We also take a second to poke some fun at Mike Butler’s unique way of moving "R's" around in words. Stick around as we track the improvements SPI brings to the floor over the next few months. Huge thanks to Parmi for sponsoring the show and keeping these deep dives coming!

APEX EXPO 2026 Gene Weiner

Apr 21, 2026 23 min

What to say about Gene that hasn't already been said? Some of the best stuff you won't hear because it happened the night before the interview, but we still saved some great conversation for the cameras! We all look up to Gene for his passion, his longevity, and we were thrilled to see him get the award for 70 (yes, that's seventy) years in EMS at the MWA dinner! Don't forget to take out the trash when you get home. :)

APEX EXPO 2026 Bill Capen - Honeywell

Apr 21, 2026 23 min

Our good friend Bill stops by the set to discuss the nuances of equipment selection and validation. An absolute must listen for anyone in the process of making PCBA related equipment decisions! We also discuss the SMTA STAR Event in Kansas, a truly unique and valuable annual conference that Bill Champions. Enjoy!

APEX EXPO 2026 Declan Brannagan - Watt Laser

Apr 20, 2026 25 min

Finally an equipment manufacturer Elias can get excited about! Declan from Watt Laser makes the trip across the big pond to join The D-Code for a laser focused discussion on all things SMT Stencil manufacturing. We discuss the latest advancements in stencil laser technology as well as stencil AOI. Enjoy!

APEX 2026 Miles Moreau - KIC

Apr 17, 2026 20 min

The reflow oven can be one of the most enigmatic tools on the SMT Line. In this interview we sit with our friend Miles Moreau as he helps to KIC the mystery out of the reflow soldering process. Tapping decades of experience making ovens smarter, Miles drops some gems on set that you won't want to miss! Grab a cool drink and enjoy this hot topic! Special Thanks to KIC for the continued support of The D-Code Podcast, we couldn't keep pumping out content without you!

APEX EXPO 2026 Dan Ashley - PVA

Apr 8, 2026 16 min

We had a great chat with Dan Ashley from PVA. The more we learned about the offerings from PVA the 3 letters it made us think about most was ROI. They have dispensing capabilities for any SMT application you might run into- conformal coatings, 2 part epoxies, underfill, glue, masking, etc. They even have a UV curing system available within the same form factor. Would be easy to keep rambling on about everything they offer but really you should just check the interview out for yourself! Thank you so much Dan and the people at PVA for their support and being gracious with your time!

APEX EXPO 2026 Bob Bouchard - BTU

Apr 7, 2026 22 min

What do you know about reflow soldering? Likely not as much as Robert Bouchard from BTU International! Bob showed us their Aurora oven (great name) and described how it overcomes the thermal challenges associated with today's boards. Most of the boards I run have 1-2oz copper pours. I can't even imagine the difficulty in getting good reflow on boards that weigh upwards of 20 lbs! We really cover a lot of ground in this interview. Bob breaks down the science behind the reflow oven and you don't want to miss it!

APEX Expo 2026 David Ly - Inovaxe

Apr 7, 2026 15 min

Our APEX 2026 series continues on with David Ly from Inovaxe Corporation. We had fun checking out the new InoHD Storage system in the Inovaxe booth, and chatting about some of the smart storage systems offerings.

APEX EXPO 2026 Oren Manor - Siemens EDA

Apr 2, 2026 14 min

Not all testing is created equal, and gaps in your testing can hurt more than you realize. This is why it is important to design for testing and to especially be intentional in how you prioritize testing and inspection methods along the way. Oren Manor of ‪@SiemensSoftware‬ EDA joins The D-Code to discuss a recent acquisition of a premier testing planning and execution system.

APEX Expo 2026 Dr. John W Mitchell

Mar 26, 2026 34 min

Daniel put it best - "I told you he'd remember us." We have known we are great friends with Dr. John W Mitchell for some time now, but we now have definitive proof in case we ever sit by say, Henry Winkler, on a flight. We have loved working with ‪@GlobalElectronicsAssociation‬ at every opportunity we've had, and #apexexpo 2026 was no exception. We hate clickbait titles, so we've buried them in the description. WANT SECRET TIPS TO GET THE BEST BOOTH LOCATION? WHAT ABOUT NOT-SO-SECRET FUNDS FOR TRAINING IN YOUR STATE?

Rev 3.3 Chrys Shea

Mar 10, 2026 48 min

One of our favorite people, Chrys Shea, joins us again for more laughs, more process engineering, and more nerding out. From designing tougher and tougher SMTA test boards to teaching concepts with grilled cheese sandwich and silly putty, Chrys keeps us entertained the whole conversation, and she'll get you chuckling, too.

Rev 3.2 Mike Konrad

Feb 24, 2026 1 hr 5 min

Welcome back Mike Konrad! Aside from being a great person, Mike has mentored us through podcasting, media production on site at trade shows, loaned us equipment and in general, been a great mentor in business and life as well for all of us, including Producer Paul. Thanks for joining us again, ESPECIALLY spending some of your time in Hawaii at PanPac to hang out with us.

Rev 3.1 Dr. John Mitchell

Feb 17, 2026 41 min

You've waited for it, you've begged for it, and the wait is finally over. Rev 3! The D-Code thanks you coming back to us for another season. The first time we "talked" about having the iconic Dr. John W. Mitchell on the podcast, it was a joking matter and we thought "as if that will ever happen". Now, without further preamble, enjoy. Dr. John on The D-Code Podcast.

Rev 3 Season Opener

Feb 10, 2026 7 min

The D-Code Crew is back for a third season! Catch this quick intro into season 3, including a look back at 2025. WE'RE BACK!!!!!!

Rev 2.33 Timon from Luminovo

Dec 23, 2025 37 min

Join us as we speak with Timon Ruban on starting and scaling a tech startup where humans are the highest cost by far. Err, make that investment, because Timon recognizes that true leadership requires training your employees not just on the job, but training them to speak up and be confident in representing ideas and values. Now that Luminovo has enjoyed success in Europe, they are expanding to North America, and Timon has been spending his time in New York hiring a new team for expansion! New jobs, new tech, and new customers abound!

Rev 2.32 Solder paste with Shantanu and Greg from KOKI

Dec 9, 2025 37 min

Rev 2.32 - Sean Vouches For KOKI with Shantanu Joshi & Greg Starrett Not all endorsements are created equal. Some come from sources like Sean Kincaid, who will proudly explain he's not a customer before going on to describe excellent service he received without pursuing next steps (cough cough Metal Etch Services cough). You don't have to take Sean's word for it! Watch yourself to hear Shantanu Joshi and Greg Starrett demonstrate their extensive knowledge about solder paste advancements, formic acid reflow, customer collaboration, and more. As stencil men, Elias and Greg commiserate regarding the valuable knowledge they would love to share earlier in the process - especially since Daniel will inevitably blame the stencil... 00:00 Producer Paul's Pick 00:39 Meet Shantanu and Greg 03:07 Understanding Customer Collaboration in Engineering 09:09 Industry Challenges - Mil/Aero & ADS 13:44 Not All Type 5 Pastes Are Created Equal 16:03 Trading Stencils for Paste 18:24 Formic Acid Reflow and Zero Residue Paste 29:24 Sean & Nano Don't Mix

Rev 2.31 - Bob Willis

Nov 25, 2025 1 hr 1 min

Some people are just wired to share knowledge, and if you've ever encountered Bob Willis on LinkedIn, YouTube, or in person, you likely learned something valuable. Bob is someone who recognizes the value of getting in and playing with something to learn it, whether it is in your job description or not. Get over there, manipulate it, and understand it! Aside from picking his brain about training, lead-free solder testing, causes and mitigation of tombstoning... well, watch for yourself! See chapters below for additional details. Chapters 00:00 Producer Paul's Pick 00:41 Introduction to Bob Willis 11:03 Cross Training And Communication 18:11 Lead-Free Solder: Challenges and Insights 24:31 Stencil Design for Mitigating Tombstoning 33:10 Flux Dipping 37:00 The Value of Training 44:11 Challenges in Reflow and Wave Soldering 49:13 Bob's Semi-Retirement and Future Plans 54:08 Assembly Challenges with Smaller Components linkedin.com/in/bob-willis-47514a35/ www.bobwillis.co.uk

Rev 2.30 - Mike from Aqueous @SMTAI

Nov 14, 2025 26 min

THE FINAL BOSS - Mike Konrad, Author, Podcaster, Narrator, Business Owner, SMTA Talking Head... Final as in, last SMTA International 2025 Interview, folks! Thank you for tuning in to each one along the way. 😀 Mike Konrad has been one of our largest supporters and we are not exaggerating when we say that we are only here because of him. We are here because of many reasons, but one will always be Mike. From guiding us through the initial decision to even start a podcast to loaning us the entire recording setup we used for Apex, he's been instrumental. He was @thereluctantentrepreneur once upon a time, but he's excited enough about the topic to have his own podcast on the topic... so... perhaps he's Enthusiastically Reluctant, or something. Best known in our industry for @AqueousTechnologies and his knowledge about cleaning, he is perhaps most recognized online for his @ReliabilityMatters podcast - reliable enough to be at over 180 episodes released!!! We appreciate you, Podfather.

Rev 2.29 - John from Zestron @SMTAI

Nov 14, 2025 13 min

If you've ever heard of Zestron, then you know they are pretty serious about cleaning. But among the more technical discussion you'll find here, John Neiderman also shares that Zestron has as highly decorated Reliability & Solutions (R&S) Team that consults on projects, including root cause and failure analyses. By analyzing the full process, including printing, placement, profiling and more, they often uncover process improvements to benefit you that have nothing to do with changing or investing in your cleaning processes or chemistry choices. This service isn't just available to OEMs and the large outfits - part of becoming a customer of Zestron is gaining access to education, support, and a partner when you need to up your reliability game or make process changes to level up your capabilities.

Rev 2.28 - Brent from Johnson SMT @SMTAI

Nov 13, 2025 16 min

When running a PCBA Consulting agency, you run into everything. Or so Brent Johnson imagines. He may have just recently started his agency, but he has years of process engineering experience, and has already worked with a popular guest on the podcast, Jordan Danko! Let the roasting begin... No, this was a great conversation, and it just felt like the right time to bring back "a lack of board supports on the second side" from one of the hosts you see here... He was asking for it though, because he was really trying to pry all the info he could out of Brent for free.

Rev 2.27 - Viktoria Rawinsky @SMTAI

Nov 13, 2025 17 min

Viktoria Rawinsky Solves (PCB) Crime For a Living! How fun does that sound, really? Viktoria gets to spend her time studying, imaging, and finding the root cause of various failure types, often in combination. It takes serious detective chops to not just find one culprit involved in a defective board, but to find and overlay all the "fingerprints" when multiple causes of failure work together to obfuscate the issue. When COVID hit and many were scrambling or holding on tight with fear, Viktoria went out and bought top-of-the-line imaging equipment at bargain prices and re-invested in her own future. Learn more from "The Dendrite Queen" through the following chapters: 00:00 Producer Paul's Pick 00:35 Viktoria Rawinsky of LinkedIn Fame 02:36 Incomplete Solder Mask Crosslinking 05:56 Sean Stream of Consciousness Monologue 09:44 Anyone Can Measure - Interpretation Is The Key 12:44 NDAs Don't Cover Detective Stories 16:22 Mic Drop Moment

Rev 2.26 - Justin from ROCKA @SMTAI

Nov 12, 2025 19 min

Justin has a lot of media experience, and is used to having the camera and mic with him, asking questions of others and giving them a chance to shine. We were therefore stoked to have a conversation that was equal parts Personal Marketing, SMTA Involvement, but also really interesting technical conversation as he got into discussing ROCKA not just as a company, but as a leader in modern stencil roll development. Speaking of marketing, we are going to need to get some kind of credit for helping launch the new campaign slogan for the special polyester blend of stencil roll that performs so well, "Where You Spray, It Will Stay".

Rev 2.25 - Sutharshan from SMT Elite @SMTAI

Nov 12, 2025 14 min

We knew Sutharshan just got elected to the SMTA Board of Directors (Congratulations!), but we didn't know his full background with the SMTA. It's been 18 Years since the first time Sutharshan expressed interest in learning more about the SMTA! Safe to say he has made the most of his time participating in various ways in that time. SMT Elite is a newer venture for Sutharshan, but with experience in process engineering, DFM reviews, constant knowledge absorption via regularly scheduled webinars and training opportunities... He's more than up to the task.

Rev 2.24 - Rob Bugoski from Datest @SMTAI

Nov 12, 2025 25 min

This is an excellent blend of technical conversation and personal experiences of the connections formed in this community, especially via SMTA activity. Robert Boguski is entertaining and humorous while discussing his company's background and role, and there are plenty of laughs in the first half while generally keeping to industry topics. But for those of you who like to learn more about: the personal lives of our hosts and guests... the experiences behind the scenes and outside of primary employment that help shape who we are at work... the support you can receive from participation in organizations such as the SMTA... this one is a treat. Learn how the real quality connections made initially for networking turn into lifesavers and genuine supports in times of need. Thank you Robert for one of our longest and most dynamic conversations at SMTAI. From Producer Paul: It was because of my involvement in the podcast and all of those who have encouraged us and supported us along the way that I was there with Daniel at the SMTA STAR High Reliability Conference when we got the news about Dad passing. We were fortunate enough to be together, and to be there with some amazing humans who helped us through. Thanks to the Podfather aka Mike Konrad, the Bosom Buddies, all of our awesome GUESTS, fans, supporters, sponsors, mentors, and especially the friends who go well beyond simple industry connections. -PP

Rev 2.23 - Gary from ABW @SMTAI

Nov 11, 2025 17 min

Gary Bales, President and CEO of Aurora Boardworks, stops by the set to discuss Daniel's employee personnel file! We kid, but we did have a great conversation about ABW's storied history, and their recent investments in new automation and production capabilities. Thank you to Gary and ABW for their continued support of The D-Code Podcast!

Rev 2.21 - Frank from Essemtec @SMTAI

Nov 11, 2025 14 min

What does naturally adaptive mean to you? To @Essemtec it means the ability to dispense solder paste, pick and place components, easy programming, intuitive software, reworking on demand, and more! The first time we talked to the good people at Essemtec they were already boasting dispensing speeds of 720,000 dots per hour. Now, they are up to 1.1 million dots per hour! As Sean Kincaid said- Mind blowing! 🤯🤯🤯 Underfill, potting, glue dispensing, flux jetting, reballing BGAs, into cavities or step ups, inline or on an island, what else do you need? Flexibility in a high-mix/low to medium volume environment is critical. If you are changing setups daily, you are always looking for ways to reduce the downtime of product changeovers. Frank Hart did a great job explaining to us how they provide bespoke solutions for their customers. Essemtec is redefining what is possible in the SMT world!

Rev 2.22 - Chelsea from KYZEN @SMTAI

Nov 11, 2025 16 min

We at The D-Code love ‪@KYZEN-Corporation‬. From connecting at events to becoming great friends, we keep trying to find someone from KYZEN we don't like and so far, no dice. This holds true for Chelsea Jewell as well, who was already a great friend of Daniel and Elias , and now Sean has finally met her now by attending SMTAI 2025*. As Application Lab Manager, Chelsea gets to work on just about anything in the cleaning world, as KYZEN operates in most industries that require cleaning technology. With 13 years of experience at KYZEN, she has seen just about everything, but by no means has the job become boring. There are constantly new puzzles to solve, as she describes here!

Rev 2.20 - Jarred from Hanwha @SMTAI

Nov 11, 2025 12 min

Jarred Ragard discusses customer-driven development and how Hanwha Semitech prioritizes customer needs. It can be difficult to navigate the competing demands of ever smaller components needing quick and accurate placement while at the same time there are larger and more complex components need to be placed in the same line.

Rev 2.19 - David from Inovaxe @SMTAI

Nov 11, 2025 11 min

One wrong label can ruin thousands of boards. SMTAI 2025 show highlight Inovaxe Our podcast is centered around problems and solutions and David Ly from Inovaxe had one for every problem! We talked about how easily a simple labeling error can snowball a customer supplied reel with multiple stickers, a misprinted internal label, or just one manual transcription mistake. It only takes one mix-up to create thousands of bad panels. The point David kept coming back to was being proactive, not reactive. The best ROI isn’t waiting until a problem happens, it’s preventing it entirely. The video shows exactly what that means. The MODI Incoming Goods Scanner automates the receiving and labeling process to eliminate human error the second material enters the building. The IMSD2000 Smart Dry Cabinet lets you locate reels before opening the door, protecting MSL parts and extending floor life. The SREX Smart Racks bring pick-to-light storage that syncs with MES, ERP, and placement machines for full traceability across the factory. The Smart Stencil Rack tracks stencil usage and maintenance automatically. The InoBright Feeder Cart Add-On turns standard carts into intelligent, trackable systems with part and setup visibility. And the VCcount X-Ray Counter brings high-volume, high-accuracy reel counting with splice and bag detection. Every piece ties back to one theme eliminating manual touch points before they cause downtime or scrap. Huge thanks to David Ly and the Inovaxe team for walking us through the lineup. Always a great reminder that preventing problems is the smartest investment you can make.

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SMTAI 2026 - Francesca Lehtomaa

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Podcast details

Created by: The D-Code
Status: Active
Latest episode: Nov 14, 2026
Episodes: 100
Release period: Daily
Avg. episode length: 25 min
Explicit: No
Language: English

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