Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1335241
16 SMT007 MAGAZINE I FEBRUARY 2021 my very first in-person speech by Bill Gates (then CEO of Microso) was at CES. With- out exception, I have been dazzled every year by the extent and the breadth of new products and lively demonstrations. e exciting prod- ucts displayed at the show are mind-boggling in terms of the ingenuity, creativity, innova- tion, and the phenomenal functionalities of end-use products. IPC APEX EXPO, on the other hand, focuses on the packaging and assembly of the elec- tronic circuit board that is the critical "brain" behind the electronic products that are used across all industry sectors, be it consumer, industrial, commercial, military, telecommu- nication, computing, or medical and health care sectors. e IPC APEX EXPO confer- ence and exposition address real-world prob- lems related to printed circuit boards. According to the IPC APEX EXPO 2021 website: • Attendees at all career stages can expect to access new material- and process- related research and best practices • Learn more about trending materials, applications and processes to prepare for the Factory of the Future • Interface with the collection of top suppliers • Learn from new product demos • Learn technical advances in technical sessions and professional development courses • Network with colleagues Over the years, countless professionals, engi- neers, managers and business-decision makers have unequivocally benefited by attending and participating in the IPC APEX EXPO. At IPC APEX EXPO 2021, there will be a comprehen- sive slate of professional development course offerings, ranging from circuit design and component technologies to PCB fabrication/ materials and assembly processes to quality/ test/inspection and reliability. Here, I would like to introduce two professional develop- ment courses I will be presenting that focus on preventing production defects and enhancing product reliability. First Course: Preventing Manufacturing Defects and Product Failure is course focuses on preventing the most prevailing production defects and product reli- ability issues that affect yield, cost and perfor- mance through an understanding of potential causes and plausible solutions. I will provide a holistic overview of product reliability, includ- ing the roles of materials, processes, testing/ ser v ice conditions, and cr ucial pr inciples behind the product reliability. I will discuss two selected areas related to product failure: • Intermetallics • Tin whiskers and five selected defects: • PCB pad cratering vs. pad liing • BGA head-on-pillow • Open or insufficient solder joints • Copper dissolution issue • Lead-free through-hole barrel filling Specific defects associated with the reliability of BTC, PoP and BGA assembly will be high- lighted. e role of intermetallics at-interface and in-bulk, and the difference between SnPb and Pb-free solder joint in terms of intermetal- lic compounds, will be concisely summarized. From practical perspectives, tin whiskers with emphasis on risk mitigation through Without exception, I have been dazzled every year by the extent and the breadth of new products and lively demonstrations.