Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1520492
REAL TIME WITH... IPC APEX EXPO 2024 SHOW & TELL MAGAZINE I I-CONNECT007 31 the manufacturing of electronics (PCB and PCBA) and its processes. I am proud of IFTEC, my company, and especially my team because without their dedication, drive, and diligence in using the IPC standards, I wouldn't have been able to do much. They are the ones who deserve this award. You've given back a lot to this industry. What advice would you give a young pro- fessional just starting out in this industry? First, be rigorous and curious. Second, what- ever level you are in the design/production chain, always take into account the entire manufacturing process. An electronic board is a whole (design + PCB + components + assembly/soldering + integration), and there are many interactions between the crite- ria and parameters of the different opera- tions with each other. It often comes down to making decisions and compromises. It means that something that may be very interesting to do or modify at a given mo- ment can have negative consequences at other times in the manufacturing process. You have to be extremely careful, be aware of the whole, and think about qualifying new processes when necessary. Third, be open. Technology evolves slowly but surely. Sometimes, there are revolutions. Sometimes it goes faster. But it's usually continuous improvement in products, mate- rials, tools, equipment, etc. So, be open and give a substantial amount of time monitoring new technologies (attend exhibitions, con- ferences, symposiums, etc.). Lastly, and the most important of all: Use your brain. Thank you, Pierre-Jean, for your wisdom, and congratulations on receiving this very prestigious award. Thank you, Marcy. S&T Austin Dennis is an R&D engineer at Los Alamos National Laboratory. What's your impression of the show this year? There's a lot of vendors out here, and there are a lot of pretty cool demonstrations and classes. It's been good to network and meet some people from the industry. I'm new to the industry, so it's been nice to put names to faces and see some new companies. Do you think this is something you would see yourself coming back to? Yeah, I can see myself coming back to this. It just depends on the situation of my job, really. But I've enjoyed my time here and I think it's been pretty helpful. Interview by Dylan Nguyen Austin Dennis FROM THE