Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/921680
56 SMT007 MAGAZINE I JANUARY 2018 bases. We cover the ESD program. It's not something that maybe has a massive audi- ence, but it's something that we think could be of use. We've got design for testability and boundary scan. There's something for everybody here. We've got the cleaning and coating. We have a couple of sessions on reliability from Dock Brown of DfR, discussing physics of failure. Let's give the audience something that they don't normally get when they come to the technical sessions with a more in-depth discussion on certain areas. We have Jean-Paul Clech at EPSI who is will be presenting on reliability as well. We also have new developments in selective soldering. The rest of them cover areas including PCB fabrication, PCB assembly, and the issues in those areas. How do you trouble- shoot? What are the defects? How do you do failure analysis? For engineers coming in, it covers people who maybe are developing engineers, trying to learn the ropes, and then some of the courses are more advanced for those who have been around in the industry and want to learn about developments in those areas. We're covering it in both ways as best we can. We're covering a wide range of topics from interme- diate to advanced levels. We're saying, "Here's the booklet, pick and choose, however you want it." We think that these are the courses that would be of most interest to the audience. Goldman: In the past, how well attended are the PD courses? Bath: In recent years, we haven't had to cancel any PD course for lack of interest. I don't have the figures in front of me, but at minimum maybe 10-15 people, and at maximum maybe 100 attend a PD course. Typically, we're in the 20-40 range, but for some of these courses we're getting 60, 70, and more, which is a lot. We're not upset about the attendance whatso- ever. These are the areas where there's a grow- ing need, and we're happy to oblige. Goldman: Any last thoughts from you, Jasbir? Bath: If you look at the entire technical program, you'll see different pieces that cover different areas. I look at it in terms of new developments, but also new defects or failures that people are working on. It's a nice over- lap between the technical conference sessions, which give you the details of where we're going, and the PD courses, which may give you more training, and cover those aspects in more detail. The technical confer- ence session could be on print- ing, but the PD printing course will cover three hours where the conference would be a half an hour, or an hour and a half. It's more in-depth. The buzz sessions are where the pulse is, the biggest issues and the emerg- ing trends. We've got a nice balance in terms of how we do this. We've got the PD courses on the front end and on the back end, with the conference and the buzz sessions in the middle. With the exhibits on top of this and the standard committee meet- ings, I think it's a nice balance. It gives every- body a chance to pick and choose. Goldman: If somebody really wants to get immersed in it, they certainly can and come home with a boatload of knowledge. Bath: Exactly. You come in, pick and choose what you want, and you come out and hope- fully apply what you learned to your work. That's how we want people to come in on Saturday and Sunday all the way through to the end of week. You have every opportunity to learn something everywhere you turn. Goldman: Thanks so much for your time, Jasbir. We appreciate it. See you in February. Bath: No problem. Thank you. SMT007 IPC APEX EXPO 2018 PRE-SHOW SPECIAL COVERAGE