Reliability Matters Podcast Por Mike Konrad arte de portada

Reliability Matters

Reliability Matters

De: Mike Konrad
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Reliability Matters is a podcast on the subject of reliability of circuit assemblies. Reliability "best practices" and success stories are discussed. This podcast features interviews with experts in the electronic assembly industry.

All electronic production segments which effect product reliability are on the table. This includes contamination, coating, cleanliness assessment, inspection, building for harsh environments, reflow, printing, failure analysis, board fabrication, and much more.

Your Host:
Mike Konrad began his career in the electronic assembly equipment industry in 1985. Mike founded Aqueous Technologies in 1992 in response to the Montreal Protocol and the resulting international treaty banning most popular cleaning/defluxing solvents.

Mike is an internationally known speaker on the subject of increasing reliability through contamination removal and cleanliness quantification techniques and procedures. Mike was awarded “Distinguish Speaker Status” with SMTA in 2018 and received the “Rich Freiberger Best of Conference Award” in 2019.

Mike is a member of the SMTA Global Board of Directors where he is Vice President of Communications. Mike is also Vice President of Technical Programs for the Los Angeles / Orange County SMTA Chapter.

Visit the Reliability Matters Podcast Website:
https://www.reliabilitymatterspodcast.comCopyright Mike Konrad Política y Gobierno
Episodios
  • From the Factory Floor to System Design: Why Women in STEM Matter with Kristen Eckart - Episode 189

    From the Factory Floor to System Design: Why Women in STEM Matter with Kristen Eckart - Episode 189
    Mar 24 2026
    When we talk about reliability, we usually focus on materials, processes, test methods, and standards.
    But what if one of the most overlooked reliability risks is who is not at the table when engineering decisions are made?

    Today’s episode focuses on women in STEM, Science technology engineering and mathematics, and why this conversation extends far beyond mere representation. It impacts how problems are defined, how risks are identified, and how resilient our technologies ultimately become.

    My guest is Kristen Eckart, an accomplished engineer whose career includes working in high-reliability environments at Lockheed Martin.

    While Kristen’s background includes complex systems where failure is not an option, this conversation is not about any specific product or program. Instead, it is about the broader experience of women in engineering, the barriers that still exist, and why attracting and retaining women in STEM is essential to the future of technology and manufacturing.

    For those of you working in electronics manufacturing, quality, reliability, or engineering leadership, this discussion connects directly to how teams make better decisions, reduce risk, and design systems that perform reliably in the real world.

    This is a conversation about engineering excellence, opportunity, and why who we include ultimately matters.
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    41 m
  • An Academic Look at Al in Electronics Manufacturing: Where It Works, Fails, & Why It Matters - # 187

    An Academic Look at Al in Electronics Manufacturing: Where It Works, Fails, & Why It Matters - # 187
    Mar 10 2026
    Artificial intelligence is being promoted as the next revolution in electronics manufacturing, but what happens when the people evaluating it aren’t traditional AI experts, aren’t software vendors, and aren’t selling anything?

    Today’s conversation brings together engineers and professors who live at the intersection of education, reliability, and real-world manufacturing to separate meaningful progress from speculation.
    Each episode brings together engineers, researchers, and industry leaders to examine best practices, emerging technologies, and real-world lessons, always with a focus on data, physics, Best practices, and long-term performance.

    Today’s episode is a little different—and the setting couldn’t be better. I’m recording live from the Big Island of Hawaii, in Kona, at the SMTA Pan Pacific Strategic Electronics Symposium, better known as PanPac.

    At PanPac, academia meets industry in a way that’s truly unique. Leading international universities join forces with CEOs, inventors, senior engineers, and decision-makers from around the world.
    This is where the brightest research collides with the most pressing industry challenges — and sparks solutions that drive the future of electronics. I’m honored to be the conference chair, especially on this 30th anniversary of PanPac.

    This episode is all about “AI in Action: Progress, Pitfalls, and the Future of Electronics.”
    Artificial intelligence is becoming a frequent topic in electronics manufacturing—from inspection and process optimization to predictive maintenance and reliability modeling.

    But rather than approaching this conversation from the standpoint of AI evangelists or software developers, we’re taking a different path.

    My panelists are: Eva Hymes, Hayden Lee, Dr. Ron Lasky, Dr. John Evans, and Dr. Pradeep Lall.

    None of today’s panelists claim to be AI experts. Instead, they are engineers and professors who sit at the intersection of education, engineering, and real-world manufacturing challenges. Their perspective is grounded in physics, data, reliability science, and decades of experience teaching the next generation of engineers—many of whom will be working alongside AI-driven tools whether they choose to or not.

    Because all of our panelists come from academia, this conversation intentionally steps back from hype and buzzwords. We’ll focus on how AI is actually being used, where it shows promise, where it introduces risk, and where critical gaps still exist—especially in high-reliability electronics manufacturing. And because PanPac serves the electronics manufacturing community, we’ll keep this discussion connected to the factory floor, workforce readiness, education, and long-term product reliability.

    We’ll also touch on broader societal questions, including how AI is shaping engineering education and professional intuition.

    So if you’re looking for a grounded, thoughtful discussion on AI—one rooted in engineering reality rather than marketing claims—this episode is for you.
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    54 m
  • Readiness Through Repair: How the U.S Military is Strengthening Capabilities with Right to Repair - Episode 187

    Readiness Through Repair: How the U.S Military is Strengthening Capabilities with Right to Repair - Episode 187
    Feb 24 2026
    If a $26,000 drone repair can be done in the field—but policy says it has to be shipped back to the manufacturer, do you really have a reliability problem… or a repair access problem?

    Today on the show, I’m joined by William Santos, International Sales Manager at ABI Electronics and a global advocate for the Right to Repair movement.

    William recently wrote a compelling article titled “Readiness Through Repair: How the U.S. Military is Strengthening Capabilities with Right to Repair,” where he explores how repair access—or the lack of it—directly impacts mission readiness, lifecycle cost, and operational resilience within the U.S. military.
    For decades, highly trained military technicians have been prevented from repairing mission-critical equipment due to restricted access to diagnostic tools, software, and spare parts. That model is now being challenged.

    In April 2024, the U.S. Army announced plans to embed Right-to-Repair provisions into both new and existing contracts—a major shift with enormous implications for reliability, sustainment, and cost control.

    Today, we’ll unpack what this policy change really means, why repair capability is inseparable from readiness, and what lessons commercial industry can learn from the military’s pivot toward repair empowerment.

    Willian's Posts:
    Exposing the Myths and Truths of the Repair Industry!
    https://tinyurl.com/mr47r33p

    Readiness Through Repair: How the US Military is Strengthening Capabilities with Right to Repair
    https://tinyurl.com/4pytbvcs

    ABI Electronics
    https://www.abielectronics.co.uk

    Repair Don't Waste Podcast
    https://tinyurl.com/du8skcxk
    Más Menos
    59 m
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