In episode 19, we focused on the different types of depanelization methods that can be used during assembly. In this episode, we take a deeper dive into panelization, how we decide what panelization methods and sizes to use, and how this informs depanelization. 

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In this episode, which might just be our nerdiest one yet, we are joined by Sam Feller, aka The Awkward Engineer.  First and foremost he would like everyone to know that he is the awkward one, the engineering is top notch.

Sam is a long time Worthington/CircuitHub customer, product manager at Tulip, former engineer at Amazon, and founder of the Awkward Engineer where he works on quirky hardware project and now does consulting! 

It was a pleasure to have Sam on the show. Some of the topics we touch on include: 

• Why having common stock parts set up on reels is not actually the simplest idea to execute.
• Interesting sourcing stories.
• Soldering techniques for building prototypes
• The importance of having structured processes in place for your hardware of software development team .
• Sam's vickrey auction for his Voltmeter Clocks

If you want to get in touch with Sam you can email him at [email protected]

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We're back! In this episode we talk about what we were busy doing on our "break", the different types and formats that solder comes in, and some unfortunate consequences that sometimes occur while eating chips. 

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Last week Chris was a guest on the Coriolis Effect, a podcast hosted by Bil Herd and Ben Jordan. Since we are still on hiatus (and because the episode was so great) we decided to repost the conversation. 

Don't worry, we expect to be back next episode with some new, fun and content and plenty of pet peeves! 

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Sometimes things are difficult to build....enter the help of custom tooling! In this episode, we highlight some of the applications for which we might order custom tooling, how they can help us assemble boards more efficiently and accurately, and some things you might want to do if you'd like to avoid custom tooling becoming necesesary.

Show Links:
Stentech products

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Intrusive soldering, also known as pin-in-paste,  is a method that uses solder paste to solder the thru-hole leads instead of hand soldering, wave soldering, or selective soldering. If designed properly, it's a great way to save time and money during pcb assembly. In this episode, we discuss how intrusive soldering is done,  challenges associated with this process, and design recommendations.

Episode links:
Wurth USB-C Guide
Our favorite USB-C port

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Flux is friend. Not foe.

To create a solder joint, you have a lot working against you. Boards, parts, the air...it’s all very cold compared to the melting point of solder. Those are easily overcome with a good heat source in the way of a soldering iron, wave solder, or selective solder. However, none of this will do you a lick of good without flux because metal oxide is the biggest challenge you have to combat.

In this episode, we go over flux's role in fighting the oxide layer that forms during PCB assembly, the basic chemistry of flux, what cold solder joints are, and more. 

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It's a fact of life that defects and failed boards will sometimes occur, which is why it's so important to have a debugging procedure prepared to help your CM know how to move forward.  In this episode, we talk about best practices on how to work with your CM when these problems arise.  

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We've finally managed to convince CircuitHub CAM Engineer, Dave Wilcox, to come back on the show to continue our series about the intricacies of PCB fabrication.  If you're just tuning in, we recommend you listen to our episodes about Inner Layer Production and PCB Drilling Basics before this one. 

In this episode, we cover some of the finer details of PCB drilling including what the drilling setup physically looks like and tips you can implement to save your PCB fab time.  We also learn that Melissa really needs to work on her email management setup. 

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Similar to our discussion on ESD a few episodes back, moisture is also a "silent killer" for many electronic components. In this episode, we talk about what kind of damage moisture can cause in components, what precautions we take in the factory when working with moisture-sensitive devices, the different levels of moisture sensitivity, and measures you should take at home to protect your MSDs. Chris also has an excellent pet peeve related to public bathroom doors.

Show links:
Complimentary digital download of the ANSI-S20.20-2014 spec
A Minute with Miranda
IPC Handling Moisture-Sensitive Devices
Non-reversible humidity indicator cards
IPC/JEDEC J-STD-020E Preview
IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033D Preview
Uline heat sealer
Moisture barrier bag selection chart 
Silica gel packs on Amazon

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