-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- smt007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueComing to Terms With AI
In this issue, we examine the profound effect artificial intelligence and machine learning are having on manufacturing and business processes. We follow technology, innovation, and money as automation becomes the new key indicator of growth in our industry.
Box Build
One trend is to add box build and final assembly to your product offering. In this issue, we explore the opportunities and risks of adding system assembly to your service portfolio.
IPC APEX EXPO 2024 Pre-show
This month’s issue devotes its pages to a comprehensive preview of the IPC APEX EXPO 2024 event. Whether your role is technical or business, if you're new-to-the-industry or seasoned veteran, you'll find value throughout this program.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - smt007 Magazine
Real Time with...SMTAI 2020: STI Electronics Brings Training to the Show
September 30, 2020 | Real Time with...SMTAIEstimated reading time: 5 minutes
Nolan Johnson talks training with David Raby, president and CEO of STI Electronics. David walks Nolan through STI’s role as a provider of training and EMS services, and the two talk about the strategic need for training and skilled staff in manufacturing. Dave outlines what visitors can find in the company’s virtual booth, and the two conclude by discussing hot topics in training.
View more videos and show-related content at Real Time with… SMTAI 2020 virtual.
I-Connect007 continues to deliver original reporting and coverage of the electronics design, electronics manufacturing, and contract manufacturing industries, including up-to-date information from the companies, associations, and supply chains globally. Find the latest news and information at I-Connect007.com.
Audio Transcript:
Nolan Johnson: Hi, Nolan Johnson here for Real Time with… SMTAI, the virtual edition. And today, I’m talking with Dave Raby, the president and CEO at STI. Dave, welcome.
Dave Raby: Thank you, Nolan. It’s good to be here.
Johnson: We’re just on the cusp of the show. It’s getting kind of exciting right now. Tell us a little bit about STI for those who don’t know who you are. And then, let’s go into what we can find at your booth.
Raby: STI is 38 years old. I keep thinking of us as kind of a new company, but actually, we’ve been around quite a while. I think of us as a small family company, but there are now 60 of us in three locations. We’re primarily known for our training, where we do IPC certification, and also commercial, NASA training, and customized for whatever a company needs. We have classrooms in Madison, Alabama, which is just outside of Huntsville. We’re in Houston, Texas, and Odon, Indiana. Then, we are also an EMS company, where we have two full surface-mount lines, a cleanroom, a failure analysis lab, and a lot of things that make us unique on that side, and all of that is located in Madison, Alabama.
Johnson: That’s quite an organization.
Raby: It is. We do a lot of different things. I’m really proud of what we do. And sometimes, I think everybody else is smart enough not to do all these things, but...
Johnson: You fit into an interesting niche, that’s for sure, especially around training and skills. It’s well known in the industry that there is a labor pool shortage of skilled people, and so that definitely is a great niche for you to be filling.
Raby: Yes, that is the case nationwide, and it’s amplified in the area that we are in here in the Huntsville area. This area is just growing like crazy, both government and commercial. And before COVID-19, there was a huge gap in the employers being able to find qualified workers. We’ve been working on that, partially selfishly, because we need the employees also, but also to provide to other people in our area. But it’s also the case, like I said, nationwide, so our other training centers are doing the same thing.
Johnson: This is part of what you have in your product portfolio; that is something that most everybody could use. When they stop by your booth at SMTAI, the virtual booth, what can they expect to find?
Raby: First, let me clarify that by saying I’ve never actually been to a virtual booth before, so we’re going to see. Here’s what we’re shooting for. There are going to be videos, downloadable documentation, and a live chat, as they used to say on television, with operators standing by. We will have people from all our different areas, including an instructor standing by to answer any questions, talk about the different classes we have and talk about what you need. You know what I mean? Because we have classes A, B, and C, but you may need B plus and C minus. And so we can customize based on what you need. We don’t want to sell you something that’s not what you need. We’ll have people that can talk about that, talk about schedules and just give you all types of information.
Johnson: You raised a great point there, Dave. What are some of the hottest topics? Some of the most requested training needs that you’re seeing here in 2020? I assume that there’s been a bit of a shift in the needs now that we’re in basically a COVID-19 period. And then looking forward into 2021, what are the hot topics?
Raby: J-STD-001, which is the hand soldering, and the IPC-A-610, which is the inspection. Those are always hot. With COVID-19 training stopped for a little while because people couldn’t travel, people couldn’t gather in groups, and all of that. There’s a pent-up demand for that, all the certifications and training that stopped, so people came back for that. What we’re seeing that seems a little different than normal is for quite a while, we’ve taught and certified the IPC-620, which is the cable and harness class. We also teach for NASA on that particular class because NASA has always done a lot of cable and harness building. We’ve always been busy with that, but that really seems to have boomed in the last six months, and I can’t tell you why; I just know it has. We have developed a basic class for that also.
I always look at taking people off the street. If you’re talking about a J-STD-001 class or an IPC-610 class, you can’t take somebody off the street, and put them through that, and have them be successful. You need some background knowledge and some experience before you do that. They’re great classes, but they’re not really for beginners. The IPC-620 certification is the same way. It really doesn’t even have hands-on. It has all the technical requirements for cable and harness, but it’s not something that you could pull somebody that hasn’t been building cable and harnesses in and have them start there. We’ve developed a class that we’re just introducing. Actually, we’ll be talking about it at the show. And that is something that we plan to have grown over the next several months and really expected things from it.
Johnson: Great. That’s very interesting. You’re putting together some great information. Those are good reasons for people to stop by and talk with you at SMTAI. I’m looking forward to stopping by your booth myself.
Raby: We look forward to seeing you. I wish we could be there in person, but I mean, it’s going to be unique. I’m looking forward to that part, though.
Johnson: Great. Thanks for stopping to talk with us. I really appreciate it. For Real Time with… SMTAI, I’m Nolan Johnson. Thanks for watching.
Suggested Items
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: My Role as a Technology Solutions Director
05/02/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOPeter Tranitz, senior director of technology solutions at IPC, shares insights into his role as the design initiative lead. He details his advocacy work, industry support, and the responsibilities of the design initiative committee. The conversation also covers the revamping of standards, the IPC Design Competition, and the implementation of design rules in software tools.
HQ NextPCB of HQ Electronics Debut on the International Stage for Electronics Manufacture at IPC APEX 2024
05/01/2024 | PRNewswireHQ NextPCB of HQ Electronics, a leading Chinese-based multilayer PCB manufacturer and assembly house showcased its industrial prowess on the international stage for the first time at the IPC APEX Expo 2024.
IPC's Vision for Empowering PCB Design Engineers
04/30/2024 | Robert Erickson, IPCAs architects of innovation, printed circuit board designers are tasked with translating increasingly complex concepts into tangible designs that power our modern world. IPC provides the necessary community, standards framework, and education to prepare these pioneers as they explore the boundaries of what’s possible, equipping engineers with the knowledge, skills, and resources required to thrive in an increasingly dynamic field.
North American EMS Industry Down 4% in March
04/29/2024 | IPCIPC announced the March 2024 findings from its North American Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 1.31.
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: A Global Presence in PCB Manufacturing
04/29/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPORob DiGiovanni, VP of sales for the Americas at STARTEAM Global, discusses the company's global presence in PCB manufacturing. As he explains, the firm operates facilities across Europe, Asia, and North America, specializing in serving contract manufacturers in the automotive and medical industries. They emphasize quality and meeting OEM standards, focusing on offshore supply and non-Chinese factories in the North American market. The company has grown through acquisitions and rebranding to offer multiple products.