Leo Lambert Discusses EPTAC’s Evolving Mission

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

This month we’ve been dealing with challenges related to being a great manager and a great leader. One of the biggest problems a manager faces is training—getting employees trained, and keeping them current on constantly changing technologies. I asked Leo Lambert, VP and CTO of EPTAC, what his thoughts were on the subject of leadership, and more specifically, what strategies EPTAC embraces with regard to training—both initial and ongoing.

Andy Shaughnessy: Leo, please give us a quick background on EPTAC and the training you provide.

Leo Lambert: EPTAC is a certified IPC training center, and we train to all the IPC programs, including IPC-A-600, IPC-A-610, J-STD-001, WHMA/IPC-A-620, IPC-7711/7721, and IPC-6012. We hold these classes all over the country and in our local facility in Manchester, New Hampshire. We are the largest training center supplying IPC training to the industry.

We offer and sell training materials to support our customers who train their own personnel and conduct webinars on a monthly basis, discussing current topics within our industry. We answer customers’ questions in our Solder Tips section and believe this Q&A is really helpful to the industry. Our Ask Helena & Leo section allows anyone to ask questions related to electronic manufacturing and more. We also provide news about the latest things happening within the industry and within EPTAC itself.

Shaughnessy: Have your training methods evolved over time?

Lambert: Our offerings to the industry include a manual soldering program, along with an advance manual soldering program dealing with 0402, 0201 and 01005 component sizes. This program is modified at the request of our customers to fit their needs.

We also have incorporated additional workmanship programs to the IPC 610 and 620 programs where we teach the students how to inspect the product and physically build a cable with the appropriate crimps and strip lengths.

Additionally, we’ve developed workshops designed for engineers and supervisors to provide them with a quick look at the standards, so that they can understand the content and intent of the programs.

Shaughnessy: How has the curriculum itself changed?

Lambert: The curriculum is always changing based upon the existing and changing technology in tooling, materials, products and documentation. We don’t normally focus on the computer skills necessary to run the equipment, but from what I’ve seen on the manufacturing floor, the skill levels needed are to troubleshoot the equipment when the unit malfunctions or stops. The operators are trained to read the screens, selecting the various programs to be run depending upon the product, and to get in touch with maintenance if a major deviation occurs.

To read this entire article, which appeared in the October 2016 issue of The PCB Design Magazine, click here.