IPS Engineers on AI and More

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Over the past few months, we have met several of IPS's team members. IPS has been a manufacturer of wet process equipment for printed circuit board fabrication for over 30 years, working from its Cedar City, Utah, location. In part one of this interview, you will meet IPS team members Travis Houchin, Larry Boehm, and Kaal Glazier. Travis has been in the industry for 15 years, Larry for 20 years, and Kaal, who studied manufacturing engineering in college and graduated in 2019, joined IPS last year. With this group of two seasoned industry experts and the voice of the next generation, we cover several topics, including AI, and some useful tips when considering equipment, especially in brownfield sites.

Barry Matties: Larry, have you been in the industry for many years?

Larry Boehm: Starting in high school, I worked for Viking Chemical, which did conformal coatings. We mixed resins, material, and hand-dunked PC boards. That was around 1986—and I wonder why I'm falling apart. I have been with IPS since last year.

Matties: What changes or surprises stick out over your decades-long career?

Boehm: First, the technology: everything from the laminates, signal integrity, I/O speeds, and the complexity of vias. You're now looking at things so complex from a basic double-sided board. Now you have Kapton® materials and other technology, for example, in missile programs, space, and satellite programs. It's never-ending, and it's such an advanced materials market.

Matties: Kaal, you’re fresh in the industry. What has caught your attention? What's been most interesting to you?

Kaal Glazier: There is a lot to be considered. One thing is being at the manufacturing facilities and seeing how packed some manufacturers can be when it comes to real estate—trying to get a new process into such a small area. That challenge makes it a lot of fun for our engineering team. While looking at how we meet customers' demands in such a small space, I've asked a few times about going vertical, making a double-decker machine while keeping hazardous fluids contained in a very controlled way. It can be really difficult to always meet the demand from customers within the constraints they have. They understand the constraints, so is this just a challenge from them? I want to see where we can present solutions and value to the customer. It's not like everyone has an extra $500,000 to build a room for a new machine.

Matties: I think you're keying in on something because it's a challenge when there's a need to upgrade at brownfield sites. Travis, overall, what should fabricators be paying attention to today?

Travis Houchin: They should be paying attention to current trends in the market and knowing what’s best for your customer's future. Also, look at how new technology and equipment can improve or add capabilities to your manufacturing. I think that's key. Specifically for fabricators, pay attention to manufacturing and future trends to ensure you're always up to date on any new technology and what's out there.

Matties: I am curious how often AI comes up in your conversations with customers.

Houchin: Maybe 20–30%. We’re certainly going to be experiencing some fast-coming changes in technology. However, it's still unknown exactly how it will best be used. I've noticed it comes up more in conversations around our equipment, but it's still pretty new to be a focused topic of conversation. It will be a part of our lives. As we learn more about how it can help us, it will definitely be available and widely used. Right now, it can be a competitive advantage.

Boehm: We must remember that AI can be a scary area for many folks, especially regarding the data and information that can be collected and compiled statistically and physically. It's kind of overwhelming for a lot of people. How do you present the data? What about all the data AI is generating? That's the next level of all our statistical trends. It's accelerating so fast. Everything will have something to do with AI in the next year and a half.

Matties: I agree. Kaal, what is your view of AI?

Glazier: Maybe I just have a deeper sense of humor, but sometimes when I see those pictures purely generated by AI, I notice that somebody has six fingers or an extra leg. So, there is still that reliability concern. You don't want to be running too many experimental programs with live military-grade products; you don't risk your quality with that. That being said, there are proven AI tools that you can rely on, and they are getting much better. I know our machines provide the data so we can accurately track and supply the data to AI programs and help customers expand their AI programs.

Matties: The AI is in the data collection and interpreting. We will be able to really tighten up the parameters of the manufacturing process. IPS is doing this sort of stuff already.

Houchin: Yes. We are committed to helping our customers stay as competitive as they can be.

Matties: That's great. It’s an exciting future. Well, I certainly thank you for your time and insight.

Houchin: Thank you.

Visit IPS online.

This interview originally appeared in the February 2024 issue of PCB007 Magazine. Watch for part 2 in an upcoming issue.