The D-Code Podcast

APEX EXPO 2026 Olivier Carnal - Essemtec

he folks at Essemtec are always a blast to talk with, and they usually bear gifts! One of those gifts was a Swiss Army knife, which is probably the best way to describe their Fox platform with its ability to jet paste and place components, all within a space-saving footprint. We are all equipment nerds here at The D-Code Podcast, so being able to get hands-on with some of Essemtec's innovative platforms was a real treat!

APEX 2026 Mike Konrad - Aqueous Technologies

Author, business owner, multi-podcaster, and one of the most recognizable faces in the SMTA... Mike Konrad is all over the place, and killing it. Unfortunately or fortunately for him, depending on the day, he has become a huge part of The D-Code Podcast origin story and gets a front row seat to how the sausage is made. He still joins us on set anyway!
Thanks for the mentorship Mike!

APEX 2026 Bobby Glidwell - Magnalytix

How clean is clean enough?
If you answered  1.56 µg/cm2 of NaCl equivalent, it's time to update your version of IPC J-STD-001!
Class 2 and Class 3 assemblies now require "Objective Evidence" of cleanliness. Bobby Glidwell from Magnalytix stops by the set to explain how obtaining Objective Evidence doesn't have to be a pain, in fact they've put everything you need into a box!
 

APEX EXPO 2026 Juan Arango - PARMI

We get it—if you hear the word "AI" one more time, you might lose it. But a couple of us recently headed up to Massachusetts to check out Parmi’s new SPI and AOI tech, and it actually lived up to the hype.
It’s more than just the cool laser visuals and heat maps (though those are pretty slick). The real kicker? Seeing these machines practically program themselves. We threw a board with over 100 line items at it—something the machine had never seen before—and it handled it right out of the box. No gimmicks, just results.
In this episode, we’re sharing our conversation with Juan Arango at APEX and geeking out over what this means for your line. We also take a second to poke some fun at Mike Butler’s unique way of moving "R's" around in words.
Stick around as we track the improvements SPI brings to the floor over the next few months. Huge thanks to Parmi for sponsoring the show and keeping these deep dives coming!

APEX EXPO 2026 Gene Weiner

What to say about Gene that hasn't already been said? Some of the best stuff you won't hear because it happened the night before the interview, but we still saved some great conversation for the cameras! We all look up to Gene for his passion, his longevity, and we were thrilled to see him get the award for 70 (yes, that's seventy) years in EMS at the MWA dinner!
Don't forget to take out the trash when you get home. :)

APEX EXPO 2026 Bill Capen - Honeywell

Our good friend Bill stops by the set to discuss the nuances of equipment selection and validation. An absolute must listen for anyone in the process of making PCBA related equipment decisions!
We also discuss the SMTA STAR Event in Kansas, a truly unique and valuable annual conference that Bill Champions.
 
Enjoy! 

APEX EXPO 2026 Declan Brannagan - Watt Laser

Finally an equipment manufacturer Elias can get excited about! Declan from Watt Laser makes the trip across the big pond to join The D-Code for a laser focused discussion on all things SMT Stencil manufacturing. We discuss the latest advancements in stencil laser technology as well as stencil AOI. 
 
Enjoy!

APEX 2026 Miles Moreau - KIC

The reflow oven can be one of the most enigmatic tools on the SMT Line. In this interview we sit with our friend Miles Moreau as he helps to KIC the mystery out of the reflow soldering process. Tapping decades of experience making ovens smarter, Miles drops some gems on set that you won't want to miss!
Grab a cool drink and enjoy this hot topic!
 
Special Thanks to KIC for the continued support of The D-Code Podcast, we couldn't keep pumping out content without you! 

APEX EXPO 2026 Dan Ashley - PVA

We had a great chat with Dan Ashley from PVA. The more we learned about the offerings from PVA the 3 letters it made us think about most was ROI.They have dispensing capabilities for any SMT application you might run into- conformal coatings, 2 part epoxies, underfill, glue, masking, etc. They even have a UV curing system available within the same form factor. Would be easy to keep rambling on about everything they offer but really you should just check the interview out for yourself! Thank you so much Dan and the people at PVA for their support and being gracious with your time!

APEX EXPO 2026 Bob Bouchard - BTU

What do you know about reflow soldering?Likely not as much as Robert Bouchard from BTU International!Bob showed us their Aurora oven (great name) and described how it overcomes the thermal challenges associated with today's boards. Most of the boards I run have 1-2oz copper pours. I can't even imagine the difficulty in getting good reflow on boards that weigh upwards of 20 lbs!We really cover a lot of ground in this interview. Bob breaks down the science behind the reflow oven and you don't want to miss it!