I learned more in two days than I learned in 25 years as a soldering technician.

Mike Riley

Senior Engineering Technician

TriQuint Semiconductor

Hillsboro, OR

Everyone here really did enjoy the classes. They all raved about it.

Wilson White

Senior Supplier Quality Manager

Medtronic Xomed, Inc.

Jacksonville, FL

We were having about 40% fallout on a very detailed PC board due to soldering quality issues. We needed a fix and it had to happen fast.

I called Electronics Manufacturing Sciences and Jim Smith was here the following week with the right equipment and knowledge to train our staff in house. The two days of training really paid off for our bottom line. The scrap material has stopped and we are meeting our delivery goals which have increased significantly.

I, as well as the rest of our team, really appreciate Jim's professionalism and know-how to deliver the course targeted to our immediate needs. Thank you.

Paul Schwalm

Manufacturing Engineer Aerosol Products

Thermo Scientific Environmental & Process Monitoring

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Franklin, MA 02038

Science of Soldering© was one of the best training sessions our company has ever done! The training was concise, methodical, and comprehensive which allowed our Team to follow and understand the content, which at times became very in-depth, but very relevant to our own process and issues. After the training we started to implement the changes to our process. The improvement reduced our scrap levels to well below target. As an unexpected bonus, our machine capacity doubled! This was due to the quicker “wetting” which allowed us to increase the speed of our automated robots. I whole heartedly recommend this training for anybody doing soldering in their manufacturing process

Troy Crowe

Manufacturing Engineering Specialist

Hanon Systems Canada Inc.

Belleville Ontario, Canada

When someone had the idea of bringing in an expert of soldering we all thought the idea was crazy, but now that we had the expert in and trained our employees we know that it was a great idea! We have had some failures in the past that we now know were related to improper solder joints. The class uncovers multiple variables that are critical in creating a proper intermetallic bond between the two materials you are trying to solder. The training was very informative to our production team as well as some of our quality and engineering personnel. I highly recommend Jim Smith and his training at EMS. Thanks Jim!

Cody Byrum

Engineering Administrator

Ritz Instrument Transformers, Inc.

Lavonia, Georgia 30553

The Science of Soldering© training was very valuable for both hand and machine soldering techniques and was applicable to process controls as well. Especially rewarding, was how Jim Smith explains the “why” behind the techniques, so engineers and technicians understand the logic behind the assembly processes they are implementing and executing on the production line.

The training class was incredibly beneficial to the entire RF Code Team and I would recommend it to anyone.

Dan Gilbertson
Director of Manufacturing & Operations
RF Code, Inc.
Austin, TX

The training class has certainly been a great help. We were able to easily solder using lead free solder at which we were struggling with for a while.

We were actually able to get it down to a science. The class was a great contributor to the company. We thank you very much, for all your help, and knowledge you have left us with, so we want to wish you success in your ongoing business.

Anita Holmes

Training Manager

FEI-Elcom Tech

11 Volvo Drive

Rockleigh, NJ 07647

Jim Smith of Electronics Manufacturing Sciences brought his practical, hands-on Science of Soldering© course to our company and taught our production people as well as those in Quality and Engineering. It was a worthwhile investment as it improved the soldering capability of each person as well as establishing criteria for inspection. We have some items which are difficult to solder and Jim made recommendations which have benefited our processes. Jim has already visited two other times and we hope to have him back again when we add new employees or need a refresher.

Jim Geer

Engineering Manager

Cameron

City of Industry, CA 90601

Everyone at Given Imaging was impressed by how much personnel from all levels (from technicians to supervisors and engineering managers) were able to learn from the Science of Soldering© class. In fact, after our first training session we scheduled another training session for additional employees just two weeks later!

The class itself clearly explains the chemistry and metallurgy theory behind the soldering process before delving into a hands-on instruction on proper soldering technique. The teaching style was unique and very effective – the information was not just presented, but relied on all members of the class to discover the information themselves through hands-on soldering demonstrations.

Jim also spent extensive time on our production floor with engineers and supervisors observing our current process and techniques. This allowed Jim to tailor his instruction to our products. Together we generated a list of issues in our current process that if changed could achieve the improvements we were looking for. He had many suggestions on how to reduce cost and improve the reliability of the way we solder.

All employees really enjoyed the class and feedback from Jim. The team here is enthusiastically tackling the issues identified in our process to meet the proper technique Jim taught. I highly recommend this class to anyone looking to improve the reliability of their soldering processes.

Shannon R. McBride, EIT

Product Development Engineer

Given Imaging (Los Angeles) LLC

Culver City, California 90230

Science of Soldering© was exactly what we needed to fix a lot of misconceptions about soldering. The mix of classroom work, demonstrations and hands on exercises was perfectly tailored for us. I have had nothing except positive feedback from those who attended your classes. It is exciting to see the enthusiasm that the group now has to tackle the job. I have seen information flow increasing between the Supervisors, Solder operators, Engineering and QA. Everyone has the same base of understanding now and are working together as a team instead of different departments.

Ron King

Director of Operations

Laser Devices, Inc.

Monterey, CA 93940

We have used Electronics Manufacturing Sciences since 2000 both as an educator for our soldering practices and an advisor to improve our Cost of Quality. The unique Science of Soldering© approach made it easy for personnel at all levels to grasp the science of this critical process and apply the knowledge to many forms of reliability improvements and cost reductions. EMS systems eliminated post–wave and post–reflow inspection, increased test yields, reduced expenses in some surprising areas such as electricity consumption, and allowed us to avoid designs and components that would have led to production and warranty issues.

On many occasions, we have also used EMS to conduct 3rd party assessments of suppliers and failure analysis. With their extensive knowledge, EMS helped us protect our customers, avoid warranty costs and recover damages from supplier errors.

Andrew Maceachern

Quality Manager

Flextronics Automotive

Markham, Ontario, Canada

I have been involved in electronics for over 30 years and now realise that so much of what I had previously been told was wrong and potentially damaging to the components. I particularly enjoyed the teaching style which did not rely on just presenting us with information but lead us to discovering the information for ourselves. It was a fun and enjoyable course and the level of student participation in the learning process was amongst the best I have witnessed.

Chris Collier-Woods

Process Engineer

Safran Power UK

Pitstone Green, Buckingham, LU7 9GT

England

No matter what education level you’ve received, going through this course will give you a better understanding of how to create and recognize reliable solder joints. Quite simply, Science of Soldering© increases product reliability and reduces costs.

Jesse Austin

Manufacturing Engineer/Six Sigma Black Belt

Micro Motion Inc.

Boulder, CO

I recently attended the Science of Soldering© course and brought 5 of my top Technicians with me. We have been soldering and repairing devices for years but I quickly found out how little I really knew about the science of soldering. Jim Smith’s course is an eye opener and he is very informative. If you have to solder in your line of work I highly recommend you attend this class. Your employees and your customers will thank you!

Tully McQueen

VP of Operations

Re-Tech

Gainesville, FL 32608

During a critical product launch, we had problems with an electronic pump assembly. We had EMS evaluate our production lines and conduct in-house training for our managers, engineers, and production people. Through the details that EMS outlined and their soldering “recipe”, our soldering related problems were resolved. A reliable product and a happy customer were the results.

Currently those lessons learned are also being applied to new projects.

James E. Smith

Sr. Automotive Electronics Engineer

Dana Holding Corporation

ASG Technical Center

Maumee, OH

Science of Soldering© was everything I hoped it would be and then some. It was well planned out and presented in a logical way that really made the participants think about the proper recipe for soldering.

Other training I have had regarding soldering mainly focused on end results and was presented in a way to simply pass a certification test. Science of Science goes above and beyond what J-STD-001 and A-610 training has to offer. I highly recommend this training for individuals from beginning operators to experienced engineers. It was a real pleasure for myself and the other participants.

Brian Strodtbeck

Process Engineer – Electronics

Electrical Power Systems

Goodrich Corporation

Twinsburg, OH 44087

I was tasked with finding a solder training class for the employees at HTC. I searched the Internet and found the Electronics Manufacturing Sciences/Science of Soldering© website. I read the information, called many of the references and received very high recommendations for this course. I then contacted Jim and discussed our needs. He agreed to hold the class at our facility at a very reasonable cost and structure the course to only the solder techniques we use. This was extremely important in minimizing the time employees would have to be away from production. He was very flexible in the class dates and times which was also a big plus.

The class was extremely helpful in teaching the basics of soldering and the correct techniques needed to eliminate the types of solder defects we were experiencing. Jim also analyzed our current tools, chemistry and processes. He had many suggestions for reducing cost and improving the way we solder. All of our employees really enjoyed the class and we would welcome Jim back for a refresher as the need arises.

I highly recommend the class to anyone having issues with soldering.

Suzanne Walkuski

Quality Manager

Houston Transformer Company

Houston, TX 77036

We have a few ‘unique to us’ soldering operations that were causing us some trouble. I reached out to Electronics Manufacturing Sciences to see if they would be interested in helping, and within a few hours we spoke on the phone and it was clear that he could help us get back to the science of soldering to help us diagnose the issues we were having.

Electronics Manufacturing Sciences’ President, Jim Smith, came out a few weeks later and taught our entire team valuable lessons with hands on exercises with science based curriculum. We were able to branch off from the class into how each new thing we were learning was applicable in our processes. This allowed us all to come together with a similar understanding of the science of what was going on to come up with a viable solution.

I highly encourage anyone even considering the class to just reach out to Jim. You will not be disappointed that you did.

Kyle Sullivan

New Product Development Engineer

Opto 22

Temecula, CA 92569

I want to thank you for providing Meridian Cable with the best soldering training I've seen in my 30 years of manufacturing. Your approach, blending the underlying science and real world practices, made for an enjoyable and eminently understandable program. As you know our group ranged from line operators to design engineers and every one of them was impressed with the knowledge we received.

Bud Kinzalow

President

Meridian Cable

St. Augustine, FL 32095

The training we received from EMS has proved to be invaluable. The material was well-prepared and sensibly delivered. Not only does the curriculum convey how to produce quality soldering, but it explains the science behind it which really helps to drive home the principles. Members from both our production and engineering staff were able to attend the course and everyone found the material easy to understand and retain.

Having the training on-site was convenient and helped to make the logistics very manageable.

Prior to contacting EMS for our solder training needs, I read many of the testimonials and decided to look into it for our needs. I am glad that I did and now I can highly recommend the Science of Soldering© course to others who are looking to improve their soldering operations.

Tom Shollack

Manufacturing Manager

Dean Technology

Addison, TX 75001

I learned more in a day and a half of the Science of Soldering© class than I did in two weeks of soldering class given by the Navy.

Patrick M. Schweiger

Supplier Quality Engineer

LORD Corporation

Erie, PA 16509

We had no difficulty recognizing our need for effective solder training.

We have one of the worst potential situations for solder quality. We perform soldering operations on a very small fraction of the instruments we service, and there is a tremendous variety in the specific rework operations required in each instance. On top of that, any one of our almost 40-member technical team can find her/himself in a position to need to do it. The instruments we service are state of the art, very high frequency, and rather expensive, so the cost of poor quality is unacceptably high.

Jim Smith’s course was a perfect fit for us. Our technical team members range from people fresh out of 4-year degree programs, to recent ex-military, to folks who have been doing this work commercially for 30 to 40 years. Without exception, all of our people, with all of their different backgrounds, were enthusiastically appreciative.

Jack Mathias

Technical Operations Manager

Rohde & Schwarz North America

Columbia, MD 21046

As a US Air Force certified aircraft welder, I learned the process of soldering in 1990 and through subsequent 20+ years of experience and training, and industry association seminars, I thought I had learned everything there was to know about it...I was wrong.

Jim Smith from Electronics Manufacturing Sciences just concluded his Science of Soldering© course here in Skaneateles. He wowed me and our technical team with his practical, comprehensive approach and truly unique insights into the science of the soldering process. We are now in the process of updating all of our soldering process specs in Skaneateles to reflect our new knowledge. This is NOT A-610 or J-STD-001 certification/training! That’s not what we need.

It’s been my experience that soldering, especially hand-soldering, is a forgotten process in most manufacturing facilities, using the same techniques, tools, and training that were used 20 years ago when I started soldering (these were even old back then!). However, in those 20 years the components being soldered have become far smaller, and much more sensitive. This leaves a significant opportunity for improvement in our processes to reduce heat damage, touch-time, rework, out-of-box failures, latent failures, and scrap.

Jim develops and teaches all of his courses personally. He knows his stuff and stands out, among the many programs that I’ve evaluated. I highly recommend the Science of Soldering© hands-on program for any GE facility/ supplier, worldwide, who solders and experiences failures/latent-failures/defects and has struggled to find the true root-cause.

Floyd Backes

Lean Leader/Sus. Proc. Engineering Manager

GE Inspection Technologies

Skaneateles, NY 13152

When we chose EMS for our company wide training, we did so based on some publications we read by Jim Smith and the purpose-driven solder training that focuses on comprehending soldering. It seemed that our management team’s observations and desires to reduce wastes and create efficiencies were in line with the training that EMS provides. We are happy to say we were correct.

The presentation and relevance to our needs were spot on for our company. Jim was utterly professional in giving the best service possible before, during and after.

The Science of Soldering© “recipe” for correct, science based application is simple and the methods of teaching were enjoyable and welcomed by our staff. At Commutron Industries Ltd. it is our desire to provide our customers with the best product and service possible. We believe this training and the resources provided have properly supported this.

Robert Leonardo

General Manager

Commutron Industries Ltd.

Elbow, Saskatchewan Canada S0H 1J0

I was very happy with the EMS course. The Science of Soldering© course provided a great mix of practical knowledge, hands on experience, and detailed metallurgical understanding. It covered everything from proper solder tip treatment to the physics of the formation of an intermetallic bond. Prior to the course, I had very little knowledge of soldering. I was most pleased that, Immediately after the course, I was able to test the solderability of our actual materials and have a real understanding of why the solder did or didn’t form an intermetallic bond. I would definitely recommend this course for any business looking to improve their soldering operations.

Jonathan Yost

Director of Lean Enterprise

PPC Broadband, Inc.

A Belden Brand

Syracuse, NY

I would recommend this course to any organization looking for a cost-effective and thorough overview of not only the hands-on soldering process, but the science behind soldering. Even with a language and cultural barrier, having our team understand both the science and hands-on aspects was immediately beneficial. The course is very interactive, including a series of lessons, videos, and questions.

Electronics Manufacturing Sciences helped our team determine the appropriate fluxes to use with our solders in microelectronic applications. Jim Smith continues to offer advice and his expertise in soldering to improve our manufacturing processes.

Erica Pascali

Quality Assurance Engineer

Cogentix Medical, Inc.

Orangeburg , NY 10962

It was such a blessing to have found EMS and your soldering expertise/training capabilities. We all walked away with much more solder knowledge than anticipated and look forward to applying it in our everyday functions.

Rosa Campbell

Printed Circuit Board Manager

Proportion Air

McCordsville, IN 46055

Being in a class where we get to learn through not only hands on training but also speaking with someone with experience has helped so much. There’s many mistakes that can happen with soldering especially when you are not aware of the fundamentals. This class fills you in on all the key notes to perfect soldering.

Bryan Morales

Electronics Manufacturing Manager

Product |Quality Assurance

 3Z Telecom, Inc.

Miramar, FL 3302

I’d like to express my thanks for the training you provided. The electricians that participated have all given positive feedback on the class (which is rare here) and feel that they are better prepared to handle repair, re-work and new work than before the class.

I spoke with several “training providers” before getting in touch with you. The other guys were so driven to get us certified that they missed the point of actually teaching us how to solder correctly. EMS recognized the need immediately and delivered a course that provided us what we needed.

Matt Thomas

Maintenance Supervisor

CNS Y-12, National Security Complex

Bear Creek Rd

Oak Ridge, TN 37830-2504

EMS provided us with exactly what we needed: The Soldering Recipe. Our Wave Team refers to the Science of Soldering© workbook on a daily basis. If we need more information, we go to the Electronics Manufacturing Sciences web site. The instruction and information you provide does not stop when the class is over. All of us at Jabil thank you and look forward to future visits.

Joseph D. Mealer

Manufacturing Engineering Supervisor

JABIL Circuit

Tempe, AZ 85281

If you work in the electronics industry, you absolutely need to attend a Science of Soldering© class. We were astonished at how much absolutely critical knowledge we acquired in the class we attended. Our company had just ordered a $30,000 piece of test equipment that the class proved would not meet our needs. We were able to return the equipment and avoid a significant waste of money. That one lesson alone repaid our tuition many times over but was only a small part of what we learned. We have attended many seminars that charged three times as much and didn’t provide one-third as much useful information.

Steve Warner - Counterfeit Avoidance Inspector

Don LeRoy – Quality Assurance Engineer

Global IC Trading Group, Inc.

Laguna Hills, California

Jim Smith of EMS provided very professional and well received soldering training to our entire electronics assembly staff. Our primary goal was to implement a conversion to RoHS compatible solder. This was thoroughly accomplished, along with greatly improved awareness by our staff on the basic principles of soldering. All of our soldering personnel gained a tremendous amount of knowledge and competency improvement, from the 30 year veterans to the newly hired employees. His materials and hands-on classroom instructions were well prepared and presented.

Bryan Hurlbut

Vice President of Operations

Megger USA

4271 Bronze Way

Dallas, TX 75237

I am an Electrical Engineer who has been soldering since I was a kid. Most of what I know about soldering I have learned through trial and error and by watching other people. Electronics Manufacturing Sciences’ Science of Soldering Class is the first formal soldering class I have taken. Jim Smith taught us details important to successful soldering which I had not thought much about or researched before. Some of these include the various solder alloys and their characteristics, the importance of choosing the right flux to ensure solderability and reliability, and simple techniques to prevent heat damage to components. Jim’s soldering recipe and the training he shared with us are extremely valuable and is information I will continue to use and review throughout my career. Thanks Jim!

Bobby Goluba

Lead Manufacturing Engineer

GE Grid Solutions

Instrument Transformers, LLC

Clearwater, FL

Jim has a great process for instructing people in the Science of Soldering. He makes it easy for the Students and Managers as he does virtually all of the set-up work and delivers both the science behind the process and the hands on practice.

Jon Harris

Director of Operations

CDE Solutions

Marietta, GA 30066

We recently had EMS train our entire staff, production to office staff in the Science of Soldering© and we couldn’t be more pleased with the professional and engaging course we all experienced. EMS provided us with great hands on learning and skills to create our scientific recipe of soldering that will be used for years to come. We would recommend EMS to anyone that was looking to really understand the science behind soldering that is broken down and explained in practical useful ways so that it can be effectively implemented. We are using our newly learned skills every day! Thank you Jim and EMS.

Jason Kellenberger

President and Owner

APW Company

Rockaway, NJ 07866-4053

I am an engineer entering into a new role, and for Jim Smith to come in and not only explain the physical interactions that occur during soldering but to then actually demonstrate how they interact with one another is something I was unable to find through my own research. There are many references available that tell you how to address common defects but I now have the understanding of how and why those changes produce the desired output.

Russell Marotz

Manufacturing Engineer, Soldering Processes

Daktronics

Brookings, SD 57006

As part of our factory opening in Mexico for The Genie Company, the quality and manufacturing teams investigated training options that would push the new team beyond established practices to drive superior product quality. We partnered with Jim Smith from Electronics Manufacturing Sciences to help review our current program and develop a road map for the future. Jim brings years of experience and industry knowledge that can be used to tailor a new or existing program and provide any organization the best workmanship model.

For Genie, Jim helped drive a program aimed at understanding why operators touch-up solder joints and what practices can be deployed to counter those reasons with the ultimate goal of improved product quality and reliability. His techniques combine a ‘current-state’ review, detailed hands-on training deployment support and follow-up. While Genie is still early in the process we are already seeing process improvements and reduced touch-up and rework opportunities. We plan to continue developing our workmanship strategy with Electronic Manufacturing Sciences.

Robert Castro

Director of Quality

The Genie Company

Mt. Hope, OH 44660

Science of Soldering© class provided by Jim Smith was one of the best trainings that our EE Team ever had. Provided materials and hands-on classroom instructions were well prepared and all our questions were well answered. Our team enjoyed the hands-on portion explaining physics and chemistry behind the soldering "Recipe." Jim helped us to define our PCA/PCB manufacturing requirements and we are working with our suppliers to revise their soldering process. Jim has been very professional in responding to our questions – if he is not traveling or in class his response was almost immediate.

I highly recommend the class to anyone that uses soldering in their manufacturing process.

Zack Marin

Chief Technology Officer - Electrical

Paragon Products, LLC

El Dorado Hills, CA 95762

The class was an invaluable experience for my staff and me. We have already begun using the skills you taught us to fix phones that were previously beyond our capabilities. I would definitely suggest that anyone doing phone repair learn what you have to teach as it will take them from a shop that swaps parts to a shop that does legitimate repairs. Thank you, Jim!

Joe Merwin

General Manager

myPhoneMD

New Orleans, LA 70130