May 2008 - Monthly Dinner Meeting

Click here to register on-line for the dinner meeting

Date: Wednesday, May 21, 2008, 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM.
Open Registration - 5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Topic: “NAVMAT Environmental Screening” (Tutorial) and “Systematic Problem Solving” (after Dinner)."
Speaker: Dr. Don Mintz and Dr. John Flaig
Meeting Location: Biltmore Hotel, 2151 Laurelwood Rd, Santa Clara, CA 95054 (408) 9881

The session agenda:

- 5:30 - 6:30 - Tutorial - Topic: “NAVMAT Environmental Screening”
- 6:30 - 7:30 - Dinner & ASQ Silicon Valley Section Business Update
- 7:30 - 8:30 - Main Presentation - Topic: “Systematic Problem Solving”
Tutorial Presentation Abstract: Notched NAVMAT Environmental Screening - When You Can't Do HALT and HASS
Since the 1960's, manufacturers and users of electronic equipment have tried to ensure the ruggedness of products which are subject to component failures and workmanship mistakes. A variety of temperature and vibration profiles (Environmental Stress Screening or ESS) have been used to promote early failure of susceptible units under test. Ideally the fabrication technology can be adjusted after a cycle of ESS, to minimize the non-valued-added nature of any added production step.
In the last 15 years, one very popular version of ESS is Highly Accelerated Life Testing or HALT during product development, which is combined with a lower level of vibration and thermal cycling termed Highly Accelerated Stress Screening or HASS in production. This technology ALWAYS damages the units under test in the process of determining the maximum level of random vibration and thermal swing that the unit under test can tolerate.
This technology is useful but has limitations for certain project constraints. If numbers of units for evaluation are strictly limited by an offsite manufacturer or if the user does not have the capability for troubleshooting or repair, the choice may be to risk damaging only egregious cases of bad design or workmanship. The Notched NAVMAT profile does just that and eliminates one of the principal causes of failure - excessive deflection at resonances. Case studies will be provided.
Dinner Presentation Abstract: Systematic Problem Solving is a structured approach to solving problems using a step-by-step process with the application of specific tools in each step of the process. The basic steps are:
1. Problem Statement
2. Diagnosis
3. Verification
4. Solution Generation
5. Validation
Within each step a set of tools are suggested. For example, in the Diagnosis step we use: Why-why Diagram, Differential Analysis, Affinity Diagrams, and Cause and Effect Diagram. Some of these tools you are probably already familiar with, but others may be new to you and offer valuable insights in into the problem solving process.
Systematic Problem Solving is a good tool for individual contributors or teams faced with solving problems quickly. It is less complex and time consuming than some other approaches, but it still offers a logical approach that is easy to follow and will typically lead to good solutions.

Speaker's Bio:

Don Mintz holds a PhD in chemistry from CalTech and has done R&D in the fields of uranium isotope enrichment, mass spectrometer design, and semiconductor wafer metallization system design. Since 1982 he has been employed in the semiconductor fabrication equipment industry, first at Varian Associates and later at Applied Materiials. Most recently, since 1993 Dr. Mintz has worked as a reliability engineer at Applied Materials, where activities have focused on evaluating new designs, reliability testing, failure analysis, and reliability modeling.

Dr. Mintz published a number of papers in variable angle photoelectron spectrometry and mechanisms of unimolecular ionic fragmentation early in his career. Currently he holds 15 patents in the field of semiconductor wafer fabrication equipment and processes. Don is the Chief Proctor for the Silicon Valley Chapter's ASQ certification exams, Acting Secretary, and also a member of the MAA, ACS, and ASMS.

John J. Flaig, Ph.D. is managing director of Applied Technology, a consulting, training, and software publishing company. Dr. Flaig has given lectures and seminars in Europe, Asia and throughout the United States. His special interests are in statistical process control, process capability analysis, supplier management, design of experiments, and process
optimization. He holds a doctorate in engineering and technology management from Southern California University, a master's degree in mathematics from the University of California, and a bachelor's degree in mathematics and economics from California State Polytechnic University.

Dr. Flaig is a Fellow of the ASQ and an ASQ instructor. He has published over twenty research papers in areas such as process capability analysis, adaptive control charts, factor effects analysis, quality function deployment, optimal resource allocation, and supplier management. He is a member of the Editorial Board of Quality Engineering, and Associate Editor of Quality Technology and Quantitative Management. Dr. Flaig is the author of commercial software for process capability analysis, and advanced control charting methods as well as developing seminars and training manuals for control charting, process capability analysis, supplier management, measurement system analysis and calibration.

Online registration dinner price is $35; Walk-in price is $40; Unemployed $20
Click here to register on-line for the dinner meeting

Please join us at the April 16, 2008 Dinner meeting at the Biltmore Hotel for an evening relevant to all members in all industries.

Date: Wednesday, April 16, 2008, 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM.
Open Registration - 5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Topic: "Current Global RoHS Requirements" Speaker: Brian Martin, Sr. Director, Seagate Technology

The session agenda:

- 5:30 - 6:30 - Tutorial - Topic: Current Global RoHS Requirements
- 6:30 - 7:30 - Dinner & ASQ Silicon Valley Section Business Update
- 7:30 - 8:30 - Main Presentation - Topic: Current Global RoHS Requirements