The D-Code Podcast

Megan, The Queen of Networking 👑  Megan Wendling's family history is intertwined with the origins of NEPCON. Today, she leads Megan Wendling Associates, a prominent PR and marketing firm specializing in the electronics manufacturing services (EMS) sector. At IPC APEX 2025, she discussed her background, her company, and her role as a key connector within the industry on The D-Code Podcast.  Megan...

Larry Welk (Professor Splice) was kind enough to stop by our recording booth and describe how his products help people in my shoes every day. We feel safe saying most people have no idea how difficult it is to pull off a good splice without the proper equipment. Beyond spending time with him in our booth, we also went to his later and got to see his products demoed. He is able to take you through...

🧠 What if your consumables supplier axed the middleman and rebooted an industry chapter? That’s Justin Worden’s game plan. Sat down with my buddy live at IPC APEX 2025 D-Code Podcast to unpack how ROCKA Solutions and his SMTA Austin Chapter hustle are shaking things up. 💡 What’s Rocka Solutions? Kicked off as a global distributor for Zestron, Weller, and Indium, they flipped the script during CO...

🧠 Imagine if BOM management was as easy as clicking ‘Buy Now’ on Amazon. That’s not a dream anymore it’s what Nino Hardin and the team at Cofactr are making a reality. We sat down live at IPC APEX 2025 to talk about what might be one of the most disruptive tools in the EMS supply chain game right now.

This one is for you AI buffs out there! Andrew Schuermann talks why we should use AI to eliminate the dull, dirty, dangerous, and disappearing functions within our work days. The conversation sways heavily towards the ability to define down time and it's causes, efficiently utilizing technology to shorten mean time to repair.  

Domestic PCB manufacturing has taken a beating, but it is not dead! John Vaughan joins us on set at Apex to discuss all things PCBs and how they play a critical role in US National Defense. John discusses the foundation of the PCBAA and the work this group is doing on "The Hill" Tune in and enjoy!

The Printed Circuit Board Association of America (PCBAA) It does have a nice ring to it for anyone in the industry. Also, if you live in the United States and use any electronic products, this may concern you. We were privileged to sit down with David Schild and speak about the efforts being conducted on Capitol Hill to reshore America's electronic supply chain. This is everything people: -Compone...

🦊 “We're the foxes in the henhouse.” That’s how Michael Civigny from C-TAC described their role in the electronics manufacturing world—and honestly, it’s perfect. On this episode of The D Code: IPC APEX 2025 Edition, we dug into how C-TAC is redefining machine performance validation across the board. No bias. No fluff. Just data that tells the truth. 📏 Here’s what we covered: How C-TAC performs...

Welcome to The D Code: IPC APEX 2025 Edition! We kicked things off live from the show floor with none other than Chrys Shea and it was everything we hoped for. From miniaturization trends to workforce development, and from solder paste testing to balancing fun and technical mastery in the shop, Chrys brought insight and laughs. Here's a taste of what we covered: Why she believes we're bringing the...

Are you wondering what insights you can get from an SPI? Have you been told about problems with "false calls" and difficulty getting boards to pass inspection? Wish you could identify issues not just before boards are shipped, but before they've proceeded down the production line? Are you desperate to learn the difference between a squircle, an octagon, and an arch? If you said yes to any of these...

If you ever had questions about print parameters, we have an episode for you! While it does get specific to equipment both Daniel and Sean own at portions, this means you get to see the more of the "into the weeds" than a typical episode. Watch to the end or you'll miss our surprise SME guest! 

PCB Designer and YouTube sensation Robert Feranec, helps kick of Rev 2 of The D-Code Podcast in a BIG WAY! Along with Daniel, Elias, and Sean, Robert chronicles his journey from an hourly employee through the formation of his acclaimed learning platform, FEDEVEL. Chew on some technical bites while you enjoy Robert's fascinating story! 

This episode is short but sweet. Join Daniel, Elias, and Sean as they look back over 2024 and Rev 1 of The D-Code Podcast. Considering the whole gang (including Producer Paul!) has full time jobs that come first, we are proud of what we have attained, the content we've put out, and the path forward into 2025! You won't want to miss out on our favorite parts of Rev 1 and our goals and plans for the...

Join Daniel, Elias, and Sean as they discuss high-level #smt concepts with Tony Kelbert ranging from comparing and contrasting #3dprinting with laser etching to his favorite parts of his job. This is a fun, imagery heavy episode with lots of material beneficial to people on the fringes of SMT - like Cathy Rinne from Flex-line Automation who comes up this episode - and it is a nice, light-hearted e...

Back to back process conversations! Bill Capen from  @honeywell  has 37 years of experience, and it shows through this conversation. From the effects of solder paste selection for environment and process to European sparrows, Bill guides Daniel, Elias, and Sean through an informative conversation. Maybe it is all a big coincidence, (Narrator: It wasn't) but Bill is working with Chrys Shea on train...

Prepare to summit the peak of D-Code Podcast Entertainment! We've arrived, in that Chrys Shea honored us with her presence! For only being her 3rd appearance on a podcast, she sure delivered! Chrys is a barrel of laughs, and as much fun as we had, we sure hope you like it, too! Where to begin? Up for conversation is Chrys Shea's current passion, #uhdi, and the struggle of finalizing the design for...

Successfully, it seems! In all seriousness, the whole crew learned a lot in this great conversation with David Kruidhof from Comet about how #smt only increases reliance on x-ray as size of components decreases. While the conversation flows and the group has fun as usual, this episode is more question and answer as David shares his impressive knowledge. Don't bow out early, or you'll miss David's...

Last of the current run of in-person episodes, The D-Code hosts wrap up a few more experiences in the Chicago area during #smtai. Daniel shares his experience in the #omronindustrialautomation Demo Lab - check out a virtual tour halfway down this page: automation.omron.com/en/us/support/automation-centers Sean describes some of what his #spi and #aoi machines are capable of doing, whether he is cu...

The cast is back again in its second episode of a three part SMTAI special series! In this episode we drill down on PCBs as Sean shares his PCB fab factory tour. Enjoy the banter and stay tuned for part three!

The D-Code cast's first in person recording, coming at you from SMTAI in Rosemont, Il. Listen as the conversation weaves between process talk and plans for "The Show" Stay tuned for more episodes in this special series! 

Note: This podcast is not about fish. Don't worry though, much of the first 10 minutes is! Turns out, the D-Code cast also has experience with caring for tropical fish. Or in Daniel's case, you show off how close you live to a truly amazing place, the Omaha Zoo. We promise, there is EMS-related discussion as well. From how to recognize 30 year old datasheets that may or may not describe modern bes...

Even keeping things brief, The D-Code can't resist ribbing each other and waxing sarcastic. In this short but sweet episode, join Daniel Stanphill, Elias Malfavon, and Sean Kincaid for a quick announcement regarding SMTAI attendance.    

The D-Code Podcast welcomes Caleb Chenoweth for what proved to be a bit of an "Operator's Special" Don't get us wrong - there are a lot of topics up for discussion in Rev 1.9. But if you are an operator or heavily process oriented, this episode is especially for you. Starting off with a conversation about Caleb's education and avenue he has taken to get to his current vocation, he also shares insi...

 The D-Code is thrilled to be joined by Petr Dvorak, most known on LinkedIn for his famous Red Headphones. (Sean regularly says Orange. Debate in the comments!) Petr firmly denies any sort of "celebrity status", but he'll admit the headphones are good for branding. ;) Discussions range from why it is important to share mistakes publicly, what it means to be "Extremely Polish", a bit of education o...

The D-Code returns with a cast-only recording to regale you with tales of recent collaborations between Daniel and Elias on a unique component requiring a custom solution that looks B-E-A-UTIFUL on x-ray. Linked-In was consulted and involved in planning stages, but in the end... well, take a listen! Other topics and features include: Aperture issues - why is a single "chad" left in otherwise funct...