SMTA International 2026

Session Chair:
Session Co-Chair:

8:30am-9:00am
The Effect of Component Construction and Microstructure on the Thermal Cycling Performance of Reverse Hybrid Ball Grid Array Assemblies
Presenter: Richard Coyle, Ph.D., Nokia Bell Labs
Co-Authors: See paper for full co-author listing

9:00am-9:30am
Microstructure Evolution and Failure Mechanisms in High Performance Solder Alloys During Harsh Thermal Cycling
Presenter: Chris Gourlay, Ph.D., Imperial College London

9:30am-10:00am
A New Approach to the Design of Lead-Free Solder Alloys
Presenter: Keith Sweatman, P.E., Nihon Superior Co., Ltd
Co-Authors: Kazuhiro Nogita, University of Queensland, Australia; Tetsuro Nishimura, Nihon Superior Co., Ltd

Session Chair:
Session Co-Chair:

10:30am-11:00am
Revisiting Silver-Content in Lead-Free Alloys: Reliability of Low-Cost Alternatives to SAC305 in Modern Electronics Assembly
Presenter: Anna Lifton, MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions
Co-Authors: Kennedy Fox, Suraj Saifullah, Ebad Rehman, MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions

11:00am-11:30am
Effect of Bismuth and Antimony Additions on the Shear Properties of ENIG-Finished SAC Individual Solder Joints
Presenter: Waad Tarman, Auburn University
Co-Authors: John Evans, Ph.D., Auburn University; Sa'd Hamasha, Ph.D., Binghamton University

11:30am-12:00pm
A Comparative Study of Mechanical Behavior of Next Generation Lead-Free Solder Alloys
Presenter: Pritha Choudhury, Ph.D., MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions India Pvt. Ltd.
Co-Authors: Anil Kumar, Lijia Xie, Sean Yenyu Lai, Ganesh Subbarayan, John Blendell, MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions

Session Chair:
Session Co-Chair:

1:00pm-1:30pm
Effect of Standoff Height, Pitch, and Component Type on Conformal Coating Ingress and Solder Joint Reliability in BGA and BTC Assemblies
Presenter: Suraj Saifullah, MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions
Co-Authors: Kennedy Fox, Anna Lifton, MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions

1:30pm-2:00pm
Conformal Coating Reliability for Harsh Environments
Presenter: Jayse McLean, John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group

2:00pm-2:30pm
Active Condensation Exposure and the Reliability of Solvent-Free Conformal Coatings
Presenter: Andrea Charif, Ph.D., Henkel Corporation
Co-Authors: Rita Mohanty, Alejandro Sanchez, Henkel Corporation

2:30pm-3:00pm
The Impact of Conformal Coating on the Reliability of Solder Interconnects
Presenter: Michael Osterman, Ph.D., CALCE/University of Maryland

Session Chair:
Session Co-Chair:

3:30pm-4:00pm
How to Know If Your Conformal Coating Process is Good or Not 
Presenter: Jason Keeping, P.E., Celestica

4:00pm-4:30pm
Defects in Conformal Coating
Presenter: Doug Pauls, ItDepends Electronics LLC
Co-Author: Deb Vorwald, Collins Aerospace

4:30pm-5:00pm
BGA Solder Joint Solder Joint Reliability Degradation From Incorrect Conformal Coating Processes
Presenter: David Hillman, Hillman EAS LLC
Co-Author: Ross Wilcoxon, Collins Aerospace

Join SMTA for a Town Hall open to all attendees, featuring an engaging and interactive discussion on conformal coating and its impact on solder joint reliability.

The Town Hall will immediately follow the Reliability, Harsh Environment (RHE) technical session on conformal coating, which provides important background and context for the discussion.

This attendee-driven forum welcomes a wide range of perspectives, experiences, and opinions. Audience questions and comments will shape the discussion, creating a dynamic exchange of ideas on one of the industry's most relevant and debated topics.

Please submit questions in advance to: [email protected]