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Press Release: ECD Engineering Team Expands […]

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ECD Engineering Team Expands with Addition of Software Development Engineer

New Hire Aims to Streamline Current Offerings and Develop New Ground-Up Software Backbone for Company’s Next-Gen Product Line.

September 18, 2023 – ECD today announced that Seydina Diop has joined the company’s growing engineering team as a Software Engineer II. This is the second ECD engineering hire in less than a year, as the company has committed to – and is achieving – an accelerated product development roadmap.

Diop, an experienced full-stack software developer who has been writing code since childhood, brings over ten years of experience to the ECD team. He previously worked for an online design goods marketplace where he managed the company’s social media presence and provided technical support, metrics analysis, and troubleshooting to improve the user experience. His unique skill set unites back-end and front-end technical knowledge with artistic presentation, bringing operational robustness and user perspective to his craft.

“I describe myself as having an engineer’s brain with an artist’s eye,” comments Diop. “It’s one thing to understand and be able to develop technically sound code. It’s quite another to marry that skill with artistic conceptualization to ensure the user experience is visually rich, intuitive, and consistent across multiple platforms. That’s what I intend to help deliver for ECD users.”

Initially focused on enhancements to the company’s popular OvenSENTINEL™ continuous reflow soldering monitoring technology, Diop’s future assignments include the development of baking-centric profiling software, portfolio-wide MAP profiling software upgrades, and adding customer-requested features to several popular ECD products.

Micheal Pliska, ECD Director of Engineering, says, “Seydina is a great addition to our team, allowing us to bring key software responsibilities in-house which has tightened the feedback loop and enabled fast implementation. He’s already been instrumental in adding OvenSENTINEL product support for global regions and has begun working on major upgrades to other ECD product lines.”

Diop holds a B.S. in computer science and is proficient in multiple front-end, back-end, and database programming languages, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, C#, C++, and SQL, among others. He is based in ECD’s Milwaukie, Oregon headquarters.


Except as otherwise noted, all marks used herewith are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of ECD and/or its affiliates in the US and elsewhere

About ECD

Founded in 1964, ECD is recognized worldwide for its leadership and expertise in thermal monitoring and analysis technology and, more recently, for its development of intelligent dry storage systems. Based in Milwaukie, Oregon, the company is a pioneer in the design, development, and manufacture of advanced in-transit thermal profiling systems and software used to monitor and analyze process temperatures in various industries including electronics, solar and baking, among others. Well-known for its data-rich software expertise and robust hardware functionality, ECD leads the industry for innovative measurement and safeguarding systems. For more information on ECD and its products, visit www.ecd.com.

Media Contact:

Laura Sims
Sims Communications, Inc.
(o) 770-829-4757
(m) 404-661-0348
laura@simscomm.com

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Technical Article: The Impact of Thermocouple Attachment […]

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The Impact of Thermocouple Attachment Methods on Thermal Profiling Accuracy

By Mark Waterman, Mike Hayward, and Oscar Gomez, ECD

High-reliability electronics manufacturing relies heavily on thermal profiling to ensure reflow soldering process parameters are correctly determined and maintained during printed circuit board (PCB) production.

Establishing the correct thermal profile to meet solder paste specifications, component constraints, and equipment
capabilities involves the measurement of a product sample. To capture specific temperature measurements, thermocouples are attached at strategic points on the PCB and are connected to a thermal profiler that records the data. Measurements are taken, and any required machine setting adjustments are made until satisfactory results are achieved. This may take one profiling operation or several attempts before the specification is reached.

Though process control methods for specification adherence can take many forms, the most common

approach is repeated thermal profiling of the product sample used in the initial setup. The product sample is often referred to as the “Golden Sample” or the “Golden

Figure 1: test vehicle
(aluminum tape attachment).

Board” and is re-measured periodically, and results are compared to the baseline profile initially established.

Achieving and maintaining accurate temperature readings is vital at both the initial product profile

and subsequent verification profiles. Precise temperature measurements are largely influenced by the method of thermocouple attachment, underscoring the importance of an attachment using a medium that ensures accuracy. Direct surface-to-surface contact between the measured solder pad and thermocouple tip is vital. Thermal conductivity should be maximized between the two surfaces and minimized at the mass around the connection.

Mechanically, the interface needs to be strong enough to ensure the thermocouple does not detach throughout the reflow soldering process and, in the case of a “Golden Sample,” can withstand storage, handling, and several passes through the process over several months (or even years).

Thermocouple Attachment

There are several thermocouple attachment methods currently used in the electronics industry. A recent study set out to better understand the accuracy performance of each of them, draw comparisons, and establish which method performs best against the criteria stated above.

A set of experiments was designed specifically to analyze the following thermocouple attachment methods: high-temperature solder; polyamide (Kapton) tape;
aluminum tape; UV-cured adhesive; and low-temperature cure surface-mount (SMD) adhesive.

A PCB was designed and manufactured with an array of solder pads of differing sizes consistent with a typical SMT product. Holes were included in the PCB to allow for routing and wire stress relief. Thermocouples were attached to points on the PCB using each of the attachment methods listed above. A new PCB was used for every measurement and a control thermocouple, employed to provide a baseline, was attached to the same 1.0 mm pad on every PCB using high-temperature solder (Figure 1).

A reflow soldering oven was set up to produce a typical lead-free solder profile. No changes to the machine parameters were made during the experiments, and a capability study using 30 sample boards was conducted to ensure the settings were stable and repeatable. The peak temperature of the control pad, with the thermocouple tip attached using high-temperature solder, returned an average temperature of 257.8°C with a standard deviation of 0.5°C.

Cp and Cpk values of 1.0 were reported with upper and lower control limits of three standard deviations (+/-1.50°C). Based on these results, the test procedure was deemed valid (Figure 2).

All attachment types, except for the UV adhesive, offered good mechanical strength with no detached thermocouples recorded. The UV adhesive suffered four detachments throughout the 11 cycles, making it difficult to collect any meaningful data for the comparison tests. Therefore, this evaluation suggests that UV adhesive may not be a viable attachment method.

All other attachment types returned lower values. The following tables illustrate and quantify the deviations.

Figure 4 shows that all control thermocouple measurements fall within the required limits. This is also true of all readings where high-temperature solder is the attachment method. Notice the reduction in measured temperature with Kapton tape, aluminum tape, and SMD adhesive. This indicates that the attachment method may interfere with the thermocouple/solder pad interface. It is likely that the mass of the tape/adhesive is the cause. As discussed above, the UV adhesive results are inconclusive, as two thermocouples became detached.

Figure 2: control thermocouple capability study chart.

Figure 3: attachment method processing order.

Figure 4: peak temperature comparison by type, 1 mm pads.

Figure 5: peak temperature comparison by type, 5 mm pads.

Figure 6: quantified deviation from capability study x-bar.

Figure 6 quantifies the average deviation experienced for each attachment method. (Again, the UV adhesive results should be disregarded as the readings are influenced by the detachments experienced during the trial.)

These temperature readings suggest that hightemperature solder provides strong mechanical and thermal bonds between the thermocouple and the tested area, and it returns the most accurate results. All other methods delivered temperatures well outside the required specification for accuracy and this should be considered when choosing an attachment medium.

Tests 3 and 7-11 were conducted using the same PCB to study the repetitive use of a “Golden Sample.” The results showed that measured values decreased significantly with each cycle.

Based on the outcomes of this analysis, one could conclude that a “Golden Board” should not be used more than ten times, as there is a significant risk that measured values will fall out of tolerance purely from overuse (Figure 7).

Conclusion

In addition to the thermal profiler instrument’s capability, the method of thermocouple attachment has a significant influence on the accuracy of temperature
readings. This analysis suggests that high-temperature solder is the most reliable attachment medium. Likewise, overuse of a product sample, or “Golden Board”, may result in deterioration of temperature reading accuracy, and this study demonstrates that a limit of ten runs per sample should be considered. Finally, it should be noted that each attachment method’s quality may also impact adhesion and measurement, so future studies should consider multiple suppliers of each material used for thermocouple attachment.

Figure 7: repetitive testing — degradation of measured values.

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Press Release: Touchscreen M.O.L.E. EV6 Thermal Profiler […]

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Touchscreen M.O.L.E. EV6 Thermal Profiler Exceeds Market Launch Expectations

High Demand for Touchscreen Thermal Profiling Control, ECD M.O.L.E.® EV6 Platform Success Sees Company Set Sights on Next Gamechanger

August 1, 2023 – Launched at the beginning of the year, ECD’s M.O.L.E.® EV6 thermal profiler has far exceeded initial sales projections, the company announced today. A complete paradigm shift from conventional thermal profiling, M.O.L.E. EV6 delivers handheld access to profiles, calculation templates, pass/fail analysis, and more – on the production floor. No PC download is required to effectively view, analyze, and optimize a thermal profile. According to many ECD partners and early adopters, this technology is long overdue.

Debuted in January with shipments beginning April 2023, the M.O.L.E. EV6 saw record order demand compared to ECD’s previous thermal profiler launch. M.O.L.E. EV6 sales were more than double those of its predecessor during a similar six-month period. According to ECD Electronics Division Manager, Mark Waterman, this validates the team’s innovative vision of what electronics assembly operators and process engineers need to perform their job most effectively.

“Now more than ever, production efficiency is vital to remain competitive in the electronics manufacturing market,” says Waterman. “Touchscreen control and on-thefly data access for immediate corrective actions enables operators to simplify and streamline the profiling process. Productivity is raised, errors reduced, and decisionmaking is informed and immediate.”

While ECD is delighted with the early success of M.O.L.E. EV6’s adoption, Waterman notes that there is plenty more to come: “We anticipate this order trajectory to continue – and even accelerate – as this is truly the most significant thermal profiling product innovation in the last decade,” he says. “The new M.O.L.E. technology platform, along with user input, will influence the development of several other ECD profiling tools we anticipate bringing to market soon. Stay tuned!”

To learn more about M.O.L.E. EV6, its scalable capability with RIDER™ machine quality management tools, or any of ECD’s process control technologies, visit www.ecd.com.


Except as otherwise noted, all marks used herewith are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of ECD and/or its affiliates in the US and elsewhere

About ECD

Founded in 1964, ECD is recognized worldwide for its leadership and expertise in thermal monitoring and analysis technology and, more recently, for its development of intelligent dry storage systems. Based in Milwaukie, Oregon, the company is a pioneer in the design, development, and manufacture of advanced in-transit thermal profiling systems and software used to monitor and analyze process temperatures in various industries including electronics, solar and baking, among others. Well-known for its data-rich software expertise and robust hardware functionality, ECD leads the industry for innovative measurement and safeguarding systems. For more information on ECD and its products, visit www.ecd.com.

Media Contact:

Laura Sims
Sims Communications, Inc.
(o) 770-829-4757
(m) 404-661-0348
laura@simscomm.com

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Press Release: ECD to Showcase Market’s First Touchscreen Thermal Profiler […]

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ECD to Showcase Market’s First Touchscreen Thermal Profiler, Highlight Top Reflow Monitoring Solution at SMTconnect 2023

M.O.L.E.® EV6 Delivers Factory Floor Handheld Thermal Profiling Control, Pairs Perfectly with OvenSENTINEL® Reflow Monitoring.

April 25, 2023 – Following a highly-successful Americas launch earlier this year, ECD today announced that its revolutionary M.O.L.E.® EV6 thermal profiler will be shown live in Europe for the first time during the upcoming SMTconnect 2023 event in Nuremberg, Germany. As the market’s only traveling thermal profiler with full color touchscreen control, M.O.L.E. EV6 frees personnel from the PC, as profile data can be viewed directly on the device. This time-saving solution complements ECD’s award-winning OvenSENTINEL® reflow monitoring system, which will also be demonstrated at SMTconnect from booth #4-317. As electronics manufacturers look to improve productivity and automate process insight, OvenSENTINEL has seen a doubling of installations year-on-year. When paired, M.O.L.E. EV6 and OvenSENTINEL deliver an unparalleled solution to setting, maintaining, and verifying reflow process parameters for advanced PCB assemblies.

Mike Hayward, ECD EMEA Director of Operations, notes that all ECD’s process control tools – especially M.O.L.E. EV6 and OvenSENTINEL – embody the theme of this year’s SMTconnect event: ‘Driving manufacturing forward’. “M.O.L.E. EV6 marks the most significant development in thermal profiler technology in ten years,” he explains. “Touchscreen control is long overdue in the profiling arena, and we are proud to be the first to bring it to market. Now, users can view and interact with process calculation templates, view profiles, and see pass/fail analysis in the palm of their hand. This simplifies the profiling process, raises productivity, reduces errors, and allows on-the-fly decision-making. Likewise, OvenSENTINEL offers dynamic and customizable real-time monitoring of the reflow process, taking the burden off operators while delivering deep data-supported product traceability – all in an open communications protocol.”

The feature sets of both systems are impressive, with highlights including:

M.O.L.E. EV6:

  • Instrument status display with live temperature readings
  • USB-C communications and charging
  • Wireless capability via Bluetooth
  • Compatible with multiple thermocouple types
  • No PC downloads required; all data displayed on-screen, on the device
  • Built-in calibration reminders for maintenance simplicity
  • Seamlessly integrates with all RIDER™ verification tools: OvenCHECKER™, WaveRIDER® NL 2, and SelectiveRIDER® for a complete, multi-process, soldering machine verification system

OvenSENTINEL:

  • Dynamic measurement capabilities with customizable data extractions and sensor types
  • Open architecture, Industry 4.0-enabling
  • Interface supports multiple lanes, ovens, and factories
  • Profile SnapShot™ one-button, on-demand profile confirmation of oven readiness and KPI alignment
  • TrueProfile™ trusted traceability technology

Both M.O.L.E. EV6 and OvenSENTINEL will be displayed in booth #4-317 throughout the three-day SMTconnect exhibition, May 9 – 11. To learn more, visit www.ecd.com or email mike.hayward@ecd.com.


Except as otherwise noted, all marks used herewith are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of ECD and/or its affiliates in the US and elsewhere

About ECD

Founded in 1964, ECD is recognized worldwide for its leadership and expertise in thermal monitoring and analysis technology and, more recently, for its development of intelligent dry storage systems. Based in Milwaukie, Oregon, the company is a pioneer in the design, development, and manufacture of advanced in-transit thermal profiling systems and software used to monitor and analyze process temperatures in various industries including electronics, solar and baking, among others. Well-known for its data-rich software expertise and robust hardware functionality, ECD leads the industry for innovative measurement and safeguarding systems. For more information on ECD and its products, visit www.ecd.com.

Media Contact:

Laura Sims
Sims Communications, Inc.
(o) 770-829-4757
(m) 404-661-0348
laura@simscomm.com

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Press Release: ECD Launches MOLE EV6 Touchscreen […]

M.O.L.E.® EV6 Delivers Handheld Thermal Profiling Control, Freeing Bakery Operators from Time-consuming, Offline PC Downloads.

March 1, 2023 – Previewed to a select audience at last year’s International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE), ECD’s M.O.L.E.® EV6 touchscreen thermal profiler is now commercially available, the company announced today. The market’s first traveling thermal profiler with operation via a capacitive touchscreen, M.O.L.E. EV6 offers a user-friendly, intuitive design engineered to save baking professionals time, simplify data viewing and analysis, and improve productivity. Thermal profiling as a routine practice helps bakers ensure consistent quality and high product yields. With M.O.L.E. EV6, the already simple — but critical — thermal profiling process becomes even more straightforward and less time-constrained.

“Touchscreen control for instrumentation tools is now expected,” says ECD Baking Product Manager, Ray Pearce. “However, it is not ubiquitous. ECD is among the first to break this barrier, helping baking professionals improve processes with instantaneous access to data that enables on-the-fly decision-making for process and product optimization. It’s a game-changer.”

With conventional thermal profiler designs, users must program, download data, and interpret results via a PC interface. In addition, the control buttons on some thermal profilers can be ambiguous and confusing, leading to errors, erased profiles, and other efficiency-killing events if operators are poorly-trained. M.O.L.E. EV6 helps prevent these situations, allowing viewing and interaction with process calculation templates, profile viewing, and pass/fail analysis on the device.

“Productivity and repeatable quality output are the keys to bakery profitability,” says Pearce. “M.O.L.E. EV6 saves time on the line, reduces required training resources, and enables analysis on the production floor for instantaneous product quality and system performance oversight. Prioritizing cost-efficiency, ECD has designed M.O.L.E. EV6 to be practical and affordable with features like an off-the-shelf lithium-polymer battery, wireless Bluetooth operation, and built-in maintenance reminders.

The new thermal profiler integrates with popular ECD baking equipment verification tools and baked goods sensors, CakeOMETER®, BreadOMETER®, VaporWATCH® and OvenBALANCER™. Shipments begin April 1st.

To learn more, go to this link and/or call +1-503-659-6100


Except as otherwise noted, all marks used herewith are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of ECD and/or its affiliates in the US and elsewhere

About ECD

Founded in 1964, ECD is recognized worldwide for its leadership and expertise in thermal monitoring and analysis technology and, more recently, for its development of intelligent dry storage systems. Based in Milwaukie, Oregon, the company is a pioneer in the design, development, and manufacture of advanced in-transit thermal profiling systems and software used to monitor and analyze process temperatures in various industries including electronics, solar and baking, among others. Well-known for its data-rich software expertise and robust hardware functionality, ECD leads the industry for innovative measurement and safeguarding systems. For more information on ECD and its products, visit www.ecd.com.

Media Contact:

Laura Sims
Sims Communications, Inc.
(o) 770-829-4757
(m) 404-661-0348
laura@simscomm.com

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Press Release: ECD Debuts Market’s First […]

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ECD Debuts Market’s First Touchscreen-enabled Thermal Profiler

M.O.L.E. EV6 Heralds the Evolution of Thermal Profiling with Smartphone-like, Handheld Data Access, Sets New Benchmark for Factory Floor Profiling Control

January 23, 2023 – With the IPCAPEX EXPO exhibition as the backdrop, ECD unveils its latest process control innovation: M.O.L.E. EV6. The market’s first traveling thermal profiler with operation via a capacitive touchscreen, M.O.L.E. EV6 offers a radical new design engineered to save time, simplify data viewing and analysis, and improve productivity. APEX visitors to ECD Booth #2425 will be the first to see the new technology in person, and will have the opportunity to pre-order M.O.L.E. EV6 for shipments beginning March 1, 2023.

“Consumers have become accustomed to touchscreen-enabled, intuitive management of most of our electronic devices,” says ECD Electronics Division Manager, Mark Waterman. “It should be no different in the factory, and ECD has been moving toward this model for quite a while. We designed our award-winning SmartDRY™ storage system with an easy-to-use onboard user interface, and have now successfully achieved touch control with M.O.L.E. EV6 –all while maintaining the robustness and deep data collection that M.O.L.E. loyalists have come to demand. This is a true evolution in thermal profiling shop floor productivity.”

With conventional thermal profiler designs, users must program, download data and interpret results via a PC interface. Moreover, control buttons on the profiler can be vague and confusing, leading to errors, erased profiles, and other efficiency-killing
events if operators are poorly-trained. M.O.L.E. EV6 eliminates these concerns, delivering process calculation templates, profile viewing, and pass/fail analysis on the device.

“The immediacy of shop floor data access introduces a major boost for productivity,” notes Waterman. “M.O.L.E. EV6 saves time on the line, reduces required training resources, and eliminates the need for a computer to conduct analysis. What’s more, ECD’s engineers have also made M.O.L.E. EV6 practical and affordable with features like an off-the-shelf lithium-polymer battery, wireless Bluetooth operation, and built-in maintenance reminders.”

As with all ECD innovations, M.O.L.E. EV6 is designed from a user mindset, delivering simplicity, robust performance, affordability for high-yield process control, and easy integration with ECD’s machine quality management RIDER pallets.

To learn more, go to this link and plan to visit ECD booth #2425 at IPC APEX EXPO 2023to see M.O.L.E. EV6 live.


Except as otherwise noted, all marks used herewith are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of ECD and/or its affiliates in the US and elsewhere

About ECD

Founded in 1964, ECD is recognized worldwide for its leadership and expertise in thermal monitoring and analysis technology and, more recently, for its development of intelligent dry storage systems. Based in Milwaukie, Oregon, the company is a pioneer in the design, development, and manufacture of advanced in-transit thermal profiling systems and software used to monitor and analyze process temperatures in various industries including electronics, solar and baking, among others. Well-known for its data-rich software expertise and robust hardware functionality, ECD leads the industry for innovative measurement and safeguarding systems. For more information on ECD and its products, visit www.ecd.com.

Media Contact:

Laura Sims
Sims Communications, Inc.
(o) 770-829-4757
(m) 404-661-0348
laura@simscomm.com

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Press Release: ECD to Unveil Reimagined Profiling Technology […]

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ECD to Unveil Reimagined Profiling Technology, Highlight Success of Process Control Portfolio at IPC APEX Expo 2023

Novel Thermal Profiling Capability Set to Improve Data Access; Continuous Reflow Monitoring, Machine Quality Management and Dry Storage Systems Enjoy Market Expansion

December 1, 2022 – ECD, pioneer of the traveling thermal profiler, will debut a brand-new data logging technology from booth #2425 at IPC APEX EXPO 2023 in San Diego, California next month. The novel innovation is designed to accelerate productivity through immediate access to profile statistics for fast decision-making through real-time actionable data. With on-demand demonstrations planned throughout the event, IPC APEX EXPO show delegates can experience ECD’s latest engineering advance first-hand.

In addition to new technology, ECD’s proven tools for high-value PCB assemblies will be on show. As automotive systems, data center server boards and 5G infrastructure technologies increase in complexity and soldering becomes more challenging, manufacturers are looking to solutions like OvenSENTINEL® continuous reflow monitoring and the MEGAM.O.L.E.™ 20 high-channel-count thermal profiler for robust soldering control to enable high-yield production of high-reliability assemblies. Due to the growth in electric vehicle (EV) volumes, data center capacity, and 5G infrastructure devices, sales of OvenSENTINEL have more than doubled in the last year alone. MEGAM.O.L.E. 20 has likewise experienced notable increases in order volumes. This demand for quality and the assurance of robust equipment operation has also driven steady adoption of ECD’s suite of RIDER™ pallets for machine quality management of wave, reflow and selective soldering systems. All three pallet designs integrate with the SuperM.O.L.E. Gold 2 thermal profiler for a scalable platform approach to shop floor soldering oversight.

Finally, for industries — including electronics — where control of moisture is integral to product quality, ECD’s award-winning SmartDRY® Intelligent Dry Storage portfolio is enabling exceptional humidity control. With an ultra-fast recovery time of less than three minutes, SmartDRY combines effective dry storage with the ability to access parts frequently for maximum productivity and product integrity assurance. SmartDRY’s unique features and proven performance have allowed it to maintain its leading market share in electronics manufacturing, while expanding into other markets such as 3D printing material storage, medical instrumentation, and filtration. The SmartDRY SD-30 will be on show at ECD booth #2425.

Learn more about ECD’s process control innovations by visiting www.ecd.com. To be among the first to see the company’s revolutionary thermal profiling technology at IPC APEX EXPO 2023, schedule an appointment here.


Except as otherwise noted, all marks used herewith are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of ECD and/or its affiliates in the US and elsewhere

About ECD

Founded in 1964, ECD is recognized worldwide for its leadership and expertise in thermal monitoring and analysis technology and, more recently, for its development of intelligent dry storage systems. Based in Milwaukie, Oregon, the company is a pioneer in the design, development, and manufacture of advanced in-transit thermal profiling systems and software used to monitor and analyze process temperatures in various industries including electronics, solar and baking, among others. Well-known for its data-rich software expertise and robust hardware functionality, ECD leads the industry for innovative measurement and safeguarding systems. For more information on ECD and its products, visit www.ecd.com.

Media Contact:

Laura Sims
Sims Communications, Inc.
(o) 770-829-4757
(m) 404-661-0348
laura@simscomm.com

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Press Release: ECD Names New Director of Engineering […]

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ECD Names New Director of Engineering to Lead Product Development and Innovation Initiatives

Experienced Engineer and Physicist, Michael Pliska, takes the Engineering Helm at ECD as Company Sets Course for Major Business Growth

November 15, 2022 – ECD today announced that it has hired Michael Pliska as its new Director of Engineering, supporting all product lines and market sectors. Pliska, who brings impressive credentials to the role, will leverage his extensive experience in mechanical engineering, software engineering and business management to implement systems that streamline development, capitalize on digital capability, and continue to offer ECD customers user-friendly process control technologies. The company is modernizing its entire thermal profiling, dry storage, and machine quality management product line-up. Pliska will oversee all engineering aspects — from major ground-up NPI to more efficient revisions that improve manufacturability and reliability.

Before ECD, Pliska held several engineering management roles with companies in the automotive and bio-science markets. His previous responsibilities, as well as his physics research and coursework, focused on instrumentation innovation, making him the perfect candidate to head ECD’s Engineering department. Pliska looks forward to significantly contributing to the company’s ambitious new product development initiatives and leading the effort to centralize and formalize all engineering documentation.

“The Director of Engineering role at ECD was precisely the type of position I was hoping to find,” shares Pliska. “I’ve become accustomed to working at companies that lead in

their respective product classes, and I’m thrilled to have landed at another organization where this is the case. Having worked at large and small firms managing engineering teams of all sizes, I hope to leverage my experience with the Taguchi method of quality engineering and integrate that into the uniquely agile and responsive approach found with smaller, more nimble businesses. Being able to oversee both the engineering management side and the technical elements of embedded controls and rugged electronics is the ideal role for me. I have found that at ECD.

ECD President, Tara Fischer, is confident Pliska is the right person to execute ECD’s product growth initiatives. “We are set to launch a revolutionary new thermal profiling product in January 2023 and plan to keep our foot on the gas,” says Fisher. “Michael will be instrumental in helping us bring robust, innovative technology to market in an expedited fashion. His skill set is exactly what we were seeking, and we know his expertise will enable excellent results for ECD and our customers.”

Pliska holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering, an MS in Physics, and an MBA from Portland State University. He is based in ECD’s Milwaukie, Oregon headquarters.


Except as otherwise noted, all marks used herewith are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of ECD and/or its affiliates in the US and elsewhere

About ECD

Founded in 1964, ECD is recognized worldwide for its leadership and expertise in thermal monitoring and analysis technology and, more recently, for its development of intelligent dry storage systems. Based in Milwaukie, Oregon, the company is a pioneer in the design, development, and manufacture of advanced in-transit thermal profiling systems and software used to monitor and analyze process temperatures in various industries including electronics, solar and baking, among others. Well-known for its data-rich software expertise and robust hardware functionality, ECD leads the industry for innovative measurement and safeguarding systems. For more information on ECD and its products, visit www.ecd.com.

Media Contact:

Laura Sims
Sims Communications, Inc.
(o) 770-829-4757
(m) 404-661-0348
laura@simscomm.com

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Press Release: ECD Expands Sales Team […]

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ECD Expands Sales Team with the Addition of Latin America Sales Manager

Experienced Engineer and Business Development Self-Starter to Lead Growing Electronics and Baking Industry Sales in Mexico, Central and South America

September 6, 2022 – ECD announced today that Oscar Gomez has been named the company’s Latin America Sales Manager, effective immediately. This is a newly-established position due to ECD’s growing sales volume in the region and the expectation of continued manufacturing expansion throughout Latin America. Gomez brings a wealth of industrial oven process and thermal profiling optimization know-how and will work closely with ECD’s representatives and distributors to support the company’s baking and electronics industry customers in the region.

“From personal experience, I understand how important our thermal profiling tools are for getting the most out of a process and producing high-quality products,” explains Gomez, who leveraged ECD profiling and verification tools in a previous position. “We engineer smart technologies that bring value to customers’ operations – whether solving a yield issue, improving reliability or reducing overall operational costs. I look forward to being the go-to resource for our Latin American customers and winning new business by being a solutions provider.”

Before joining ECD, Gomez, a mechanical engineer, worked with leading bakeries and industrial manufacturing operations throughout Mexico. In addition to engineering roles, Gomez has also held positions in R&D and, most recently, oversaw sales and technical service efforts for Draxon, which specializes in combustion oven optimization

and repair solutions. While at Draxon, Gomez relied heavily on ECD’s M.O.L.E.® thermal profiling technology to characterize industrial oven processes and troubleshoot failure root causes.

“Oscar is a welcome addition to the ECD team and has been training in our corporate headquarters since early this year,” shares Tara Fischer, ECD President and CEO. “He is an experienced engineer, is smart and inquisitive and will be a trusted partner for our Latin American customers and external sales representatives. We are delighted to have him on board!”

As Latin America Sales Manager, Gomez will oversee business development efforts in the region and, as he is fluent in Spanish and English, will spearhead the creation of Spanish-language ECD resources to make it easier for customers to understand the company’s informational content. Gomez, who holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Nuevo León in Monterrey, MX, will be based in Houston, TX. He can be reached via email at oscar.gomez@ecd.com.


Except as otherwise noted, all marks used herewith are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of ECD and/or its affiliates in the US and elsewhere

About ECD

Founded in 1964, ECD is recognized worldwide for its leadership and expertise in thermal monitoring and analysis technology and, more recently, for its development of intelligent dry storage systems. Based in Milwaukie, Oregon, the company is a pioneer in the design, development, and manufacture of advanced in-transit thermal profiling systems and software used to monitor and analyze process temperatures in various industries including electronics, solar and baking, among others. Well-known for its data-rich software expertise and robust hardware functionality, ECD leads the industry for innovative measurement and safeguarding systems. For more information on ECD and its products, visit www.ecd.com.

Media Contact:

Laura Sims
Sims Communications, Inc.
(o) 770-829-4757
(m) 404-661-0348
laura@simscomm.com

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Press Release: ECD BakeWATCH® to Showcase New Cake and Bread Sensor Designs […]

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ECD BakeWATCH® to Showcase New Cake and Bread Sensor Designs, Preview Radically Different Profiling Technology at IBIE 2022

Show Delegates to get a First-hand look at CakeOMETER™ for Cake-Baking Precision, BreadOMETER’s® Enhanced Durability Design and Pre-Launch Version of Reimagined Baking Profiler and Software

August 8, 2022–ECD BakeWATCH® will highlight a suite of new products from booth #5723 at the upcoming International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE), held from September 18 to 22 in Las Vegas, Nevada. With a broad portfolio of baking tools to accurately establish, measure and verify oven and product thermal parameters, ECD BakeWATCH’s platform approach delivers a scalable solution for baked goods perfection and consistency.

The company’s recently launched CakeOMETER™, a first-of-its-kind cake-baking measurement device, enables accurate temperature sensor placement and stability within cake batter. The unique design allows cake bakeries to generate reliable in-oven temperature data for high-quality, repeatable cake production. IBIE will mark the North American debut of CakeOMETER, enabling event visitors to see the tool and its versatility in person.

Also on show is ECD BakeWATCH’s standard-setting S-Curve-management BreadOMETER® sensor, which measures temperature at five dough depths for maximum baking optimization. The system has recently been redesigned for improved durability and precision: An advanced ambient sensor for more realistic oven temperature measurements, more substantial stainless-steel construction and a reinforced cable combine to make the new BreadOMETER more reliable, robust and accurate.

Finally, at the heart of ECD BakeWATCH’s offer is the M.O.L.E.® thermal profiler and its accompanying software, which have undergone recent redesigns. The high-performance M.O.L.E. data logger, which seamlessly integrates with CakeOMETER and BreadOMETER, ensures the establishment of optimal oven temperatures, records baked goods’ thermal transformation and provides ongoing confirmation of in-specification oven performance to ensure high-yield outcomes. On a first-come, first-served basis, ECD BakeWATCH booth visitors can preview a new M.O.L.E. design in combination with baking-specific software updates, both of which will be commercially available later this year.

To learn more about CakeOMETER, BreadOMETER and M.O.L.E., visit ECD Baking Industry Page. IBIE attendees who want to pre-schedule an appointment with ECD’s technical team can send an email to: ray.pearce@ecd.com


Except as otherwise noted, all marks used herewith are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of ECD and/or its affiliates in the US and elsewhere

About ECD

Founded in 1964, ECD is recognized worldwide for its leadership and expertise in thermal monitoring and analysis technology and, more recently, for its development of intelligent dry storage systems. Based in Milwaukie, Oregon, the company is a pioneer in the design, development, and manufacture of advanced in-transit thermal profiling systems and software used to monitor and analyze process temperatures in various industries including electronics, solar and baking, among others. Well-known for its data-rich software expertise and robust hardware functionality, ECD leads the industry for innovative measurement and safeguarding systems. For more information on ECD and its products, visit www.ecd.com.

Media Contact:

Laura Sims
Sims Communications, Inc.
(o) 770-829-4757
(m) 404-661-0348
laura@simscomm.com

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