Jon Urquhart serves as the Director of Applications Engineering at PVA, bringing three decades of experience with PVA. He excels as a process and materials specialist, assisting customers in optimizing the application of conformal coatings, adhesives, pottings, underfill, bonding, gluing, and other solutions. He adeptly guides them in equipment configuration and collaborates to develop successful and efficient manufacturing processes.
In an interview with Electrical Business Review magazine, Jon Urquhart shares his insights on the challenges and emerging trends in the manufacturing industry and the experience he has gathered in the domain.
What, according to you, are the major challenges affecting the manufacturing industry lately?
As an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) in the manufacturing world, every day brings new challenges. We encounter a diverse range of products being designed and developed, from medical devices to automotive sensors and aerospace components. While some designs share similarities, each product is unique. Handling delicate, small pieces as well as large, heavy components poses a constant challenge. Moreover, we must address various purposes, such as applying protective coatings to electronics, gluing components together, or optically bond a touch screen or a sensor to a display that might be going into an automobile.
Every day brings diverse challenges to manufacture unique products by applying innovative tailor-made solutions for each customer
Could you explain some of the emerging industry trends that help tackle these pain points?
The electrification trend is impacting various industries, from cars and airplanes to household devices and wearables for our hands and our body. Advancements are seen not only in device development but also in the materials used for protection. For instance, in battery manufacturing for automobiles, lighter substances like foams and adhesives are used so that they’re lighter and help your cars ride and run more efficiently.
Similarly, coatings for electrical devices or circuit boards are being developed to provide the same level of robust protection while being applied in thinner layers to accommodate shrinking sizes of electrical devices and assemblies, from medical devices to personal wearable electronics. Our work spans multiple industries, making it challenging and interesting at the same time.
How do you envision the future of the manufacturing industry with the new technology?
We observe promising developments in coatings that are allowing these thinner amounts of coatings to be used, benefiting the environment, end users, and the manufacturing process. Collaborating with chemical adhesive manufacturers, we focus on creating greener and safer products while enhancing processing efficiency with our equipment.
Would you like to talk about any successful project initiative that you were a part of?
Over the years, I take great pride in contributing to the development of our core conformal coating technology and applicators. Our innovative valve technology and equipment designs have empowered end users to perform tasks that were previously unavailable. Additionally, I find satisfaction in addressing various challenges daily and engaging with customers to guide them towards effective solutions. Each day presents an opportunity to create a sense of pride by helping others find a solution.
From your experience, what piece of advice would you like to share with aspiring professionals in manufacturing industry?
Listen, pay attention, and ask questions that’s the easiest way to boil it down. Don’t be afraid to learn, don’t be afraid to ask questions and pay attention to details
