President and Principal Consultant
Phil Zarrow has been involved with PCB fabrication and assembly for more than 50 years. His expertise includes the manufacturing of equipment for circuit board fabrication and assembly of through hole and surface mount technologies. In addition to his background in automated assembly and cleaning, Mr. Zarrow is recognized for his expertise in surface mount reflow soldering technology as well as for the design and implementation of SMT placement equipment and reflow soldering systems.
Having held key technical and management positions with Vitronics Soltec Corporation, Excellon-Micronetics, and Universal Instruments Corporation, he has extensive hands-on experience with setting up and troubleshooting through hole and SMT processes throughout the world. He was responsible for specifying and setting up medium and high-speed assembly lines as well as investigating and implementing emerging and leading-edge technologies, equipment, and processes during his tenure as director of technology development for GSS Array Technology.
Since forming ITM Consulting in 1993, Phil Zarrow has helped numerous clients in such areas as:
- Counterfeit Component Avoidance and Interception Programs
- Design for Manufacturability (DFM) Specification Development
- EMS/Supplier Process and Quality Assessment Audits
- Equipment Evaluation and Selection
- Implementation of New Component Packages Including QFN
- Lead-Free Process Implementation and Optimization
- Manufacturing Yield Improvement
- No-Clean and Lead-Free Solder Paste
- Process Implementation
- On-Site Training for All Levels of Personnel
- Reflow of Through Hole Development and Implementation
- SMT Assembly and Soldering Process Failure Analysis
- SMT Implementation and Assembly Facility Set-Up
- SMT Manufacturing Process Audits and Process Improvement
- SMT Process Equipment Benchmark Testing and Evaluation
- SMT Product Development
- Technical Assistance in Legal Disputes
- Technical Evaluations Related to Business Acquisitions
Mr. Zarrow is a popular speaker and workshop instructor. He has chaired and instructed numerous seminars and conferences in North and South America, Europe, South Africa, Australia, and the Pacific Rim. He has published many technical papers and magazine articles as well as contributed a number of chapters to industry books. He is a co-author of the book, “SMT Glossary- Terms and Definitions.” Mr. Zarrow holds two US Patents concerning PCB fabrication and assembly processes and audit methodologies.
He is a member of IPC, SME, IMAP and a co-founder of ITM Incorporated. Additionally, he is a past national level officer and national director of the Surface Mount Technology Association (SMTA). He was also Chairman of the Reflow Committee for SMEMA.
Mr. Zarrow was the recipient of the SMTA’s Member of Distinction Award (1995) and Founders’ Award (2000). He has served on the Editorial Advisory Board for Circuits Assembly Magazine and won awards for his columns, namely “On the Forefront” and “Better Manufacturing.” Currently, he is the producer and co-host of IPC Update’s “Boardtalk” audio program.