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Industry’s plea for specialized training in the field of surface mount technology has been heard, and the Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering rolled out a new program last spring.

It gained momentum this summer with the formation of an industry advisory council and then the milestone of having its first graduate.

Surface mount technology is a method in which electrical components are mounted directly onto the surface of s, which power every type of electronic device, from phones to computers as well as video displays and scoreboards of all sizes.

Surface mount technology has been used for decades, but by the early 1990s much of the work had been exported to Asia, according to Carrie Steinlicht, senior lecturer in SDSU’s Department of Construction and Concrete Industry Management. COVID-19 illustrated the need to bring some of that production back to the U.S. Passage of the CHIPS Act in 2022 provided further incentive to develop domestic production of printed circuit boards.

In mid-fall semester 2023, Dave Philips, engineering manager with video display, scoreboard and message sign manufacturer Daktronics, approached her about starting a program.

By June 27, 2024, the university had a proposal before the South ��ֱ���� Board of Regents, which gave the plan its blessings for a minor in surface mount technology and a graduate certificate.

Only second program in nation

Daktronics builds thousands of the circuit boards each year. Daktronics has 18 surface mount production lines across its factories worldwide, Philips said.

“Each SMT line consists of multiple SMT machines. Engineers are responsible for programing and troubleshooting the processes on these SMT lines. It has been difficult to find qualified and experienced SMT engineers when we have open positions. This course will give them a head start on the learning of these processes,” he said.

Prior to SDSU starting a program, there was only one other institution offering training in surface mount technology — Rochester Institute of Technology in New York. Daktronics has employed interns in the Rochester program and hired two of its graduates, Phillips said.

“Onboarding and training an employee with no experience is a lengthy process and requires a significant investment in time and resources,” Phillips said.

Wiebe program’s first grad

SDSU offers an 18-credit minor that also includes prerequisites and a 12-credit graduate course. There are two core classes — surface mount technology, the classroom portion, and immersive surface mount technology, where students spend 2 ½ months on a job site. 

The program’s first graduate is Wylie Wiebe, who earned his minor this summer after completing an internship at Daktronics. Wiebe, of Dawson, Minnesota, will earn his bachelor’s degree in operations management in December and currently is participating in the accelerated master’s program for operations management with a December 2026 anticipated completion.

He began working for Daktronics in February 2024 as a student employee in electronic assembly in the Live Events factory and switched to the surface mount technology line for his internship.

“Each week I would go over a different process in the SMT manufacturing line. I saw the SMT process from the operators’ role as well as the engineer’s perspective as well as equipment maintenance,” Wiebe said.

For example, one week he learned circuit board screen printing process and was able to screen print his own circuit board on industrial equipment. On another week he was assigned to the pick-and-place machine. There he had a programming class, went with a technician to learn about problems, solutions and what daily work was required to keep the process operational. He also had a soldering class and soldered with technicians.  

“I think it is a really good specific minor that a lot of people could benefit from,” Wiebe said. “More circuits are getting added to just about everything you can think of. It’s a field that is going to grow.”

Focusing on raising program’s profile

Long term, the program, which is housed in the Department of Construction and Concrete Industry Management, is slated to have its own lab in the basement of Solberg Hall, according to department head Julian Kang. A timetable for that project hasn’t been established.

Right now the department is seeking to raise its profile, especially among students.

The program is in the university catalog, but Steinlicht believes most students aren’t aware of it. She said she has talked about it in her classes and shared it with advisers. There are plans to have a table at the Engineering Career Fair Sept. 17-18 and have the program included in prospective student tours of the college.

The classroom portion of the surface mount technology was first taught in spring semester and drew three students, which made it easy for a faculty member implementing new curriculum, Steinlicht said. 

The fall class schedule features quality management, lean manufacturing and manufacturing processing. Those courses also are required for other programs, so it is hard to peg how many students to expect for the spring surface mount technology classes, she said.

Strong support from area industry

Initially, all classes will be taught by industry experts.

Steinlicht said, “Manufacturers in this area have all this state-of-the-art knowledge. They just don’t have enough people. We’re going to bring in experts from partner companies who will come to the classroom and share their knowledge. 

“We will administer the curriculum, coordinate internship opportunities, schedule guest lecturers, develop tests and homework, manage course materials, course management software and classroom technology as well as do the grading. We will develop the expertise at SDSU, but right now we will depend on them to bring the knowledge back to academia.”

Daktronics will lead the effort with commitments also from Spartronics, Watertown; ��ֱ���� Digital, Sioux Falls; El Microcircuits, Mankato, Minnesota; the Surface Mount Technology Association and Elevate Management Co., a workforce development company that will help with training materials.

The program’s industrial advisory board held its first meeting July 31 with Philips being elected chairman and Aaron Martin, of Elevate Management Co., vice chairman.

Others on the advisory board are Justin Kannas, of Spartronics; Tara Dunn, Surface Mount Technology Association;Loren Ensor, Daktronics; Jared Smasal, EI Microelectronics; and Russell Wiles, ��ֱ���� Digital.

Natural link to robotics, automation

Kang said the businesses are asked to consider supporting the program with a $3,500 donation or the equivalent in in-kind contributions. “We’ve had very strong support from the industry, led by Dave Philips. They all seemed to be very excited by this launch of the SMT program and are excited about extending it to automation and robotics.”

In its projections to the regents, the college expected eight students to enroll in the minor the first year with that number to grow to 20 by the third year. The college expects most of the candidates for the program will major in mechanical or electrical engineering, electronics engineering technology or operations management.