(July 14, 2008) &#151 IMEC and Qualcomm collaborate on 3D packaging technologies; IPC meets internationally to discuss urgent trends; iNEMI releases recommendations for lead-free alloy alternatives.

European independent nanoelectronics research institute IMEC partnered with Qualcomm Incorporated for the research group’s industrial affiliation program (IIAP) on 3D integration. Qualcomm and IMEC researchers in the program will collaborate to understand and develop solutions for the use of 3D technologies in future wireless products. Qualcomm represents fabless IC providers in the supply chain, completing the group of industry players for the 3D integration program, said Luc Van den hove, chief operation officer (COO) at IMEC. Strong industry collaboration among foundries, IDMs, packaging and assembly companies, and equipment suppliers at IMEC will push the development of innovative 3D products forward, added Van den hove. IMEC’s 3D integration program explores 3D technology and design for application in various domains, focusing on 3D wafer-level packaging (WLP) and 3D stacked ICs. The 3D system-on-chip (SoC) design research program provides insights to its benefits, costs, challenges, and solutions. The program will also include the development and demonstration of the IP and tools necessary for designing in three dimensions. Other partners in IMEC’s 3D integration program are Amkor, Infineon, Intel, Micron, NEC, NXP, Panasonic, Qimonda, Samsung, ST Microelectronics, Texas Instruments, and TSMC. For more information, visit www.imec.be.

IPC &#151 Association Connecting Electronics Industries will host a two-day event in Berlin, Germany, to discuss trends driving the electronics industry. The IPC EMS Management Council Meeting and Executive Market & Technology Forum Conference, September 10–11, 2008, and feature content experts from around the world presenting on a number of strategic topics to help participants discern and prepare for future industry opportunities and shifts. On September 11, the Executive Market & Technology Forum Conference, hosted in partnership with the European Institute for Printed Circuits (EIPC), will start with Philipp Ehmer, an economist with Deutsche Bank AG, presenting an economic forecast and industry outlook. Delegates will also receive new data on demand trends for PCBs and assemblies, photovoltaics updates, and new opportunities in the industrial electronics market. Major OEMs’ technology roadmaps are driving environmental trends through the supply chain, a topic that will be examined alongside the results of an IPC-commissioned study on environmental megatrends. The European EMS Management Council Meeting on September 10 will focus on business strategy and management issues. Topics include the best practices of lead-free processes, the five most important elements in an EMS contract, and battling counterfeit components. IPC plans to address specific concerns of decision makers in the industry and offer answers on how to manage businesses more effectively. The IPC Government Relations Committee will hold a special open forum to discuss industry regulatory concerns, and IPC staff and members will discuss the outcome of IPC’s recent RoHS review process meeting in Brussels. For more information, see www.ipc.org/2008Berlin, www.ipc.org, and www.eipc.org.

IPC also released “Introduction to Box Build,” an instructional DVD, as part of its media training library. The DVD covers documentation, subassemblies and components, tools, handling, safety issues, and step-by-step process details for building a typical electronic product. It includes optional English subtitles for hearing-impaired and ESL students and comes with a Leader’s Guide, review questions, and IPC training certificates.

The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) consortium outlined a set of recommendations to help the electronics industry manage lead-free alloy alternatives. iNEMI’s recommendations support the guidelines developed by the EMS Forum to address these same issues. iNEMI notes that the most commonly used lead-free alloys, SAC 305/405, do not meet all of industry’s needs for all applications, and new alloy solutions continue to be introduced. iNEMI recommends a convergence of lead-free alloys; industry-standard assessment methodologies for solders; performance guidelines; updated standards; and knowledge of the differences between alloys. New solder formulations and fluxes on the market pose several challenges in the manufacturing process and industry needs some way to manage these challenges and limit their impact, iNEMI reports. Consortium members supporting these recommendations include Agilent Technologies, Celestica, Cisco, Delphi Electronics & Safety, Flextronics International, Hewlett-Packard (HP), Intel Corporation, Jabil Circuit, Motorola, Plexus Corp., Sanmina-SCI, Sun Microsystems, and Texas Instruments. For additional information, visit www.inemi.org.