Reflow soldering furnace used on mounted PCB

This article provides a detailed overview of the solder reflow process, types of reflow ovens, temperature profiles, solder paste composition and selection, reflow process potential challenges, solutions, inspection, and quality control techniques. 

Solder Reflow: An In-Depth Guide to the Process and Techniques

Wafer dicing separates individual integrated circuits or chips from a semiconductor wafer without damaging their delicate structures and circuits. This process is crucial for the production of electronic devices and components used in various industries, and the demand for it has increased with the development of high-performance and smaller electronic devices. Different dicing techniques, such as blade dicing, laser dicing, and plasma dicing, have been developed, and new innovations continue to emerge to address the challenges of complex semiconductor devices.

The Ultimate Guide to Wafer Dicing: Techniques, Challenges, and Innovations

This guide will walk you through the basics of digital design, delve into the intricacies of RTL design, and cover essential concepts such as RTL coding, synthesis, RTL for synchronous and asynchronous design, simulation and verification.

RTL Design: A Comprehensive Guide to Unlocking the Power of Register-Transfer Level Design

<section id="isPasted">The electronics industry traditionally relies on silicon chips, from computers and smartphones to automobiles and industrial equipment. However, with technological advances and changing market trends, there has been a growing movement towards alternatives like silicon carbide (SiC) and system-on-a-chip (SoC) designs.Silicon chips are stepping aside as a new wave of materials and designs takes the spotlight. With improved performance, efficiency, and power handling at the forefront, these advancements offer a boost in power handling and a decrease in power consumption.Longer battery life, higher frequencies, and better thermal performance are just a few of the benefits resulting from this shift. SiC, for instance, reaches frequencies ten times faster than silicon while reducing power consumption by 30 percent.Market forces are pushing the shift from silicon microchips to SiC and SoCs. The electric vehicle industry and the Internet of Things lead the way, requiring more efficient and dependable microchips. Aware of supply chain problems, Tesla became the first to use silicon carbide chips in their Model 3. Now more companies are moving to SiCs. In fact, the <a href="https://macrofab.com/podcasts/the-hot-list-of-tasty-chip-fabs" target="_blank">largest SiC manufacturing facility in the world</a>, owned by Wolfspeed, is in early building stages in central North Carolina.SiC and SoCs outperform traditional silicon options, offering improved performance and efficiency. Silicon carbide is a hard and durable material with strong covalent bonds, which are more thermally stable than the weaker bonds in silicon. As the <a href="https://macrofab.com/blog/pcba-design-trends-2023" target="_blank">demand for connected devices grows</a>, so does the need for low power consumption and better thermal performance, which SiC and SoCs deliver.With the SiC market expected to increase by 40 percent to $3.3 billion in 2023 and the SoC market predicted to hit $57 billion by 2025, the future is bright for SiC and SoCs. To take advantage of this booming market, companies must be proactive in their PCBA (Printed Circuit Board Assembly) design by incorporating these advanced microchips. This will ensure that they stay ahead in the industry and capitalize on the growth potential of SiC and SoCs.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgwNTM1ODQzMzMxLTE2ODA1MzU4NDMzMzEucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="Power compound semiconductor market" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><h2>SiC as an Alternative to Silicon</h2>SiC is gaining ground and surpassing silicon as the preferred alternative for integrated circuits. With superior thermal conductivity, wider bandgap, and higher breakdown voltage, SiC outperforms silicon in high-power applications like EVs and power electronics that require high-frequency operation and exceptional power handling. The following are some of the most significant advantages of SiC:<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgwNTM1ODQyMjEwLTE2ODA1MzU4NDIyMTAucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="Higher thermal conductivity" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><ul><li>Higher Thermal Conductivity: SiCs high thermal conductivity leaves silicon in the dust, offering superior heat dissipation and optimal thermal performance. This is especially crucial in the automotive industry, which requires components for high-temp battery management systems and engine control units</li><li>Wider Bandgap: SiCs wider bandgap opens the door to high-frequency operation, reaching speeds up to ten times faster than silicon. This leads to faster and more reliable performance, making SiC the ideal choice for high-power applications.</li><li>Higher Breakdown Voltage: SiCs high breakdown voltage also boosts its power handling capabilities, resulting in a longer lifespan and high performance.</li></ul><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgwNTM1ODQzOTA2LTE2ODA1MzU4NDM5MDYucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="High power ev charging" class="fr-fic fr-dii">The high-power EV charging world is being disrupted by SiC MOSFETs. Their efficient and high power density design surpasses traditional silicon-based devices, resulting in incredibly fast charging speeds. The latest charging stations now offer speeds of up to 350 kilowatts, enabling EVs to reach 80 percent battery capacity in just 20-30 minutes.The global SiC market is experiencing remarkable growth, with projections reaching $3.3 billion in 2023, a significant increase of almost 40 percent from the previous year. This growth is driven by the electric vehicle industry and the increasing demand for connected devices, which require improved performance and efficiency that SiC can provide, surpassing traditional silicon microchips.As a result, PCBA (Printed Circuit Board Assembly) design for the EV market will also need to adapt to incorporate SiC technology. Companies must stay ahead of the competition by designing PCBAs that can handle the high power density and efficient performance of SiC MOSFETs, allowing for faster and more efficient EV charging. This will ensure that they are at the forefront of the rapidly growing SiC market.<h2>SoCs as a Better-Designed Alternative</h2>SoCs (system-on-chip) technology has become increasingly popular among electronics designers due to their inherent flexibility and simplicity. By integrating multiple components onto a single chip, SoCs save space and reduce power consumption, making them perfect for connected devices and applications where efficiency is critical. While some SoCs use traditional silicon as a substrate material, more modern materials like silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) are also used due to their high performance.This advancement brings exciting opportunities for PCBA (Printed Circuit Board Assembly) design. SoCs are a smart choice for companies looking to stay ahead of the technology curve. SoCs enable companies to achieve higher performance and efficiency with PCBA designs, allowing them to create next-generation devices.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgwNTM1ODQzNzQ2LTE2ODA1MzU4NDM3NDYucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="Soc offerings" class="fr-fic fr-dii">SoCs offer:<ul><li>Space-Saving Success: SoCs shrink the size of electronics by combining multiple components into one chip, which is ideal for applications where space is limited.</li><li>Power Performance: With lower power consumption, SoCs provide longer battery life and lower energy costs.</li><li>Simplified design: SoCs can reduce product development time and effort because multiple components are already built on one chip.</li><li>Lower risk: By synchronizing the microprocessor, memory, I/O, and other components, the risk of design errors is reduced, improving reliability and lowering costs.</li></ul><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgwNTM1ODQzODIzLTE2ODA1MzU4NDM4MjMucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="Iot forefront future" class="fr-fic fr-dii">At the forefront of the SoC revolution is the Internet of Things (IoT), where connected devices revolutionize our daily lives. Smart homes, wearable technology, and industrial automation are just a few examples of the countless applications powered by SoCs. These compact, power-efficient chips allow devices to perform multiple functions while consuming minimal energy, making them the perfect choice for the connected world.The IoT is just the tip of the iceberg, as the limitless potential of SoCs extends to industries ranging from healthcare to automotive and beyond. The future is about smart, connected, and efficient technology and SoCs are leading the charge.It&#39;s no wonder that the global SoC market is expected to reach $57 billion by 2025, driven by the growth of connected devices, increasing demand for efficiency, and improved thermal performance.<h2>Market Trends</h2>The electronics world is shifting gears, leaving silicon microchips behind for sleek and high-performing alternatives like SiC and SoCs. The driving forces behind this change are the growth of the electric vehicle market and the surging demand for connected devices.SiC is revving up the engine of the EV industry with its high thermal conductivity, wider bandgap, and higher breakdown voltage, making it ideal for high-power, high-frequency applications. Meanwhile, SoCs are becoming the go-to for connected devices, thanks to their compact design and power-saving efficiency.However, the road to the widespread adoption of these innovative technologies takes time and effort. SiC materials may have defects like microcracks, grain boundaries, or dislocations that can affect performance, and finding a trusted partner who can navigate these obstacles is crucial for a smooth journey toward industry growth.Driven by the booming electric vehicle market and the growing demand for connected devices, new materials and designs like SiC and SOCs are revving the future of electronics. With a projected global market of $3.3 billion for SiC and $57 billion for SoCs by 2023 and 2025, respectively, it&#39;s clear that the industry is shifting gears.<h4>Let&#39;s work together</h4><a href="https://macrofab.com/contact" target="_blank">REQUEST A QUOTE</a></section><section> </section>

Many companies are now looking at alternatives to silicon chips. 

Why the Future of Electronics is Moving Away from Silicon Microchips

In recent years, Sengupta&rsquo;s lab has designed antenna arrays that help engineers make strides toward <a href="https://engineering.princeton.edu/news/2017/02/08/wave-future-terahertz-chips-new-way-seeing-through-matter" target="_blank">peering through matter</a>, <a href="https://engineering.princeton.edu/news/2020/12/14/super-surfaces-use-terahertz-waves-help-bounce-wireless-communication-next-generation" target="_blank">boosting communications</a> in canyons of skyscrapers, putting a <a href="https://engineering.princeton.edu/news/2019/04/01/new-technology-marks-key-step-toward-shrinking-medical-lab-fit-fingertip" target="_blank">medical lab on a smart phone</a>, and <a href="https://engineering.princeton.edu/news/2021/11/23/new-chip-hides-wireless-messages-plain-sight" target="_blank">encrypting critical data</a> with electromagnetic waves instead of software.In a new article in Advanced Science, Sengupta&rsquo;s research team presented a new type of antenna array based on the paper-folding art of origami. The shape-shifting array, designed like a folded paper box called a waterbomb, allows engineers to create a reconfigurable and adaptable radar imaging surface. To build the system, the team installed a new class of broadband metasurface antennas onto standard, flat panels. Then they connected a number of the antenna panels into a precisely designed origami surface with an offset checkerboard pattern. Through proper sequence of folding and unfolding the panels, the array assumes a variety of different shapes like curves, saddles and spheres.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjc0NjUyNDQ5ODM3LVNlbmd1cHRhLWZvci13ZWItNzY4eDYxNS5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Origami allows engineers to rapidly shift arrays of antennas, greatly increasing their capabilities. Illustration courtesy of Sengupta et al.&nbsp;With this ability to shift and expand, the origami system offers a wider resolution and has the ability to capture complex three-dimensional scenes beyond the capability of a standard antenna array. The waterbomb antenna can also morph its shape to manipulate electromagnetic waves in carefully calibrated ways. Combined with advanced algorithms, the waterbomb system can effectively process information from a wide range of electromagnetic fields. This shapeshifting ability allows engineers to expand the capabilities of devices used for sensing and imaging.&ldquo;For most applications, planar, or flat, systems are preferred because they are simpler and easier to design,&rdquo; said Sengupta, an associate professor of <a href="https://ece.princeton.edu/" target="_blank">electrical and computer engineering</a>. &ldquo;But reconfigurable systems allow us to substantially expand our ability in computer imaging. Using origami, we are able to combine the simplicity of planar arrays with the expanded ability of reconfigurable systems. It&rsquo;s like a transformer robot in action.&rdquo;Sengupta said origami-based arrays could vastly improve sensing technology needed for autonomous vehicles, robots and cyberphysical systems. The relative simplicity of the individual antenna systems also mean that the sensing arrays can be light and low-cost, making them easier to manufacture and deploy across a wide scale.While rapid developments in energy and computation usually draw the most public attention, Sengupta and his colleagues at Princeton Engineering focus on the invisible wireless networks that allow these breakthroughs to empower society.&ldquo;You can think about all these really complex applications that are emerging &mdash; robotics, self-driving cars, smart cities, smart healthcare applications, artificial reality, virtual reality,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;All of these things are sitting on that web of wireless communications.&rdquo;Any one of these applications would represent a major increase in demand for wireless networks. Together, they demand a fundamental rethinking of how we move data across the airwaves, both in terms of the microchips designed to handle the traffic and the signals transmitted by those chips. In brief, we need to pack far more information into signals and build computer systems that can process the information quickly, accurate and securely.In the past few years, Sengupta&rsquo;s research has been recognized on both fronts. In 2021, he was named <a href="https://ece.princeton.edu/news/kaushik-sengupta-expert-wireless-chips-and-systems-named-outstanding-young-engineer" target="_blank">Outstanding Young Engineer</a> by the Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S), a leading scientific society for wireless communications. Last year, he received the <a href="https://sscs.ieee.org/membership/awards/ieee-solid-state-circuits-society-new-frontier-award" target="_blank">New Frontier Award</a> for his work on microchips from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the world&rsquo;s largest electrical engineering society.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1674652574063-SenguptaLab_012622_0052-for-web-768x534.v1.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Kaushik Sengupta&nbsp;From chip design to signal processing, the awards reflect the broad approach to research taken by Sengupta&rsquo;s research team at the <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/~kaushiks/" target="_blank">Integrated Micro-Systems Research Lab</a>. In recent years, his group has demonstrated technology to <a href="https://engineering.princeton.edu/news/2020/12/14/super-surfaces-use-terahertz-waves-help-bounce-wireless-communication-next-generation" target="_blank">expand into new frequency bands</a> for faster and more secure transmissions, developed <a href="https://engineering.princeton.edu/news/2019/04/01/new-technology-marks-key-step-toward-shrinking-medical-lab-fit-fingertip" target="_blank">new sensing technology</a> for scientific and medical applications, and produced <a href="https://engineering.princeton.edu/news/2021/11/23/new-chip-hides-wireless-messages-plain-sight" target="_blank">methods to secure high-demand transmissions</a> without slowing down applications.In the most recent project, involving waterbomb origami, Sengupta&rsquo;s research team turned its focus from antenna arrays themselves into methods of shape-shifting multiple arrays into complex systems. The reconfigurable system not only allows for hyper-spectral sensing across a wide range of frequencies, it fuses the information together with the surface topology. This could prove valuable for vehicles and robots that require intensive communications while working in a variety of environments. It also could prove important for other electronic structures that require folding and tuning such as spacecraft and solar panels.&ldquo;By eliminating the constraints of flat-panel antenna arrays, we can combine principles of origami with high-frequency electronics and advanced signal processing to create versatile, highly efficient imaging and radar systems,&rdquo; Sengupta said.Sengupta said his research team&rsquo;s technological approach varies across these projects, but the ultimate goal is to solve the challenges that changes will bring to the wireless world. One of those challenges is the data rates that the new applications will require. Take self-driving cars: Most of the focus is on the navigation technology or the processing power that an autonomous vehicle will require, but one of the greatest challenges is creating a wireless network to support the new technology.&ldquo;Think about the information deluge of a self-driving car,&rdquo; he said. Even a single car will require a vast amount of data to navigate a complex road system. For multiple cars sharing a highway, the demands for data will increase even further. &ldquo;You need very high bandwidth connections, so you need to think about frequencies that we have not used before.&rdquo;Medical technology is similarly poised for a massive change, with real-time health monitoring and new devices such as bandages that communicate with remote doctors and adjust treatment based on the patient&rsquo;s condition.All of these developments will demand more speed, higher amounts of data delivery and tighter security than modern networks are capable of delivering. Sengupta said solving those problems will require work at both the level of new microchips and the frequencies used to transmit signals.&ldquo;The approaches we pursue are multidisciplinary,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Our approach is to leverage concepts from different fields and merge them to create high-performance systems.&rdquo;The article &ldquo;Origami Microwave Imaging Array: Metasurface Tiles on a Shape-Morphing Surface for Reconfigurable Computational Imaging,&rdquo; was published Oct. 5, 2022 in Advanced Science. Besides Sengupta, authors include Suresh Venhatesh, of North Carolina State University; Daniel Sturm, of Princeton University; Xuyang Lu, of the University of Michigan-Shanghai Jiao Rong University Joint Institute; and Robert J. Lang, of Lang Origami. The project was supported in part by the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the Momental Foundation.

Researchers in Kaushik Sengupta's lab work to expand the capabilities of modern electronics. Photos by Sameer A. Khan/Fotobuddy

Sophisticated antenna arrays paired with high-frequency wireless chips act like superpowers for modern electronics, boosting everything from sensing to security to data processing. In his lab at Princeton, Kaushik Sengupta is working to expand those powers even further.

New antennas and microchips help electronics blur the line between science and scifi

<h1 id="isPasted">Six PCBA Design Trends to Watch in 2023</h1>Throughout the electronics manufacturing and assembly industry, technology advances constantly. Constant change keeps the market from standing still.Instead, devices get smaller all the time. Power requirements shift to different portions of a system. As designs become more complex, smaller form factors and higher component counts challenge our previous electronics manufacturing paradigm.As a result, PCBA design innovations continue to expand to support the solutions demanded by the market. To maintain their company&rsquo;s competitive edge, engineers must continually seek out new options and keep up with market changes. Take note of these six trends within the electronics industry.<h2>How Long will Moore&rsquo;s Law Last?</h2>In 1965, Intel Corp. founder Gordon Moore wrote that with new integrated circuits, &ldquo;the cost per component is nearly inversely proportional to the number of components.&rdquo; His 1965 forecast went on to predict that the number of components fabricated on an integrated circuit would double every year until it reached 65,000 by 1975.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1673359793410-1673359793410.png" alt="moore's law" class="fr-fic fr-dii">Moore&rsquo;s prediction proved to be accurate. Moore revised that idea in 1975 in what became known as Moore&rsquo;s Law, describing the doubling of transistors every two years. In the last two decades, however, the doubling pace has fallen behind the two-year cycle due to new challenges. However, the cycle has not halted completely. New designs and lithography methods continue to shrink component size, but these methods require increasingly more expensive fabrication techniques.Meanwhile, fab plants have become less willing to invest in these costly processes. The number of next-generation manufacturing facilities in the US using state-of-the-art processes has decreased from 25 in 2002 to only three in 2020. The CHIPS Act hopes to reverse this trend.<h3>Chiplets</h3><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1673359793948-1673359793948.png" alt="keeping signal original characteristics" class="fr-fic fr-dii">Chiplets can work together as part of a multi-chip module, or MCM, creating a single integrated circuit. This ability to collaborate overcomes Moore&rsquo;s Law&rsquo;s limitations as well as the difficulties associated with monolithic designs. A chiplet is a tiny integrated circuit (IC) with well-defined functionality that can be integrated with other chiplets to make a larger module with multiple functions.Chiplets allow a more flexible module solution to be designed with targeted functions that leverage the strength of each chip. Not only are chiplets useful for integration into a large module, but their technology can be reused in other modules that require similar functions, bringing more efficiency to the project development.In addition, fabrication technology nodes that favor certain performance can be tailored to fit their specific function. This includes memory, data processing, analog, power, and RF. This lends credence to the notion that smart technology partitioning is more flexible but requires more advanced assembly for a complete module.<h3>Connected, Before and After Manufacturing</h3>The Internet of Things (IoT) and the cloud make connected manufacturing possible, through what is known as the Industrial IoT (IIoT). These connected technologies improve the efficiency, productivity, reliability, and traceability of materials and finished goods.The four elements that manufacturers use to drive this revolution are:<ul><li>Devices &ndash; collect and sense data about the manufacturing environment and machine health.</li><li>Communication&ndash; Leverage wireless and industrial networked machines that communicate between each other and to a cloud server.</li><li>Data Storage &ndash; Data can be stored locally or on a server depending upon the required analysis and real-time requirements.</li><li>Data Analytics &ndash; algorithms intelligently process data to predict machine wear, unplanned maintenance, and manufacturing order trends over time.</li></ul><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1673359793631-1673359793631.png" alt="smart industry" class="fr-fic fr-dii">Communication systems, industrial controls, aerospace, automotive electronics, and automation across sectors benefit from embedded intelligent devices. The International Data Corporation (IDC) predicts there will be more than 41 billion connected IoT devices in the world by 2025.The confluence of these technologies enhances factory manufacturing capabilities and allows more efficient production tracking. It reduces waste and allows intentional activity instead of repairs or waiting on gaps in machine setup changes.<h3>High-Density Interconnect (HDI)</h3><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1673359793691-1673359793691.png" alt="high density interconnect" class="fr-fic fr-dii">High-Density Interconnect (HDI) PCBs use some combination of the following assembly technologies: micro vias, blind and buried vias, built-up laminations, or highspeed signal bandwidth materials. PCB fabrication has been constantly improving and evolving with changing technology that requires accommodations for smaller and faster products. Specifically, HDI PCBs offer:<ul><li>Increased signal sharpness. Signals travel shorter distances thanks to HDI PCBs&rsquo; compact size. There is a performance increase, even if it is subtle.</li><li>Physical reliability. HDI PCBs have less likelihood of losing physical connections.</li><li>Lighter, cooler material. HDI PCBs tend to be lighter and cooler than traditional PCBs made from fiberglass, copper, and other materials. This can improve performance and heat dissipation to handle high temperatures better.</li><li>Design improvements. Compact and versatile builds are enabled by blind and buried vias.</li></ul>To accommodate the denser boards within a constrained area, HDI was developed as a means to force more electrical content into the same, or smaller area. Compared to traditional PCBs, HDI boards are more compact and have smaller vias, pads, copper traces, and spaces.HDI PCBs have more dense wiring that results in a lighter weight with a more compact, lower layer count PCB. This provides an inherently smaller and lighter system than otherwise would be possible.By working with your CM during the design stage for your project, a design for manufacturing plan (DFM) can determine if HDI PCBs are needed for your project and how to design for them.<h3>Flexible PCBs</h3>As wearables like smartwatches and IoT devices require durable, small designs, flexible PCBs have become one of the fastest-growing circuit board design trends.To leverage multiple PCB planes in a single system, flexible or rigid-flex PCB material has become increasingly more pervasive. A rigid-flex PCB has design features that allow for the typical rigid board with the option to introduce flexible portions.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1673359794052-1673359794051.png" alt="flexible pcbs" class="fr-fic fr-dii">As part of the manufacturing process, layers on flexible PCBs are etched away, allowing flexible layers to be exposed for bendable angles. Boards can be bent up 180 degrees to interface with other PCB planes, reducing system area and enhancing design options.Additionally, flexible PCBs remove the need for connectors and ribbon cables that otherwise can be unfriendly to high-speed signals by introducing electrical noise and reflections. Instead, flexible PCBs maintain signal integrity with the trace impedance required as if a signal was transmitting down a typical PCB transmission line.<h3>Direct-from-Desktop Ordering</h3><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1673359793727-1673359793727.png" alt="altimade fulfilled by macrofab" class="fr-fic fr-dii">When you are ready to start your design project, you will want your CM partner to be involved in the process for maximum success. A design for manufacturing (DFM) plan will encompass your design, manufacturing needs, unique requirements, bill of materials, fabrication and assembly options, and quotes.Rather than having to call several times to determine fabrication, assembly, and component kitting separately, it is possible to handle all these using the Direct-from-Desktop ordering process called <a href="https://macrofab.com/blog/altimade-fuses-design-with-manufacturing/?utm_source=sales&utm_medium=email&utm_term=pcb%20assembly&utm_content=250-back-promo&utm_campaign=sales-email-sig-banner&gclid=Cj0KCQiA5NSdBhDfARIsALzs2EDLO_TwPWVSF88rPCgXKYd02irr_fcFz72i0Q2W7TnoMrfW64Zf3moaAgD8EALw_wcB" target="_blank">Altimade</a>.By connecting Altium design tools to MacroFab&rsquo;s factory lines, Altimade simplifies and streamlines the design-to-manufacturing process. With one click, customers can place orders directly from their workspace. By using this online tool, you will have all the information you need to make your project a success.<h3>Conclusion</h3>PCBA design innovations will continue to push the electronics manufacturing and assembly industry forward to keep pace with technology. Tracking the activity in the cloud through the IIoT pushes the industry forward for more efficiency. Flexible PCBs offer new design options for higher density, along with HDI connectivity. Reusable chiplet functions make smart partitioning of functional blocks a better solution for advanced modules. While Moore&rsquo;s law is no longer a hard and fast rule, the technology trends will continue in assembly and manufacturing to allow more advanced designs. Use the Direct-from-Desktop Ordering tool Altimade to get started.<h4>Build Better With MacroFab</h4><a href="https://macrofab.com/demo?utm_source=sales&utm_medium=email&utm_term=pcb%20assembly&utm_content=250-back-promo&utm_campaign=sales-email-sig-banner&gclid=Cj0KCQiA5NSdBhDfARIsALzs2EDLO_TwPWVSF88rPCgXKYd02irr_fcFz72i0Q2W7TnoMrfW64Zf3moaAgD8EALw_wcB" target="_blank">Claim Your Free Demo Now</a>

Electrical engineers must continually seek out new options and keep up with market changes. Take note of these six trends within the electronics industry.

PCBA Design Trends to Watch in 2023

A young team with a new technology are currently creating a revolution in the world of printed electronics. In their modern, brand-new lab at the High Tech Plaza, they will be developing a device that can deposit any material on any substrate at a very rapid pace. This promising technology was initially developed by TNO (the Netherlands Organisation for applied scientific research), and it is now taking off in the core of Eindhoven.<a href="https://keirontechnologies.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Keiron Printing Technologies</a>&rsquo;s CCO <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcovanhoorn?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_search_srp_all%3ByTdY8eVeQEq9%2FeT9mNaI8g%3D%3D" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Marco van Hoorn</a> entered the start-up life when he was a 22-year-old student in International Business. Through the Venture Building Program at HighTechXL, Marco joined start-up Aircision as an intern. It was during this experience that Marco discovered what he wanted to do: to establish his own company. And so he did.Marco recalls with a smile: &ldquo;Guus Frericks (HighTechXL Founder and CGO) told me to finish my studies before coming back. But I just walked back in and stayed.&rdquo; Marco was deeply impressed by the entrepreneurial life and the amazing technologies available at HighTechXL. His enthusiasm drew <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-sy-a-chin?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_search_srp_all%3B7bDDxNZvTCG0odYEzhkE4g%3D%3D" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Jimmy Sy-A-Chin</a> (CEO) to connect with HighTechXL, and together with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefan-van-waalwijk-van-doorn-42b563173?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_search_srp_all%3B%2Bw2Zaan%2BRHqJ%2BDk1V6ITGw%3D%3D" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Stefan van Waalwijk van Doorn</a> (CTO) and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakhyat?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_search_srp_all%3BIrMg%2BgRbRdSTroV5GdcvWw%3D%3D" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Prakhyat Hejmady</a> (COO), they founded Keiron Printing Technologies in 2019.<h2>So what exactly does Keiron do?&nbsp;</h2>Keiron is a machine builder. We develop industrial equipment that enables users to deposit or lay close to any material with microscopic precision. We can deposit almost any material on any substrate, even manufacturing layers of different materials on top of each other and at different height. This means that the technology enables complex functionalities to be added to chips during the production process.&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1656585389456-image-png-Apr-16-2021-09-06-33-12-AM.png" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Keiron concept&nbsp;We utilize a superior direct-write technology. Because a laser is employed,&nbsp;the process is very controlled. For example, this technology enables printing circuits so fast that it&rsquo;s just impossible to capture it with a camera. This means that in 0.07 seconds we can get a whole circuit printed, and that&rsquo;s impossible with today&rsquo;s nozzle-based technology.This technology is quite relevant for microfluidics (the science and manipulation of fluids). For example, think about adding microelectronics in chips that carry samples of blood or other body substances or printing sensitive biological materials like cells. This would only be one of the applications. Keiron is currently focused on diversifying and looking for the overlap of applications with the microfluidics such as semiconductors, semiconductors packaging and biosensors. All in all, this is a technology that provides opportunities for the mass production of flexible electronics.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1656585467425-image-png-Apr-16-2021-09-07-29-79-AM.png" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Microfluidic chips with electrodes&nbsp;<h2>How does direct-write compare to current printing technologies?&nbsp;</h2>Current printing technologies are very slow, and direct-write technology enables a whole new world of possibilities. With a laser, printed materials keep their shape and adhere better to the surface, which is a big advantage. The speed it offers is also incredible. For example, with today&rsquo;s technology one can print a half a meter line per second, but with direct-write technology one can print 9 or 10 meters per second (20 times faster). This has a huge potential for mass production. The technology also enables reaching tiny feature sizes, -a lot smaller than the size of a human hair.&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1656585496027-image-png-Apr-16-2021-09-08-37-58-AM.png" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Direct-write laser printing made by TNO Holst Centre&nbsp;<h2 id="isPasted">What&rsquo;s the ultimate goal of Keiron?&nbsp;</h2>We want to be the leader of printed electronics, just like ASML is the world&rsquo;s largest supplier of photolithography systems in the semiconductor industry. The device we&rsquo;re building will be the enabler for a great variety and number of printed electronics applications. Our first idea is to sell the machine and make profit, but once we have the capital, we&rsquo;d like to install machines at the customer&rsquo;s location in which the client pays per use. In the long term, this may be more profitable for the company.As a company, we also have a responsibility of contributing to a better and more sustainable world. We know that additive techniques in manufacturing are becoming more eco-friendly, and we want to be part of this movement! As a member of the supply chain, our machine will be able to make products that will improve our lives. For example, a chip that can make a quick health diagnosis or register the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. We strive to make an impact and support those companies that develop technologies for the future. This means that in five or ten years Keiron will be there to supply all major companies with the right machinery.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1656585519626-image-png-Apr-16-2021-09-09-39-83-AM.png" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Machine making chips&nbsp;<h2 id="isPasted">What&rsquo;s life like as a young entrepreneur? </h2>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s very fun!&rdquo; We learn new stuff all the time, but we&rsquo;re young and learn quick. We basically had to become experts in a short period of time but since we&rsquo;re a very young team, we also rely on the advise of our board. We are very grateful to have in our team Richard Visser (Founder of Smart Photonics), Helen Kardan (Sr. Account Manager at ASML), Eddy Allefs (CTO at HighTechXL and D&amp;E Innovation Consultant at NTS-Group) and Ton van Mol (Director Flexible and Free form electronics at TNO Holst Centre). They have tons of experience and help us making important decisions. They&rsquo;re part of the Keiron family.Sometimes age can also be a disadvantage when you&rsquo;re an entrepreneur. We engage in meetings with possible customers that are easily 20 years older than us, and it can be a challenge. They might doubt our experience or our commitment to the company. However, many times people are impressed with our achievements so far despite being so young.<h2>What have been the biggest achievements and challenges so far? </h2>Well, we already discussed our age being a challenge during meetings. Finding investors is a challenge for any start-up. A particular situation that we face is introducing a new technology to the manufacturing industry. The technologies used right now are very well known, so introducing a new concept and winning people&rsquo;s trust is a big one. We need to demonstrate that we have something reliable and viable. That&rsquo;s one of the issues when we talk to people with tons of experience, but they&rsquo;ve never heard about this technology. People are not familiar with the idea that a laser can print something, so it&rsquo;s quite a surprise for them.On the other hand, we&rsquo;re now in conversation with one of the largest manufacturers in Europe that is really excited with what we offer. It&rsquo;s just a huge validation for our team when this company says: &ldquo;I want this technology, I want this machine in my foundry. It&rsquo;ll be part of the whole manufacturing process of the chip.&rdquo; We also just got approved for two subsidies, so this is also a huge achievement and confirmation that we&rsquo;re on the right path. This means that people see what we see and believe what we believe.<h2>Keiron just opened its first office at the High Tech Plaza; why did you decide to stay here? </h2>This region is great for our company. If we&rsquo;re going to be making parts for chips, it makes sense that we stay in Eindhoven. Integrating a laser-based printing process machine that can be used in the industry is not an easy project. There are lots of implications in the process, people have a lot of questions, they face challenges in the technical point of view, etc. But this region has the expertise and entrepreneurial spirit to help us out. If Eindhoven can&rsquo;t do it, there&rsquo;s no other place else that can do it.The Eindhoven mentality is the reason why startups have grown in the region. It&rsquo;s very easy to sit down and help others just for the sake of helping. Moreover, the network is available, which is very inspiring; there are people willing to help in the thinking process and give back to the community.<h2>Lastly, do you have any advice for any new startups or people who want to start a company? </h2>The number one advice is to not be afraid to make mistakes, and the sooner you make them the better. People are really scared to not look smart. They just want to be right all the time. This hinders learning and development, which is crucial for developing a company.And it&rsquo;s also very important to have lots of courage. Don&rsquo;t let people&rsquo;s opinions bring you down because you might have discovered a new way of doing something. So, always remember that the new way of thinking can be the right way of thinking and that, at some point, everything was new.Would you like to know more about Keiron Printing Technologies? Email them at: info@keirontechnologies.com

A young team with a new technology are currently creating a revolution in the world of printed electronics. In their modern, brand-new lab at the High Tech Plaza, they will be developing a device that can deposit any material on any substrate at a very rapid pace.

Meet Keiron Printing Technologies: the startup building the next generation microfabrication machine

Axelera has recently joined the AI Innovation Center at High Tech Campus Eindhoven. The company is designing chips for AI on the edge with the aim to revolutionise the field and make AI accessible to everyone. They picked up an impressive 10 million euros in their seed investment round. We talked to CEO Fabrizio del Maffeo about their technology, as well as job loss, privacy and the moment computers will outsmart humans. <a href="https://www.axelera.ai/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Axelera</a> joined the AI Innovation Center with a clear mission. Their goal is to become a pillar in the development of AI in the Eindhoven region by building a strong community with other companies in the Center and deliver real solutions in applied AI. &ldquo;We are not here to get, but to give,&rdquo; says CEO Fabrizio del Maffeo. &ldquo;The Eindhoven area excels in fields like chip design, but it&rsquo;s late in AI development. Still, I see great potential here and although we are a startup, I do believe we have the capacity to push the province of Brabant forward to be a large, worldwide player in AI, like they already are in medical and automotive.&rdquo; Del Maffeo likes to think big. In 2019 he was hired by the Bitcoin mining unicorn Bitfury to develop a separate AI branche for the company. Two years later Axelera was founded as a Bitfury spin-off, picking up 10 million euros in seed investments from Bitfury and institutional investors like the Dutch deep-tech investment fund Innovation Industries and the Belgian VC imec.xpand. He opened offices in Zurich, Leuven and Eindhoven and got together a team of the best engineers and researchers from imec, Qualcomm, Google, IBM and Bitfury with the ambition to build an AI chip for edge devices that will revolutionise the field through high performance and efficiency at much lower costs. &ldquo;In recent years AI has started to spread from the cloud to the edge, which means the computer is in close proximity to the sensor&rdquo;, Del Maffeo explains. &ldquo;Your phone is an edge device, just like a car is nowadays with all the software running inside it, as well as most medical machines in the hospital. The AI networks running inside them work very differently from traditional computing. The market needs chips that optimise this new way of data processing with AI, but large chip manufacturers are not designing them. We are building a chip that can deliver ten times the performance of a standard video chip at a fraction of the cost and power consumption.&rdquo;<h2>Mindlessly scanning products</h2>Del Maffeo expects his team to have the first prototypes ready at the end of this year and to introduce the finished product in the second half of 2022. One of the first markets Axelera has targeted is retail, where its AI chips can be used for automatic checkout systems. Automatic checkout is an innovative shopping experience championed in 2018 by the Amazon Go stores in the US, where smart cameras in the store register the items the customer picks up from the shelf. Through a link to his or her smartphone the items are automatically deducted from the customer&rsquo;s bank account when he or she leaves the store. &ldquo;You don&rsquo;t have to stop at the cashier anymore&rdquo;, says Del Maffeo. &ldquo;We strongly believe that job has become obsolete.&rdquo; Del Maffeo feels that job replacement by AI is a foregone conclusion, but he sees this as something positive. &ldquo;AI will only cut out those jobs with very little value, like the cashier. Human beings should not have to spend their time mindlessly scanning products all day. Instead, it&rsquo;s an opportunity to do something else that brings more value, to elevate ourselves to the next level. AI will enable a completely new level of service that requires new expertise. The worker of the future will be a computer expert.&rdquo;&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1652681627412-image001-1.webp" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2>Who owns our data?</h2>Del Maffeo also sees Axelera&rsquo;s chips being used in the medical, robotics and automotive markets, where they can reduce costs and make innovations more accessible to all players in the field. More controversial is the market of security and video surveillance in cities. Del Maffeo sees use cases for Axelera&rsquo;s AI chips in smart cameras that can register available space in parking lots in real-time, for instance, and also give alerts when accidents or crimes happen. This inevitably raises the question of privacy. How much do we allow the AI to know about us, who owns the behavioural data that the AI generates and what happens with it? To Del Maffeo these are extremely important questions, to which he holds an equally strong position. &ldquo;We should be the owners of our own data&rdquo;, he says empathically. &ldquo;Technology like blockchain can facilitate this and give us the choice to sell our data for money, if we wanted to, or to just stay anonymous. I don&rsquo;t see much progress there and that makes me sad. I would expect the European Union to impose regulations that protect our privacy and allow us access to more diverse information. Now we are stuck in our filter bubbles, seeing only what we want to see. It creates a lot of polarisation in opinions and behaviour.&rdquo;<h2>Criminal behaviour</h2>Del Maffeo believes AI on the edge will help to safeguard privacy. The problem with data collection by companies and governments, he says, is that the data is stored on big central servers in the cloud. This &lsquo;centralisation&rsquo; of data gives the collectors of it the power to do with it as they please. Del Maffeo: &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t like these big servers where the entire video of my life is stored. But AI on the edge can analyse data locally, without having to store it in some central cloud. The chips may still recognise it is you, but they do not send a picture of you to the cloud. They only recognise what you want them to recognise and you let them send only the data that is relevant, which is then encrypted.&rdquo; A smart camera that tracks foot traffic, for example, will only send the number of pedestrians passing by to the cloud server, not pictures of individual faces. It would send actual footage only when a shoplifter comes running by or a fight breaks out. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m in favour of cameras everywhere&quot;, Del Maffeo adds, &ldquo;but only cameras that observe bad or criminal behaviour and ignore everything else.&rdquo;<h2>Singularity</h2>Apart from its many advantages Del Maffeo is also aware of AI&rsquo;s darker side. He is a firm believer in the singularity, the moment that computers will become &lsquo;superintelligent&rsquo; and outsmart and outperform humans in every field. According to Axelera&rsquo;s CEO this is not a matter of if but of when. &ldquo;Of course we are not there yet, but when we reach the tipping point the evolution of AI will be so fast that we cannot stop it anymore. Many people underestimate the impact of AI by saying that superintelligence will never happen. That&rsquo;s a completely wrong approach in my view. We should consider it and we should react appropriately and research how we could potentially contain AI, so it doesn&rsquo;t go rogue.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Axelera has recently joined the AI Innovation Center at High Tech Campus Eindhoven. The company is designing chips for AI on the edge with the aim to revolutionise the field and make AI accessible to everyone. They picked up an impressive 10 million euros in their seed investment round.

Axelera's breakthrough chips for AI on the edge have the potential to disrupt retail, medical, surveillance and automotive markets

This country’s semiconductor chip shortage is likely to continue well into 2022, and a Georgia Tech expert predicts that the U.S. will need to make major changes to the manufacturing and supply chain of these all-important chips in the coming year to stave off further effects.That includes making more of these chips here at home. &nbsp;Madhavan Swaminathan is the John Pippin Chair in Electromagnetics in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He also &nbsp;serves as director of the 3D Systems Packaging Research Center. &nbsp;As an author of more than 450 technical publications who holds 29 patents, Swaminathan is one of the world’s leading experts on semiconductors and the semiconductor chips necessary for many of the devices we use every day to function.&nbsp;“Almost any consumer device that is electronic tends to have at least one semiconductor chip in it,” Swaminathan explains. “The more complicated the functions any device performs, the more chips it is likely to have.”&nbsp;Some of these semiconductor chips process information, some store data, and others provide sensing or communication functions.&nbsp;In short, they are crucial in devices from video games and smart thermostats to cars and computers.&nbsp;Our current shortage of these chips began with the Covid-19 pandemic. When consumers started staying at home and car purchases took a downward turn, chip manufacturers tried to shift to make more chips for other goods like smartphones and computers.&nbsp;But Swaminathan explains that making that kind of switch is not simple. Entire production operations have to be changed. The chips are highly sensitive and can be damaged by static electricity, temperature variations, and even tiny specks of dust. The manufacturing environments must be highly regulated, and changes in the process can add months.&nbsp;The pandemic highlighted another challenge with the semiconductor chip industry, according to Swaminathan.&nbsp;“There’s a major shortage of companies making chips,” he says. “If you look worldwide, there are maybe four or five manufacturers making 80-90% of these chips and they are located outside of the United States.”&nbsp;This creates supply chain hiccups with the raw supplies needed to make these chips as well. Add in the fact that many of these companies only design their chips – they don’t manufacture them directly.&nbsp;“American consumers use 50% of the world’s chips,” Swaminathan says, which creates a serious challenge when the overwhelming majority of those chips are manufactured in other nations.&nbsp;In the short term, the costs of the chip shortage is being passed on to the consumer. We see this directly with products like PlayStations and Xboxes that are more and more expensive and harder to purchase when the chips necessary for the consoles to function are in short supply.&nbsp;Beyond 2022, Swaminathan says we need to work to revitalize the industry domestically.&nbsp;“We need to bring more manufacturing back to the United States,” he says. “The U.S. government has recognized the importance of this semiconductor chip shortage and is trying to address the issue directly.”&nbsp;That means investing in new plants to manufacture the chips, but America's journey toward &nbsp;chip self-sufficiency will continue to be a work in progress.“This is a cycle,” Swaminathan explains. “But this is probably the first time where it has had such a major effect in so many different industries.”&nbsp;But consumers can take direct action on their own in the coming year. “Reduce the number of times you purchase or upgrade electronic devices like phones and cars,” he says. “Then it becomes just a supply problem, not a demand and supply problem.”