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TechWaTch By Dr. Khasha Ghaffarzadeh, Research Director, IDTechEx
into 3D-shaped parts. The value proposition is compelling — the tech- nology enables novel and elegant de- signs, reduces weight and saves space, and decreases part and assem- bly numbers. The technology is no longer
I
young. Its successful realization, however, still resembles a black art. In time the technology can become an accessible platform technology. Once this occurs, numerous products can be designed and manufactured using IME in diverse sectors, includ- ing automotive, white goods, con- sumer electronics, and others. Basi- cally, IME can become the method of choice when it makes sense to inte- grate relatively simple electronics with structural parts. To understand this scenario, consider the PCB in- dustry which is an accessible tech-
n-mold electronics (IME) is a technology for structurally inte- grating electronic functionality
nology that underpins the electronic industry.
Current State of Affairs The know-how is being accumu-
lated in a few hubs, but it is not yet delocalized and spread into a global value chain. The design process is complicated. The user does not know the possibilities and limitations and has few well-established guidelines and tools to deploy. The components or parts in IME are not module- or li- brary-like. The developers must spend
great effort each time to select the appropriate parts and materials, and match component performance with design possibilities. The producer needs to overcome a steep learning curve each time it wants to develop a product. The producers must also de- velop a highly optimized process, which tolerates near-zero defects, as post-production repair is not readily
WEMS Electronics
Serving the military, defense and aerospace industries with custom EMI filters, EMC and RFI filter connectors since 1959
possible. These challenges significantly
increase the product development time, effort, and thus cost. This lim- its near-term prospects to high-vol- ume applications justifying the risk and timeline of development; simple and low-complexity products; and companies that view IME as a strate- gic production competency and in- vest in learning it even without hav- ing specific products in mind.
Looking Toward the Future In the future, the design and
production know-how will be highly spread across the value chain. The designers will be able to deploy soft- ware and other design tools to rapid- ly design products. These tools will provide access to libraries of func- tionalities and design guidelines. The accumulated industry know-how will make prototyping easy and fast, and the community will become more experienced in executing rapid lab- to-fab transitions. The menu of available IME-
compatible parts will expand. Here, “parts” include substrates, attach- ment adhesives, ICs, LEDs, and so on. The rigid parts today are all de- veloped for other industries and force-fitted into IME designs. In the very long-term future, if volumes are large enough, special versions might be developed. This could build on the work taking place to enable flexible ultra-thin ICs for flexible hybrid elec- tronics. This transition will open up the
market. It will turn the technology into a platform that will enable its own demand creation. It would be like the deployment of PCBs in mak- ing electronics or the use of digital printing in publication. This prospect is very appealing, but is it realistic and feasible?
Can This Transition Take Place? IDTechEx Research believes
there is no fundamental barrier. In fact, it represents a natural progres- sion of the state of the technology. The industry has had a decade or so of experience. Multiple materials are available, and many suppliers are ac- tive. There is good know-how in terms of stack design and production process management. The industry also knows what tradeoffs not to make in scaling up pilot lines to mass production. A new wave of commercial prod-
4650 West Rosecrans Avenue Hawthorne, California 90250 Phone 310-644-0251
www.wems.com
ucts is arriving. Despite this, the in- dustry requires one or more major success stories. Some users remain unconvinced even in sectors such as automotive. Questions over cost of production persist especially in seg- ments where pennies matter like in
the white goods sector. These are not fundamental barriers or showstop- pers though. Similar challenges and uncertainties are to be found in com- mercializing nearly every new tech- nology especially those involving a significant change in production process. Material suppliers need to ex-
pand and optimize their portfolio of IME materials. The portfolio ap- proach is a strategic imperative. It offers users a full solution, shorten- ing their development time. The substrate suppliers must
ensure that they remain in the qual- ification process. PC is the common material of choice today, but it does
In the future, the design
and production know-how will be highly spread across the value chain.
not have to be forever. Alternatives are emerging that seek to offer suffi- cient formability, while beating PC on cost, solvent resistance, and other features. Molding material suppliers also
need to invest in R&D to develop tai- lored materials that relax the process conditions. The benefits will propagate back into the value chain: the conditions that pastes have to withstand will be relaxed, the pro- cessing conditions become easier and thus yield will likely improve, etc. Companies capable of screen-print- ing functional inks, e.g., force sensor makers or membrane switch produc- ers, are also now considering evolv- ing their businesses and adding forming capabilities. IME is not the only method of
creating 3D electronics. There are multiple other existing and emerging solutions. IMD (laser direct struc- ture) has been widely adopted in the past for antenna metallization and its key patents are now expiring. Aerosol has also had some success for 3D antenna metallization. 3D print- ed electronics is at an early stage and mostly constrained to prototyping. IMD, however, is very different. It can create voluminous parts with structural electronics extending well beyond what other solutions essen- tially offer — a 3D shaped PCB. IME can also become a very high-volume mass production technique. As such, it is a process that is well-differenti- ated from the other close alterna-
tives. Contact: IDTechEx, One Boston
Place, Suite 2600, Boston, MA 02108 % 617-577-7890 fax: 617-577-7810 E-mail:
info@idtechex.com Web:
www.idtechex.com r
July, 2019
In-Mold Electronics: The Transition from Art to Platform Technology
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