The recently released 2013 Roadmap from
the International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI)
identifies numerous key trends that will shape the landscape of the
electronics manufacturing industry over the next decade. Cloud
computing, the explosive growth of MEMS and sensors, and sustainability
issues, including recycling, are common themes throughout the document.
The roadmap also pinpoints critical technology gaps and areas where
R&D efforts should be focused.
This tenth edition of iNEMI’s roadmap is now available to industry
through the iNEMI website. It represents an estimated eight man-years of
work by more than 650 individuals from over 350 corporations,
consortia, government agencies and universities in 18 countries.
“In the 20 years that we’ve been creating these roadmaps for the
electronics manufacturing industry, each successive edition has built
on, and improved upon, the previous roadmap,” said Bill Bader, CEO of
iNEMI. “The first roadmap, published in 1994, was created by the U.S.
electronics industry and covered only nine technology areas, focusing
primarily on assembly and packaging, and electronic components. Since
then, we have broadened our focus, both in terms of geography and
technology, and increased the depth of discussion. We now have a truly
global perspective, thanks to contributors located around the world, and
this latest roadmap covers 20 technology areas and six product sectors,
encompassing the entire electronics manufacturing supply chain.”
“The 2013 Roadmap is an invaluable tool that can help companies
prioritize investments in R&D and technology deployment,” said
Bader. “It can also help university-based research programs focus their
efforts on topics relevant to industry and provide guidance for
government agencies investing in emerging technologies.”
Key Trends
- Cloud computing figures prominently in this latest edition of the
roadmap, and has the potential to create the most significant paradigm
shifts, bringing about major changes to business models in the next four
to five years. Similarly, the increased use of MEMS and sensors in a
growing number of applications (cell phones, medical electronics,
automotive) has repercussions across multiple product sectors.
- Concerns about sustainability are still at the forefront while
companies continue to grapple with the lack of industry-wide assessment
methodologies to evaluate alternative materials and the need for data to
assess and quantify environmental impact of products in a consistent
way.
- Faster rates of change in miniaturization, driven by the explosion of
smart phones, tablets and other mobile devices, are resulting in
increased use of complex, 3D assemblies and solutions, such as
system-in-package (SiP). These solutions, however, come with their own
sets of challenges. Lack of test access, pick and place of 3D thin chips
or bare 3D stacked chips with irregular shapes, rework processes and
heat sink attachment all become more difficult.
Ordering Information
The full roadmap, as well as individual chapters, is now available for
purchase. This latest edition of the iNEMI roadmap is provided on a USB
drive, which replaces the CD format used for the previous nine
roadmaps. Individual chapters are provided electronically. For more details about purchasing options, go to 2013 iNEMI Roadmap.
Electronics.ca Publications is a world-class research network and publishing company whose focus is technology and market research for the electronics industry.
