Epoxy mold compounds provides a nice example of how thermoset chemistry and rheology can be used in a high volume electronic application.  Epoxy mold compounds (EMC) are highly filled epoxy-based formulations as discussed in the last post.  The processing of EMC provides several examples of how one can use vitrification and gelation to your advantage during processing.  EMC’s ... [Click to Continue...]

If you take the cover off your desktop PC (If you have one and I don’t recommend trying this on your laptop or phone!) you will see many components soldered to a printed circuit board (motherboard).  Many of these surface mounted devices are packaged semiconductor chips.  In electronics, the term packaging refers to the technologies used to route the electrical signals from the ... [Click to Continue...]

Source: Yole Developpement I attended the International Microelectronics Assembly and Packaging Society (IMAPS) Device Packaging Conference held in Scottsdale, AZ the week of March 6, 2017.  The major theme of the technical sessions was the emergence of Fan-Out Wafer Level packaging in multiple applications.  The most prominent application driving the market was the TSMC ... [Click to Continue...]

Guest Post by Dr. Robert (Bob) Humphreys In two previous posts, we presented a brief overview of technological advances that have made automated sorting and recycle of municipal waste economically practical. Indeed, the range of sorted materials with significant economic value, such as paper, cardboard, glass, steel, aluminum, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and ... [Click to Continue...]

Guest Post by Dr. Robert (Bob) Humphreys In the previous post, we gave a brief overview of the preliminary stage of sorting of municipal solid waste (MSW) to separate a fraction that is similar in composition to single-stream recyclable waste that municipalities collect at curbside. Further sorting of this recyclable waste can occur at the mixed waste recovery facility ... [Click to Continue...]