MID Technology Research Articles

Research of circuit manufacturing for new MID technology development

Recently in the electronics industry, the circuits are growing more and more complex as the number of components increase due to high-performance electronics product development. Accordingly, the trend is smaller, lighter, and higher-concentration electrical circuit, and the new process technology development for such is persistently in progress. Currently, electronics products are restricted in their forms for PCB and product form design due to the increase in the number of components, and there are not only the environmental issues but also unnecessary labor due to the increase in assembly processes. PCB production technology is cheap and convenient, yet has environmental issues. In order to produce PCB, various environmentally harmful chemical substances (Halogen, sulfuric acid, chloric acid, nitric acid, hydrofluoric acid, caustic soda, thinner, etc.) are needed, and a separate chemical substance monitoring system is needed. MID technology can omit such PCB production process and form circuit on the product surface.

Flexible free-standing SU-8 microfluidic impedance spectroscopy sensor for 3-D molded interconnect devices application

Abstract. The current contribution reports about the fabrication technology for the development of novel microfluidic impedance spectroscopy sensors that are directly attachable on 3-D molded interconnect devices (3D-MID) that provides an opportunity to create reduced-scale sensor devices for 3-D applications. Advantages of the MID technology in particular for an automotive industry application were recently discussed (Moser and Krause, 2006). An ability to integrate electrical and fluidic parts into the 3D-MID platform brings a sensor device to a new level of the miniaturization. The demonstrated sensor is made of a flexible polymer material featuring a system of electrodes that are structured on and embedded in the SU-8 polymer. The sensor chips can be directly soldered on the MID due to the electroless plated contact pads. A flip chip process based on the opposite electrode design and the implementation of all fluidic and electrical connections at one side of the sensors can be used to assemble the sensor to a three-dimensional substrate. The developed microfluidic sensor demonstrated a predictable impedance spectrum behavior and a sufficient sensitivity to the concentration of ethanol in deionized water. To the best of our knowledge, there is no report regarding such sensor fabrication technology.

Optimized Process Sequences for Prototyping of Molded Interconnect Devices

The MID technology offers a high potential for the development of innovative integrated product solutions. The integration of mechanical and electronic functions on a spatial circuit board allows the realization of modules with a high functional density and a significant degree of miniaturization. MID components are spatial injection molded parts, with their surface selectively patterned and metalized. The conventional production of MID applications by an injection molding process is time consuming and expensive. Therefore, the efforts of industry and research show the significance of MID prototyping. Our objective was to develop process overviews and matching sequences for the methodological-assisted prototyping within our MID-Laboratory (MIDLab). First of all, we developed process overviews for any suitable process operations in accordance to the MID reference process. To enable a methodological approach in the production planning, essential information has been summarized in characteristics. The characteristics include a short description of the process and its unique features and a summary of the advantages and disadvantages compared to alternative methods. In addition, the compatibility of subsequent process steps, if limited or restricted, is illustrated. Afterwards, these process steps were combined to production sequences with a focus on costs, benefits and house production. Based on the requirements of the prototype, two scenarios have been developed, covering a wide spectrum of possibilities. In both sequences emphasis has been placed on cost-optimal combinations with a high house production rate. The validation of the results was carried out by two application examples. For this reason demonstrators were designed. On the basis of these modules, the results of the developed process chains were validated.

Are there regional spillovers from FDI in the Swiss manufacturing industry?

This paper examines whether there are signs of regional spillovers from FDI, although evidence is still very scarce. It hypothesizes that (a) the assessment of regional spillovers relies on a detailed analysis of these effects, according to the channels by which they occur (namely, increasing competition, worker mobility, and demonstration effects); (b) the size and the extent of these effects depend on the interaction between their channels and the levels of existing technological capacity of local firms; and (c) spillover benefits tend to occur in regions where local firms largely invest in absorbing the best foreign knowledge. Using detailed firm-level manufacturing data from Switzerland, we have found that local firms gain from the presence of foreign firms in their region, but lose out if the firms are located elsewhere. Competition-related spillovers appear to be fully absorbed by local firms, with high technological capacities; worker-mobility-related spillovers are fully absorbed by low technology firms; while demonstration-related spillovers are absorbed by all groups of firms with mid technology firms experiencing the larger benefit. In addition, our results demonstrate that only local firms which have invested largely in the absorptive capacity benefit from spillovers, stemming mainly from technology transfer. This benefit seems to occur at both regional level and outside.

Method For Producing A Microphone Module For A Hearing Aid Device

The production of a hearing aid device can be simplified by the use of a microphone module with a plurality of microphones. To attach and electrically contact the microphones, the invention provides a microphone carrier with three-dimensionally directed conductor traces in MID technology. In a complicated microphone arrangement with a plurality of microphones, a single microphone module can thereby be used on which all microphones of the hearing aid device are attached and electrically connected.

Integration of 3D-Routing for the Design of Molded Interconnect Devices

One of the fundamental innovations in the field of mechatronics is the direct material integration of mechanical and electronic functions using Molded Interconnect Devices (MID technology). Unlike conventional circuit boards, they are not limited to two dimensions but offer the possibility to arbitrarily lay printed circuit traces on the surfaces of the 3D carrier, traditional 2D routing function in EDA cannot be directly applied in MID design. In this paper, two new 3D automatic routing methods are introduced. One method is based on a grid graph and extends Hadlock’s minimum detour algorithm; the other is gridless and combines the A*-algorithm and an extension of Hightower’s algorithm. The related 3D routing functions, which are not supported by conventional MCAD und ECAD systems, are integrated in the design system MIDCAD. With these 3D routing functions, MIDCAD enables a more effective product design based on the MID technology.

Designing the group use videodisc: Socializing communication technology

This paper describes the application of a videodisc in a communication curriculum designed to examine the social relevance of television news programming. In general, students found the technology easy to use, working with other people preferable to working alone with a machine and the group process valuable in examining what contributes to the importance of a news story. Faculty perceived the group approach as a better use of class time and a more efficient use of financial resources when contrasted with individualized instruction. However, they also felt that the individualized approach to computer-assisted instruction was more beneficial to the student and would better prepare the stuzlent for lifelong learning. This apparent paradox, the videodisc as an enhancement to computer-assisted instruction, mid technology's influence on the student-faculty relationship are discussed. INTRODUCTION Over the last four years the numher of computers in the classroom has risen from approximately 30,000 to more than 1.1 million units (Watkins, 1985). Applications of computer-assisted instruction have been found for nearly every cognate area in education. Although many computers have been placed in the classroom, their place in the educational process remains a topic of debate. The concerns of educators range from the large budgetary commitment schocigs must make, typically at the expense of other human or technological resources, to the effects machine-based learning has on the facultystudent relationship. Perhaps an even more central issue is which instructional design strategies make most effective use of the new technologies. The purpose of this paper is to describe the creation of a corputer-controlled videodisc and the instructional design strategy that