Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1035071
60 SMT007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2018 Las Marias: Larry, can you name a mega- trend or two that is or are having a huge impact right now in the PCB assembly industry? Chen: We believe the Internet of Things (IoT) will be a very important trend that's making things connected to the internet. Another trend is 5G—the fifth generation of communications standards, as well as artificial intelligence (AI). The inspection machines and produc- tion machines should be linked and inte- grated, as it is important for them to be able to communicate. We think that IoT, 5G, and AI are the megatrends that will make the Industry 4.0 realistic and more mature, and also to have a fully automated PCB assembly industry. We believe these trends will have a huge impact. Another issue is the miniaturization of electronics and components, driven by the development of more compact devices such as wearable devices, tabs, and even phones. We believe this will have a big impact in the PCB assembly industry, and as such inspection will be a critical factor in ensuring the quality of the products. Las Marias: What do you think of the state of the CFX in the next year? Do you see it being widely adopted? Chen: I think more and more users are becoming interested in CFX. For example, if customers are thinking of making their factories smarter, CFX will be the solu- tion. We believe it will be widely adopted in the following years, and therefore we will keep working with the CFX commit- tee—and we are getting better. We believe that TRI will be a very strong player in the CFX field, as well as in supporting factory automation. Las Marias: Thank you very much, Larry. Chen: Thank you. SMT007 KAIST Develops VRFB with Longer Durability A research team from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) developed a new vana- dium redox-flow battery (VRFB) with 15 times greater capacity retention and five times longer durability—an excellent candidate for a large-scale rechargeable battery with no risk of explosion. One of the key factors in the development of VRFBs is the membrane that will minimize energy loss. Many attempts were made but such materials caused chemical degrada- tion, leading to shortening of the battery life. To develop a membrane with pore sizes smaller than the hydrated size of vanadium ions yet larger than that of the protons, the research team led by Professor Hee- Tae Jung and Professor Hee-Tak Kim from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering implemented a graphene-oxide framework (GOF) membrane by cross-link- ing graphene oxide nanosheets. They believed that GOF, having strong ion selectivity, would be a good candidate for the membrane component for the VRFB. The interlayer spacing between the GO sheets limited moisture expansion and provided selective ion permeation. The GOF membrane increased the capacity retention of the VRFB, which showed a 15 times higher rate than that of perfluorinated membranes. Its cycling stability was also enhanced up to five times, compared to conventional hydrocarbon membranes. Professor Kim said, "Through this research, we showed that nanotechnology can prevent this crossover issue and membrane degradation. I believe that this technology can be applied to various rechargeable batteries requiring large-scale storage." (Source: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology)