Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1456062
22 SMT007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2022 Feature Interview by the I-Connect007 Editorial Team Jan Vardaman is a key contributing author to an IPC report detailing the capabilities gap in advanced packaging capabilities in the U.S. manufacturing ecosystem. We talked with Jan about the report and the current dynamics in the U.S. market. Jan's comments provide addi- tional detail and insight to the findings pub- lished in the report. Nolan Johnson: Jan, how do we take that huge report on gap analysis with IPC and put it into context? Jan Vardaman: e bottom line is you can put all the silicon fab capability you want in the U.S., but if your goal is to not be dependent on going overseas for your semiconductors, and you don't have the packaging and assem- bly done here, you've defeated that purpose. It all depends on your goal. We have found there are several smaller outfits here that can do assembly quite capably on a small scale. When there's large volume, however, it typically goes to Asia where there's large volume capability and where the investment has been made. e report indicates there are not any sub- strate manufacturers that use the ABF mate- rial—a buildup film to create substrates here in the U.S. that would serve the high-perfor- mance computing market. If you want the buildup substrate to do the assembly, you must go overseas. A Hard Look at Strategic Chip Investment