IPC International Community magazine an association member publication
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IPC COMMUNITY 63 SUMMER 2024 materials, and components. IME parts are struc- tural electronics characterized by their light- weight, seamless integration. This technology appeals to industries such as automotive or aerospace because it reliably enhances the func- tionality of surfaces in illuminating spaces, such as door panels, center consoles, and front grill emblems. Combining printed electronics, SMT components, and injection molding is an ideal option for mass production due to the simplicity of both processes. The automotive industry has driven the devel- opment of IME because it significantly reduces the cost, weight, waste, and energy required to produce vehicle interior parts. Rather than using a PCB in a plastic molding with features interact- ing with PCB sensors, IME components are inte- grated directly into the plastic molding, making the manufacturing process more streamlined, sustainable, and efficient. "There's a big market pool for IME, especially in the automotive industry, which is looking for sus- tainable smart structures," Paavo says of the new technology's appeal. "They want to build light- ing on a 3D surface within the vehicle, whether it's an interior or exterior application. For exam- ple, automobiles are full of plastic parts. With IME technology, you can make those thin plastic parts smart and build a lighting application you cannot build with conventional electronics." Sustainability is a critical issue, and IME helps to improve environmental performance. "It's only additive manufacturing, so there's a consid- erable sustainability benefit with the technology, where you only add material and are not etching away as with conventional electronics," Paavo explains. "We have also learned that a less-pow- er-consuming structure can achieve more illu- mination output than a conventional structure, so IME also offers sustainability benefits from a power management point of view." Paavo and the TactoTek team built the first IME prototype in 2017 for an automotive OEM cus- tomer. Referring to TactoTek as "the pioneer of this technology," he quickly noticed that people didn't know or understand in-mold electron- ics, and "to make my life and the whole eco- system's life easier, we needed to have an inter- national standard, such as one from IPC." W h e n I P C ' s F r a n c i s c o F o u r c a d e approached Paavo to co-chair the D-83a In-Mold Electronics Interconnection Task Group that developed IPC-8401, "I told him I didn't know how to be a co-chair," Paavo says. "He con- vinced me that it was an important topic for the industry, and I agreed. I was a total newbie when I took the co-chair position." How did the task group respond to his leader- ship? "To be honest, we had quite a smooth ride," Paavo says, "and the reason is that my colleague, Outi Rusanen, and I wrote the first draft version of the standard. So, we had the entire document when we started the review process. Since I know the technology by heart, the substance of the standard was not difficult to write. Our working team members were happy with it, saying that this was what they needed." D-83a members include automotive OEMs, material suppliers, research organizations, and software and technology providers. Initially, most of the members were from Europe, as the