Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1532052
52 SMT007 MAGAZINE I FEBRUARY 2025 AMAREA Technology, a startup we support in Dresden making remarkable progress with ceramic materials. Joining our community is free. We build our success on strong partnerships that drive innovation and help address industr y chal- lenges. J.A.M.E.S bridges the gap between industr y needs and requirements, connect- ing materials and process providers with printer manufacturers. is is not just a small business case or a killer app. We are advancing research that drives real transformation, reshaping the fundamentals of printed circuit board manufacturing. Our work includes acquiring the necessary qualifi- cations and approvals to turn discoveries into viable products for the future. Newer iterations of additive manufacturing offer a lot of benefits as applications move toward more miniaturization and sustainabil- ity. Is J.A.M.E.S. offering greater access to the printed electronics knowledge base for the whole electronics community? Yes, we are expanding our field of engagement. We have several use cases for printed electron- ics that offer new perspectives on the technol- ogy and provide insights into what lies ahead. When we talk about signal integrity, we are reaching data rates of over 100 giga-samples per second (GSa/s). For millimeter-wave applica- tions, we are operating in the terahertz (THz) range. For frequency range in RF, we are trans- mitting signals to satellites leveled up over 20 gigahertz. Clearly, data rates will only increase, enabling more broadband applications. At the same time, electronics must become lighter and more miniaturized. From this per- spective, additively manufactured electronics (AME) can deliver semiconductor sizes leveled up to bigger applications, which has been a mis- understanding for printed electronics. We need to focus on merging accessible technologies. ere are many research pioneers—true experts in their fields—who are pushing the boundaries of innovations. For example, XTPL is a Polish company achieving breakthroughs in micro-dispens- ing at the chip level, replacing traditional wire bonding. e connection is made directly from the semiconductor to the PCB by print- ing in micrometer dimensions. It is an incred- ibly active field. We also have several compa- nies in the United States and are working to build partnerships with IPC to drive the cre- ation of standards. As you can see, I am talking about a transformation of our industry. Sustainability is also a critical aspect. e electronics manufacturing industry must fun- damentally change its practices. To achieve more functionality, miniaturization is neces- sary, but we have to be careful with power con- sumption—with the printers and the materials that are used. is is integral to the larger story. When we talk about the big picture, we must also consider designs and design tools, includ- ing simulation. In your electronica presentation, you called out test as a specific challenge. What are the challenges of this technol- ogy when it comes to test? ere are many challenges, which is why we are expanding our fields of applications. Together with FED (Elec- tronics Design and Manufacturing Asso- ciation in Germany) and IPC, we are lay- ing the groundwork for qualification tests and coupons for various printed electron- ics machines. We also collaborate with aca- XTPL microdispensing solution.