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48 The PCB Magazine • June 2017 nections, allows a fast way to change the way of dividing the flow of current (Figure 19). Specific for this product is the approval by interactional electrical and safety standards for global utilisation of the product with em- bedded connectors and devices. Therefore, the approvals for high-voltage product applica- tion by the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) in the USA, were required. These also include the performance requirements in accordance with IEC regulation for high power application. The use of specific materials was needed to meet the safety standards of the customer, the industry segment. This was also certified by UL. High- voltage strength, normally not needed for stan- dard PCBs, has been fulfilled by using this tech- nical solution. Electronic devices as part of a decorative so- lution is also a new need by product designers and marketing experts. Besides functionality, aesthetic solutions are required by the industry that is specialised in high added value products. This is needed to satisfy the demand of a specific individual clientele group. Electronic function- ality inside of wooden plates, or a plastic or an alumina-based housing are additional require- ments by a specific end user. The device embed- ding technology meets many of these specific requirements by the electronics industry the OEMs or even by the individual consumer. Summary and Future Opportunities Over the last 20+ years, we have seen a lot of benefits for the total supply chain and the end- user for electronic equipment with embedded devices. However, to fully benefit from the fea- tures of the embedding device technology, the supply chain needs to be restructured. Key Items: • Product designer must be involved at the concept stage of the new development • PCB fabricators must be capable of manu- facturing device embedded PCBs • Assembly operation should be directly connected with the PCB fabricator; an in-house assembly facility is beneficial • Solderless connection as attachment tech- nologies shall be considered (e.g., gluing, plat- ing or sintering) • OEMs should understand the value of the miniaturization potential by using the device embedding technology in PCBs • Consider the cost-reduction potential of- fered through miniaturization and encapsula- tion of all components in a material combina- tion of epoxy resin reinforced by woven glass structures • Avoiding special housings for the PCB with embedded devices opens additional poten- tial for new cost-effective products • Resistance to liquids and an excellent ther- mal dissipation offer new application in auto- motive, mining and other industrial environ- ments fields The device embedding technology in PCBs should not be regarded as a disruptive PCB technology. It is an evolution of existing PCB fabrication technologies combined with new design, fabrication, assembly and testing methods. PCB References 1. German Trademark "AML" DE39607556 German Patent DE19627543 [2] German Trade Mark "SiPCB" DE302013018045 [3] ZIM R&D Project "3D Microsysteme" 2010–2012 [4] BMBF R&D Project "ProPower" 2011–2014 [5] BMBF R&D Project "HELP" 2011–2014 [6] BMBF R&D Project "PCB 4.0" 2016–2019. 2. German Trademark "SiPCB" DE3020130- 18045. 3. ZIM R&D Project "3D Microsysteme" 2010–2012. 4. BMBF R&D Project "ProPower" 2011–2014. 5. BMBF R&D Project "HELP" 2011–2014. 6. BMBF R&D Project "PCB 4.0" 2016–2019. This paper was originally presented at the World Conference 2017 in South Korea, April 2017, and is published in the proceedings. Thomas Hofmann was presented with a Best Paper Award at the conference. Thomas Hofmann is president of Hofmann Leiterplatten GmbH. EMBEDDING ACTIVE AND PASSIVE COMPONENTS IN ORGANIC PCBS