Due to the high potential of miniaturization and integration, with regard to the innovation degree, quality and sustainability requirements, the 21st century looks forward to the integration of new functions on plastic parts to produce smart plastic products, as markets are requiring traceability, security, communication as well as ergonomics. Moulded Interconnected Devices (MID) basically combine all the features of moulded plastic parts with electrical conductive circuitry and electronics components assembly directly on the plastic packaging. MID lead finally to highly integrated multimaterial and multifunctional 3D compact systems. To achieve advanced high precision and high quality 3D micro systems, the EU industry is facing the following MID bottlenecks:
-to be able to manufacture high precision 3D micro parts integration plastics and electronics, including 3D plastic system carrier, 3D conductive tracks and 3D electronics component assembly,
-to be able to reduce the manufacturing cost by 50% in order for EU industry to be competitive with low-wage countries,
-to provide the industry with reliable, robust and in-line controlled manufacturing processes for plastics and electronics converging technologies.
3D-HiPMAS will overcome these challenges by providing the EU industry with a pilot factory based on 4 key technological building blocks enabling the manufacturing of low costs and high precision 3D multi-materials parts:
A. 3D high precision plastics micro-parts
B. 3D high definition conductive tracks
C. 3D precision electronics components assembly
D. 3D reliable and robust online monitoring and quality inspection system
These 4 technologies will be integrated in order to launch the future EU pilot factory.