Component Carrier Manufacturing Simulation for Early Quality Assessment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing miniaturization and complexity of electronic components on component carriers, such as printed circuit boards, pose challenges in efficiently managing heat removal and ensuring mechanical robustness and electrical reliability, especially under harsh conditions.

Innovation Solution

A method is introduced to assess the manufacturing process of component carriers through simulation and evaluation using input parameters, including product and process parameters, to ensure compliance with predefined quality criteria, such as copper distribution and surface roughness, before actual production, utilizing a combination of simulation algorithms and AI for iterative refinement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If electronic components are miniaturized and densely packed to increase functionality, then product functionality and integration density are improved, but heat removal becomes increasingly difficult and manufacturing precision requirements worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduct functionalityVSAvoidcontact spacing precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing simulation and evaluation of the manufacturing process before actual production. The system simulates the manufacturing process using input parameters including product parameters (contact spacing, component layout) and process parameters (manufacturing conditions), evaluates the simulation results against quality criteria, and identifies potential defects early. This allows manufacturers to optimize contact spacing and layout designs before fabrication, ensuring high precision in miniaturized components without compromising functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If manufacturing process parameters are strictly controlled to ensure quality, then product reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity and process control difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical reliabilityVSAvoidprocess control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies copying by creating a virtual model of the manufacturing process through simulation. The system copies the actual manufacturing process into a simulated environment where it can be evaluated without physical execution. The simulation uses input parameters representing product design and manufacturing conditions, and produces output indicating compliance with quality criteria. This virtual copying allows comprehensive quality assessment and process optimization without the complexity of controlling actual manufacturing equipment, while ensuring electrical reliability through pre-validation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Productivity

If comprehensive quality assessment is performed before production, then product quality and yield are improved, but computational resources and assessment time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing yieldVSAvoidassessment time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by performing simulation and evaluation on critical aspects of the manufacturing process rather than every possible parameter. The system selectively simulates and evaluates key quality criteria based on input parameters, focusing computational resources on the most impactful factors. This partial assessment approach identifies potential defects in critical areas while avoiding unnecessary computational overhead, thereby improving manufacturing yield without excessive assessment time or resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP4216010A1Assessing a process of manufacturing component carriers by simulation and evaluation based on input parameters
Publication Date: 2023.07.26 AT & S AUSTRIA TECHNOLOGIE & SYSTEMTECHNIK AG
  • EP4216010A1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP4216010A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4216010A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A method of assessing a manufacturing process of manufacturing component carriers (100), wherein the method comprises providing a set of input parameters comprising product parameters indicative of a design of the component carriers (100) to be manufactured and process parameters indicative of at least part of the manufacturing process, carrying out a simulation of at least part of the manufacturing process based on the input parameters, and evaluating whether the simulation result indicates compliance of at least part of the manufacturing process and/or of at least part of the component carriers (100) to be manufactured with at least one predefined quality criterion.