The Secretary of State for Wales, David TC Davies (pictured), attended the opening and told guests: “The UK Government is proud to support the compound semiconductor cluster in south Wales, which is vital to our ambition for the UK to lead the world in science and technology. The processes being developed here means that the supply chain within the UK is strengthened, helping to protect the industry and fostering job creation.”
DER-IC South West and Wales is part of the wider DER-IC network, which has
The official opening included a tour of the new facilities and keynote speeches from Jayakrishnan Chandrappan, Head of Advanced Packaging at CSA Catapult and Paul Jarvie, DER-IC South West and Wales Centre Lead. The speakers highlighted the capabilities of the new equipment and the specialist expertise that is available at CSA Catapult.
The new DER-IC South West and Wales facility can be used by manufacturers as a prototype facility for developing semiconductor and compound semiconductor packages using multi-material 3D printing, such as ceramic and metals.
The equipment showcased at the launch event included the centre’s advanced 3D printing equipment suite. The equipment is the UK’s first in an open-access setting and stands as a pioneering facility. The equipment enables the integration of combination, mixed metal, and ceramic printing technologies for chip packages, heat sinks, and printed circuit board (PCB) designs.
The equipment includes:
- A multi-material 3D printer that can quickly prototype novel packages using ceramic and mixed material for higher power and performance packaging
- A 3D metal printer which can create fast prototypes for embedded packages and modules using copper or other conductive materials
- An optimised laser system that can dice semiconductors and process ceramic or metal materials for novel package designs
The centre has already attracted significant interest from major industrial partners across the aerospace and transport sectors.
Dycotec Materials is looking to develop a 3D printing process to improve performance, reliability and significantly reduce the cost of packages and modules for automotive applications.
Meanwhile, CSA Catapult and Carbon Forest Products are involved in a project to create a 3D graphite heat sink – a key component used to move heat away from an electronic device – for use in automotive systems.
“The opportunities this centre presents to the PEMD manufacturing supply chain are significant. We’re inviting anyone in the PEMD supply chain who is interested in innovation and technology development, manufacturing scale-up and commercialisation, as well as skills and workforce development to engage with us” says DER-IC South West and Wales Centre Lead Paul Jarvie.
Although this is the official centre launch, the doors to the facilities at DER-IC South West and Wales are already open and being utilised by PEMD manufacturers from across the UK.
To find out how to work with DER-IC, visit www.der-ic.org.uk.