Selected highlights from the 2017 iNEMI roadmap and projects to address identified gaps

iNEMI released its 2017 Technology Roadmap to members on January 10, 2017 and to the industry for purchase in early April. Every two years iNEMI maps future manufacturing technology needs of the global electronics industry for the next ten years. It discusses the major business and technology issues, paradigm shifts, emerging technologies and markets, technology gaps, and identified needs in each of several product segments. This cycle it covered: IoT/Wearables, Automotive, Consumer/Office, Medical, Portable/Wireless, Aerospace/Defense and High-End systems as well as forecasting the technical evolution associated with 21 different areas that support these product area needs. The resulting gaps identified between the product needs and technical capabilities form the basis for iNEMI projects and potential research programs within and outside iNEMI. This paper discusses highlights from three chapters: 1 product sector (Medical) and 2 technology areas (Packaging & Component Substrates) and (Interconnect Substrates - Organic) from the 2017 iNEMI Roadmap. It will then share selected gaps (tactical and strategic) that make up the resulting 2017 iNEMI Technology Plan and Research Priorities Documents. We will also share the results of one of iNEMI's Member Projects to illustrate how the roadmap cycle is a closed loop leading to carefully vetted priorities for suggested projects and research areas. The iNEMI Roadmaps are supported by as many as 16 other organizations (including the SMTA) that provide help from recruiting their members to work on the roadmap, to providing completed chapters so we would like to thank all the organizations that contributed in one or more ways to help develop the latest roadmap; the largest and most current roadmap ever published by iNEMI with 7 Product Sectors and 21 Technology Chapters.