Berlin, 1 October 2009 – Demand for ever smaller electronic devices in medical technology is increasing. Keyhole surgery is one appliance with high requirements for developing complex electronics with little space and weight. Modern solutions of micro systems technology such as System-in-Package (SiP) will be used more and more to meet this need. But this comes at a price: miniaturizing electronics calls for improved design analysis, characterization and simulation in order to optimize signal integrity, thermal foolproofness, and reliability performance.
To be able to design and manufacture reliable miniaturized systems for their customers, alpha-board works closely together with Endicott Interconnect, a leading American specialist for micro systems design and manufacturing. Both companies show electronics designs at the medical technology tradeshow COMPAMED that are not only smaller and lighter, but free of thermal and signal integrity problems. This is possible with so called board simulation by alpha-board and innovative miniaturizing technology by Endicott Interconnect. Their thorough DFX processes optimize substrate and assembly designs after shrinking the physical footprint significantly.
„Together with our American partner we made a decisive step to more reliability for miniaturized electronics systems for medical technology appliances,“ says Gregor Gross, Director of Marketing and Sales for alpha-board. „ Our customers benefit not only from remarkable small and lightweight systems, but also from a guaranteed faultless electronics.“
Together both companies offer complex electronics systems for, e.g. implantable defibrillators, pacemakers or intravascular ultra sound devices. alpha-board offers design and simulation services, Endicott provides miniaturizing and manufacturing know-how. Using innovative SiP technology, they can shrink electronics systems by factor 20-30x. Electronics needed for a pacemaker can be just a couple of centimeters. In this cramped space there are multi layers of electronics.
To provide the reliability of this enormously compact micro electronics, alpha-board uses board simulation to optimize signal integrity – even before the first prototype is built. Simulation enables finding solutions for signal problems that can be incorporated in the design. Possible problems that are hard to track down conventionally will be detected and solved. This decreases overall prototyping costs and shortens time to market, and it also increases reliability of the final miniaturized product.
