Bringing Together the Entire
Microelectronics Supply Chain...

For each IMAPS technical event you will see a pyramid unique to the event to better help you understand how to participate and what involvement to expect from each level of the respective industry supply chain. With the rapid globalization of world economies and markets, many electronics companies are now outsourcing many of their manufacturing steps to subcontractors around the world. Both the technical and business people realize they must look at their product and manufacturing processes with a broader perspective. IMAPS facilitates this discussion by organizing its technical programs to match this 4- tiered global supply chain model. Communications among all 4 tiers of the microelectronics and packaging supply chain are critical to the success of innovation and new product developments. The IMAPS International Symposium, as well as the many workshops and topical conferences held throughout the year, are being structured to include presentations in all four of these categories. The IMAPS PYRAMID depicts these 4 tiers and the interrelations between each.

Typically, the vision and ideas for end products and technology needs initiate at the INDUSTRY level. RF/Wireless, Biomedical, Military and other end user areas constitute the industry level. The next tier, which enables the electronic functioning of these products, is the SYSTEMS & APPLICATIONS tier. The microelectronic product design for mobile phones, automotive engine managements systems, defibrillators, and other end- user products start here. The next tier is DESIGN. This level brings together the desire of the product concept with the reality of how the microelectronic subsystems and components get laid out, designed, simulated and integrated into packages and subsystems. Last, the MATERIALS & PROCESS tier supplies individual component and material technology to the SYSTEMS in order to specify and build the end product.

IMAPS addresses everything in electronics between the chip and the system across 10 primary industries and their related supply chains. The table below illustrates examples of all of the technologies that are represented by IMAPS at each level of the supply chain.