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Mentor Graphics received the award for Best Paper, for their review of the Design Challenges. Here the object of SiP was clearly to bury the complexity in the package and keep the system design clean.  The use of CAD tools to allow the mounting of chips and interconnections in package modules was likened to exactly that of using IP building blocks and interconnecting those in a typical IC design.  

Additional presentations from industrial companies, R&D facilities and academia, emphasised the breadth of work going on in the UK and abroad to refine and improve the capability to package Silicon, MEMS and III/V materials into system modules; these to be suitable for applications in wireless consumer products through medical systems to ultra reliability needs of aerospace devices.

IMAPS-UK considers this represents the leading edge of Technology Manufacturing and supports the need for Intelligent Manufacturing of Advanced Electronics Products and Systems. Future products will be more and more enabled by the use of micro-devices and micro-systems, spanning all areas of application and opening new business opportunities. Not only downscaling from existing products to smaller systems and components but also new concepts as well as the integration of the emerging field of nanotechnology and the micro-world will shape our future in an unprecedented way. Peter Ongley, IMAPS UK Chairman, concluded “There is a pressing need for the establishment of a National Microelectronics Packaging Centre to address ALL current developments in Micro & Nano Packaging. A unified approach to this end can only assist the UK in establishing a strong technological presence and lead in this crucial area for longer term viability of the electronics industry.”

Annual General Meeting 2006

The AGM took place at the end of the first day of the MicroTech event.

Chairman's Report

Peter Ongley, Chairman, reported significant activity with new initiatives within IMAPS-UK. Notably Sub-Groups for Publicity, Events, Website & IMAPS-UK UK Forum have been established. There has been sustained effort from the Secretariat Office, MicroTech Coordinators, Technical Meetings Organisers and Website teams over this period.

He praised the valuable support given over the year for liaison with the ELC and their recent Meeting in February by the more established senior Committee Members - Nihal Sinnadurai and Steve Muckett.

Although finances still preoccupied our minds and the need to keep spending within preset budgets has been the prime focus for the Committee. The Treasurer will be reporting the Accounts shortly which will show a small surplus for the financial year ending June 2005 and should be seen against a loss in the previous financial year around £4,000. The Treasurer has reported in Committee that there was a substantial profit resulting from the last Technical Meeting on Dec 1st in Greenwich. Excellent news. Thanks are due to the organising team especially Steve Muckett and Eric Murray.

Whilst our membership has generally declined over past few years we are pleased to report a turn round with a small increase in membership count over the past year. This is very encouraging and we hope the trend will continue.

Membership Fees for will have to be increased for 2007 partly forced on us by increased charges from IMAPS-NA.

Mr. Ongley reported plans to run another Meeting in 2006, possibly as a joint Meeting with SMART Group UK. The topic of 'Advanced Interconnection' has been suggested for June 6th at DEK in Weymouth.

Europe will hold the European Microelectronics Packaging Symposium (EMPS) in Slovenia in May. There are the usual European Chapter events with the Nordic Conference featured in September. IMAPS-NA continues to run frequent events and these are well publicised to all 'affiliate members' and on the IMAPS-NA website.

Publicity Subgroup:
This was formed early in Mr Ongley's tenure and members have communicated using a Conference Call on regular occasions throughout the year. This has proved invaluable and also helped to reduce costs.

One important development to emerge from the publicity Subgroup has been the reintroduction of the IMAPS-UK Newsletter. This was originally the only IMAPS News Vehicle back in the dizzy 1970's. There now have been Three Issues of the Newsletter, which have, we believe, been well received. Dave Lowrie has done a tremendous job in getting the publication of the Newsletter off the ground.

Emerald the Publishers of Microelectronics International Journal have advised IMAPS within Europe of a substantial price increase which we have rejected and have informed that IMAPS-UK no longer require the journal. At Emerald's request we are continuing negotiations with them. Advancing Microelectronics will continue to the main IMAPS-UK Membership Journal for the time being.

Other initiatives include collaboration with other Institutions such as IEE, IEEE, Set Squared Organisation and SMART Group UK. Bob Morse has been appointed our liaison officer with the SMART Group.

The MicroTech 2006 Coordinator Andy Longford and Team have worked tirelessly over the past year especially to finalise the Program and get commitments from the various Speakers. The Market Watch Session also presented a challenge and finalising the MicroTech Event seems to have been a particularly difficult task this year. Special thanks to Andy Longford, Alan Fairbairn & Dave Pedder.

The 'Thick & Thin Film Interconnection Meeting' held last year was great success and perhaps demonstrates that the 'core technology' for Hybrid Circuits is still alive and well! Sincere thanks to Chris Bailey for his help in hosting the Event in such a splendid location.

Mike Whiteside and Buddy Kadri form the main engine for the website activity and we believe there has been good progress. Ultimately, we will link smoothly to the new European Website and Mike Whiteside can expand on this activity later. Buddy & Mike can also provide more detail on the IMAPS-UK Forum that will soon be available to all members.

In summary, IMAPS-UK has enjoyed a good year with stabilisation of the finances and renewed interest from the microelectronics community shown by an increase in Membership. We have received good feedback from last years MicroTech Event and the Technical Meeting in December.

Finally, Mr. Ongley thanked all the Committee for their sustained and committed support over the past 12 months. He felt their enormous energy & enthusiasm in serving IMAPS-UK has made his role much easier and that their efforts & tasks undertaken are showing extremely positive results.

Mr. Ongley reminded everyone that the committee efforts are unpaid and very often time consuming. In these days of high workload and pressure their valuable contributions should not be underestimated!

Election. At this AGM, the positions of Chairman, Vice-Chairman and of course, Immediate Past-Chairman were not open for election. Officers elected were: David Lowrie - Secretary and Membership secretary, Michael Whiteside - Treasurer. Committee members elected were: Nihal Sinnadurai, Bob Morse, Eric Murray, Robert Key, David Pedder, Chris Bailey, Alan Fairbairn, Buddy Kadri and two new members both previously co-opted to the committee: Tony Howard and Andy Holland.

Mr. Ongley congratulated the appointments and especially welcomed the newest members, Mr. Tony Howard and Mr. Andy Holland.

Mr. Ongley thanked all who attended and closed the meeting.

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