Industry Kick-Off of iNEMI's 2013 Roadmap Scheduled at APEX

Workshop will begin the process of identifying industry needs in 21 technology areas

HERNDON, Virginia — February 6, 2012 — The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) will hold the industry kick-off for its 2013 Roadmap in an open workshop immediately following IPC’s APEX EXPO in San Diego, March 1-2.

The day-and-a-half workshop will begin with a review of the product sector key attribute spreadsheets (see details, next page), followed by break-out meetings of the technology groups as they begin the process of identifying technology and infrastructure needs for the electronics manufacturing supply chain.

“This workshop is one of the few face-to-face meetings we will hold during the year for the 2013 Roadmap,” says Chuck Richardson, director of roadmapping for iNEMI. “It is an excellent opportunity for people to see what the roadmap is about and decide whether they would like to get involved.”

Richardson notes that membership is not required to participate in the roadmap, and that non-member participation is encouraged to ensure a broad and accurate perspective of the supply chain.

“The roadmap’s usefulness reaches far beyond iNEMI and our members,” he continues. “It is recognized as an important tool for defining the ‘state of the art’ in the electronics industry as well as identifying emerging and disruptive technologies. And, unlike other industry roadmaps, the iNEMI roadmap looks at the entire supply chain. By highlighting what processes and capabilities will be needed for future products, the iNEMI roadmaps help companies make important decisions about technology investments and product directions.”

About the iNEMI Roadmap
Every two years, iNEMI maps the future manufacturing technology needs of the global electronics industry. The purpose is to identify key technology and infrastructure developments required to ensure the competitiveness of the supply chain over the next decade. It provides the information needed to identify critical technology and infrastructure gaps, prioritize R&D needs to meet those gaps, and initiate activities that address industry needs.

Efforts are organized into Product Emulator Groups (PEGs) and Technology Working Groups  (TWGs).  The PEGs, each chaired by a major OEM in the specific sector covered, define the future technology needs of “virtual products.” Since product sector OEMs cannot share specific product information, they list “key attribute needs” in an “emulator” spreadsheet that covers the 10-year horizon of the roadmap and contains more than 250 different entries per year. These key attributes are also combined into a summary spreadsheet that allows the user to quickly determine which product sector is driving each attribute.

The TWGs identify trends for numerous technology and infrastructure areas, and contrast those trends with anticipated product needs. Composed of experts from OEMs, EMS providers, suppliers, government agencies, universities and related consortia/trade associations, the TWGs predict the evolution of technology and/or business practices, identify gaps and “showstoppers” in existing technology and infrastructure, and develop recommendations for their respective areas. For a list of the 2013 PEGs and TWGs, go to http://www.inemi.org/2013-roadmap.

About iNEMI
The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative’s mission is to forecast and accelerate improvements in the electronics manufacturing industry for a sustainable future.  This industry-led consortium is made up of approximately 100 manufacturers, suppliers, industry associations and consortia, government agencies and universities.  iNEMI roadmaps the needs of the electronics industry, identifies gaps in the technology infrastructure, establishes implementation projects to eliminate these gaps (both business and technical), and stimulates standards activities to speed the introduction of new technologies.  The consortium also works with government agencies, universities and other funding agencies to set priorities for future industry needs and R&D initiatives.  iNEMI is based in Herndon, Virginia (near Washington, D.C.), with regional offices in Shanghai, China; Limerick, Ireland; and Tokyo, Japan.  For additional information about iNEMI, go to http://www.inemi.org.