Fine Engineering Services
System Miniaturisation


Art of Technology has a long experience especially in system miniaturization and in High Density Packaging technologies (HDP) to support its customers with the appropriate, standard or customised solution. We are able to find the appropriate manufacturers in terms of technologies and production volumes in or outside our broad manufacturing network.

 

How does Art of Technology provide System Miniaturisation?

The need and the potential to miniaturise electronic systems inspired many companies to create new or to miniaturise existing electronic applications. Very often system miniaturisation is equated with ASICs. That is only one option. There are many other approaches for system miniaturisation and the most appropriate combination shall be selected.

 

System Upgrading

Often a system can be “miniaturised” by upgrading the system, using new and improved components that combine analogue and digital functions. Besides that the area of the electronics, the number of components and board layers are reduced and therefore the system cost in production can be minimised.

 
Ausschnitt_Miniaturisierung

Antenna DBS Switch

Increased functionality and efficiency, together with reduced complexity ... »
example-r1

System Partitioning

For new electronic applications system partitioning is important. Partitioning the system into logical and functional blocks sets the base for the further steps “repartitioning of electronics and software” and “technology selection”.

 

Decision criteria are:

  • Re-use of a system part in multiple applications (e.g. amplifier circuit, communication circuit)
  • Very high complexity of a small system part (e.g. one component with several hundreds of pins in an otherwise relaxed system)
  • Different technologies (e.g. high power and memory)
  • Security or environmental conditions (e.g. parts that have to be especially encapsulated) and others.

 

Repartitioning of Electronics and Software

Another possibility to reduce the size of a system is to use micro controllers, processors, FPGAs to integrate discrete and analogue electronics into “software” running on those ICs.

 

Technology Selection

Last but not least is the selection of the appropriate technology. Based on the analysis above, the size requirements and the expected production volumes, a whole range of electronics implementation technologies can be chosen:

  • SMD (down to 0201, BGAs and CSPs)
  • HDP (different substrate and assembly technologies)
  • One or several ASIC (analogue, digital or mixed signal).