The Global Electronics Association has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronics to help accelerate the path from advanced packaging innovation to industry-scale manufacturing.
The collaboration focuses on the APECS pilot line, the European pilot line for advanced packaging and heterogeneous integration for electronics components and systems under the EU Chips Act. APECS is coordinated by the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and implemented by Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD), a research collaboration of 13 Fraunhofer institutes and the Leibniz institutes FBH and IHP. The MoU draws on APECS pilot line capabilities and the Global Electronics Association‘s expertise in standards, industry engagement and knowledge transfer to support the transition of new technologies toward industrial implementation.
As the electronics industry works to deliver smaller, faster, more powerful and more reliable products, advanced packaging is becoming increasingly important. But promising technologies developed in pilot line environments can be difficult to scale without common practices for design, manufacturing, testing, reliability and data exchange. The MoU is intended to help close that gap.
“The strategy of pairing pilot line capability development with industry-wide standardization and enablement will help supply chain readiness ahead of product qualification and manufacturing,” said Devan Iyer, chief strategist for advanced electronic packaging, Global Electronics Association.
APECS provides access to capabilities for advanced packaging and heterogeneous integration, including chiplet-based modules and 2.5D/3D integration. The pilot line also emphasizes System-Technology Co-Optimization (STCO) – an approach that helps align product design, materials, assembly integration choices and manufacturing processes earlier in development.
At a kick-off meeting on September 24, representatives from the Global Electronic Association and the Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronics launched the collaboration and discussed its priorities with a focus on supporting industry adoption of advanced packaging and heterogeneous integration technologies.
“Our silicon to systems approach, spanning design, materials to system-level packaging, maps to the reality that advanced packaging changes the rules for everyone, not just one segment of the supply chain,” said Matt Kelly, chief technology officer, Global Electronics Association. “Collaborations like this are about building the practical scaffolding – guidelines, standards, tools and training – that helps suppliers qualify, customers specify, factories operate and regulators trust.”
The MoU supports broader industry priorities, including stronger supply chain resilience, improved interoperability and compliance, and the development of next-generation guidelines and standards for advanced electronics packaging. For APECS, this means ensuring that technology development takes these industry requirements into account from an early stage.
“APECS connects design, advanced packaging, assembly, testing and reliability across a European pilot line infrastructure. For these capabilities to translate into industrial use, technical development also needs to reflect standards, manufacturing practices and common interfaces early in development,” said Dr. Dirk Schumann, director of the APECS pilot line. “The collaboration with the Global Electronics Association adds a direct industry perspective on the requirements that matter as technologies move toward scalable manufacturing.”
The goal is to turn validated pilot line capabilities into industry-ready approaches that can be adopted at scale.
About the Global Electronics Association
The Global Electronics Association is the voice of the electronics industry, working with thousands of members and partners to build a more resilient supply chain and drive sustainable growth. We advocate for fair trade, smart regulation, and regional manufacturing, and educate on industry practices, actionable intelligence and technical innovations to empower the future. The Association collaborates with governments and companies worldwide to advance a trusted and prosperous electronics industry. Formerly known as IPC, the organization serves a $6 trillion market and operates from offices across Asia-Pacific, Europe and North and South America.
About the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD)
FMD, a collaboration among 13 Fraunhofer institutes and the Leibniz institutes FBH and IHP, is the central point of contact for all questions related to micro- and nanoelectronics research and development in Germany and Europe. As a one-stop shop, FMD brings together the research excellence, technological expertise, and system capabilities of its cooperating institutes to develop customized, integrated solutions tailored to specific needs. Since its establishment as a virtual umbrella organization in 2017, FMD has become one of the largest research networks of its kind. Today, it brings together more than 5,400 employees and a unique range of expertise and infrastructure.
Under the EU Chips Act, FMD is implementing APECS, the pilot line for Advanced Packaging and Heterogeneous Integration for Electronic Components and Systems, as a comprehensive infrastructure for resilient and trusted heterogeneous systems. APECS is strengthening the innovation capacity of European industry across a wide range of application areas and serves as an essential building block for Europe’s technological resilience.
