Innovative electronics Manufacturing Research Centre (IeMRC)

Citation

(2006), "Innovative electronics Manufacturing Research Centre (IeMRC)", Circuit World, Vol. 32 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/cw.2006.21732bab.002

Innovative electronics Manufacturing Research Centre (IeMRC)

Innovative electronics Manufacturing Research Centre (IeMRC)

Innovative Manufacturing Research Centres (IMRCs) have been in existence for four years now and are funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The EPSRC is one of a number of research councils that channel government funding into supporting research activities in academia and one method is for the EPSRC to fund IRMCs in strategic technology areas such as aerospace, automotive and construction.

The latest IMRC, the Innovative electronics Manufacturing Research Centre (IeMRC), was launched one year ago and focuses on electronics manufacturing. Although funded by the EPSRC, the IeMRC has been given a degree of autonomy in the selection of projects whilst still following EPSRC guidelines. The IeMRC also distinguishes itself from other IMRCs by issuing calls for proposals with predetermined levels of funding as opposed to operating in “responsive” mode, where applications can be made at any time and are judged on an individual basis.

The IeMRC is the 14th IMRC to be created, and it has been awarded more than £5 million in funding over five years. It has a Management or Executive Group comprising distinguished members from the Universities of Brunel, Bath, Greenwich, Strathclyde, Loughborough, Lancaster and Sheffield, who individually contribute to their respective areas of expertise. Professor Paul Conway of Loughborough University is the Principal Investigator and Director of the Centre with him is Dr Robert Horsley, also of Loughborough University and formerly of Celestica, who co-ordinates the research activities from the Loughborough “hub”, and who may be likened to an Operations Director. Dr Martin Goosey, Research Fellow at Rohm & Haas Electronics Materials is the Industrial Director. With such a diffused organisation, research can take place anywhere in the UK, and can use the best of the various skills and strengths of each university (Plate 1).

Plate 1 Martin Goosey, Paul Conway, Robert Horsley

The Industrial Steering Group (ISG) of the IeMRC defines the research areas to which funding should be directed. There are 16 people in this group, from a cross-section of the UK Electronics industry and includes companies and organisations such as BAe Systems, Bookham Technologies, Celestica, Circatex, Dynex, BF Goodrich, Intellect, Invotec, TRW and International Rectifier. In order to ensure the activities of the IeMRC are aligned with government strategy for the UK Electronics Industry, a DTI representative is also included. The ISG works together with industry, and looks closely at the future needs of the UK electronics manufacturing sector. In addition to the ISG, the IeMRC also has an independent board of governors that comprises three people from academia and the electronics industry. This Board oversees the operation of the IeMRC and ensures that it operates in a fair and transparent manner.

The largest project running at the moment is a “Flagship” project in power electronics and this is being led by Professor Mark Johnson at the University of Sheffield. One of the interesting new developments in this project is silicon carbide devices. Funding for this project amounted to £800k with matching support from industry. This will not be the only “Flagship” project and a call for further “Flagship” proposals is due to be released at the beginning of December 2005.

Ten other projects have also been awarded funding and these include research into areas such as lithographically printed voltaic cells, glass substrates for high density electrical and optical interconnects and microemulsion fabrication of nanoparticles for enhanced solder materials. Recently, in the IeMRC's second call for proposals nine different proposals were invited to be developed into full proposals from a total of 20.

Professor Paul Conway said that, of the seven feasibility projects running at the moment, some included really innovative ideas for processes or materials. Paul went on to outline that “The research programmes that we run are managed from the Executive Group and, with the ISG, we can set the agenda for the next allocation of funds for areas where we know work is needed. Whilst it is industry that sets the agenda, we turn it into a form that academia can recognise.”

As Martin Goosey said, “The UK Electronics Industry has changed significantly in the last few years. There are now not as many big companies involved in major R&D projects in the UK as there were in the past, in fact the big ones have nearly all gone and smaller companies often do not have the resources for undertaking such necessary research. The IeMRC also recognises the findings from the DTI's Electronics Innovation Growth Team report `Making a Visible Difference' and undertakes to align with its recommendations where possible.”

Dr Robert Horsley added that “the IeMRC aimed to select and award funding to projects on short timescales so that industry can benefit as soon as possible. We recognise that the companies involved in the ISG provide a known community of expertise, so it gives us the opportunity of bringing in specialists from, say, a physics or materials area,, to assist with specific questions. For instance, in the field of material sciences we can call upon various sources of expertise including those from other academic institutions. Although there has been a big business dash to China, there is still a hard core of innovation in the UK.”

Professor Paul Conway said that the IeMRC has a strong steering group and executive that are capable of ensuring that the work supported is both ground breaking and of potential value to industry. He added, “the level of Global R&D in academia is surprisingly small. The IeMRC is therefore exciting, and it allows us to take a punt with something that may, or may not, work.”

When asked how the ISG operated Paul replied “We have the responsibility for running the projects, and it is the ISG that provides the strategic direction and identifies the key research areas to be investigated.” Does everything stop in five years time? “Not at all, there will be a formal review by the EPSRC and if they deem the IeMRC to be successful further funding will be provided to extend the remit of the IeMRC.”

Paul concluded, “The value of contributions from industry are immeasurable. It's all very encouraging. What is of huge value to us is that there are those people who serve on the ISG who give up their spare time to assist, and that human asset is also immeasurable.”

Circuit World will be carrying news from the IeMRC and its specific projects in future issues.

November 29, 2005