X-FAB and Fraunhofer ENAS sign 'Lab-in-Fab' agreement
The Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nano Systems ENAS and X-FAB are joining forces in an innovative cooperation model: the 'Lab-in-Fab' approach that integrates research, development, manufacturing, and commercialisation to accelerate the transition of microtechnology innovations into industrial-scale production.
The technical focus of the collaboration is on advanced packaging and heterogeneous integration. The Lab-in-Fab model, they say, enables efficient development of new processes and technologies in the fields of MEMS, microfluidics, photonics, and heterogeneous integration, and their direct transfer into manufacturing – customer-oriented, flexible, and scalable.
X-FAB has expertise in SiC, GaN, photonics and analogue/mixed-signal technologies, along with microsystems/MEMS. It has six wafer fabs located in Malaysia, Germany, France, and the United States. Fraunhofer ENAS’ research activities range from the development of wafer and packaging technologies to the production of electronic components, micro- and nano sensors, and actuators, as well as developing system concepts and system integration technologies.
“Our integrated and collaborative approach enables us to efficiently support new micro- and nanotechnologies from research through to series production,” explains Harald Kuhn, director of Fraunhofer ENAS.
“Customers benefit from a seamless service –from the development of individual technology projects to prototyping and small series, all the way to volume production with our partner X-FAB. Thanks to our long-standing collaboration, we are deeply familiar with X-FAB’s manufacturing processes and infrastructure. This knowledge, combined with close exchange, allows us to transfer technologies and processes seamlessly and bring them to market readiness – fast, reliable, and with high quality. This enables our customers to better meet rapidly changing market demands, and it significantly increases their innovation and production speed.”
Volker Herbig, VP Microsystems at X-FAB, highlights the benefits of the close collaboration with Fraunhofer ENAS: ”This allows us to develop tailored solutions faster, bring new technologies into production more quickly, while strengthening our customers’ competitiveness. Research, development, and mass production are more closely integrated – for the mutual benefit of end customers, Fraunhofer ENAS, and X-FAB.”
