The majority of light engines are currently assembled offshore, posing the threat of loosely regulated process flows and an increased risk of rejected products. Shifting assembly on-shore directly addresses these concerns among others.
Assembly Services is offering free access to an on-demand webcast, “Automated Precision Assembly for High-Volume HB LED.” In this webcast, Assembly Services general manager, Don Beck, presents a tightly regulated process flow of high-yield HB LED automated on-shore assembly, supported by equipment certification, product inspection, SPC data collection methods—and why on-shore contract assembly is cost-effective.
On-shore contract assembly ensures, but is not limited to, the following:
- Strict USA-governed IP protection laws
- Rapid prototype-to-volume assembly
- Improved communication between contract assembly engineers and your organization
- Ability to react quickly to changes
- Access to product during all stages of assembly
- No time loss or delay due to customs
- Ability to perform consistent, complex applications
Organizations often revert to offshore assembly with the plan of maintaining lower production costs. This is a misleading concept, as the costs for microelectronic assembly tend to equalize as complexity increases. For example, it is known that light engine assembly costs in China have increased as designs have become more intricate and complex. In 2009, Palomar Technologies conducted a review of LED assembly costs comparing the United States, Europe, China, Singapore, Taiwan and Mexico. This review concluded that there is an insignificant difference in LED assembly costs between the United States and China. The reason – most Chinese-assembled light engines occur in Shenzin where labor costs have steadily risen. The rising costs, combined with the fact that US microelectronic assembly is performed by automated equipment and not by hand, help equalize costs in this market. The figure below presents a graphical overview of the LED assembly costs among the six regions/countries.
Through precision contract manufacturing services, Assembly Services has responded to the economic realities of modern advanced packaging with its high equipment and labor costs, and the need for process development and low-volume production on a limited scale.
Assembly Services at Palomar Technologies is one of the few full-service advanced packaging laboratories in the United States, fully equiped with award-winning automated systems such as the 3800 Die Bonder, the 6500 Die Bonder and the 8000 Wire Bonder / Ball (Stud) Bumper. With this comes IP protection, in-house highly skilled engineering staff and technicians, and a high-reliability, ultra high-accuracy advanced packaging systems portfolio that is second to none.
Watch the webcast to learn more!
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Jessica Sylvester
Marketing Communications
Palomar Technologies