Ruggedized Modules

Protect Against Harsh Environments, Shock, and Vibration

High-Reliability, Overmolded Microelectronic Modules

Increase the lifespan and reliability of electronic components and modules by ruggedizing with encapsulation. Ruggedization protects products from thermal stresses, shock and vibration common in harsh environment applications. Ruggedized electronic modules are ideal for high-reliability applications across a range of industries: aerospace, military, automotive, industrial, and mobile devices.

Why Specify an Overmolded Module?

overmolded module
  • Commercial packaged components
  • Multi-chip modules
  • Microelectronics and bare die assemblies
  • Chemical
  • Moisture
  • Thermal shock
  • Bare die and wire bonds
  • Improved solder bump integrity
  • Mechanical Shock

Microelectronic Ruggedization Components and Features

Cross-section of molded module
Cross-section of molded module

Molding Benefits

  • Circuit protection: physical, chemical, thermal
  • Ruggedization – stress distribution
  • Thin package warpage control
  • Improved HAST performance

Substrates

  • IC Substrate (flatness, fine line/space, fine pad pitch, embedded passive films)
  • PCB (inexpensive, moderate interconnect density)
  • Copper leadframe
  • Other: ceramic, glass, and silicon
Bare module prior to trim and form process
Bare module prior to trim and form process
Finished module with overmolding
Finished module with overmolding

Epoxy Mold Compound (EMC)

EMC Properties

Microscopic cross-section of molded device
Microscopic cross-section of molded device
  • Tunable CTE: 7-20 ppm (T<Tg), 20-70 ppm (T>Tg)
  • CTE ~10 ppm typical
  • Tg ~ 150 typical

EMC Composition

Epoxy resin and filler close-up
EMC resin/silica matrix
  • Silica is typical
  • Improved thermal conductivity
  • Improved CTE
  • Filler content: variable, typically >80%

EMC Material Properties

Material Tmax (C°) X-Y CTE (ppm) Thermal Conductivity (W m-1 K-1) Electrical Conductivity (106 S m-1) Dk Df
FR-4 125 10-14 0.3-0.9 < 1E – 20 3.9 – 4.5 0.02
BT – Epoxy 210 10-14 0.7 < 1E – 13 3.6 – 3.7 0.01
Polyimide 250 6-9 0.7 <5E – 20 3.6 0.002
ABF 150 20-40 0.15 unknown 3.2 – 3.4 0.004 – 0.02
Silicon 2500 2.6 130 1 – 100 11.7 0.0005 – 5
Borosilicate Glass 755 3.2 1.1 1E – 8 4.1 0.004
Copper 2000 16 400 59
Gold 1100 14 310 41
Silver 960 20 429 63
Nickel 1500 13 97 14
SN63/Pb37 170 25 40 7
SAC3005 210 24 58 9
Sn10Pb90 260 28 36 5
 

Process Equipment & Tooling

Custom tooling is designed and fabricated in house. ISI has a complete tool & die shop with decades of mold tooling fabrication expertise. 

EMC Injection Flow

Mold piston illustration
EMC injection gate animation

Typical Manufacturing Process

  1. Package Design / Traveler creation
  2. Material Procurement: substrate,  components, etc.
  3. Tooling Fabrication – molds and fixtures
  4. SMT Assembly
  5. Bare-die attach, wire-bonding, flip-chip
  6. Molding / lead form & trim (for leaded parts)
  7. Singulation
  8. Part marking
  9. Testing & Inspection

Transfer Mold Tooling

Mold forms top and bottom
Transfer mold tooling, top & bottom
Mold close-up diagram with parts labeled
Labeled parts of transfer mold
Mold compound wells close-up
Transfer mold compound wells
Molding station
Transfer molding station
close-up of molded component
Completed module after mold transfer process

Beyond equipment and process flow—our projects are most successful when we deeply collaborate and engage with our customers.

Case Studies

Our best success stories involve:

COLLABORATION Your engineering team working with ours as peers to solve a problem like shrinking a small board down to the size of a coin.

ENGAGEMENT Customers don't see us as just a contract manufacturer. Our value comes from our design engineering, like optimizing for cost or environmental conditions. Tap into our long history of successful projects by engaging with us early—and with your toughest challenges. We're ready!

End-to-End Microelectronic Development Expertise

miniaturized BGA on fingertip
electronics overmolding encapsulation
smart sensor module
System in package module
ic interposer replacement device

Ultra-dense, SWaP-optimized microelectronic assemblies. 

Survive harsh environments;
Temperature cycle, shock, and vibration.

Integration of sensors with microelectronic modules.

Multi-component modules in standard IC form factor
(BGA, QFP, etc.).

Replace obsolete ICs with a form/fit/function equivalent module.

Contact ISI

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