Flexible Manufacturing Of MMC Electronic Packaging

Foster-Miller proposes to integrate solid freedom fabrication technology and the pressure casting process to enable rapid prototyping of thermally efficient metal matrix composite electronic packages. A two-head SFF machine will be used to simultaneously build a net-shape reinforcement preform and a ceramic mold for a customized electronic package. Accordingly, a casting "tree" consisting of a central feeder channel attached to multiple mold cavities will be built-up. This will be followed by pressurized infiltration with molten aluminum to produce 100 electronic packages with a 7 day turnaround time. SFF shape fabrication capabilities will be exploited to build through holes in the particulate preform for the package base. High thermal conductivity graphite fibers will be placed within these throgh holes. The resulting package base will have a high z-thermal conductivity and an in-plane CTE matching that of silicon or gallium arsenide. AN aluminosilicate mold will be consurrently built-up using composite components to net-shape using similar ceramic molds. The Phase I effort will prove the feasibility of this integrated approach for rapid prototyping of MMC electronic packages. Reinforcement preform and casting tooling for a represenative multichip package will be built at Soligen, and pressure infiltrated at Foster-Miller. Interfaces between the CIM, SFF and pressure casting steps will be designed during Phase I and developing during Phase II. E-Systems, an electronics systems integrator and Soligen, a SFF equipment developer, have agreed to be on the Foster-Millter team to demonstrate the above concept. ANTICIPATED BENEFITS: The Foster-Miller approach will enable 7-day turnaround time to procure 100 custom designed MMC electronic packages starting with a computer model. Commercial and industrial applications exist in systems using MMC components. Prototying of key MMC components will significantly shorten the period to develop a new products (e.g., aircraft, optics, palmtop computers) while reducing both product development and product manufacturing costs. Industrial applications exist to prototype hot, moving structural components for mining, hydroel