Environmental
Introduction
Environmental challenges in the form of regulatory management of a sustainable supply and reduction of the ecological footprint associated will need to be satisfied. Consideration of the following in developing new solutions or operation of existing process and materials will be needed in moving forward to ensure sustainability:
In consideration of new materials and material developments, identify pathway to ensure there is long-term sustainability of supply (e.g., challenge of current per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) regulation)
Consider current or new product/process development for reduced ecological footprint. (e.g., Characterization of current and new materials as well as role of additive manufacturing alternatives to reduced carbon footprint and process step reduction)
Recognize the increasing importance of OEM requirements in working with suppliers on sustainable solutions, in addition to government regulations.
Tradeoffs with regard to cost will also drive implementation competitively.
Technical Needs, Gaps and Solutions
The technology issues surrounding Environmental, the associated needs, technology status of those needs, as well as gaps and challenges to overcome, are summarized below. The time period considered is from 2023 to 2033.
Some definitions:
Term | Definition |
|---|---|
GAP | This is what is missing or what below in performance, in today’s technology, to meet the need for year X. |
CHALLENGE | Why is it difficult to meet the need in year X? Typically, this is some particular technical consequence of that need that is inherently difficult. |
CURRENT TECHNOLOGY STATUS in year X | How well does today’s technology and solutions meet the need in year X? |
Technology Status Legend
For each need, the status of today’s technology is indicated by label and color as follows:
In-table color + label key | Description of Technology Status |
|---|---|
Solutions not known | Solutions not known at this time |
Solutions need optimization | Current solutions need optimization |
Solutions deployed or known | Solutions deployed or known today |
Not determined | TBD |
Table 1. Environmental Gaps, and Today’s Technology Status with Respect to Current and Future Needs
| ROADMAP TIMEFRAME | |||
TECHNOLOGY ISSUE | TODAY (2023) | 3 YEARS (2026) | 5 YEARS (2028) | 10 YEARS (2032) |
Product environment | ||||
NEED - Products’ environmental profiles [What is included in PCB manufacturing processes, products (materials, chemical supply, impact (carbon footprint, energy use), etc.)] | Some early availability of information technology (IT) tools/platforms/regulatory watch (Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition ® (EICC)). Regionally-driven only.
| Approx. 50% Globally and market sector driven initiatives for PCB manufacturing and harmonized with early low-volume manufacturing (LVM) acceptance | Globally-driven initiatives and harmonized | |
CURRENT TECHNOLOGY STATUS | Material and product fabs profiles exist (RoHS and REACH) | Low volume exemptions are by country and being optimized | Platforms and methods unknown | |
GAP | Lack of global standards and Diverse industry-driven approaches (OEM and market driven) | Global standards’ systems and governance with push-back from markets and continually “changing” | ||
GAP | Different data collection platforms and methods | Different data collection platforms and methods | ||
CHALLENGE | No way to measure generally | |||
NEED Alternate products and processes that meet RoHS, REACH, etc. | Exemptions are allowed for some specific products (e.g., space, military exceptions, etc.) | Exemptions are more limited by 50 % for some specific products (e.g., space, military exceptions, etc.) New alternatives meet specifications | ||
CURRENT TECHNOLOGY STATUS | Deployed | |||
NEED Adoption of global initiatives and standardization for alternate materials for tooling (e.g., for energy, health, safety, etc. improvement) | Some early availability regulatory watch (EICC). Regionally-driven only. | More global conservation initiatives, e.g., Paris agreement at play | Primary initiatives have traction Further global adoption and more centric to products. OEMs are more engaged/involved to drive Incentives in place (financial, supplier selection) Impact on price points is positive due to better practices | |
CURRENT TECHNOLOGY STATUS | Siloed, needs standardization, Market pressure increases | Standardization emerging and required by market | Industry adoption | |
Supply chain (e.g, verification of entire supply chain, qualification) | ||||
NEED | Assure supplier compliance | Standardization required by market | Industry adoption | |
CURRENT TECHNOLOGY STATUS | Emerging | Optimized existing practice | ||
GAP | Front end resources to manage effort | Global expansion | ||
CHALLENGE | Compliance of the sub suppliers globally | |||
Resource management (e.g., energy, water, air, waste (circuitry, boards, landfill, chemical, etc.) | ||||
NEED Disposal at End of Life (EOL) | Waste reduction going to ”near zero” | |||
CURRENT TECHNOLOGY STATUS | Deployment of initiatives is underway | Maturation of initiatives (new processes/equipment) | ||
GAP | 20%-50% reduction | 50%-80% reduction | ||
CHALLENGE | Rigor and discipline with factory management | Introduction of new processes to mitigate water use | ||
NEED Industrial mitigation of electronics disposal | Limited corporate programs, and company initiatives/targets | Global industry underway | Maturation and deployment | Adoption |
CURRENT TECHNOLOGY STATUS | Reduction initiatives in place with some reclamation | Continual improvement and adoption | Materials and metals replacements | |
GAP | General sustainability is selective and sunset laws drafted and limited programs | Lack of OEM alignment of disposal reduction initiatives (product cycles complicate) | More movement towards alignment | |
CHALLENGE | Suitable industry replacements needed versus urgency | |||
Design for Environment (e.g., carbon footprint, reuse, recycle [circuitry, boards, landfill, chemical], verification, standardization, bio-boards, etc.) | ||||
NEED | Quantification and reduction of carbon footprint at individual part number level | Innovations and new designs integrated up and down supply chain | ||
CURRENT TECHNOLOGY STATUS | Quantification of carbon footprint per circuit board starting | Quantification established and in use as a tool | Reduction deployed | Continued reduction |
GAP | Top 50 suppliers are implementing design for environment | General expectation for all suppliers | ||
GAP | Top 50 suppliers are implementing design for environment | |||
CHALLENGE | Integration and education of concepts | |||
CHALLENGE | Quantification of footprint for lamination and plating processes, across the variety of process methods and design parameters | |||
CHALLENGE | Unknowns in carbon footprint of input energy | |||
ISSUE: ENERGY (ENVIRONMENT) | ||||
NEED | Quantification of energy usage in manufacturing (CO2e and/or CO2eq) | Alternative methods for lower-energy manufacturing, with a focus on plating (improved energy conversion and control) and lamination (new fast cure pressing techniques). | Move to 3D/additive manufacturing techniques | |
CURRENT TECHNOLOGY STATUS | Assessment underway | Solutions exist in deployment with continuous improvement | Trade-offs unknown | |
GAP | Breakdown of energy consumption along the specific, installed manufacturing line. | Install equipment that is energy efficient (e.g., fast cure techniques) | ||
CHALLENGE | Cost of investment | |||
CHALLENGE | Pressure with turnover versus extendibility of equipment | |||
NEED | Digital processes | Ink jetting materials use adoption | Modular processing with less consumptions | 100 % reduction |
CURRENT TECHNOLOGY STATUS | Low-level deployment | Increase in adoption to target of 100% reduction | ||
GAP | Supplier selection pressure | |||
CHALLENGE | Cost for solutions | |||
NEED | Reduction in waste water outflows and improvement in the energy efficiency of waste water treatment | |||
CURRENT TECHNOLOGY STATUS | Low-level deployment | Increase in adoption to target of 100% reduction | ||
GAP | Infrastructure availability for implementation in all regions | |||
CHALLENGE | Investment costs and timing for new manufacturing equipment | |||
Approaches to address Needs, Gaps and Challenges
Table 2 considers approaches to address the above needs and challenges. The evolution of these is projected out over a 10-year timeframe using technology readiness levels (TRLs).
In-table color key | Range of Technology Readiness Levels | Description |
|---|---|---|
2 | TRL: 1 to 4 | Levels involving research |
6 | TRL: 5 to 7 | Levels involving development |
9 | TRL: 8 to 9 | Levels involving deployment |
Table 2. Environmental Potential Solutions
|
| EXPECTED TRL LEVEL | |||
TECHNOLOGY ISSUE | POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS | TODAY (2023) | 3 YEARS (2026) | 5 YEARS (2028) | 10 YEARS (2033) |
Product environment | Compliance and innovation are coincident with regulatory introduction | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
Supply chain (e.g, verification of entire supply chain, qualification) | Emergence of fully traceable product certification throughout the supply chain | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
Resource management (e.g., energy, water, air, waste (circuitry, boards, landfill, chemical, etc.) | Factory-level deployment of retrofitted and new equipment that meets regulatory needs | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
Focused collection and review of ongoing and future profiles from PCB manufacturing and suppliers to implement measurement and develop a plan | 6 | 8 | 8 | 9 | |
Fully additive technology for reduced waste output, lower ecological impact | 3 | 4 | 6 | 8 | |
Design for Environment (e.g., carbon footprint, reuse, recycle [circuitry, boards, landfill, chemical], verification, standardization, bio-boards, etc.) | Once characterization is achieved, innovation on new materials and processes will evolve (e.g., additive design/manufacturing that uses less energy). | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |