INDIUM CORPORATION

Electronics Assembly Challenges and Solutions for the Evolving e-Mobility Landscape

The e-Mobility industry is evolving before our eyes as lower barriers to entry, climate change, and governmental policy have created a demand to launch new electric vehicles (EVs) that didn’t exist within the legacy original equipment manufacturer (OEM) marketplace. EVs are mostly driven by electronics, and OEMs—who have worked primarily with mechanical assemblies—have had to alter the way they interact with their supply chains, often by going directly to PCBA manufacturers.

With change comes pain points, and the stakes are high as consumers require far more reliability from their vehicles than their consumer electronics. As has happened in at least one well-known case, a dendritic growth in a display panel has the potential to immobilize an EV in the middle of a crowded highway.

What started as an EV discussion has grown into a much larger e-Mobility evaluation incorporating batteries, charging stations, and the public utility infrastructure required to support it. This requires massive cooperation across the public and private sectors. Within this new and sometimes confusing paradigm, Indium Corporation® has emerged as a trusted source of expertise and industry leadership.

Increasing Electric Assembly Challenges

Electrical, mechanical, and thermal stresses can negatively impact the performance of the final product and, with electric vehicles, the challenge is even greater. Requirements are more demanding for high-power electric engines which run almost nonstop between charging and driving cycles, along with myriad connected electronics within the car.

Indium Corporation is more than a materials provider—they work with customers to optimize and customize their procedures. Below are common

challenges within EV electronics assembly and how Indium Corporation’s Rel-ion™ suite of awardwinning products can effectively eliminate or reduce defects such as dendritic growth, voiding, head-inpillow, and more.

Electrical

Dendrites and Corrosion – Meets stricter surface insulation resistance (SIR) with rework solutions to pass SIR unheated

Electrical Continuity – Eliminates non-wet opens and head-in-pillow defects

Leakage Current – Contains low alpha particle solution for >650-volt GaN dies

Mechanical

Solder Delamination – Provides precision bondline control, increased creep resistance, and increased fatigue resistance

Longer Mission Profiles – Shows increased operating temperatures and longer thermal and power cycles

Thermal

Hot Spots – Reduces voiding, increases CPU/GPU thermal requirements, and provides materials for power modules, IGBT, and DSC modules

Reliable, Scalable, Proven Solutions

The industry is looking for solutions that can help bring products to market faster and without recalls. Along with the development of industry standards, the use of proven products backed by expert knowledge and experience is a key component to success. Over three million electric vehicles are currently on the road with Indium Corporation’s Rel-ion™ suite of products because they are specially engineered to meet three vital criteria.

First—they’re reliable. They are designed with higher quality standards that meet the evolving demands of automotive electrification. Second—they’re scalable. They are readily available and capable of meeting supply chain expectations. Third—they’re proven. Most Rel-ion™ products have been used in EV manufacturing for more than a decade. Rel-ion™ materials deliver reliability to EV modules, components, and systems, such as:

• ADAS • Autopilot • Battery Cells • Battery Management Systems • DC-DC Converters • DC Fast Charging (DCFC) • Energy Storage • IGBT • Infotainment • Inverters • On-Board Battery Chargers • Power MOSFET • Telematics (TCU)

To learn more about Indium Corporation’s suite of proven products for EV and other automotive applications, visit indium.com/relion.

Additional Resources

If you are looking for expert insight on the rapidly evolving EV market, Indium Corporation is proud to offer two free channels shedding light on both the technical challenges facing the industry, as well as the business side of e-Mobility.

Technical Insights

For expert technical insight on the challenges present in the rapidly evolving electric vehicle market, including how to ensure electrical, mechanical, and thermal reliability, check out Driving e-Mobility: Rel-ion™ Technical Webinars. These unique sessions, offered as part of Indium Corporation’s popular InSIDER Series of webinars, are led by global industry technical experts in advanced materials and the automotive market. Register for upcoming webinars or access the on-demand archive at no cost at https://www.indium.com/corporate/media-center/ webinars/rel-ion.php.

Business Insights

EV InSIDER Live, driven by Indium Corporation, is a webcast series co-hosted by Brian O’Leary and Loren McDonald. Conducted in an approachable, conversational format suitable for business executives, casual observers, and seasoned engineers alike, EV Insider Live sheds light on the most pressing business issues facing the e-Mobility industry. O’Leary and McDonald are joined by a different high-profile guest from the EV industry on each episode. Register for upcoming webcasts or access the on-demand archive at no cost at https://www.indium.

com/corporate/media-center/webinars/

ev-insider.php.