Are you working with a ceramic substrate processing partner to prepare your materials for the final manufacturing of your ICs? It's helpful to work with a partner that will work with you during prototype development to ensure your base substrate has been fully optimized to achieve your desired outcomes regarding your IC's performance and ultimate customer value.

Accumet has published a process guide recently to provide a broad understanding of the design for manufacturability (DFM) steps that a high-level polishing, lapping and processing center should offer you. In this blog, Accumet provides an outline in the form of some key questions you and your substrate processing partner should be asking of each other.

1. Can your IC design be manufactured within the specification, budget and timeframe required? (Will true customer value be achieved?)

2. Will it perform its intended function reliably? How do you avoid breakage?

3. How much will the part cost?

4. How long will it take to produce?

5. Is the inventory needed available?

6. Can your partner source the quantity you need?

7. Does your partner have the ability to order the inventory required today and also predict future availability to consistently achieve on-time deliveries?

8. Have you engaged your materials processing partner early enough so they can help with process validation?

9. Are they advanced in their ability to develop necessary fixturing for repeatable processing from one delivery to the next?

10. Do they have documented quality control procedures such ISO/AS-9100, in place?

A good place to start is by reviewing the manufactured part or drawings and specifications together. A top-notch partner will be able to help you make your IC design more manufacturable for higher yield and provide ultimate performance. Sometimes, you can rely upon a manufacturing expert to help you save money, too, by using less material or less expensive materials without sacrificing quality.