NextFlex, America’s Flexible Hybrid Electronics (FHE) Manufacturing Institute, today announced $8.45 million in funding (including $4.25M in cost-share contribution from participants) for nine new projects as part of its Project Call 7.0 to further promote FHE development and adoption throughout the U.S. advanced manufacturing sector.
Project Call 7.0’s awarded projects represent a diverse and innovative set of companies and universities that are jointly focused on maturing the industry’s capabilities while leveraging the strong foundation established in prior Project Calls. Several projects in this latest round of funded projects focus on advancing additive manufacturing approaches for hybrid electronics and addressing critical needs in domestic advanced semiconductor packaging capabilities, which directly aligns with the needs described in the recently passed Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) Act.
Project Call 7.0 also focuses on using hybrid electronics manufacturing processes and materials to improve environmental sustainability in electronics manufacturing. This will include using water-based inks and lower temperature processing, as well as assessing the manufacturing reshoring of low-cost single use medical devices that utilize more environmentally sustainable manufacturing approaches and materials.
This latest round of funding brings the total amount invested in FHE developments to more than $124M, including cost share contributions from Project Call participants.
“I am pleased to announce these important new projects, which will enhance the state of the art in hybrid electronics, support national efforts for semiconductor package manufacturing, and help to transition an increasing number of new capabilities into the U.S. industrial manufacturing sector for further advancement of the industry,” said Malcolm J. Thompson, PhD, Executive Director. “The NextFlex member community is accelerating FHE and additively manufactured electronics toward commercialization in a number of critical application areas addressed in these projects.”
