Ho Chi Minh City operates a shared semiconductor packaging zone

Inaugurated on October 23, the Microchip Packaging and Testing workshop (SHTP Semiconductor Assembly, Testing & Packaging Lab - SHTP ATP Lab) is managed by Ho Chi Minh City High-Tech Park Training Center, in coordination with Ho Chi Minh City College of Science and Technology and specialized partners. The project is part of the framework to celebrate the 24th anniversary of the establishment of Ho Chi Minh City High-Tech Park (October 24).

Twitter was formed on the basis of exploiting 13 machinery and equipment modules in the microchip packaging and testing line donated by Intel Products Vietnam (IPV). The system is arranged in a practice space with an ISO 8 clean room, helping learners access the technical conditions and specific operating procedures of the semiconductor industry.

Inside, SHTP ATP Lab is located a Flip-Chip Ball Grid Array (FCBGA) chip packaging line with 10 automated machines, performing consecutive steps from loading trays to packaging, supplying solder flux, attaching chips, optical inspection, heating to create solder joints to checking, classifying and loading finished product trays. Through this system, learners can access the chip assembly and packaging process, practice automatic line operations, and learn technical parameters and quality control principles in a production environment.

In addition to the packaging machine cluster, SHTP ATP Lab is also equipped with an automatic testing system, serving to measure electrical parameters, evaluate circuit functions and practice product testing procedures. Optical inspection systems apply computer vision technology to detect visual defects such as cracks, soldering errors and issues related to surface quality and engraved codes on chips.

One of the orientations of SHTP ATP Lab is to develop a shared practice room model. Universities, colleges, research institutes and businesses participate in exploiting technology infrastructure. SHTP's Training Center will coordinate with schools and research institutes to integrate appropriate practice modules into the curriculum; At the same time, promote short-term training activities, foster lecturers, and improve skills for engineers and technicians.

Besides training, SHTP ATP Lab is also oriented to become a space to support applied research, implementation of scientific topics, collaborative projects and professional activities associated with the actual needs of businesses. This unit is currently signing strategic cooperation agreements with a number of businesses including Becamex and VinaCapital for energy research; VSAP LAB and Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology develop human resources and apply research.

According to Mr. Nguyen Ky Phung, Head of SHTP Management Board, the birth of SHTP ATP Lab has strategic significance, helping to gradually form a more complete semiconductor IC training ecosystem. This will be the place to connect the stages from design, test production to packaging and inspection, closely following the goal of forming a Southern semiconductor IC training center according to the Semiconductor IC Industry Development Program of Ho Chi Minh City.

Mr. Phung expects that SHTP ATP Lab will contribute to solving the problem of narrowing the gap between theoretical training and actual technical requirements at enterprises. He also called on universities, research institutes and businesses in the semiconductor ecosystem to actively participate in the mechanism of cooperation, sharing and common use of equipment infrastructure at SHTP ATP Lab.

"Students, trainees and engineers will have the opportunity to practice manipulation skills, comply with safety procedures and operate machinery according to industrial standards," Mr. Phung said. According to him, the greatest value is the human capacity formed, the training programs exploited and the research results created from operating the system.

The chip assembly and testing equipment system inside SHTP ATP Lab was handed over by IPV in May. These are chip production machines that have been converted to semiconductor research and training purposes. Intel affirmed that it was the first enterprise to make this conversion in Vietnam, within the framework of a cooperation agreement signed with Ho Chi Minh City High-Tech Park at that time.

Bao Lam