NMI - Activities

Activities

Industry Networks A key role for NMI is to facilitate and promote the technical and commercial development of the sector and this is facilitated through a series of business seminars, bulletins and technical networks. Our business seminars and bulletins cover contemporary issues and topics such as markets, management, investment & funding. If you would like to be made aware of these events as they happen please click here. Our technical networks cover strategic research through to near market developments and: Focus on industry and business needs relevant to the membership Cover the supply and design chain Facilitates knowledge of 'who does what' Act as a catalyst for collaboration and business development Our technical networks include:
Networks	Click Here to be Notified of Meetings
System Level Design and Modelling
Analogue and Mixed Signal
Verification
Design for Manufacture
Reprogrammable and Reconfigurable Platforms
Failure Analysis, Characterisation & Reliability (FACR)
Power Electronics
Low Power
Integrated MEMs and New Technologies

Details of all technical network meetings including attendees, presentations and capability maps can be found in the Members Forum.
Sector Network: System Level Design and Modelling
Motivation: The UK has a strong design base and boasts Europe’s largest independent semiconductor design industry. Advanced tools, techniques and methodologies support the innovation processes of behaviour modeling, architecture exploration and implementation optimisation. Design productivity is crucial in a global competitive industry with agile, changing and emerging markets. ESL or electronic system level design is being marketed as an answer to many of the challenges that face designers working above the RTL level but in reality the subject lacks an agreed definition and methodology with vendors providing point tools. Description: This network is intended to expose participants to the latest information, developments and working practice knowledge that will help equip them to compete more effectively in their markets. Click here to be notified about future network meetings. Return To Top
Sector Network: Analogue, Mixed Signal and RF
Motivation:The Analogue Semiconductor market is growing rapidly with analogue circuits playing a crucial role in a variety of consumer applications such as wireless communications, wireless peripherals, MP3 players and digital cameras. Today, analogue designers can face implementing high-performance analogue using thousands of transistors often sharing silicon with millions of gates of digital logic on 90nm technologies and below. Description: The UK has a well established competency in analogue and mixed-signal, including a strong academic and research base, wide ranging design expertise, EDA tool development and circuit and SIP manufacture capability. This network provides a forum to exchange practical techniques and experiences in all of these fields. The forum also provides an opportunity for networking, business development and collaboration. Click here to be notified about future network meetings. The Analogue, Mixed Signal and RF Network webpage including details of Future Events can be found here. Return To Top
Sector Network: Verification
Motivation: Verification is a fundamental activity for all organisations involved in microelectronics design – especially leading edge digital and mixed signal. A wealth of studies and anecdotal evidence illustrate the increasing resources that verification consumes – figures as of to day quote up to 80% of the overall design cycle time. This ‘non-value added’ activity must be tackled effectively to manage the economics of product creation and mitigate risks associated with design complexity. Description: Company’s have a large choice of evolving tools, languages, methodologies and standards to choose with significant domain-specific influences. The UK has a formidable heritage and competency in complex chip design complemented with a strong research, academic base and leading EDA vendors. This network provides a forum for knowledge exchange, business development and collaboration within a crucial area of design. Click Here to be notified about future network meetings. The Verification Network Page, including details of our Verification Roadmapping project and Future Events, can be found here. Return To Top
Sector Network: Design for Manufacture
Motivation: Trends in recent times have seen the rise in interest of designing with manufacture in mind. Most significant are decreasing yields, shorter market windows and the increasing costs of designing IC’s as the industry transitions upward in design complexity and downward through the process geometries. Description: This network explores the broad range of design methodologies and techniques necessary to impact the economics of producing semiconductor products including yields, reliability, testability and packaging. The network provides a forum for technical advancement, knowledge exchange, business development and collaboration. Click Here to be notified about future network meetings. Return To Top
Sector Network: Reprogrammable and Reconfigurable Platforms
Motivation: Member suggestions have provided the motivation for this network meeting as many are involved in markets that require high levels of reuse to achieve an ROI of design or retain flexibility or field upgradeability. Description: This network is setup to provide a forum for knowledge exchange, business development and collaboration between participants. It will explore the major themes of platform based design including reuse, IP, SoC design, field upgradeability etc. Click Here to be notified about future network meetings. Return To Top
Sector Network: Failure Analysis, Characterisation & Reliability (FACR)
Motivation: FACR is a critical element in optimising the cost, cycle time and quality of new product introduction. Characterisation tools are costly for in-house use and require specialised skills while few places have all techniques available. There is a lack of knowledge of what services are available in this area and where they are to be found. This network provides awareness and discussion with the opportunity to impact cost, efficiency and quality of product introduction. Description: The purpose of this network is to facilitate knowledge of available techniques are and where they can be found locally. The objectives are to create a network of services and sources, provide information on available techniques and facilitate collaboration, outsourcing and best practices. Find out about previous and forthcoming events here. Click Here to be notified about future network meetings. Return To Top
Sector Network: Power Electronics
Motivation: An entire power electronics supply chain network exists in the UK, complemented by a strong, relevant research base and design house presence. A high percentage of UK foundries have Power processes identified as a core competency and there is a need and opportunity for increased collaboration, funding and investment. Description: The purpose of this network is to facilitate the business and manufacturing development of network members through increased knowledge, collaboration & investment and to increase the external awareness of the network’s capabilities and opportunities. Click Here to be notified about future network meetings. Return To Top
Sector Network: Low Power
Motivation: Low power design is a central theme that spans many applications and new product designs whether tethered to a mains power source or mobile devices. Leading process and design technologies add consideration and concerns in multiple dimensions including complexity, density, leakage, architecture and performance management. Description: The Low Power network is a forum to express and discuss matters relating to low power design in microelectronic products spanning strategic design choices at the architectural level through to tactical implementation. The forum also provides an opportunity for networking, business development and collaboration. Click Here to be notified about future network meetings. Return To Top
Sector Network: Integrated MEMs and New Technologies
Motivation: In the UK there has been strong emphasis on MEMS products and markets particularly through the development of the Micro and Nanotechnology (MNT) Network. A substantial opportunity exists in the microelectronics community to integrate MEMs and related technologies with conventional IC capabilities utilising existing skills and resources. Description: Recognising the significant opportunity to draw on the expertise of addressing high value, niche markets and a bringing a new supply chain together, the NMI has established this network to help develop the intrinsic capability and provide a support forum for participants to aid knowledge exchange, business development and collaborative opportunities. Click Here to be notified about future network meetings. Return To Top