Challenge

In 2018, the world’s largest smartphone OEM found themselves in an unfortunate situation: In the months following the initially successful launch of a new addition to their top selling smartphone line, they received heavy returns for the new product. The reason for these returns: The microphones – an absolute core technology for every smartphone and basic requirement for calls, listening to music or anything else related to acoustics – didn’t work properly. At the time, the extensive media coverage on the product failures intensified the pressure on the OEM. Their good reputation was at stake.

Solution

To find a solution, Gore took a step back to look at the problem. First, we invested the necessary time to understand the customer’s needs. We knew that the solution needed to be perfect, as the OEM could not afford another slip-up.

Gore then found that current methods used by manufacturers to protect MEMS microphones from particles can cause performance degradation – leading to significant yield losses and higher manufacturing costs since sub-assembly circuit boards and components needed to be scrapped or reworked. Technical challenges during high-volume assembly of printed circuit boards can jeopardize the integrity of MEMS microphones.

With these insights, Gore developed a yet-to-be-matched solution that provides industry-leading protection from particles, excellence acoustic performance and can be installed without any special handling during circuit board assembly: GORE® MEMS Protective Vent Style 200.

The Technology Behind the Solution: GORE® MEMS Protective Vent Style 200

The solution used to help the smartphone OEM in need was GORE® MEMS Protective Vent Style 200 for microphone manufacturers. These are just a few benefits of the product:

  • High protection against particles, high filtration efficiency
  • High acoustic transparency with minimal transmission loss
  • Can be auto-installed inside the MEMS microphone during the microphone packaging process
  • Parts are digitally mapped in a wafer format
  • Compatibility with high-speed die attach equipment, so no extra equipment investment is needed for the installation
  • Accommodation of very small form factors to suit small components and devices

For specifications and more detailed information on installation, please visit GORE® MEMS Protective Vents Style 200.

Results

With the help of the Gore team, the OEM’s MEMS microphone manufacturer was able to present a suitable solution to the smartphone company. The OEM had to choose whether to implement the innovative GORE® MEMS Protective Vent Style 200 or to stick with their current protection method that caused failure and returns. Of course, they chose to go with Gore. Here are the wins:                                                    

  • The return rate of the smartphone model dropped
  • Potential reputational damage was averted
  • The MEMS manufacturer entered the project, gained reputation and became a qualified supplier in this OEM account
  • Yield loss was minimized from thousands PPM to almost 0, which significantly improved cost efficiency
  • Our expertise, the stable quality and stable supply chain of GORE® MEMS Protective Vents have laid the foundation for successful long-term cooperation

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