A host of international events were organized to address the current state of the market and future for molded interconnect device (MID) technology, starting off with the first Chinese MID forum, held on September 25–26, 2013, in Suzhou, near Shanghai.
 
Nearly 250 enthusiasts from Asia and Europe took advantage of the opportunity to gain and exchange information on MID technology and its possibilities along the entire process chain at the “First China-Europe 3D-MID Technology Exchange Conference,” which also served as the platform for the opening ceremony celebrating the establishment of the Chinese MID Association. Experts from renowned companies gave presentations on the latest developments in the field of MID.

The Japan MID Association continued to set the course in Asia on October 11, 2013, with its JMID Annual Meeting in Tokyo. The meeting showed that in Japan, too, numerous new technologies are being developed for MID manufacturing and are gaining in use. As an example, Fuji presented a new concept for 3D mounting as well as 3D dispensing and mounting machines. The system developed by Elis Hirvonen of Nordic 3D-MID Solutions for analyzing possible defects in the entire laser direct structuring process chain was met with great interest, as was the introduction of a new thermally conductive LDS material by Japanese materials manufacturer Mitsubishi Engineering Plastics.

Russia celebrated a first in terms of MID meetings with its first official MID Congress, which was warmly received in Moscow on October 23–24, 2013, by some 180 participants. In Russia, MIDs are mainly used in electrical household appliances, LED lights, the automotive industry, and the aerospace industry.

Another highlight in September 2013 was the LED-LDS innovation workshop “Three-dimensional arrangement of LEDs – Innovative fabrication technologies” put on by Essemtec AG and LPKF Laser & Electronics AG in Bregenz. Dr.-Ing. Christoph Heinle (RF Plast) presented a practice-oriented user report on the fundamentals of thermally conductive LDS materials. In his popular talk, he illustrated the adjustments that had to be made to optimize the LDS process as well as the results.

HSG-IMAT and the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Finance and Economics held an MID workshop in Stuttgart on October 9, 2013, centering around the latest examples of MID mass production from industry as well as technological innovations in 3D circuit substrates. This review showed that the markets are continuing their globalization trend. LDS technology is also gaining a foothold in countries where MIDs have previously been little known.