Ioan, to the best of my knowledge, the packaging field will be picking up, but not necessary SMT. Currently, the on chip delay is less due to the shrinkage of chip size and device feature. However, with fast speed it comes with more problems in packaging: heat (due to high density chip, just take a look of recent post on the TechNet about the thermal pad issue) and off chip delay become more of the issue. Low voltage chip, associated with smaller features and high density, will cause problem on many areas, such as leakage current, interconnect methods (high speed required consideration such as skin effect, residue capacitance etc.)...Getting into the packaging field would be a good bet, but may not be SMT...Multi-chip-Module and other form of packaging is getting more popular these days...Knowledge base job in the packaging field would have a good future..(I hope...however, see some of my Sr. colleagues got laid off recently, I do have some doubt...At least no body pays me high $$ yet..;-)... my 2 cents...just for your reference... good luck... jk At 12:12 PM 7/30/99 -0400, you wrote: >Technos, > >since everybody is happy and has time to check spelling, I'm going to ask >your oppinion on something totally non-technical. > >Many of you have more years in this industry than my age, so you saw it >grow. How do you see the future of SMT? Will it continue to be a booming >business, or, five years from now the assemblies will be one ASIC placed on >a 1"x1" board and that's it, no more discrete components, no more wave >soldering, no rework, etc. > >Shall I return to good old lathes and milling machines, or I'll be able to >feed my children out of electronic manufacturing, many years from now? > >Actually my company is in shut down for two weeks and that's why I waste my >time with stupid questions (sorry, but any oppinion is welcomed). > >Thanks, Ioan > >############################################################## >TechNet Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c >############################################################## >To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in >the body: >To subscribe: SUBSCRIBE TECHNET <your full name> >To unsubscribe: SIGNOFF TECHNET >############################################################## >Please visit IPC web site (http://www.ipc.org/html/forum.htm) for additional >information. >If you need assistance - contact Gayatri Sardeshpande at [log in to unmask] or >847-509-9700 ext.5365 >############################################################## > ############################################################## TechNet Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c ############################################################## To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the body: To subscribe: SUBSCRIBE TECHNET <your full name> To unsubscribe: SIGNOFF TECHNET ############################################################## Please visit IPC web site (http://www.ipc.org/html/forum.htm) for additional information. If you need assistance - contact Gayatri Sardeshpande at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.5365 ##############################################################