Achieving Space-Saving in Electronic Equipment with Anisotropic Conductive Film (ACF) × Local Slitting Process in Thailand | Integrating Connection, Insulation, and Adhesion into a Single Sheet

In OA equipment and EMS fields, demands for thinner products and cost reduction are intensifying simultaneously, while the conventional mounting method, where connection, insulation, and adhesion are handled by separate components, has reached its limits. By combining material integration into high-performance Anisotropic Conductive Film (ACF) with local slitting and small-lot supply at our Thailand base, we provide solutions that simultaneously achieve space-saving inside devices, yield improvement, and cost reduction. It has already been adopted by multiple OA equipment manufacturers and EMS providers.

Simultaneous Demands for “Space-Saving” and “Cost Reduction” Occurring in OA Equipment and EMS Fields

In the fields of OA equipment and EMS (Electronics Manufacturing Services), market demands for even thinner and smaller products are growing year by year. At the same time, price competition for final products is becoming fiercer, making the balance between maintaining functionality and reducing costs the biggest challenge for design and procurement departments.
Particularly for the connection parts of electronic components, conventional wisdom dictated that three functions—conduction, insulation, and adhesion—be handled by separate components. However, this has become a structural bottleneck that causes more complex assembly processes, increased thickness, and higher costs. On the manufacturing lines of local factories in Thailand, deterioration in yield and inefficiencies in assembly processes caused by these connection components have already become apparent.
“We want to make the product one step thinner. However, we cannot compromise on connection strength, insulation performance, or adhesion reliability. Furthermore, we also want to reduce costs.”——We receive many such inquiries from the design and procurement departments of local factories in the ASEAN region.

Why Space-Saving is Impossible: Limits of the Mounting Method Layering Single-Function Connection, Insulation, and Adhesion Components

The root causes identified from on-site witness inspections and cross-checking mounting data with yield data can be summarized into the following two points:
・Insufficient mounting space at connection points: The overlapping of multiple components results in a loss of design flexibility.
・Inefficiency of separate components handling conduction, insulation, and adhesion: Alignment and pasting processes for each component increase, leading to higher assembly time and defect rates.
These issues cannot be resolved by improving individual parts; integration at the material design level is required.
The grounds for identifying the causes are the comparison of the following three points:
・On-site observation at customer manufacturing facilities
・Cross-checking of mounting data and yield data
・Deconstruction of the cost structure of existing component configurations

Countermeasures Attempted So Far and Their Limits

The countermeasures previously attempted by many customers face a common barrier:
・Replacement with thinner conductive tape: Insufficient connection strength made it unacceptable.
・Consideration of adopting local general-purpose ACF: Failed to meet required physical properties for heat and chemical resistance.
・Reduction of assembly man-hours through process simplification: Did not achieve fundamental thinning or cost reduction.
Given these limits, “material integration into high-performance ACF that realizes the three functions of conduction, insulation, and adhesion in a single sheet” and “acceleration of evaluation and mass production response through local processing and small-lot supply” emerge as the most effective measures.

Solution Approach: Material Integration into High-Performance ACF × Local Slitting in Thailand × Small-Lot Supply

Centering on material integration into high-performance Anisotropic Conductive Film (ACF), we accompany you from the design stage to mass production through the combination of the following three steps.

Fuji Chemi Trading’s Supply System: Triangular Collaboration among Japan Headquarters, Thailand Base, and Mito Processing Center

This solution is established through the division of roles among three bases:
・Headquarters / Technology: ACF evaluation / formulation proposals / heat and chemical resistance data preparation / customer contact window
・Thailand Base (Local Subsidiary): Local slitting process / local inventory storage / local currency quotation and settlement
・Mito Processing Center: Parallel operation of slitting and die-cutting on the Japan side / immediate shipment of evaluation samples
● Supply System: Slitting into small rolls at customer-specified widths, overseas inventory support, and immediate shipment of small-quantity samples for evaluation are possible. We have established a system to seamlessly accompany you from the evaluation phase to mass production.

Results of Implementation: Simultaneous Achievement of Component Count Reduction, Thinning, and Yield Stabilization

We have received the following qualitative and quantitative result reports from companies that have implemented this solution:
・Reduction in the number of components by realizing connection, insulation, and adhesion with a single sheet
・Thinning of products by reducing overlapping layers
・Stabilization of yield (reduction of mounting defects)
・Cost reduction due to material integration effects
・Reduction of SKUs subject to inventory management
● Implementation Lead Time: By sharing customer prototyping and evaluation inside and outside Japan, the time to mass production is shortened.

Anticipated Ripple Effects and Horizontal Expansion: Three Returns Opened Up by ACF × Local Processing

Material integration into ACF can be horizontally expanded to areas other than this case. Please use this as material for internal proposals.
1. Expansion to other FPC/glass substrate connection projects
It can be applied to all projects involving FPC connections, such as camera modules, sensors, and automotive displays. All fields requiring thinning and highly reliable connections, such as smart devices, wearable equipment, and automotive cockpits, are targeted.
2. Simplification of the assembly process → Improvement of manufacturing line throughput
If assembly processes are reduced through material integration, the throughput of the manufacturing line itself will improve. This will be highly evaluated by manufacturing departments as a measure to increase production without expanding line capacity.
3. Standardization of components within ASEAN and gaining inquiries
By expanding the ACF adopted in Thailand to Vietnam factories and China factories with the same specifications, the “standardization of components” desired by the global headquarters’ procurement department can be achieved. In addition, by turning it into a “small-lot evaluation kit” utilizing ACF evaluation know-how, it can lead to gaining inquiries from new customers.

Differences from Competitors: Why Fuji Chemi Trading is Chosen

While many trading companies handle only raw film materials, our unique strength lies in our ability to handle everything up to “ACF evaluation + local slitting + small-lot immediate delivery” within a single company. Trading companies with networks capable of maintaining Japanese quality in local Thailand are limited, and we can proceed from the evaluation phase to the mass production phase without disrupting the responsible contact window.
・Difference from raw material sales-type trading companies
One-stop support from evaluation, processing, to small-lot immediate delivery
・Difference from local trading companies
Providing Japanese quality standards, Japanese language support, and materials for management
・Difference from processing subcontractors
Handling everything from material selection, grade proposals, to heat resistance data preparation

Product Information: Spec Overview of Anisotropic Conductive Film (ACF)

The Anisotropic Conductive Films with a proven track record of adoption can be selected from multiple grades depending on the application and mounting conditions. Representative specifications are as follows (please contact us for detailed specs).

Usage Methods and Operational Examples

・Evaluation phase: Immediate shipment of small-quantity samples → Mounting tests within the customer’s company
・Pre-mass production preparation: Preparation of heat and chemical resistance data on the Japan side, determination of mass production slitting specifications on the Thailand side
・Mass production phase: Supply of local inventory + specified width slitting at the Thailand base, direct input into the production line
・Horizontal expansion within ASEAN: Expanding the ACF adopted in Thailand to Vietnam and China bases with the same specifications

Proposals by Related Applications and Challenges

■ Small-Lot Slitting Process for FPC Release Film | Supplying Evaluation Samples with Short Lead Times from In-Stock Items
■ Reducing Production Line Stop Risks with Local Inventory in Thailand for Automotive Parts | Supplying Molding Resins and Rubber via BCP Scheme