Volume Mount Devices

Abstract

As Moore's Law ends and AI demands increasingly tax our climate and resources, the limitations of two-dimensional electronics integration have become critical bottlenecks. Surface-mount devices (SMDs) remain entrenched in industry practice despite being insufficient for today's computing challenges and sustainability needs. This thesis introduces the volume mount device (VMD), a three-dimensional electronics packaging standard that bypasses the traditional die-to-server stack while offering a scalable, reversible framework inspired by natural ecosystems' circularity. The VMD approach embeds both electrical function and mechanical structure into modular elements that assemble freely in 3D space. Rather than building circuits on planar PCBs, this system constructs functional circuits by linking components into a self-constraining lattice architecture. My current implementation leverages existing supply chains by incorporating SMD components on small tile PCBs, while establishing a pathway toward eventually replacing SMDs at the IC packaging level. I developed a hybrid assembly system combining 3D printing and pick-and-place automation to build multi-layered electronic assemblies efficiently. Where prior work achieved only tens of parts at hundreds of components per hour (CPH), my system demonstrates automated assembly of hundreds of integrated elements at approximately 1000 CPH. I evaluate various geometric configurations, assess performance overhead compared to conventional approaches, and develop cost-effective, self-aligning connector interfaces for reliable joints—creating a foundation for electronics systems that can be assembled, disassembled, and reassembled as needed while improving resilience against supply chain disruptions.