We recognize climate change is a serious environmental, economic, and social challenge so we focus on reducing our own direct environmental “footprint.” This encompasses the emissions resulting from our own operations, our supply chain, and the marketing and use of our products. But we also focus on increasing our “handprint,” the ways in which Intel® technologies help others reduce their footprints, and sharing our learning with the others to drive industry-wide improvements.
But what does that really mean? Let’s walk through an example.
Traditionally, circuit boards in consumer products likepersonal PCs and phonesare assembled using high temperature soldering, a process of joining metals at 260°C. This process isn’t exactly energy efficient or conducive to the shrinking form factors we love but it was the best solution we had.
That is where an Intel team’s work in
low temperature soldering(LTS) is changing the game. Basically, it is a breakthrough technology that allows metals to be joined together at 190°C, minimizing warpage without compromising performance. This addresses an industry-wide challenge to make even smaller, thinner consumer products AND enable more energy efficient products.
But we aren’t keeping this information to ourselves. We are hoping to get this technology adapted industry-wide because our research shows this technology can deliver a
25%-40% reduction in the industry’s carbon footprint and
lower customer manufacturing energy cost by as much as 25%. Meaning that manufacturing products using this new technology could save the carbon equivalent of up to 50 million pounds of coal burned every year.Thus far, we have led industry-wide workshops to train over 200 engineers from 20 manufacturing companies to help accelerate adoption of this advanced technology.
There’s no denying this breakthrough is good for our business, but it is also extremely good for the industry and the environment. It is just one way we are fulfilling our mission to reduce our footprint, increase our handprint, and transform our industry.
Sydney is a creative strategist, producer, and master storyteller at Intel. She capturing stories of impact, sustainability, and amazing people across the company.